I know there are references to this throughout the forum but I wondered if anyone could give me some guidelines. I'm about 6 weeks short of a year since RT finished. While I recovered my energy quickly after treatment, I have suffered some puzzling bouts of fatigue recently. Driving home from a day in town I'll feel my eyes wanting to close. When I get home after an outing I just want to go to bed even if it's the middle of the day. I've also put a bit of weight on recently after staying pretty stable since rads. I'd love this to be thyroid related because then I would have a quick fix!

I was told that thyroid malfunction usually starts a couple of years down the track but I guess there would be a big variation.

Ironically (apart from some dental decay) my mouth feels more comfortable than it has for over a year.

When do your doctors recommend a thyroid check? How often do you get it checked? I guess it could also be anaemia. I'm not exactly eating a normal diet.

I think it's time you got your GP to check your Thyroid function. Kris's Thyroid had failed by the 12 month mark. He takes Levothyroxin tablets as a replacement. We did need to adjust the dose in the first year he took them. I did blood tests every 3 months. As we need to keep a close eye also on his Calcium levels ( his Parathyroids also don't work), I continue to check Thyroid function 3 monthly.
From being tired and very cold, Kris now has plenty of energy and feels hot again.
Get thee to your GP,
Tammy

John's thyroid failed about six months after RT. The symptoms you described sure sound like some kind of thyroid problem. Do go and get checked. You can also get checked out for anaemia at the same time if you are concerned.

Its very common for the thyroid to not function normally after rads. For me it was several years after rads when I first began needing thyroid meds. Im 7.5 years post rads and 5.5 years since my last bout of OC. I get my thyroid levels checked a few times ayear.

When you go to get checked out, ask your doc to also check for anemia. Thats pretty common as well. Its probably best to have a full blood panel done to check everything. Post rads, it can take the body a couple years to regulate itself to its new normal. Men should also have their testosterone levels checked.

Good luck!!!

It took 4 years years for my thyroid to malfunction. They should check the thyroid twice yearly, post radiation, maybe sooner, more frequent, once levels start to change. As Tammy mentioned, I'm not as cold, have a little more energy after taking the Synthroid. In addition, have vitamin D levels, B12, and testosterone checked, as those can be effected too.

Thank you everyone. Now that Easter is over I'll make an appointment to see a GP ASAP. Time for some blood tests.

Yep mine started failing at the year mark... Was dragging at work till I started synthroid

Hi Alpaca
Hope you enjoyed Easter ? My thyroid failed 16 months about of treatment I too felt really tired , cold and emotional ,I'm still having blood tests every 6 weeks whilst they try to get me on the correct amount of levothyroxine , it's been increased twice and I'm just beginning to feel a bit warmer and can stay up past 9.00 pm now ! Lol
Still on 3 iron tablets a day as struggling with anemia also . Hope you get it sorted out x
Thank you all for your continuing support

Thank you Di. I've had a blood test. Just waiting for the results:)

I got my blood test results today. The nurse said my thyroid is fine but I'm iron deficient. Iron tablets needed.

So that could explain my fatigue and gives me a reminder to eat a more balanced diet. It's hard because all I really want to eat is ye olde smoothie and tonnes of ice cream:) Naughty.