Iodine 131 Precautions

Iodine 131 is a radioactive isotope of the element iodine and is used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism, a condition caused by an overactive thyroid gland. Iodine 131 is taken as a pill and works by destroying the cells of the thyroid gland, which eliminates the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Because it is radioactive, patients undergoing this treatment must take special precautions to avoid exposing people around them to radiation until the iodine 131 breaks down and leaves the body.

In the Hospital

• If you are receiving a high enough dose of iodine 131, your doctor may require you to stay in the hospital for a few days until the radiation from your body is reduced to safe levels. You will stay in a special room with radiation shielding on the walls and doors, paper covering the floor, and plastic covering the furniture. This is to make it easier to decontaminate the room after you leave. You will not be allowed visitors during your stay, and contact with hospital staff will be minimal.

Further Hospital Precautions

• Your meals will be served on disposable plates and with plastic utensils, which you will be asked to dispose of in a special trash can. Any food that you don't eat and that is soft enough, you will have to flush down the toilet. Anything you bring into the room with you must be left behind at the end of your stay to be disposed of. Glasses, contact lenses and jewelry are exempt from this rule.

Precautions at Home

• You must limit contact with other people as much as possible, especially small children and pregnant women. Do not sit close to people on couches or in vehicles and do not let children sit on your lap. Try to stay in your own room as much as possible and make sure to wear socks or slippers at all times. You must sleep alone and avoid intimate contact with your partner until your doctor allows you to resume normal activity.

Hygiene Precautions

• If possible, use a separate bathroom from others in your household for the duration of the precaution period. Men should urinate sitting down to avoid splashing urine, and the toilet should be flushed two to three times with the lid closed after use. Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom and shower at least once a day. All towels, washcloths and other laundry should be kept separate and washed at least twice before being used again by others in your household.

Food Precautions

• Don't prepare food for other people during this period, and keep food you prepare for yourself separate. Set aside dishes and utensils strictly for your own use, and wash them thoroughly every time you use them. Eating sour foods and sucking on sour candy is recommended to help get rid of iodine 131 via your saliva. Most of the iodine 131 will be expelled in your urine so drink extra fluids to speed up the process. If you are a woman with a young baby, you must not breastfeed as iodine 131 will also be expelled in your milk.