During my oncology visit last week, my doctor decided to run some blood tests just to make sure he wasn't missing anything. He decided to run tests on my thyroid. Well...come to find out I have hypothyroidism. What I have learned from WebMD, symptoms are: feeling tired, sluggish or weak; irritability to tolerate cold (my husband and coworkers can attest to this issue); memory problems, depression, or problems concentrating; weight gain; among others. Any of those sound familiar from my last posting? What may have caused my thyroid to go out of whack was the radiation treatment. I talked with my radiation oncologist and he said my thyroid could have been affected since they radiated high up in my clavicle (collarbone) area. He won't say for sure that radiation was the cause, but if it was, I will probably have to be treated for hypothyroidism the rest of my life to keep it regulated.
This is what I am learning on my own right now. My oncologist does not treat me for this, so I will see my primary doctor and that doesn't happen until next Monday, June 17, 2013. I have this need to understand what it is now. I've also read some good news in that it is easily treated by taking thyroid medication and that I could see results within the first week and then most of the symptoms to be gone within two months. Hopefully, I will have more questions answered next week when I visit with my primary doctor.
It's great to know that there was a culprit or another culprit to these past few months. Hopefully, I will be able to process the emotional stuff a little easier (for lack of a better word) or quicker without my body screwing with me too.
I'm doing better today...I am productive...which for me tells me that I am coming out of the depressed state.
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