Hi, Moni:
From talking with nuclear techs, etc., the information that I was given is that minimizing exposure to radiation (the effects of which are cumulative over a lifetime) is an important consideration. Avoiding unnecessary exposure is prudent. So we are warned to minimize our CLOSE contact with other people for that reason, to protect them from unnecessary radiation exposure, not because the actual amount of radiation we might emit is all that big. If you think about when you get xrays these days, the tech, or person giving the xray always leaves the room and goes behind a lead shield. This is not because the amount of radiation of the xray is all that big, but because it protects them from small accumulations of radiation that over the course of their career might accumulate to improper levels. We are asked to take the same sort of precaution with others for a few days after RAI.
You might try calling to see if the nuclear medecine doctor where you will be receiving your RAI treatment would be willing to talk with you — over the phone or in person — prior to your treatment. If you could put your questions to someone who works with this stuff all the time, perhaps it would set your mind more at ease. I know I was nervous about the treatment, too, but talking it over, with a variety of doctors, and reading up on it, did ease my mind considerably.
Good luck.
Bobbi
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