treating thyroid with radiation

I spent all of last year fighting stage 3 breast cancer. Chemo, mastectomy, more chemo and then radiation. I got 2nd degree burns on my neck from the radiation, bad enough that he had to stop treating that area for a week. I finished my radiation in September. In October I started getting energy back and started feeling like "me" again. I was eating healthy and had gotten up to 3 miles a day walking. That lasted 2 months.

My thyroid has been killed with radiation now for about 10 Years. I still struggle with symptoms. I am currently on Levothyroxine 137m. My levels are: FT4 1.35 (Ref .58-1.64) TSH .11 (Ref .34-5.60) FT3 3.23 (Ref 2.39-6.79) Any idea as to how to treat the following symptoms? Confusion and Memory (worry me most) Overweight Fatigue Slow Speech Joint & Muscle Pain & Stiffness I am only 42 years old and I feel 100. Please... can anyone help?

You do understand that once your thyroid has been destroyed by radiation, you will be hypo and dependent on replacement thyroid hormones for the rest of your life? You will never be "done" with this if your thyroid is irradiated. Have you been diagnosed with Graves'?

Had r thyrod removed in 2004 had l thyroid plus central neck disection in july 2010 found 1mm papilary cancer they are treating with increased thyroxine. Have become thyrotoxic my tsh is <0.01 my free t4 33.9 my free t3 7.3. Have dropped thyroxine from 200 to 150mg become weak, dizzy,heart palp,sore eyes and chesty today, slight fever but gp thinks may something viral coming on endo away am worried.

Often that will suppress your TSH and you would no longer be affected by reduced output from your thyroid gland, since there would be essentially no TSH to stimulate the gland to produce natural thyroid hormone. Also, has your doctor tested you for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin? Hypo patients are frequently too low in the ranges for those as well.

I was diagnosed with Graves disease in 1994. Had two radiation treatments 6 weeks apart to kill thyroid. Am taking 112mg of Synthroid daily. I have been very healthy. I have always been active, tennis, walking, exercise classes, etc. Pretty much kept up a good diet with lots of fruits & veggies. This past year I was diagnosed with pre diabetes and high blood pressure. In the last few months, I have been experiencing an odd odor of stale smoke or something like smoldering paper burning.

A concentration at or near the upper limit of the reference range, particularly if associated with a normal T4, may indicate autoimmune thyroid disease. A consensus exists for early treatment of such patients with thyroxine if anti thyroid peroxidase antibodies are present in the serum, because the risk of overt thyroid failure in future years is high, and it makes sense to anticipate morbidity rather than risk loss of follow up.

So, a review of the pathology is warranted to determine whether I-131 is needed (ie, not needed for T1N0 tumors). The radiation safety issues should be reviewed with the treating doctor. Being off cytomel for 2 weeks will cause hypothyroidism but most young healthy patients have no significant problems during this time frame. There is the option of using Thyrogen to avoid stopping thyroid meds - he should ask his doctor about this.

The American Thyroid Association information sheet on nodules is excellent -- I agree with all the efforts to minimize dose as much as possible following the "ALARA" principle - As low as reasonably achievable. Best regards.

I would not advise it, due to the fact that it contains Iodine, It does not protect the rest of your body from radiation anyway, it will only fill your thyroid with Iodine and prevent it from absoring radiation, but not anything else. in addition may cause problems with your meds.

I was born in the Ohio Valley in 1955. The doctor had a radiation treatment done on me prior to me going home to start my great childhood. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism approx. 20 years ago. Each time I go to my doctor, I have the same problems... fatigue, weight gain, dry skin. depression, and lost libido. I request the doctor to increase my Synthroid. He is reluctant. I'm sure I need to go to an endocrinologist.

But, we DO have patients with PARATHYROID disorders. I am hypothyroid, so yes, I have thyroid issues as well...that is being treated successfully with levothyroxine, low dose of 25mcg. My problem, and I'm not getting responses by posting daily, so I'm guessing there are NOT ALOT of parathyroid patients out there: HIGH PTH of between 323 and 878 for 2+ years now...NORMAL CALCIUM (9.2)...

I clicked on the thread that bluebutterfly kindly provided. It doesn't address the question of the original poster - which is the what are the long-term effects of radiation. These are extensive - radiation therapy has long-reaching effects on the body's systems - particularly if rec'd at a young age - I was under 20 - it caused my later breast cancer. It is the reason I am at substantial increased risk for stroke and heart disease (it causes hardening of the arteries).

