Has Anyone Else Lost Their Thyroid During or After Inter/Riba?

[GLCII]

I'm just curious. My thyroid started acting like a fool and went Hyper after my second Tx. I noticed, something was wrong, after seeing a picture of myself with a friend where my eyes looked they they were about to pop out of my head. Also had what I thought was a heart attack Heavy painful chest, left shoulder & arm felt like it was breaking, got really nauses & dizzy, threw up and blacked out falling in to last nights dinner. Also lost a lot of weight. The doctor didn't seem to think the interferon caused it. But I was reading other boards at the time where other people treating were having the same problem. So out of curiousity, I'd like to know if anyone else who treated using interferon or PegIntron had the same experience.

[Mike]

Hi GL CII,

I had part of my thyroid removed several years after treatment. An MRI for a cervical injury revealed a growth, which wasn't cancerous. I wasn't having any symptoms, and it was by chance the MRI found it.

I had the left half of my thyroid surgically remover, and haven't had any problems since nor do I need medication.

I know INTF has been linked to thyroid issues - but who knows.

Best wishes, Mike

[BeWell]

Hi GL CII,
I had normal thyroid going into interferon/RIBA/pega and after the treatment (I relapsed BTW) I was diagnosed with thyroid problem. Have to start every morning with Levothyroxin now. Doctors told me it's a known side effect, most likely permanent.

Sorry you have to deal with this but at least with meds we can be OK.
Memory loss and problem with concentration (though improved after couple years) never were fully restored. I'm on 13th week on Harvoni now. It also affects my mental abilities and it's hard to function at work (I'm an analyst).
I'm very hopeful this will work.
This site was very helpful for me. Without it I'd be very lost and lonely.
Wish the best to everybody. Get cured, get well.
MK

[Greatful]

HI CL CII,

My initial treatment back in 2000 of interferon and ribovarin killed my thyroid. The doctor at the time said it was a known side effect. I've been on synthetic thyroid for 15 years. No thyroid hormones usually causes weight gain, hair loss and fatigue. You should maybe see an endocrinologist, to help you sort out what is going on.

[dawn2412]

I was on Interferon and Ribavirin B for 6 months in 2009. The treatment knackered my thyroid, which made the side effects of treatment even harder to deal with, as I felt so ill prior to being diagnosed and starting on Levothyroxine, which can take months to find the correct dosage. I nearly gave up on the treatment before the end of the 6 months, as I was so ill from having no thyroid function, but I stuck with it, and was cured. I have to take 75mg  every morning, but I am starting to have thyroid symptoms again, ie, hair loss, heart palpitations, pressure on the front of my neck around the thyroid, loss of memory, and wild body temperature fluctuations to name just a few! I am having further tests, despite my TSH and T4 being within the normal range, so it continues. I was told initially that 18mths after treatment, I could try coming off the thyroxine for 6 weeks, to see if my thyroid would kick into action again, but I couldn't bare the thought of feeling so ill again if it didn't. Plus I had to work, and couldn't afford to take 6 weeks off work, then if it didn't work, another 6 weeks normalising again on thyroxine. At least the Hep C is gone, but I feel worse now than I ever did before treatment, and there are further health implications from having thyroid issues, ie, you have an increased risk of heart disease with Hypothyroidism. So it was worth it in one way, but now I have a load of other health issues. Happy Days!

[sisterbland]

I had to have my thyroid removed about 8 years after Interferon/Ribavirin due to thyroid cancer - don't know if it is related.

[dawn2412]

Hi,  It could be linked I have to say, as it is one of the rarer side effects from treatment. I have been on Thyroxine since my treatment in 2009, and now I am getting problems which seem to be thyroid related again. I have pressure at the front of the neck around the thyroid area, and my hair has started falling out again, although my blood results are always in the normal range. What was your symptons when you were first diagnosed with thyroid cancer?