Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

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StarGirl
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Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 4:57 pm

Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby StarGirl » Wed Jan 25, 2012 8:41 am

Have any of you had problems with your thyroid after chemo???? My hair and eyebrows are breaking and falling out--I no longer believe it's from just the chemo/dehydration. Will have labs next week and I have requested my thyroid be checked.

PET scan machine not working last week--so I will have this Friday (hopefully). Scananxiety already. Has the met to the liver become worse or stayed the same...the last PET said "complete resolution". Note: have been off chemo for 8 weeks now. Please send prayers up for me.
DX 03/31/2011
Stage IV Rectal Cancer with mets to liver
6 rounds of 5FU, Oxaliplatin
3 rounds of Avastin
PET scan 07/15/2011 shows liver mass inactive

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KarMel
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Location: Indiana

Re: Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby KarMel » Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:59 am

DOn't know for a medical certainty, but I would say "yes."

My thyroid has had generalized uptake on all my PET's. My TSH and anti-thyroid antibodies run high. But my T-4 and T-3 are normal. So far, my PCP is not putting me on meds.
It is hard to tell if my fatigue and feeling run down are from chemo or thyroid issues or just having cancer. I really don't want to take another pill, so I haven't pushed the issue.

My two cents.
Stage IV, April 2009.
Treatments...multiple .
Currently none
"It is well, with my soul"

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eitter
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Location: Tempe, AZ
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Re: Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby eitter » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:17 pm

You know.....sad to say Chemo can mess with EVERY organ in our bodies! CHEMO is NASTY stuff, chemo ravages our bodies and strips all the good and bad cells hence the reason we are told to be careful in public when in active treatment because our immune system has been stripped.

And each one of us handles it differently and some of us have organ issues and even failure, so the answer to your question is YES and then some for some of us and some no problem!
Blessings,
Liz DENNIS
Tempe,AZ
DX 05/06 Rectal
6 Weeks radiation with 5FU
LAR 10/06 Stage III
Temp Ileo, reversal failed in 05/07 after 1m in hospital came out with a permanent colostomy
http://www.runlizrun.com

lydia123
Posts: 771
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 11:23 am

Re: Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby lydia123 » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:32 pm

Yes. I can say this with as much certainty as my non-MD allows.

This did happen to a relative after breast cancer treatments, and she was treated for this in conjunction with other post-treatment care. Also, when we brought it up to my husband's oncologist after chemo, he said: "definitely could be, let's test for that." Since they were drawing blood anyway, not a biggie. Treatment did not affect my husband.
lydia123
caregiver to husband dx stage III colon/rectal cancer 5/10
6/10 surgery
7/10: FOLFOX began -- became nausea management expert
12/10: Chemo-radiation ended, scans clean.
NED since, but some scans required follow-up

Grace14
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:42 pm

Re: Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby Grace14 » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:59 pm

Read my signature!!
Diag Stage 2a R/C April 2010 at 38
Rad/chemo 6 weeks
Apr surgery July 2010
Folfox 4 months
Jan appendix removed
Feb diag papillary thyroid cancer no treatments stage1
Ned so far!!!
Mother of 4 boys 21 18 11 8

SoConfused

Re: Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby SoConfused » Wed Jan 25, 2012 3:00 pm

StarGirl, good luck with your PET scan. Happy your last one showed complete resolution of the liver lesion. Hopefully, you'll continue to receive good news from scans.

Curiously, is your doctor just monitoring your liver lesion with just PET scans or do you get CT/MRI also? How many lesions are they currently monitoring? did they ever consider doing surgery on your liver?

Jachut
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Re: Can chemo mess with your thyroid?

Postby Jachut » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:13 pm

Definitely. My thyroid is ok but im about to start testosterone treatment, my hormones are completely and utterly stuffed. HRT with estrogen and progesterone have helped, but i am sluggish, lethargic, demotivated, depressed, couldnt care if i never had sex again and when i do, it feels like nothing, im not gaining weight but am definietly losing muscle, and despite all the exercise i do, i get less aerobically fit by the week. Its really alarming. My adrenals are shot and i feel like crap, and ive got the brain power of an alzheimers sufferer.

I cant say for sure that its chemo that caused it, but personlly, i wouldnt look much further for answers. So why not your thyroid?


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