Symptoms of an enlarged gland include frequent headaches, disturbances in vision, excessive sweating, and blood pressure irregularities. In addition, the pituitary gland can interfere with thyroid functioning. Drooping eyelids, nausea, and vomiting are also indicators of an enlarged pituitary gland. Endocrinologists usually diagnose enlarged pituitary glands. A primary care physician will usually refer the patient to the specialist when an enlarged gland is suspected.

At my last check up in June my T3 was 3 and I was taking 100 mcg of synthroid. He switched me Tirosint 88 mcg and I asked the ENT to order a blood work up check on my thyroid. 17.9 last month which is why he told me to go off it because my hyper had returned. I had Graves since a child and it went dormant when I was 19. It reappeared when I was 39 and had trouble with my eyes, itching, and a great weight loss. That's why I ended up getting the radiation.

I am a 41yr old female. I have taken the radiation some years back and have been on synthroid ever since. Upon my recent blood work my TSH lever was off and my dr has taken me off my medication for a few weeks. Today I woke up feeling fine, took my son to school, came home and did some house work, then all of a sudden I felt like my whole body was about to crash. My energy level dropped, I felt light headed, nausiated, and like I was going to pass out.

I was diagnosed with thyroid condition in 2001, had total thyroid removed in 02 because of cancer, was on 175mcg Levothyroxine for all these years until a few months ago when they lowered me to the 137mcg. The Doctor took me off my med's slowly, he started with lowering me to 100mcg and then 75, 50, 25 and then a week on 5 cytomyl, then one week with no medication at all, then I went in and had my labs drawn.

I have been dxed with a 1.49 cm nodule on the right side of the thyroid. More than a quarter of a century ago I had radical radiation treatment for Breast Cancer, my Dr. suspects this fed into the formation of this nodule. I will have the biopsy this week.

I saw a new endo doctor last week and after reading over my previous records, he ordered a thyroid uptake test. A Radiologist told me that my thyroid has multinodules, even in the middle, the isthumus (sp). I am awaiting deperately for the results from the doctor about whether or not I will be on medication for hyperthyroidism. I had two biopsies previously and it was confirmed that it was not cancer. That was when it was only one nodule on the right side.

Why is a thyroid shield not used for a patient getting radiation treatments to the breast after breast cancer

Very interesting thyroid history. I was told after radiation treatments that I would become HYPOthyroid, which I did, for about 2 years. Then for some reason I went HYPER thyroid. My endo has followed me closely for 6 months hoping that it would resolve itself. She put me on Atenolol to slow my heartrate in the meantime. I go back in 2 weeks for more bloodwork and at that time we will decide whether I will have a thyroidectomy or Radioactive Iodine. With my radiation history it scares me.

It is, however, recommended that thyroidal radiation be kept to a minimum; a thyroid shield can be used to prevent exposure of the thyroid to radiation. There's no need to postpone your dental work... Ask for a shield when you have the x-rays done.

I had a TT on 2-3-10 due to papillary carcinoma. The tumor was 1.2 cm and I had RAI (100 millicuries) on 3-15-10. Going hypo was tough but I'm feeling better every day. My ENT surgeon referred me to an oncologist right after the cancer diagnosis. He said that the oncologist would be able to monitor my labs and oversee my long term care. I saw the oncologist a few weeks after surgery and really liked him.

I know that they used radiation to shrink her thyroid and it worked. She only has to take a small amount of thyroid medication now. She worked through the entire process and had very little effects. I think it will work out fine for your husband too. I hope it will all be just fine for you all in the end.

I have multi benign nodules on the thyroid. THe Endo had jsut talked to me about radiation or removal at the last visit, which I wasn't to thrilled about either, the following day I found out I am pregnant with our 2nd. Thanks for all this great info, I really appreciate the information and learning about the disorder.

It is of a high grade in 2 quadrants of my breast. Although my breast surgeon has offerred to do a lumpectomy with radiation, he does not feel that this would lead to a pleasing cosmetic appearance to the breast and has also suggested a masectomy. Although I was upset at first, I have resigned myself to the fact that this is necessary. I was under the impression that once I had a masectomy, I would no longer need radiation.

scan came back with the following:There is an area of intense activity about the anterior and inferior aspect of the neck consistent with residual tumor.(no question about this part) "Increased activity is again demonstrated about the anterior upper neck which could be due to activity in submandibular glands which is greater on the right than on the left.Some faint activity is demonstrated in the region of the bladder." The dr. said that that was nothing...

Treating thyroid with radiation

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