Over Active Thyroid: Has anyone else been... - My Ovacome

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Over Active Thyroid

annieH1 profile image
20 Replies

Has anyone else been diagnosed with over active thyroid? I was told the ovarian cancer wouldn't be the cause of this ,but I'm wondering if chemo or Avastin could cause this?

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annieH1
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20 Replies
Lily-Anne profile image
Lily-Anne

I had lots of overactive thyroid problems and then after surgery and chemo it stopped working so now on Thyroxine. There are lots of reports of links between thyroid and OC including effect on CA125 levels, but my consultant said most of the research is from USA so we tend not to take much notice of it.

LA

annieH1 profile image
annieH1 in reply to Lily-Anne

Thanks Lily-Anne.I was thinking it might be linked.The states seem to be taking o.c more serious than we are. I find the insomnia and sweats the worse and the sleeping tabs aren't working anymore.I was reading stats on survival from o.c and Switzerland,Austria and Finland have the best stats. They seem to get connecting the dots at a faster pace than the UK and Ireland.x

hannah98 profile image
hannah98 in reply to annieH1

I have been taking thyroxine from age 16. I am now 48yrs. I am very new to this and you caught my attention regarding a possible link between Hypo/hyper thyroid and OC?

I am waiting for results from MRI done last week due to complex mass found. My Ca125 is 16.

Any info very welcome even if it is from USA

thanks

kookiekay profile image
kookiekay in reply to hannah98

Hi, I'm in the same boat as you still waiting for results but saw my consultant yesterday who, interestingly, brought up the thyroid issue. He didn't say the two are linked at all but just that my sudden weight loss could be due to thyroid & completely coincidental as to whatever else is going on. I am hoping to know more tomorrow. My CA125 is 10. Hope you get your MRI results soon. Waiting is so hard.

Best wishes xx

Marianna profile image
Marianna

Hi Annie

I already had an underactive thyroid before the oc. But after the chemo etc, my meds had to be altered as the thyroid started to mis-behave. So personally i think that the chemo did effect it.

But my gp never looked into it and oncologist had no idea. All good now though.

daisies profile image
daisies

Hi AnnieH!. The only thing I seem to be able to add is that the pituitary gland which helps control our thyroid gland can be affected by any cancer treatment - as opposed to the cancer itself , which may of course happen. When my energy levels dropped to the floor, they ran some additional blood tests and found that my magnesium levels were low - so a supplement drink of magnesium for 1 week resolved that. The cancer and drugs also slowed down my kidneys, as we have to drink so much water/liquid that we can 'wash' out any minerals in our bodies. But my Onc advised that the intake of liquid is important as a lack of minerals can be resolved with meds.

regards, Daisies

annieH1 profile image
annieH1 in reply to daisies

Thanks Daisies, if it isn't one thing it's another! Drinking all the liquid is difficult,but I try my best to drink at least 7or 8 glasses a day.x x

annieH1 profile image
annieH1

Thanks Ladies,I was reading an article on overactive thyroid site and it states that it has become apparent that the thyroid is linked with o.c.I guess we've so many problems with o.c that it's important to get things checked out.

I drink bottled water as our water system is purified and I found my cholesterol was going sky high due to the salt in the purifier,so was advised to drink Evain water it has the least amount of salt to other bottled water,hey presto,cholesterol reduced.

I have had 4 pet scans each involved drinking an iodine dye so I'm wondering if that could have raised the thyroid.

Your all so great to reply because I get better answers on here than my GP,wonderful though she is.Im waiting for an app now to see a specialist regarding thyroid.its a miserable overcast day here,looking forward to this evening ,some of the girls from work are visiting,there is nothing like a good aul gossip to clear the gloom. X x

This is an interesting post, came on to have a look and then couldnt resist. My thyroid were checked by my gp on first recurrence and nothing conclusive came up. He was worried about my pituitary gland but nothing showed up. The one thing that showed was high calcium levels. So told to stop taking calcium tablets given on prescription and avoid any meds with calcium in it. I havent heard any more so assume that the calcium problem resolved itself. Daisies I am interested in the low magnesium levels because I have come across articles along the way which said if you have Cancer, it is important to take a magnesium supplement so this is a question for my next visit. Hope you are doing okay and also Annie, best wishes J

annieH1 profile image
annieH1

Hi Suzuki,very interesting indeed.I won't be seeing the prof until the 2nd of Oct but after reading Daisies and your post and a few more,I too will inquire about the supplements. Also my GP was talking about beta blockers as I've severe palpitations from thyroid.Im hoping to go to coffee morning on the 19th,I have chemo on the 15 th and fingers crossed going to Spain on the 20th but would love to meet up with ye for a coffee and natter,it's very relaxing and it's great to talk to women who can empathise with each other.x x

in reply to annieH1

Hi Annie, I wont now be at the Coffee morning as heading away to Malaga for a few days this day week back in time for Avastin though. I would hope that a few of us will get together for an informal cuppa in October. Will let you know when it is organised. Have a lovely week in the sun. Was in Boots today and they do have magnesium tabs but I decided to leave it until I get the say so. My sister was put on beta blockers when her thyroid was diagnosed first, now she is just on elthroxine.

