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Hypothyroidism and orgovyx.
This will be a long comment.
I am a 75 year old Vietnam veteran, served on 2 destroyers , assigned to the Naval Gunfire Support from 1971-73. One ship was shot at 3 times and twice hit with fragment hits (structural damage). I was ship sentry while on the gun line. I was a Union official for 25 years as one of the lead grievance and negotiating officers. I had many arguments and many "spirited discussions" with the company. In both positions I handled a lot of stress. I have stage 2 prostate cancer and finished 28 days of IMRT 2 months ago and I have been on orgovyx for 5 months. Halfway through the treatment I tried to tell the 3 female therapists how much I loved them and how much I loved the way they were taking care of me. I got about 7 words out and I just started crying. I couldn't believe it. One of the therapists came over, gave me a hug and comforted me. The crying had never happened before. I felt like a little boy. I finished my 28 day treatment, rang the bell and went to my truck and cried for 15 minutes. What was going on? I was 2nd guessing myself and I talked to my urologist and he told me that he would have said the same thing, that I spoke from my heart and it was the orgovyx. I was a real mess. I had bloodwork done the next day and my TSH jumped from 4 to 35. I googled the reason and I was taking orgovyx too close to taking levothyroxine. One is supposed to wait at least 6 hours between doses. Was not aware of that. So I separated by 10 hours, had my bloodwork and TSH back down to 5. I read if too close together my mood would be right through the roof and it was. It is not as bad now but with a high level of TSH it still bothers me. My PSA now is 0.25 and my testosterone is 11. At my last appointment i still could not talk to the therapists. That day was our 49th wedding anniversary and I had just found out my wife had uterine cancer. All 3 told me that they wanted to give me hugs and i wouldnt have traded those hugs for a million dollars. Has anyone had this experience with high TSH ?? Anyone with hypothyroidism taking orgovyx?? Anyone taking levothyroxine? I have a very hard time trying to be nice to myself and my wife is waiting to start chemo. We both feel like the pinball trying to listen to the other ones problems. I know what I'm supposed to be doing, to be kind to myself, its just that I'm harder on myself than I should be. I should treat myself like I would treat a friend who has cancer. I shouldn't compare myself to that Navy guy or to the Union official. Its just so hard and there is no switch to to flip. I get sad and think of those therapists and how much empathy they all had for me and I can't have that same empathy for my own self. The first of next month I will stop orgovyx and wonder how soon my sadness will go away. It takes so long to get in to see a counselor and I'm not sure what they can tell me that I'm not trying. I did find out that I had as much percent chance of being angry and irritated as sad. I regret the way I acted in front of the female therapists and tried to tell them that's not the real me but I suppose they've heard that line before and that makes me more sad. Any helpful comments or suggestions would be helpful. Sorry for this long comment, I want you to know where I've been.
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@gently Thank you for that great comment. More likely I would not have found out so much about those therapists without me feeling so sad. I trusted them so much. I have wrote them a couple of letters, cards and gave them a huge platter of cookies, danishes, and 2 dozen cinnamon rolls to share with the whole department. I truthfully think that not all of their empathy to me was taught in training. I believe that some of that was their character and the way they were raised and I have told them that their families must be very proud of them. I have told them that they have made me feel more like a person than just another patient. They are GREAT.
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2 Reactions@gently I did need that kick in the butt about paying more attention to my wife. Thank you. She has had the cancer removed and because she had lost so much weight (around 60 pounds on purpose) they found 2 hernias and they need to be repaired and then chemo followed by 5 days of radiation. We are both anxious but know that many many folks are worse than us. And thank heavens for 2 wonderful daughters and our 4 grandchildren, 5,6,15 and19. Thanks again.
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1 Reaction@possum1969, there is touching tenderness, even still, in your telling.
I'm happy for update on your wife's good health.
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1 Reaction@possum1969, I agree with your assessment of those therapists, except that they all interacted as uniquely with you as you did with them.
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1 Reaction@brianjarvis When I broke down in front of the therapists I am sure the cause was from taking orgovyx an hour after taking levothyroxine. Then I started googling the reasons why I did that. One reason was "medications". I read where orgovyx should be taken at least 6 hours after thyroid medicine. Then after my lab work, 3 days after last treatment, TSH was 35. I asked the pharmacist if there was any interaction if I took orgovyx and levothyroxine. She said that she couldn't find any. I should have asked if there were any interaction if I took them within an hour of one another. My concert doctor seemed to think there was no problem with taking orgovyx an hour after thyroid medicine so he was unaware. I have yet to talk with my urologist. When I asked my primary doctor if I should separate the meds, I already did 2 weeks before, she told me to separate. Later I asked her how certain was she that orgovyx taken too soon after thyroid medicine, she told me very certain. If there were only 2 cases involving orgovyx and levothyroxine, not sure they would know. This drug was trialled in the UK and only here since 2021. Thank you for the info on exercising.
@possum1969 I'm not a veteran, but know vets who have found amazing support for PTSD from their former brothers and sisters in arms (brothers and sisters, still). The days of people wrongly assuming emotional distress=weakness are, fortunately, disappearing fast in the rearview mirror.
You might find a level of understanding and encouragement from fellow vets that you can't get anywhere else.
@northoftheborder Thank you.
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1 Reaction@gently My last appointment was on our 49th wedding anniversary, my wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer the week before, my sister had died of pancreatic cancer right after I had my simulation and one of my close friends and Union official, who I talked to at the cancer center had died 3 days before this appointment. i believe it was the worst day i ever remembet. When 2 of the therapists came in to tell me hello, I was overwhelmed that they would take time to see me. The one girl put down the bag of cinnamon rolls and said she wanted to hug me. Then the next one did. After they left the 3rd one walked by and said hello, turned around and hugged me. The empathy and comfort that they showed for me will be something I will always remember. When this hormone wears off, I plan on writing them a short letter and thank them for that last day. I wish I could do more for them as I feel that they are under appreciated by the management. The one girl told me at the simulation that the patients appreciate them more than the management. Thank you for those comments. Your last comment was a complimentary comment, correct?
Probably many reasons, at 58 I had a heart stent, blood pressure & heart stop for a bit! I had never cried since I was 4-5 yrs old! After watching Dave letterman saying after his stent he cries at the drop of a hat! I do too!! (for me its not weakness, just inconvience! )
@astrope Thank you for your comment. Same age I last cried. Sending you hugs.