Hashimotos responses to Chemotherapy

[Lucis]

Hi I was recently diagnosed with an oestrogen positive cancer. I have had a lumpectomy and it hasn’t spread to lymph nodes. The hospital want to continue treating me with radiotherapy and are talking about the possibility of chemo too alongside medication to strip my body of oestrogen to stop the cancer reoccurring. So far I have had one doctor who is willing to consider treating me by also taking into account that I have Hashimoto s . I am really against having chemo - partly because the cancer didn’t spread but also because I am sure it will react with Hasimotos and cause more auto immune conditions. I am also concerned about medication they want to put me on for life which will take away the oestrogen in my body as the side effects are exactly those which I am already fighting as symptoms of Hashimotos. Any advice greatly welcomed as I feel a bit railroaded right now. My dr tried to get an appt for me to see a specialist endocrinologist and I was given one but the Endo then cancelled the appt saying it wasn’t necessary - my take in that is that he was only interested if I develop cancer in the endocrine system.

[MissGrace]

How terrible to have your appointment cancelled as ‘unnecessary’. What a way to treat someone. Clearly it is necessary to you as you have questions that need to be answered. I hope someone on here can help you, but also (I know it’s hard when you are unwell), try to challenge this and get an appointment (preferably with an endo who is less arrogant and dismissive), maybe go through PALs? I hope everything goes well with you. You are asking the necessary and intelligent questions about your treatment - some elements of the medical profession don’t like that. They want to decide what is important to us and what isn’t and tell us what to do without explanation. Good luck. Xx

[Supernovae]

Hi Lucis

I’m very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it is very positive that it hasn’t spread to your lymph nodes so chemotherapy is an option rather than a necessity but radiotherapy is definitely the usual treatment, so is long term drug therapy if you have a oestrogen positive tumour.

My own experience was that the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes so I didn’t really have a choice regarding chemo, definitely wouldn’t have had it otherwise, it does mess up your immune system.

I wasn’t diagnosed with Hashis until about 18 months after I finished all my treatment, must have had it before that though, so have only experienced thyroid treatment, in my case just T4, after chemotherapy, radiotherapy and Tamoxifen, one of the drugs prescribed to mop up all your oestrogen.

I would imagine that your thyroid meds requirements will change, no expert, so I guess the important thing is to make sure that your bloods are done regularly so appropriate adjustments can be made.

Hope it all goes well, hugs Sue 😊