I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Is there any relation of this (hypothyroid) and Multiple Myeloma?
My doctor did not prescribe meds yet, but I am seeing an endocronology specialist next week who will do blood work etc. (my blood tests were high TSH but only about 4)
I am in remission since my transplant 3 years ago, and do not take any meds. I even stopped pami as I was worried about dental and kidney long term issues.
I have some thyroid symptoms, feeling cold, dry skin, hair breaking and oh so annoying constipation... (taking two kinds of laxatives, miralax and sena to help)
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Re: Connection between Hashimoto's thyroiditis & myeloma?
Hi Lys2012 - I've noticed several people on this forum have low thyroid (or Hashimoto's) are also diagnosed with MGUS, SM, and multiple myeloma. I've had low thyroid (treated with Synthyroid) for about 15-16 years and was diagnosed with MGUS fall of 2011. During this time, I've met two other women with low thyroid and MGUS.
Had no symptoms of low thyroid or MGUS - both were found on a blood test. My doctor said people with autoimmune diseases tend to get MGUS more often. She said an autoimmune is a sign of an immune malfunction and so is MGUS. At my last visit my endocrinologist said my Hashimoto's puts me in a higher risk group for other autoimmune diseases (RA, MS, diabetes, etc) and cancers - this is why she tests for their markers 1-2 times/year.
Hopefully your symptoms will go away if prescribed Synthyroid. I goggled MGUS (precursor to multiple myeloma) and low thyroid and are lots of articles that discuss the connection. Take care, Diane
Had no symptoms of low thyroid or MGUS - both were found on a blood test. My doctor said people with autoimmune diseases tend to get MGUS more often. She said an autoimmune is a sign of an immune malfunction and so is MGUS. At my last visit my endocrinologist said my Hashimoto's puts me in a higher risk group for other autoimmune diseases (RA, MS, diabetes, etc) and cancers - this is why she tests for their markers 1-2 times/year.
Hopefully your symptoms will go away if prescribed Synthyroid. I goggled MGUS (precursor to multiple myeloma) and low thyroid and are lots of articles that discuss the connection. Take care, Diane
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Dianem
Re: Connection between Hashimoto's thyroiditis & myeloma?
I saw my cancer specialist. I found out that being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition, AFTER high dose therapy and stem cell transplant is pretty rare.
Since it is actually my own immune system attacking my thyroid I asked if this means my immune system is extra strong
?
Once again I'm getting the "Rare" description in my file, sometimes you just want to be normal
I have started Synthroid, lowest dose.
I think I've been having thyroid symptoms for a while but I just attributed them myeloma/ and or my past treatment.
Since it is actually my own immune system attacking my thyroid I asked if this means my immune system is extra strong
?Once again I'm getting the "Rare" description in my file, sometimes you just want to be normal
I have started Synthroid, lowest dose.
I think I've been having thyroid symptoms for a while but I just attributed them myeloma/ and or my past treatment.
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lys2012 - Name: Alyssa
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2010, Toronto, Canada
- Age at diagnosis: 32
Re: Connection between Hashimoto's thyroiditis & myeloma?
Hi Lys2012,
I also am hypothyroid. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago. One interesting thing to note about a diagnosis of hypothyroid disease is that the "normal range" for thyroid has been shrinking. Where the normal reference range for TSH at most labs is between .5 and 5, most endocrinologists believe it should be .3 - 3. When I was diagnosed, my TSH was just under 4.
If you can, go back and look at older tests to see if you have changed, or if its the definition of what is/isn't hypothyroid that's changed. Once I got the diagnosis of hypothyroid the doc looked back to a test he had done 5 years earlier, and my TSH was around 4! I suspect that I've been hypothyroid for a long time (since I was a teenager), it just took a while for the tests to catch up to me!
Lyn
I also am hypothyroid. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago. One interesting thing to note about a diagnosis of hypothyroid disease is that the "normal range" for thyroid has been shrinking. Where the normal reference range for TSH at most labs is between .5 and 5, most endocrinologists believe it should be .3 - 3. When I was diagnosed, my TSH was just under 4.
If you can, go back and look at older tests to see if you have changed, or if its the definition of what is/isn't hypothyroid that's changed. Once I got the diagnosis of hypothyroid the doc looked back to a test he had done 5 years earlier, and my TSH was around 4! I suspect that I've been hypothyroid for a long time (since I was a teenager), it just took a while for the tests to catch up to me!
Lyn
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Christa's Mom - Name: Christa's Mom
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September, 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Connection between Hashimoto's thyroiditis & myeloma?
Good suggestion, I might of had this before Myeloma reared it's head, or it was not active. I know my dr did the thyroid antibodies 5 years ago and they were fine (my mom had a thyroid issues so when I started to get sick it was on of the first things that was checked)
The thyroid thing was caught by a radiologist who flagged my thyroid as enlarged and changed on an ultrasound and said it looked like hashimoto's. I had gone in for an ultrasound of a lymph node in my neck, because I kept getting the feeling like something was caught in my throat. they checked the whole neck as part of the examine, and found my thyroid issue!
My Blood work TSH was in the high 3's, but I tested positive for hashimoto antibodies, so we decided to start thyroid replacement.
The thyroid thing was caught by a radiologist who flagged my thyroid as enlarged and changed on an ultrasound and said it looked like hashimoto's. I had gone in for an ultrasound of a lymph node in my neck, because I kept getting the feeling like something was caught in my throat. they checked the whole neck as part of the examine, and found my thyroid issue!
My Blood work TSH was in the high 3's, but I tested positive for hashimoto antibodies, so we decided to start thyroid replacement.
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lys2012 - Name: Alyssa
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2010, Toronto, Canada
- Age at diagnosis: 32
Re: Connection between Hashimoto's thyroiditis & myeloma?
Hi Lys2012 - about three years ago my friend was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Her treatment, surgeries, and maintenance Rxs have been difficult. About one year following the end of her aggressive chemo her dr found a 'neck nodule' and it was related to low thyroid. Like you, they said it is unusual for an autoimmune to follow chemo/treatment, BUT she also had lots of radiation that could play a role. She now the Hashimoto's markers too. Diane
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Dianem
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