Hello everyone! Well, I have another question for you all! It seems I get more information here these days then I do from the doctors....a few weeks ago, the hospital psychiatrist determined that Doug had hypo-thyroidism which was contributing to his depression as well as the reason why he is always so cold and tired etc. They started him on some meds for it but he is back in the hospital this week and now one of the doctors, not his normal one but the one on duty when we checked in, said his thyroid levels were those of a ninety-year-old and that the meds he was on were not absorbing into his system. Has anyone else experienced or heard of this?

Hello Belle

Radiotherapy to the neck can affect the thyroid gland and result in hypothyroidism. So patients who have had irradiation of the neck (thyroid area) should be monitored for symptomatology for hypothyroidism and thyroid profile checked when hypothyroidism is suspected. Management is by replacement of the thyroid hormone deficiency as needed. Doug should begin to feel better then.

Best wishes
Vinod

Hello Belle70..In reply to your question..yes I too developed Hypothyroidism about 6/9 months after radiotherapy. I had no idea this could be a side effect of RT. I lost my voice completely, my face looked like a chimpmuk and had abnormal weight increase. Apparently due to trauma to the throat area this is quite common to develop Hypothyroidism. I only wish someone had told me, as I thought the tumour had returned. Quite a relief I'll say when this was diagnosed.

Doug will probably be given Thyroxine to be taken daily for the rest of his life. The difference he will feel will be tremendous. Like a new person really. New energy levels, depression lifted and in my case puffiness gone, unfortunately not the weight. I am working on this though.

Please let us know how Doug gets on with his treatment.

Kind thoughts.

Rosemary

I also put weight on after afew months which I find really hard (nigh impossible to shift).Also energy levels were low - still not perfect now. Am now 18 months (approx) since RT finished.
I have had blood tests to test thyroid function but they don't seem to show anything abnormal.

Someone send me some thyroxine in the post - I'd like to check it out!

cheers Tony K

Hi Y'all...

My Dan also developed hypothyroidism as a result of his cancer treatment... (as if all that was't bad enough!). He also became slightly anemic as well... (another disorder that presented after chemo-radiation). Like Rosemary, Dan is on Levothyroxine... probably for the rest of his life. I think it has really helped in terms of reducing his "sluggishness", both mentally and physically.

Isn't it a crying shame how long the radiation-chemo side-/after-effects list really is when you start thinking about all the conditions that can develop post-treatment.

Tony... Here's your cyber-dose of the drug as requested (in liquid form)...

Melanie

Glug,glug - It's beginning to work already! Now where is my wife!

Don't tell her I said that.

It's funny though because everyone keeps complaining about weight gain and Doug continues to lose! He usually fluctuates...up six pounds...down seven the next week! He is on the same meds you all mentioned but so far, it hasn't changed anything. The doctors said they are going to make some alterations so we will see.

Hey, me too. I forget the name of the drug I have to take the rest of my life, but I just started it.

In my case, I only rarely got chills, and I've always had constipation though its been getting worse and is associated with hypothyroidism.

BTW, its now 26 months since my RT for stage 3 tonsil cancer. Evidently clobbered my thyroid while obliterating the tumors.

Hi Everyone! I meant to say "thanks" sooner for all the quick responses and then I got so busy! So....thanks...

I know this has been said before, but it is so unfair that after all the pain and anxiety of dealing with cancer itself, then you have to deal with all of these after-effects which no one mentions ahead of time. Are they just afraid you won't accept treatment if you know everything?

Good news though...Doug is eating alot more, things like pasta and cheesecake! He still has the tube but we are hoping.....