base of tongue/node Rad & thyroid?

sassysrice
sassysrice Member Posts: 117
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
With radiation on the back of tongue and one the lyphnode has anyone had any damage to their thyroid gland? I just was worrying about it.
thanks for any feedback
Sue

Comments

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #2
    Not at this point...
    Loved one was BOT and just finished tx a few weeks ago. We have not had that issue at this time. I have read others on this forum have had thyroid issues after tx. I'm sure someone will chime in to help with that question. Good luck to you.


    ~C
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    Not yet....
    but they keep checking on my thyroid, as any radiation to the head and neck can cause problems with the thyroid down the road. Don't worry about it, it's an easy fix...

    p
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #4
    No thyroid issues yet...
    I was also told that I could expect my thyroid to stop working at some point. I had base of tongue and several lymph nodes, on both sides of my neck, so I got a lot of radiation. So far so good. 2 1/2 years out from end of treatment, and my bloodwork last weeks showed my thyroid to be normal. Yay.

    Deb
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #5
    D Lewis said:

    No thyroid issues yet...
    I was also told that I could expect my thyroid to stop working at some point. I had base of tongue and several lymph nodes, on both sides of my neck, so I got a lot of radiation. So far so good. 2 1/2 years out from end of treatment, and my bloodwork last weeks showed my thyroid to be normal. Yay.

    Deb

    Thyroid
    Been a number of people who have had issues to varying degrees about the Thyroid, including me. Thyroid damage/changes are often evidenced by feeling cold. My rad Dr ordered a regular blood test when I told her about it, and there's a certain level of something that they use as a marker for the need, or not, to get a certain pill to take. I have never reached that level, but know others have over the years.

    The flip side is that the summer heat is not nearly as bad as it was pre-C. We had a very hot summer in the humid north midwest, and on a day when the high was 102* what did I do? Went golfing, like I had on a few other 100*+ days! On that particular day I shot an 81 on the par-70 Duck Creek golf course, which is the best I've ever done! Drank water like a Mississippi River fish (not like one of them there Florida flounder pseudo-fish!!!), and there was a little breeze...the gift of rads that keeps giving does give some side-effect good.

    kcass
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    Rads & Thyroid...
    Hi Sue,

    A high percentage of people that have went through rads will develope thyroid issues, not all but many.

    Unfortunately, it's one of the possible long term effects from rads.

    The good news is that it's usually very treatable with synthetic meds, Synthroid for one.

    The main indicators for thyroid damage are in the blood tests...

    TSH and Free T-4, if at some point it isn't mentioned, or not being monitored, you can always ask about it and request the tests added to your regular blood tests.

    Best,
    John
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #7
    good question
    Hi Sue,

    Guinea Pig Matt here, base of tongue 1 lymph node, rads and Erbitux. I am currently “borderline” on the thyroid front. Waiting for the next blood test (soon). Don’t know who to point my lazy finger at, but I am tired more than I use to be, but I love to sleep and I do sleep well.

    Stay tuned for coming attractions.

    Best,

    Matt
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #8
    my thyroid failedbe
    before rads were even completed. So I went on replaccement. Through the first handful of years after treatment, the amount of thyroid replacement required gradually increased, eventually becoming stable. This is not uncommon.

    Pat
  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    #9
    longtermsurvivor said:

    my thyroid failedbe
    before rads were even completed. So I went on replaccement. Through the first handful of years after treatment, the amount of thyroid replacement required gradually increased, eventually becoming stable. This is not uncommon.

    Pat

    Nothing to worry about
    Just have your doc check for hypothyroidism every once in awhile through a blood test. One tiny, inexpensive pill a day takes care of the damaged thyroid.

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