 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Rowan,
Please be certain that someone runs a full thyroid panel on you before you start radiation. You need this base line so if you start feeling cold, tired, etc. years down the road, you know what YOUR NORMAL thyroid levels were. The range levels on the tests are quite broad and if you don't know what YOUR normal was, it takes forever to find the proper dosage to get back to YOUR normal.
Most CCC do this, but be certain YOU have a copy of the report so when you your own physician is doing follow up care, you can monitor it. Mine is checked every 6 months and I get copies of it so I can check the numbers. Do NOT take a answer that it is WITHIN NORMAL RANGE if you are feeling lousy. Check it against your pre radiation levels and adjust dosage accordingly.
Take care,
Eileen
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Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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