[beach45]

#1059065

Has anyone had problems ovarian cysts developing due to thyroid imbalance?

I had been on Methimazole for Graves for 20 months; my levels went up and down too much from hyper to hypo and back to hyper again and I could not get balanced. So my endocrinologist suggested RAI or TT and I had RAI May 3rd, 2012.

I also had an ovarian cyst that was found on my right ovary back in March; retested just yesterday and it is found out that this cyst has grown slightly and it is looking more like a complex cyst. Also had a CA-125 test (waiting on results) which can possibly indicate cancer yet it was high in past and my left ovarian cyst was benign back in 2009.

My ob/gyn says that there is not a link between the two. I thought there was?

I read somewhere that someone had RAI and once they got balanced on Synthroid post RAI, a complex cyst that they had on their ovary disappeared.
I also checked previous posts here on this site in regards to this issue.

I am getting closer to menopause at a late age of 53 and having a lot of bloat issues and irregular cycles too which due to histories of blood clots I will not go on hormones to regulate cycles. Seems like I got more bloated with so much up and down with the thryoid yet maybe there is not a link.

Maybe there is not a connection yet I would like to hear from others if they had similar and if things resolved once the thyroid was balanced?

I only hestitate to have the right ovary and cyst removed as my ob/gyn suggested as I already had the left one removed in 2009 prior to Graves diagnosis due to a very large complex cyst which caused a lot of pain. I’d prefer to keep it as a wait and see and also see if my thyroid levels get balanced now post RAI if things would change.

Thank you for any responses or suggestions in advance.

Beach45

[Bobbi]

#1171902

To my knowledge, the scientific literature does not support the idea of there being a connection between an imbalance of thyroid hormones and the development of ovarian cysts. I.e., it does not happen to enough of us for it to be statistically significant.

Also, the CA-125 test has so many false positives built into its results as to be unreliable when it comes to diagnosing the presence of ovarian cancer. I realize that chain emails online suggest it should be used across the board, but even being in a certain portion of our menstrual cycles can lead to elevated levels on that test. Whether or not the test is of use to any individual patient should be determined by the physician on a case by case basis.

[beach45]

#1171903

Thank you Bobbi! Great information!

[snelsen]

#1171904

Agree with Bobbi re her thoughtful and informative post.
But here is another perspective on “our” ovaries. Ovarian cancer is one of the most sneaky, no symptoms, diagnosis very late, usually Stage IV with terrible prognosis. I had an elective bilateral oophorectomy, and was thrilled to do it. It eliminates the possibility of having ovarian cancer. I was in my early 50’s.
Just one girl’s thought.
Shirley

[nativegirl]

#1171905

Hi there – I too had RAI on 5/3/12. And I also have developed constant nagging lower back and abdomen pain over the last few months. I am going to see my ob/gyn next week to investigate possible cysts. I have long wondered if there was a link between my long time undiagnosed hyperthyroid and severe pms. I am hoping that my moods and hormones will chill out in the future. I really think that there would be a link due to the fact that Graves puts our hormones out of whack/accelerated, which seems logical it could cause you to grow cysts. Just my theory. I also wonder how many people out there have been misdiagnosed with depression and bi-polar, ADHD, etc when it is their thyroid.

How is your post RAI phase going so far? I feel better already, and only have to take a small metoporol each day. Can’t say I feel 100%, but I think better, and faster than I thought it would happen.
Wish you luck, and let me know if you have had experience with the above issues too.

Helen

[beach45]

#1171906

Shirley, I hear what you are saying. I am not thrilled about having the right ovary now taken out too being that I do not have the left and the possibility of having to go on hormones for menopausal symptoms since I have not gone through menopause yet at 53.

