Gastric Bypass and Thyroid Cancer

 No regrets! You'll do fine.

Absolutely no regrets. Would do again, saved my life.

I had my RNY done two years ago as well and I had half of my thyroid removed a week ago.  The pathology reports came back yesterday and it is Stage 2 thyroid cancer. The surgeon wants to wait three more weeks to remove the other half of my thyroid and then I go back to the Endochrinologist to schedule the RAI treatment.  Being that I'm still a bit stunned by the diagnosis, I honestly only heard about half of what she said after "it's cancer" so I've been on the internet this morning looking to understand where I go from here. 

I can say with complete certainty that my RNY had nothing whatsoever to do with the developement of this cancer.  I've had suspicious nodules in my thyroid for 15 years ~ I just finally decided to have the surgery and see what they were.  Now I'm glad I did.  If it were not for the 100 lb weight loss from my RNY, I would have had more complications such as high blood pressure, borderline diabetis and sleeping disorders to deal with on top of this.

Prayers for you, JR, and send some up for me as well.  It's kinda scary, but could be so much worse!

I am 12 years out since my gastric bypass surgery and was recently diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer last year my cancer was removed via the whole thyroid being removed my calcium levels dropped drastically also and was in the hospital for 9 days.   I take also ALLOT of calcium carbonate . It was a year in June since the Thryoid Cancer surgery and I am still having problems absorbing calcium plus I am doing nothing different and I am gaining weight that I haven't done in 11 yrs..  I don't know what to do and I haven't heard that it could be the casue from they bypass.  

First use calcium citrate not calcium carbonate. Check with your endocrinologist about your thyroid levels as the thyroid has a lot to do with your metabolism hence weight gain. Get back to basics on food small portions and healthy choices, protein first. You can do this I did and I believe in you!

Jr,

Thank you for answering me.. You got your metabolism straighten out. I am located in FL   I also need to find a new Dr.   Thank you ..Barbara

I had my RNY in 2000, and in 2013 I had a follicular carcinoma in my left Thyroid.  It seems in this thread alone, there's a common denominator.  I'm not saying it was the RNY, however it does seem like a coincidence..

I know, this thread is already old, but it fits.

I had RNY surgery last year in Oct 14 and now I was diagnoses papillary thyroid cancer (30% tall-cell morphology). I had a removal of my whole Thyroid and neck dissection. I was is hospital for 14 days because of severe problems with calcium. My ionised calcium levels dropped after 2 days of the surgery to 0.9 mmol/l (norm 1.1-1.3) and i had strong cramps (tetany) for 4 times over 3 days. The gave me then also a LOT of calcium i.v. over 10 days. My parathyroid completely stopped working and the replaced this function with a medicament 6x rocaltrol 0.5 over the day and 3000mg of calcium.

Doctors said me after 2 weeks, that my bypass probably was the cause of this dramatic calcium drop because the calcium is absorbed in the first 50cm of the intestine, and this is now bypassed.

In 3 weeks i'll have my radioiodine therapy with 100mCi. Did anyone of you had the same? How did it worked? No problems with stomach?

 

I had the same issue after my thyroid surgery. I didn't think i was ever getting out of the hospital!! Due to having gastric bypass and not being able to take calcium bicarbonate i was told to take calcium citrate. I can only find the right kind at vitamin world. I was taking an ungodly amount just after my thyroidectomy but that caused more issues as too much calcium will bind you up and make you constipated. I have been taking 6 pills a day (1200 mcg) for a few years now and my calcium levels seem fine.