Alopecia (hair loss) as side effect of rads? Thyroid?

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linn56
linn56 Member Posts: 210
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I am ¾ through radiation. I had 2 lumpectomies (Stage 0 DCIS), and did NOT have any chemo. (I have not figured out how to add my diagnosis to the bottom of my posts)

While getting my hair cut the stylist noticed that I had a bald spot like a nickel at the crown of my head. She said it had not been there at my last hair cut 6 weeks ago. It is not thin, it is totally blank like someone punched out a circle. Skin is depressed there too. 

I went to a dermatologist and she said it was (maybe) Alopecia Areata, which is an auto-immume disease where the body's own white blood cells mistakenly attack the hair follicles and kill them. She treated me with cortisone injections into the area but said that in most people, new patches of baldness crop up.

In the handout she gave me it said that possible contributing factors to this are thyroid problems. I have read here that many getting rads have their thyroid function affected. This is making me wonder if the rads have indirectly done this. I may mention it to my rad doctor tomorrow but I KNOW she will say it is unrelated, just like my sternum/rib pain is "unrelated". I'm wondering if I was borderline to begin with, and the rads pushed it over the edge. For the last few years I have noticed that my body hair on arms and legs was disappearing. I thought it was something to do with approaching menopause. Now my arms and legs are hairless. I'm tired: but I'm always tired; I have always been a bad sleeper. I'm cold, but I've always been cold. It's hard to know exactly what IS a thyroid symptom.

As a side effect on its own, if it is a side effect, I know this is peanuts. Especially with all those out there who just lost ALL their hair from chemo. But if there is a connection, and a low thyroid leads to autoimmune conditions, I think it is good to know, for the sake what may come down the road.

I know it a long shot, but has anyone else had something similar? Or other possible thyroid issues during/after rads?

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  • rinna40
    rinna40 Member Posts: 357
    edited November 2009

    I can't answer your question, but I'd like to know if someone else can. So here's a bump.

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  • unlimited
    unlimited Member Posts: 327
    edited November 2009

    Here's my story ...

    completed chemo April 2007

    completed RADS Late July 2007

    Started TAMOXIFEN Aug 2007

    Have been Hypothyroid since age 15, age 44 now, been on meds for it since.... However a month after starting Tamoxifen -- I was exhausted  not motivated etc etc - had my TSH tested and it was out of the normal range.  Doc increased my Thyroid meds to the next level ......

    Forward to June 2009 ...  had pre-op exam prior to having breast reduction and lift to the good boob. Doc tested my TSH --- now it has appeared I'm getting too much thyroid meds so she LOWERED the meds............

    Month later in July and a week AFTER my plastic surgery I lost a huge area of my hair ... smooth as when I was bald ....an area about 2 inches x 4 inches -- I kid you not ... luckily I had longer hair - and changed my part to the other side of head to cover this huge area up ... the area was right above my right ear / temple area..........

    AFter 2 mths of no hair still -- finally went to primary again requesting to get referral to dermatologist.... I have seen her twice noe 5 weeks apart btwn visits to get the steroid injections into that hair loss area  I have 4 other smaller areas  3 in back of head - the other near the left ear temple area .......  OUCH to the shot injections   for me and that one big area she injected me like 25 times .... injection are in a gridlike area about 1 cm apart.  Last time on Nove 11 -- hurt the worst -- ouch ouch -- I have another appt for Dec 15...... we'll see if I go   lol

    The hair will grow back  - but getting the injections I'm hoping will accelerate the hair loss to return... today Nov 19 still no hair is growing in that big patch area.  

    My thyroid was tested another time end of October -- now I wasn't getting enought thyroid into my system -- and again had my meds increased at a higher level which I have never been on b4 ... 125 mcgs.  Retest again early Dec.

    It probably is related to my thyroid-- when the meds were lowered June 2009 .... and also could be related to the RADS I received summer of 2007 ...

    If my TSH numbers are still wacky in Dec -- I will demand to get referred to the endocrinologist ...since RADS could have really messed with my thyroid.

    Been taking my temps daily esp upon awakening -- also reserch shows if your temperarture by mouth at 3 pm each day  -- is below 98 degrees -- its suggestive to hypothyroid...... in the 96 degree range  ... brrrrrrrrrrrrr

    I would definately get your Thyroid TSH tested .

    I'll be anxious when I'm rechecked again Dec 9th =) 

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  • linn56
    linn56 Member Posts: 210
    edited November 2009

    Thanks, unlimited!

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