I also though knew from research that there is a greater risk of Ovarian Cancer with people who have Graves disease. I found this not to scare anyone as I only post since they mention a medical journal:
“The March 2000 issue of the medical journal “Epidemiology” indicates that a woman with hyperthyroidism has an 80 percent higher risk of developing ovarian cancer. A thyroid problem may cause certain conditions in which the ovaries become inflamed. This increases the chance for cancerous cells to grow.” Actually I have that article in case anyone is interested as I wasn’t sure if it was okay to post here.

I appreciate too your sharing about the sneakiness of the ovarian cancer as you remind me of this as I remember reading this prior to having my left ovary out with a huge cyst as they though it was cancerous and thank God it was not at the time.

Helen… Wow so you had the RAI same day as me. Good to hear you are doing okay. I’m doing pretty okay. I do some natural stuff for the heart rate only because I have been dealing with a holistic nurse practitioner for many years yet I would not do that on my own. I asked my doctor for a beta blocker yet he said since I was on Methimazole 20 months prior to RAI that there was no need for it. Well my internist would have given me a beta blocker if I had a consistent heart rate of over 100 bpm and right now I’m not taking anything at all and I feel okay; heart rate 80 bpm resting. I almost am starting to feel like I’m going the other way already because I experienced hypothyroid two times on Methimazole and so very sluggish, depressed and heavy (which I have still not lost that weight). I’m also extremely sensitive to medications and treatments.

I had extreme pelvic pain back in 2009 when I had that huge complex cyst on my left ovary and waited over a year for surgery as I was finishing up college then at 50. I was “slightly hyperthyroid” back then yet no doctor did further testing of my thyroid back in 2007-2008 and I often wonder if there is a connection as someone said that since thyroid and ovaries are both part of the endocrine system, that there may be a linkage (?) All I know is that I have no symptoms this time around yet my cycles have been all over the place for two years and I am sure that is not helping my situation and I do not want to go on hormones to regulate because I feel the blood clot situation due to family history is valid reason not to. So I agree from what I experienced with my hormones being completely out of whack since all this Graves thing started with me back in May 2010, that it’s throwing female hormones off too. The book I read “The Thyroid Solution” by Ridha Arem, M.D., talks about the mind/body connection with Graves/thyroid imbalances and talks about the depression and anxiety, bi-polar and that it is very important to be balanced. My therapist has charted me with my ups and downs since this started as she would a person who has bi-polar as she says the autoimmune problem can mimic this. Well if we work with a good doctor and get balanced we should be fine as like with myself time will tell. I know though when my TSH was close to 13 on Methimazole I felt so depressed and down in the dungeon that I did not know who I was and I realized it was the thyroid and for me anything over TSH of 2.5 I’m in the pitts. I am not a depressed type my entire life. My endocrinologist is going to try to keep my TSH between 2-3 once I go hypo yet I know another endocrinologist who prefers to keep patients closer to TSH of 1. My theory with all this is to keep the patient at the best levels possible for that individual patient to be better balanced overall as thryoid effects both body and mind. Well I have formed opinion based on talking with many doctors and reading medical information which I know there is a lot of information out there and each individual has a unique experience with this disease based on each patient’s personal circumstances…..Best of luck to you Helen and all!….beach45

[Kimberly]

#1171907

Hi all – I haven’t seen that particular study on ovarian cancer, but I did want to point out that there is a *rare* cause of hyperthyroidism called struma ovarii, involving ovarian tumors that have functioning thyroid tissue wrapped up in them.

If there were a certain number of these patients included in the study sample, that could potentially skew the results, since they *already* had existing ovarian tumors.

For *all* women, though, it’s certainly important to get regular checkups and to report any new, worrisome symptoms to a gynecologist.

[beach45]

#1171908

Kimberly, thanks for sharing that; it is very interesting. I did speak to a couple of women recently who have Graves and also had ovarian cysts; both of which resolved when the thyroid was balanced; one post RAI. Coincidence; I do not know. Well we know that thyroid and ovaries are both part of the endocrine system. I know for myself my hormones have been all over the place since diagnosis back in 2010; so I look forward to having some balance soon post RAI since I believe it will be better for my entire body overall.

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