Thyroid and Breast Cancer
Bridgette
Member Posts: 4 ✭
This message is for Arpie. Could you perhaps let me know the name of your specialist. I have not come across ANY doctor who understands thyroid problems or even thinks that perhaps there may be a connection between both medical issues. I put on weight (which I can ill afford to do) when I took Tamoxifen and drs. told me it doesn't do that but it did to me. I stopped taking it after one year because the side effects made my life not worth living. I have been off it almost 1 year now - no weight gain - and I don't want to take it again. Also, my GP just looks at the TSH, T4 and T3 and says "normal - all good" but I know that it is not. I was diagnosed in July 2017 and had surgery to remove the lump and 6 weeks radiotherapy. Now I just wait and hope that it will never reoccur. I would just like to have a doctor who understands that "normal range" is not a one size fits all and also understands how breast cancer can affect a person going forward.
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Hi @Bridgette whereabouts are you located? I live in Brisbane and have a fantastic GP that really understands thyroid disease. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease in April 18 and then BC Oct 18 and have been on tamoxifen since. My GP does bloods every 4 months and checks my thyroid so carefully to make sure my medication is spot on.
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Interesting, because some blood collection clinics report the range slightly differently for the thyroid levels. What is within normal range varies, no consistency.1
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Hi Keeping positive. I guess that is why it is so important to have a doctor with a special interest in thyroid problems and understands that not very patient is the same- mind you that applies to all things in general. I think the levels should only be a guide and not accept as a strict measure for everyone.1
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I see an endocrinologist that makes sure I am on correct medication dosage.0
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@Bridgette Thought I'd tag @arpie in as you wanted her to respond to your initial post. Just put a @ symbol before anyone's name & it will send a message to them!
Anyway, I was diagnosed in Dec. '17 & had surgery, rad treatment but i am on no medication.
I was diagnosed with Graves disease (over active thyroid) around 20 years ago & was put on a toxic drug that i was only supposed to be on for around 6 months. This was discovered around 3 yrs ago so i was taken off it & not put on other further medication as the endo was seeing if it would come back. Unfortunately, after my cancer treatment & further routine blood tests, it was discovered that my Graves disease had returned. I asked many different doctors if it was related to the cancer or the rad treatment & they all said no......so I put it down to a coincidence! Anyway, it was decided for me to have a radioactive iodine tablet which would treat my gland & now i am on thyroxine for the rest of my life but this is a very safe & common drug. I still wonder, like you, if there is a link so good luck in your findings & let us know if you discover a good doctor who knows the answer. Good luck xx
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Ask for a referral to an endocrinologist. Mine understands that their is a wide variation in normal and when we right.5
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Thank you Primek. The trick is finding an endocrinologist in my area. I have only met with one once before the hashimoto's was diagnosed and all he did was charge me a fortune for a 5 min consultation and said I had to go on a diet! When I was diagnosed with autoimmune hashimoto's I had an answer for the mystery of why my weight was increasing at such a quick rate irrespective of how little I ate. The most important thing for me now is to hope and pray that the cancer does not come back.0
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Hi @Bridgette .. I’ve sent you a message.
Where abouts do you live? (City/town). If you add it to your profile, members may be able to point you to specific facilities that may be useful to you.
All the best xx1 -
@Bridgette I see one through telehealth through my GP practice all covered by medicare.
Hypothyroidism doesn't have an increased risk ftom what I've read.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-there-a-link-between-thyroid-disease-and-breast-cancer-risk-201604079407
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Thank you for your post and also for the link. I guess I only worried going forward because I still have about 3.5 years to go to get an all clear. I guess is it natural to worry about it coming back.
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