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Thyroid Cancer, Nodules & Hyperthyroidism (Expert Forum)
Interferon and Thyroid?
Answered by
Mark Lupo, M.D. - Thyroid Nodules, Thyroid Cancer, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Thyroid Ultrasound
Thyroid & Endocrine Center of Florida
Sarasota - FL
Questions in the Thyroid forum are answered by Mark Lupo, MD. Topics covered include Goiter, Graves Disease, Hyperthyroid, Parathyroid/Calcium Problems, Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Nodules/Cysts, Thyroiditis, Thyroid & Pregnancy, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Thyroid Tests, and Thyroid Surgery.
Interferon and Thyroid?
by Better-Angels, Jun 27, 2007 12:00AM
A little background - My husband had HCV. He treated 48 weeks on Pegasus, relapsed at 1 year and treated again with Infergen, daily for 6 months (15 mcgs) and then every other day for the remaining 24 weeks. It has been 14 months since he ended treatment and he is considered “cured”.
My husband is exhibiting many of the symptoms associated with a Hypothyroid, yet his TSH levels were mid-normal at the end of treatment (2.53) I went through as many of the labs as I could find and found subsequent tests showed his TSH declining to 1.30 and then 1.26 which was last November. This seems contradictory to his symptoms, which correlate mostly with Hypo, not Hyper.
Symptoms were linked to the side effects of Interferon and Infergen, however, 14 months after ending treatment he seems to be getting worse.
*Extreme fatigue, absolutely no endurance
*Confusion and difficulty concentrating
*Memory loss
*Impotence
*Tinnitus
*Odd skin rashes
*Depression
*Seems unaffected by the heat; he use to wear shorts all the time, now he wears long pants
*Skin and hair very dry
*Bruises that look like blood pooled under the skin
*Normal skin color one day, but the next day looks slightly grayish
*Shortness of breath
I have scheduled an appointment with an Endocrinologist, but I’m curious if these symptoms coupled with his history should be examined by another type of doctor. Any suggestions or thoughts?
Thanks,
Debbe
My husband is exhibiting many of the symptoms associated with a Hypothyroid, yet his TSH levels were mid-normal at the end of treatment (2.53) I went through as many of the labs as I could find and found subsequent tests showed his TSH declining to 1.30 and then 1.26 which was last November. This seems contradictory to his symptoms, which correlate mostly with Hypo, not Hyper.
Symptoms were linked to the side effects of Interferon and Infergen, however, 14 months after ending treatment he seems to be getting worse.
*Extreme fatigue, absolutely no endurance
*Confusion and difficulty concentrating
*Memory loss
*Impotence
*Tinnitus
*Odd skin rashes
*Depression
*Seems unaffected by the heat; he use to wear shorts all the time, now he wears long pants
*Skin and hair very dry
*Bruises that look like blood pooled under the skin
*Normal skin color one day, but the next day looks slightly grayish
*Shortness of breath
I have scheduled an appointment with an Endocrinologist, but I’m curious if these symptoms coupled with his history should be examined by another type of doctor. Any suggestions or thoughts?
Thanks,
Debbe
Doctor's Answer
by Mark Lupo, M.D., Jun 28, 2007 12:00AM
, Jun 28, 2007 12:00AM
I would test thyroid antibodies and recehck TSH -- but 2.53 is pretty normal. These are certainly side effects of IFN, but I don't think they would linger this long. HCV can also have some of these symptoms, but I presume he has been checked for viral load, etc. Certainly he has no lab or symptom evidence of hyperthyroidism.
