How common is it for the thryoid in the neck fails?

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timreichhart
timreichhart Member Posts: 194
edited May 2011 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi Guys
as you guys know that I came on the board while back asking about thick mucus with blood in it after hacking it up. Well I went to see my ENT doctor (yesterday) and he was feeling around my neck by the larynx and I told him that starting to hurt lately and he said it could be a thyroid problem. So my ENT doctor ordered a CT scan with contrast to see if there is any issues there for next tuesday.

So my question is how common is it that thyroid in the neck area go into failure mood after post cancer treatments.

If my thyroid starts to fail is there any treatments to keep it from completely failing or not?

Comments

  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #2
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    Big Club
    It's my understanding that a LOT of folks who go through H&N treatments end up with a thyroid that misfires. My doc has put me on thyroid meds a year after treatment - small, inexpensive pills that tons of folks are on. I do know that some people increase their iodine intake (I think it's iodine, not iodide) in an effort to help their thyroid, and staly off meds.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
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    Blood Tests
    TSH and Free T4 are the two most common tests to measure the level of thyroid function. These can be oredered with your normal blood tests or taken individually.

    If you had radiation to the throat area, it's a high possibility that you'll have thyroid damage. From my understanding it's not something that is reversible, once it starts to go, it keeps on going.

    But, at least with me, this seems to be a relatively long time span. My TSH levels have been out of range on the high side for over a year, but my Free T4 are still in normal ranges.

    It is very treatable with synthedic hormones such as Synthroid. But with me, that didn't work when they initially put me on the minimal dosage of 25 micrograms. I guess because I'm kind of in transition and at minimal norm ranges. It increased my pulse rate and blood pressure, so they had me to stop taking it as of now.

    Anyways, it's not uncommon to have damage from radiation and is usually very treatable. Also like mentioned, the drugs a very inexpensive.

    Best,
    John
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #4
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    Skiffin16 said:

    Blood Tests
    TSH and Free T4 are the two most common tests to measure the level of thyroid function. These can be oredered with your normal blood tests or taken individually.

    If you had radiation to the throat area, it's a high possibility that you'll have thyroid damage. From my understanding it's not something that is reversible, once it starts to go, it keeps on going.

    But, at least with me, this seems to be a relatively long time span. My TSH levels have been out of range on the high side for over a year, but my Free T4 are still in normal ranges.

    It is very treatable with synthedic hormones such as Synthroid. But with me, that didn't work when they initially put me on the minimal dosage of 25 micrograms. I guess because I'm kind of in transition and at minimal norm ranges. It increased my pulse rate and blood pressure, so they had me to stop taking it as of now.

    Anyways, it's not uncommon to have damage from radiation and is usually very treatable. Also like mentioned, the drugs a very inexpensive.

    Best,
    John

    It seems most of us wind up with damage
    John gave you most of the facts. Mine went out at appx. 18 months and I take one Synthroid tablet each morning. Dirt cheap and seems to have very little side effects. The least of our worries. Get on the medicine if you need it.
  • Fire34
    Fire34 Member Posts: 365
    #5
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    Hypo here
    Tim
    My med onc follow up a couple of months ago showed hypothyroidism and I was put on synthroid for it. My med once said it was a side effect of the rads and I would probably be on the meds for the rest of my life. I do not feel that I have any problems with my thyroid though as far as energy/metabolism goes, but my last two blood tests showed there was. I have complete confidence in my doctors ( all three) at U of Chicago. Besides I have and never will sweat the small stuff. Wishes & Prayers
    Dave
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
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    ratface said:

    It seems most of us wind up with damage
    John gave you most of the facts. Mine went out at appx. 18 months and I take one Synthroid tablet each morning. Dirt cheap and seems to have very little side effects. The least of our worries. Get on the medicine if you need it.

    Ditto That
    I'm here for the long haul....

    I'm not going without a fight, kicking and screaming.

    JG
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
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    Fire34 said:

    Hypo here
    Tim
    My med onc follow up a couple of months ago showed hypothyroidism and I was put on synthroid for it. My med once said it was a side effect of the rads and I would probably be on the meds for the rest of my life. I do not feel that I have any problems with my thyroid though as far as energy/metabolism goes, but my last two blood tests showed there was. I have complete confidence in my doctors ( all three) at U of Chicago. Besides I have and never will sweat the small stuff. Wishes & Prayers
    Dave

    TSH & Free T4
    Those are usually the indicators...

    and yes, usually once the thyroid starts goiing, it doesn't come back but easily treated with meds like Synthroid.

    Glad you are doing well.

    John
  • palmyrafan
    palmyrafan Member Posts: 396
    #8
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    ratface said:

    It seems most of us wind up with damage
    John gave you most of the facts. Mine went out at appx. 18 months and I take one Synthroid tablet each morning. Dirt cheap and seems to have very little side effects. The least of our worries. Get on the medicine if you need it.

    Synthroid
    I agree with the others. I also take Synthroid, 25 mcgs once in the morning and have not experienced any side effects from it. Our insurance would charge us $10 per prescription but it is cheaper to pay cash for it ($9.00).

    BTW, my thyroid was severely damaged during radiation for brain tumors. The radiation almost destroyed my hypothalmus and thus my pituitary and thyroid. My thyroid only required the Synthroid this year. I was told it was due to radiation.

    Teresa
  • rmdgy
    rmdgy Member Posts: 22
    #9
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    TSH
    My TSH level was tested this year and they were high (7). After six weeks of Synthroid, my TSH level is at 4.5. My ENT increased the dosage and I will have it checked again in four weeks when I have my two year CT scan and lab work. One of my doctors said it was very common for H&N patients who had radiation to suffer from hypothyroidism. Best regards, Glenn in Georgia.
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    #10
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    rmdgy said:

    TSH
    My TSH level was tested this year and they were high (7). After six weeks of Synthroid, my TSH level is at 4.5. My ENT increased the dosage and I will have it checked again in four weeks when I have my two year CT scan and lab work. One of my doctors said it was very common for H&N patients who had radiation to suffer from hypothyroidism. Best regards, Glenn in Georgia.

    I keep meaning to get this
    I keep meaning to get this done..did you have the usual symptom....cold, sleepy, etc?
    Currently I try to manage the sleepiness with about 800 cups of coffee (Ok just 6-ish) and some naps, TSH levels were normal, but I asked for orders for T3 and T4...

    zzzzzzzzzz
    Stacey
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #11
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    staceya said:

    I keep meaning to get this
    I keep meaning to get this done..did you have the usual symptom....cold, sleepy, etc?
    Currently I try to manage the sleepiness with about 800 cups of coffee (Ok just 6-ish) and some naps, TSH levels were normal, but I asked for orders for T3 and T4...

    zzzzzzzzzz
    Stacey

    Symptoms
    Actually other than being fatiqued and feeling rundown early in the evening, I don't have much for symptoms.

    For me the TSH has been above 5.0 for several months actually about 18 months... Free T4 has remained normal.

    But that being said,my ENT states that hormones are not really a science as of yet. There's still a lot that's unknown. While one person might have TSH levels of 10 and have no symtoms or effects. Another might have levels within range, but have symtoms of thyroid disease...

    JG
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #12
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    Thyroid

    As my old ENT doctor would say, don’t worry we have a pill for that. It is very common for the Thyroid to fail after radiation and some times after Chemo, but there is good treatment for it. My Thyroid went out a few years after my last treatment so I take Synthriod 1.12 for it once in the morning and I never had anymore problems after that.

    Take care
    Hondo

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