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Had a complete Thyroidectomy 6 yrs ago. Am taking 0.15mg tablet a day. I see the Endo at the VA twice a yr and he says that at my age with no complaints I should just continue on. The cancer has NOT returned so I am lucky.
Look up info on "Thyroidectomy" and check out the symptoms. They probably will vary a little based upon a persons age and lifestyle. They do for me somewhat but I've no complaints.
I felt so much better hyper!
Wish I never swallowed that RAI poison pill! When I was hyper, I was on Inderol for many years to keep my heart rate normal.
They told me eventually I would die of a heart attack, I say bs, typical docs that never want to cure anything, they just want you on a pill/pills for the rest your life!
Just my 2¢
I'm not positive about the op's condition, but I strongly suggest you send an endocrinologist. Also, I had a very, very, rare condition where you switch from Hashimotos disease to Graves disease on a cycle again and again. I got my thyroid completely removed with radiation (I also had tumors) and I've been taken a replacement for my thyroid for nine years now. I get my lab work done once a year and everything has been quite balanced and I have not had a single problem since. I'm not saying you have this at all or anything I'm just sharing my experience. But again, I really hope you see a specialist because endocrinologist are so much better than doctors for these things.
I was asked to update my condition since the post has come back around again. I had my medication lowered and was retested after 6 weeks. I was still a little hyper so my medication was lowered again. Now I am waiting retest. I did feel better a little hyper but realize there are dangers to being so. I am hoping after the next round of tests I will be at an acceptable level. I am considering going to an endocrinologist because Jaipur's condition has piqued my interest. I have had fluctuating numbers for years. I didn't realize maybe this was an actual condition in itself! I have moved alot in the last few year and have had to change primary docs, too. I also appreciate the websites that Joan recommended. Very good websites! Hope this helps Bellalunatic!
To all of you out there working to get your thyroid levels balanced - I recommend you stay the course - it can feel daunting, impossible and the constant trips to/fro for labwork get wearisome as well - BUT - a good doctor needs a history of labs to work with - so hang in there! This process could mean tweaks to your meds and subsequent blood draws....but both are important in the quest to restore your health to you!
I was initially diagnosed with a 'lazy' gland and a goiter in 1985 - and put on a low dose of levothyroxine. I then moved several times, changed jobs, divorced, remarried, and basically just ignored the obvious for about 10+ years. As we rang in 1997, I promised myself I would get to the bottom of what was causing my intolerance to heat/cold, my inability to sleep well, my feeling of wanting to sleep all the time, my dry/flaky skin, my swollen neck, my bouncing off the wall everything is great days, to my I'm so tired my feet feel like cement boulders fatigued days.
In late 1997, after some changes in the nodules in my thyroid, the decision was made to surgically remove the entire gland. I knew the second I awoke from surgery, that I felt better and for the first time in years, I actually considered what feeling 'normal' might feel like. Turns out I had Hashimoto's. I have taken 225 mcg of levothyroxine per day since, which my own doctor was surprised at, since he felt it was a higher than usual dosage, it is what 'works' for me and keeps my levels acceptable. I border on the high side of normal at each re-check, but after several years of feeling 'well', the doctor and I agree to leave the dosage where it is.
I wish I'd known in 1985 what I know now - because I would NOT have wasted 10 years of my young adult life feeling as lousy as I felt. I would have stuck to the medical plan that my doctor clearly laid out for me, but - we are here - and looking back, I am grateful to feel well today! My family calls my little pink levothyroxine pills - "Miracle pills" They suffered with me all those years.
Don't underestimate the power of the thyroid to wreak total havoc on your system. And weight loss/gain is NOT the primary, or even most obvious symptom for many people.
My very BEST wishes to any and all who are struggling with a thyroid imbalance/issue.
I had to respond to this because I spent years trying to get my TSH stabilized and feel ok. My synthroid rx was being changed every time I had a blood test. My TSH was all over the place and I never felt good. I tried cytomel too which helped a little but still not right. kept gaining weight, sluggish, etc. So I did my own research and finally found a Dr in Chicago who tests T3 and not just TSH and sure enough my T3 was very low. My Dr explained that T4 is supposed to be converted to T3 but this does not happen in a lot of people (mostly women) and is obviously the case with me. Also explained that TSH really doesn't mean anything if you aren't feeling good. So I switched to 90mg Armour thyroid about 3 years ago. Have been on the same amount the entire time. MY TSH and T3 are consistently where they should be and most importantly I FEEL GREAT, oh ya and I lost 18 lbs within 1 year of switching.
FYI - I have Hashimoto's
FYI2 - I would have never found out about T3 if I hadn't posted on a forum like this. I don't think people are looking to replace their dr, I believe they are looking for someone who has had a similar experience and what they did. That's what I was looking for when I posted and thankfully I did because it ended up giving me the answer I needed.
One test does not tell the whole story. You need a complete thyroid panel, 4 or 5 different tests. That is your next step. Tell your doctor you want the complete workup or a referral to a thyroid specialist (endocrinologist).
I have been hypothyroid for years, and have never really felt perfect even when my numbers have been in the right range. For the last few months I have been feeling so much better, have been able to lose weight after a long plateau...not depressed, just in general feeling good. The only problem I have is sleeping well at nite but that has been an issue forever so I don't really count that. Anyway, yesterday a blood test on TSH revealed that I am overmedicated, therefore hyperthyroid now. My doc wants to lower my dosage of synthroid but I feel so good at this dose I am on now! How dangerous is it to stay a little hyper? My tSH was .0144. I have never had my T3 or T 4 checked, even tho I have been thru 3 different primary docs. Should I ask my doc to let me stay on the current dose and ask for more tests? Or should I go to an endo or something? Any help would be very much appreciated!!!!!
Don't you just hate it when somethings working for you and the Doc figures different...I had graves disease once and needed stuff to slow me down..it was terrible, and made me feel very sluggish....I weaned myself off (without the doc knowing)..so when he decided to try weaning me off I was already done. I read up on it and saw that it's possible to have a transient case, brought on by stress etc..mine was I guess.
I think it's important to see an endocrinologist about your thyroid..it's their specialty....though I must admit m the one I saw suggested a radioactive die to destroy it completely...I said no way...he said, why not?..I said, because if I start gaining weight and need more medicine, what's to keep my doc from refusing and saying I just need to eat or exercise more...He said he's never looked at it like that....I said, yeh, I don't want to be dependent on a doc to regulate my weight for the rest of my life.....Seems I did the right thing for myself.
You should look into it, do some research for yourself...primary docs where I live can't give you the proper tests to really determine the problem, only an endocrinologist can.
purehuman, the person you're responding to hasn't posted in this thread since 2009, and hasn't posted anywhere on city-data in well over a year.
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They suffered with me all those years.
