Anyone have thyroid issues as well as BC?

Dexxy-

I would ask for a referral to an endrocrologist - you may want to talk to them about the thyroid, but make sure your oncologist knows about the conversations.  The reason why is that the symptoms of thyroid underproduction and overproduction (if your dosage is too high) is the same as Taxotare and cytocin(spelling) side effects.  So, if you are in the middle of chemo, then you start or change the dosage - they won't know what is causing your side effects.

I had to change thyroid meds and dosage - the oncologist made the endo wait until chemo was done and then the surgeon waited until the endo said I was good to go.  Otherwise, it would have been a mess.....

I had a partial thyroidectomy in 1985 to remove a nodule that was determined to be benign but might recur without shutting down the thyroid altogether using artificial hormone therapy. I just completed a clinical trial treatment "cryoblation" for IDBC in my right breast followed by a lumpectomy. ER positive with sentinal node positive.

In my research I read a paper that connects non cancerous thyroid nodules to women and breast cancer. I also had Cushings Syndrome caused by a possibly benign tumor which engulphed my right adrenal gland and was removed in 2009. Right sided tumors affecting my endocrine system seem to be a pattern in my body.

lsilang: hoping the lump turns out to be just scar tissue.

Lsilang, I found your post interesting. In America you definitely would be on an aromatase inhibitor, like arimidex. Friend of mine had a tiny invasive IDC, 2mm. Her treatment was lumpectomy, rads, arimidex. She was treated at stanford medical, a year before me.



I also have Hashimotos, take synthroid. So far, it's well under control. My mom had graves and also breast cancer. Her cancer was very bad and dx late.

Mary, she's RX'd a very low dose natural thyroid supplement.

I think there is a definite connection between  thyroid issues and breast cancer,  the data just isn't there yet to support it and not enough research has been done on the subject.  I had a "benign hyperactive nodule" that was treated with medication for years to keep thyroid hormones stable.  Then diagnosed with breast cancer in Jan and ended up with mastectomy.  At that time they also found a 7 cm mass  on chest xray next to my thyroid and growing down sternum.  They were unable to biopsy it so 3 weeks after mastectomy I had a thyroidectomy.  Is there a relationship between the rapid growth of the nodule and the breast cancer diagnosis?  who knows but if you have an issue  with thyroid and cancer, I believe careful monitoring of thyroid hormones is important and also rule out any growths on thyroid area.  I am curious, is anyone having trouble with weight gain while on Levoxyl .  (like synthroid).  ????  I have gained a bunch of weight since the mastectomy, thyroidectomy and chemo and my eating habits have not changed.   Thanks for advice.  According to my endocrinoloigst my thyroid levels are normal right now with the Levoxy.  

I am on 90 mg Armour Thyroid, after a diagnosis of Hashimoto's a couple of years back.  I found it interesting that Dr. Lee, author of What Your Dr. Won't Tell You About Menopause postulated that Estrogen affects thyroid function.  And if you look at the signature tags here of folks with thyroid issues and BC, most are ER+

It still need further assessment as per the u/s.  What concerns me more now is in addition, there is a 2.6 X 3.7 cm nodule in the supraclavicular region possibly lymph node.  I still have to see the surgeon tomorrow but scares me more now more than ever..  As per my doctor biopsies will be ordered and if it turns out to be + ...which I hope not... all of you probably know what I'm progressing to.. 

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's a couple of months ago two years after my BC diagnosis. I suppose we all want something to blame -- the breast cancer or the treatment. However, many women are diagnosed with thyroid problems and the rate is higher among women who are peri-menopausal or menopausal. This is for women both with and without breast cancer diagnoses. Over 20 percent of women in menopause are diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction. I don't think there is any indication that there is a causal relationship. One exception is where radiation to the neck area is a known risk factor in developing hypothyroidism.

There is definitely a link with breast and thyroid disease, it is called iodine deficiency. There is all kinds of info that makes this indisputable. I really doubted it for a while, but I kept researching and know I am convinced that taking iodine, not hormone drugs is the key to my resurgence of health. Do the research gals. Check out breastcancerchoices.org for the iodine studies and the books by Dr. David Brownstein. I have tons of files for this on website, if anyone can't find info, and I am having an event in Oct in Chicago about prevention where iodine will be a major topic of discussion. If anyone wants  to come, you can "like" Think Beyond the Pink" on facebook for details.

I take 50-75 mg of iodine/iodide daily with companion nutrients such as selenium and vit c. After going through some days of "detox" I was able to lose weight and keep it off. I also am no longer tired all the time and all the lumps and pain are gone from my breasts. My hands and feet are no longer freezing and my hair has thickened. 

The "iodine protocol" is something anyone with breast cancer should take seriously. I believe it is saving my life.

Serenity, have you tried neck and scar massages? My issues resolved almost completely with daily massages and exercises for several months. Totally worth doing.

My TSH is approx. 1, which is normal. My onc just had it tested. I do have a new nodule that was seen on a PET last year which turned out b9. I have been on Synthroid for many years.

I'm newly diagnosed with IDC.  I was dx with Grave's Disease 26 years ago after the birth of my second daughter.  Had treatment with radioactive iodine and have been hypothyroid due to RAI ever since.  I was not very good about taking my Synthroid at first, I was dumb and it took a few years before I "got" the importance of getting my thyroid levels in the normal range, that and probably some denial, so I was horribly hypothyroid for a few years before I got my act together.  

After my second dx, I went to a naturalpath to get to the bottom of why my body is making cancer cells. I learned that I'm hypothyroid, and a few months later I also dx with hashiminto. My naturalpath said that basically my thyroid was broken and I would be on thyroid meds the rest of my life and the fact that I have thyroid antibodies meant it would gradually worsen. After studying the fungal theory, I began to wonder if fungi hitchhiking onto my thyroid cells, t3 & t4, caused the immune killer cells to attack my t3, t4 and thyroid? I had a blood test to see if I had an active fungal infection. It not only showed high levels of present fungal infection, but past infections. Last year, after anti-fungal diet and meds, my thyroid antibodies dropped from 1100 to 45 (almost normal). I don't know if it's connected or not, but now it is hard to gain weight. I'm like I was before menapause. I don't know for sure if there is a connection, but something has changed and it wasn't the thyroid med's because I've been on them now for three years.

beacon, if you get the chance check out the alternative thread on the fungal theory. There is a lot of good information on it that might help you.

The fungal diet my naturalpath put me on is

Nothing white: no sugar, no bread, no potatoes, no rice.

No fruit: No Sweet Potatoes.

No milk, or juice (no sweet drinks).

No yogurt

WHAT YOU CAN EAT

Quinoa (delicious if cooked right)

Meat

Vegetable (no carrots or tomatoes)

Onions, garlic, coconut oil

Drink a lot of green tea (no honey or sugar)

There are a few good recepies and smoothies (green smoothies)

Hopefully your naturalpath or doctor will prescribe first diflucian (anti-fungal) (2 pills over a week)

Follow it with 3 weeks of nystatin (antifungal)

It's a rough one month diet, but it's effective. Weight will drop off like crazy. In two weeks I lost 25 pounds and haven't really gained it back although I'm on a regular diet now...(except no sweet drinks, or bread or rare). To be really effective it is suggested to stay on the diet for 6 months. I couldn't do it, but if I was dx with a more advance cancer, I would.

Hope it helps

I  see that many of you are hypothyroid with breast cancer. I am hyperthyroid with bc. Just wondering what txs you all are receiving for hyperthyroid. I have had two b9 nodules biopsied. What else is your md doing for you?