[Momof5]

#1059806

Did you have to avoid iodine before you did the uptake scan? I keep reading conflicting information on this. I didn’t do anything different, and I ate fish and drank a lot of milk before my scan. My endo said it didn’t matter, but I read differently on the internet.

[SueAndHerZoo]

#1177739

The only instruction I received was that if I take a multi-vitamin, stop taking it for a few days before the scan. Other than that, no restrictions.
Sue

[snelsen]

#1177740

Hi,
i have had several scans, with no directions at all. I have sent many people for scans, with no directions regarding what to do/not do, eat/not eat.
I suggest you give Nuclear Medicine a call, or Radiology, wherever you went,and review it with them, so you know the right answer.

I did a bit more checking, and some places say to stop eating kelp, and/or vitamins containing iodine. Perhaps some docs or departments tell patients to stop taking vitamins a few days ahead of time, for this reason. It certainly makes sense, to have a valid test.

Another suggestion is to pose the question, then put a comma, and say uptake scan,directions for patient, comma, Mayo Clinic (or some academic center)

Will be interesting to hear from others.
Shirley

[Momof5]

#1177741

Well, I take a multivitamin every day too. Wasn’t told to stop it. Guess it doesn’t make a difference now, but it keeps niggling at me.

[Kimberly]

#1177742

Hello – This is one of the (many) areas where doctors don’t seem to agree! From the stories I’ve heard from other patients, most doctors do not require a low-iodine diet prior to the scan & uptake.

However, my own doc had me on a strict low-iodine diet for two weeks prior to the scan, and it was a *very* high-maintenance plan. (Lots of cooking from scratch, which is NOT my best skill!) If your endo was fine with you *not* being on this plan prior to the test, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Take care!

[smtucker]

#1177743

I was told to not eat fish, seaweed, sushi etc for 10-days pre-scan. Makes sense since I am in Boston where we eat all of the above regularly. Of course, the minute I wasn’t allowed to have fish, that is all I wanted!

*susan*

[adenure]

#1177744

I was told to eat a low iodine diet for 10 days and no fish for 2 weeks before the scan. I had veggies, fruit, no-salted nuts and nut butter, grilled chicken breast, egg whites, no dairy, lots of plain food. Both my endo & the nuclear doctor told me to do that. I guess it makes sense; if you deprive your body from iodine, once you take the radioactive iodine, your thyroid will absorb it pretty quickly and make the reading easier I guess. It wouldn’t be “dark” (from iodine) from and iodine foods.

[Stymie]

#1177745

I was told to just avoid salt and salty foods for a few days before.

I had the uptake scan done in August.

Diane

[vanillasky]

#1177746

I’ve had 2 uptake scans and nothing was a prerequisite for the test.

I did have difficulty though because the iodine wouldn’t go into the gland. They were massaging my arm to make it move! When I tell doctors that, they think it’s nuts but that’s what happened.

The second time I took no pill but had to drink a bubbling solution. It made me nauseated. I thought I was going to vomit so they told me to wait a few minutes and drink a can of diet cola which I did and it helped.

[Momof5]

#1177747

Thanks for all the replies. I think I’m just wishful thinking that all of this will go away and there was some mistake!

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