annieH1 profile image
annieH1 in reply to

You lucky thing,you deserve a few days in Malaga.Thats the airport we'll be landing at Sunday week.Its very hot there at the moment.An informal cuppa is just as nice as a formal cuppa ☕️🍰🍪

hannah98 profile image
hannah98

Thank you all for the range of responses. There is a definite link between iodine and thyroid. I have been told never to have iodine supplements in multi-vits and am aware they used to treat thyroid disease with massive doses of iodine. All a bit confusing really

KookiKay, I wondered what you are waiting to hear tomorrow if you have already seen the consultant? Did he/she not have the results available when you went or is it the MTD meeting result you are waiting for ? please let me know how you get on, wishing you the best of results !

Bluehen profile image
Bluehen

I was diagnosed with graves disease a few years before being diagnosed with 3C ovarian cancer. A friend I met at chemo had graves disease also. Many women on this site have thyroid issues. I asked my thyroid doctor and my oncologist if these two were connected in anyway and they assured me they weren't but I think the two are tied together in some way. I think stress is the major cause of all disease. Maybe this brings on both? Menopause maybe? Radiation to destroy the thyroid? Scans or X-rays? Poor immune system as we age etc. Not sure but I feel they should be looking into these things. Too many xrays at the dentist which are giving us too much radiation in the area of the thyroid? I wonder how many women on this site have thyroid issues of some degree? Is the cancer causing the thyroid trouble or the thyroid causing the cancer? I have many unanswered questions.

annieH1 profile image
annieH1

Hi Bluehen,I was researching the thyroid issue on line,it says you have an 80% risk of getting O.C if you have overactive thyroid.So that about answers that.There is as far as I'm concerned a link.The doctors learn from us,and the more questions we ask in regard to other illnesses that crop up,might help in the research of o.c.Indrink an Iodine liquid when I go for Pet scan,too much iodine can cause thyroid problems,yet they treat it with iodine! Must make sense to someone but not to me.

EnaC profile image
EnaC

Hi. In 2005 had my thyroid removed as I had thyroid cancer [papillary carcimona]. I have 2 lots of radio iodine treatment to get rid of any remaining thyroid cells. Therefore I was not overactive but the opposite.

In 2010 I had a border line ovarian tumour removed together with a hysterectomy, appendectomy and my omentum removed.

In 2014 I was diagnosed with OC metasis in my lungs.

This is not the first time that I have read that there could be a link. If the research in USA was in depth maybe the research should be looked into.

annieH1 profile image
annieH1 in reply to EnaC

Hi EnaC,yes I agree with you,research is needed,it seems to have some connection.I will ask my Onc when I see him the 2nd of Oct,but it seems by the posts on here,the doctors don't seem to know much ,it's a case of which came first,the thyroid or the o.c!

I have mets to the lungs also and a few more places,no surgery but I'm going to get 4 more opinions.Hope you are feeling well. Miserable here in Cork.

EnaC profile image
EnaC

Hello Annie. I am feeling reasonably well at that moment. My last chemo was in May this year and 2 scans so far show disease stable, Have a scan booked on 2nd October and consultant booked on 6th October. Good luck with your appointment.

Here in Hertfordshire we have had a lovely day.

Aurelie profile image
Aurelie

Hi Annie, 80% chance of getting OC if thyroid overactive very interesting. I was dx with an overactive thyroid in 2002 and was told that if I had radioactive iodine the thyroid problem would never come back - but four years later it did. Ignored the symptoms for as long as I could - (not my best idea!) - but as I'd been told it wouldn't come back, wasn't looking out for it. Was left with sick sinus syndrome, which gave me permanent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. In 2013 I was dx with stage 1C fallopian tube cancer. I believe cells can take a long time to mutate, so for all I know, either occurrence of o/a thyroid could have led to OC developing. Since chemo, atrial fib has been much more troublesome. Seeing my onc this month, so will ask him if he thinks there's a connection with the thyroid problem. Will always be on Thyroxine, but find it controls the levels very well, and chemo didn't cause any adverse effects. Do agree with you, Bluehen, re stress being a cause of both o/a thyroid and OC, definitely think it contributed to my o/a thyroid which, long term, has caused so many other health problems .

annieH1 profile image
annieH1

Hi Aurelie,yes I was getting severe palpitations ,it seems the heart is involved when there's o/a thyroid.I was putting down the severe sweating,insomnia and heart,to,chemo or the o.c.My GP wasn't happy to,prescribe thyroxine as I think it was that med she said could reduce the immune system and when I'm going through chemo ,it wasn't advisable.She has made an app for me to see a specialist regarding thyroid.

Stress plays a very important part in our immune system.When can get ill from stress and then when we're diagnosed with a serious illness,we stress about that! Can't win really.My poor husband has a difficult enough time dealing with my cancer besides dealing with my mood swings as part of thyroid problem,he's damned if he does and damned if he don't ! Ha ha🔫🔨🔪💉💣 I hope you can see those symbols,it's how I feel sometimes towards him ha ha

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