Extreme fatigue

rmkbrad
rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Over the last week I am so tired all the time, if I do something small it takes me a day to recover. I went through chemo for the second time finishing last month. It has been about 8 months since I finished radiation. I was looking on line and the one thing that sticks in my head is my thyroid. Has anyone experianced this? I am scheduled for surgery in the morning to has the tubes implanted for four days of internal radiation.

Brad

Comments

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #2
    Thyroid test
    Brad,

    Yes, you are correct. The thyroid can cause fatigue anywhere from the last treatment date. I didn't have a problem with my thyroid until this past Spring. I mentioned it to my family Doctor and she had me go for some bloodwork checking my TSH levels. I was put on med's and my energy has inproved. Still not back to the level I had before cancer. But better then it has been.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    MarineE5 said:

    Thyroid test
    Brad,

    Yes, you are correct. The thyroid can cause fatigue anywhere from the last treatment date. I didn't have a problem with my thyroid until this past Spring. I mentioned it to my family Doctor and she had me go for some bloodwork checking my TSH levels. I was put on med's and my energy has inproved. Still not back to the level I had before cancer. But better then it has been.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    TSH Test
    Brad, like the Sarge said above, have the TSH Tested next time you have a blood test performed...

    Best,
    John
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Brad


    Marine and John are right on it, it takes a while before you start to have problems with the Thyroid, but when you do you will know it. Also you may want to try taking Iron once or twice a week, a lack of iron would get me so week it put me in bed for days.

    Take care
    Hondo
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #5
    Fatigue
    I've got the fatigue. Right now, its unrelated to thyroid, as I just had it checked last week and it's normal. They did the blood levels, and then sent me in for an ultrasound. (?) Not sure what you could even see on an ultrasound, but they said it looked great.

    I get I'll just have to ride it out. Hopefully, your energy levels will rebound. Sending healing thoughts up over the hill (along with the wet weather...) Stay warm.

    Deb
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #6
    D Lewis said:

    Fatigue
    I've got the fatigue. Right now, its unrelated to thyroid, as I just had it checked last week and it's normal. They did the blood levels, and then sent me in for an ultrasound. (?) Not sure what you could even see on an ultrasound, but they said it looked great.

    I get I'll just have to ride it out. Hopefully, your energy levels will rebound. Sending healing thoughts up over the hill (along with the wet weather...) Stay warm.

    Deb

    Echoing Deb
    At your stage of treatment it may simply be related to treatment. I think the emotional side effects of this are immeasurable and border on incapacitation at times. Give it more time and have the blood checked.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #7
    D Lewis said:

    Fatigue
    I've got the fatigue. Right now, its unrelated to thyroid, as I just had it checked last week and it's normal. They did the blood levels, and then sent me in for an ultrasound. (?) Not sure what you could even see on an ultrasound, but they said it looked great.

    I get I'll just have to ride it out. Hopefully, your energy levels will rebound. Sending healing thoughts up over the hill (along with the wet weather...) Stay warm.

    Deb

    Deb

    Something that is over looked very easy is your Iron level, get it checked

    http://thyroid.about.com/cs/fatigueenergy/l/bliron.htm

    Take care
    Hondo
  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    #8
    Hondo said:

    Deb

    Something that is over looked very easy is your Iron level, get it checked

    http://thyroid.about.com/cs/fatigueenergy/l/bliron.htm

    Take care
    Hondo

    Low blood count
    It has been a while, but throughout my treatment, I had low blood count and was extremely tired and ill. I remained in bed during the last month. It took a few weeks to slowly recover.

    Am surprising to read that you too are getting that radiation implant. My final treatment was for lymph node and I was hospitalized for two days. They inserted six needles in my neck area for direct radiation.

    Here's wishing you the very best.
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #9
    Lots of possible causes
    Hi Brad,

    I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue back in 1990 when it first became a 'thing' you could be diagnosed with. I was off work for 18mths. It was physically and psychologically quite distressing. I never really got over it till recently. Mine was blamed on post viral Syndrome by the Doctors while the Naturopaths saw it as poor liver, kidney, gut and immune function.

    While yours may well be a result of the treatments, the 'actual' reason is harder to pin point. Your vital organs have all taken a hit from the toxic Chemo, Rads and the knife, drugs and general stress and trauma. It could be due to the thyroid, the kidneys, the liver, the gut or more, and in any combination of these.

    I have worked hard to get all the pistons working again and this time properly. My earlier attempts pre C were not serious enough, and I would lapse into " my diet is balanced and I feel OK now". Now I can say my diet is Tip Top and I actually feel great with '0' fatigue. I have not felt this way since my 20's and I am now 48.

    While the cause of your condition may well be one thing, my take is as above (probably lots of things) and if you can restore the full function of all your bits, then you can at least narrow the field, and at best - get yourself back running on all cylinders.

    It took me about 9 months to get their once I started, and that includes the slow climb out after treatments. If you have followed my posts you will know I used diet and supplements under guidance of professionals, so that what worked for me, and I am very glad I followed that path.

    PM if you need more detail.

    Regds
    Scam

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