thyroid problems

pansylover
pansylover Member Posts: 80
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Has anyone developed problems w/ their thyroid after chemo treatments?

Comments

  • tlmac
    tlmac Member Posts: 272 Member
    #2
    I've been on this board for about 3 years now and this is the first time I remember anyone asking if there was a connection between the chemo we got and thyroid problems. It peaked my curiosity so I did a little research. Here's an article that provides some insight from Dr. Susan Love:
    http://www.susanlovemd.com/faq/thyroid-problems/thyroid-1.html
    terri
  • pansylover
    pansylover Member Posts: 80
    #3
    tlmac said:

    I've been on this board for about 3 years now and this is the first time I remember anyone asking if there was a connection between the chemo we got and thyroid problems. It peaked my curiosity so I did a little research. Here's an article that provides some insight from Dr. Susan Love:
    http://www.susanlovemd.com/faq/thyroid-problems/thyroid-1.html
    terri

    thanks for the info.....

    cindie
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #4
    tlmac said:

    I've been on this board for about 3 years now and this is the first time I remember anyone asking if there was a connection between the chemo we got and thyroid problems. It peaked my curiosity so I did a little research. Here's an article that provides some insight from Dr. Susan Love:
    http://www.susanlovemd.com/faq/thyroid-problems/thyroid-1.html
    terri

    Very interesting.

    I do know of someone who developed thyroid cancer after chemo - again, maybe coincidence. I will be vigilant. Thanks for the heads up.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • krkath
    krkath Member Posts: 72
    #5
    Hi Cindie,
    I have had so many problems with the Neuropathy (June 1st will be a year) and I had Taxotere combined with A/C. Well I kept calling our B/C Support Liasons at Sharp out here in San Diego. I guess this type of treatment is about 2 years old. Anyway, one of the (very nice and well informed liasons) did tell me that just recently there have been cases of chemo realated Throid Dis-function. Mostly a few ladies couldn't shake the fatigue and were losing weight, and one of their Oncologists decided to do a Thyroid Test with the regular 3 month blood test. No cancer, but the tests did show the Thyroid not working properly. So, they were able to treat the Thyroid with medication.
    Now, my 3 month tests, my doc includes checking my thyroid. My Oncologist said it made total sense to him that it could be possible that chemo might damage the Thyroid.
    Hope this helps. Best of Luck.
    Have you had your Thyroid tested? If so, and something's wacky, hopefully they can help you with medication.
    I still find it totally amazing that sites like this has so many people who have some kind of info that we can use to our benefit! Thanks to all you ladies!!!
    HAVE A WONDERFUL MEMORIAL DAY!! (I'm taking Friday off and making it a 4 day) YEAAAH!
    Kathy R.
  • GwendolynR
    GwendolynR Member Posts: 1
    #6
    Yes! I finished Taxol in May 2005 then had radiation for 7 weeks in the summer also had weekly treatments of herceptin until March 2006. Was told my fatigue should go away by May but it seemed to get worse along with shortness of breath. After an echo and stress test proved my heart was ok a thyroid test showed a nearly inactive thyroid. Medicine is reversing the fatigue along with other symptoms. I read that radiation of the head, neck or upper chest can cause damage to the thyroid. I believe this should be a standard test. Who knows how many months I fought debilitating fatigue that I didn't need to. I hope this helps others to request the blood test. The medicine is cheap and taken only once a day. Well worth checking out.
  • pansylover
    pansylover Member Posts: 80
    #7
    GwendolynR said:

    Yes! I finished Taxol in May 2005 then had radiation for 7 weeks in the summer also had weekly treatments of herceptin until March 2006. Was told my fatigue should go away by May but it seemed to get worse along with shortness of breath. After an echo and stress test proved my heart was ok a thyroid test showed a nearly inactive thyroid. Medicine is reversing the fatigue along with other symptoms. I read that radiation of the head, neck or upper chest can cause damage to the thyroid. I believe this should be a standard test. Who knows how many months I fought debilitating fatigue that I didn't need to. I hope this helps others to request the blood test. The medicine is cheap and taken only once a day. Well worth checking out.

    Thank you all for responding! I had my thyroid tested...one was wacky and then my Internalist took ANOTHER test for the T-4...came back okay. I go in for a stress test next week. I just want to COVER everything and anything...somethings gotta give....my doc asked why I wanted these tests...gee...hmmmm..I don't recall having these symtphoms(sp) from before. CANCER SUCKS!
  • MaryB449
    MaryB449 Member Posts: 2
    #8
    pansylover said:

    Thank you all for responding! I had my thyroid tested...one was wacky and then my Internalist took ANOTHER test for the T-4...came back okay. I go in for a stress test next week. I just want to COVER everything and anything...somethings gotta give....my doc asked why I wanted these tests...gee...hmmmm..I don't recall having these symtphoms(sp) from before. CANCER SUCKS!

    Yes, I developed a hyperactive thyroid about 2 years after my last chemo treatment. The fatigue is really quite awful now. Seems I can only go about 2 hours at the mall before feeling wiped out. The thyroid condition is supposed to be in remission but I don't think it ever goes away really. Anyway I had two good years after the breast cancer and surgery, guess I'll have to be happy with that. (I also did some research since I'm a librarian. The was a study of AIDS and MS patients who developed thyroid conditions 17 to 30 months after the end of their treatments. I wrote the principal scientist and asked if the same thing could happen after chemotherapy. He said yes. It had something to do with the white blood cells (lymphocytes) and cell lines reconstituting after the end of the treatments)

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