Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal

As discussed in the Thyroid Cancer Management section, it is important to maintain a regular schedule of follow-up visits with your doctor to make sure your cancer has not come back. At these visits, you will most likely undergo thyroglobulin (Tg) testing and/or a whole body scan (WBS). Both of these tests usually require that you have elevated levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in your bloodstream to stimulate any remaining or reappearing thyroid cells.

Prior to follow-up tests for thyroid cancer recurrence, you may be asked to stop taking hormone therapy. When you withdrawal from thyroid hormone therapy, you may experience a condition called hypothyroidism.  This section takes a detailed look at the symptoms of this condition. 

Since thyroid hormones affect many of your body’s functions, particularly metabolism, hypothyroidism can be a big change to your body’s systems. Some people may experience only minor noticeable changes. Some, however, may experience more intrusive, even debilitating, symptoms of hypothyroidism. These can include:

These changes can generally be reversed within 1 to 3 months with thyroid hormone replacement.

Consult your doctor about the options for dealing with these symptoms.