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Thyroid Disorders Community

This patient support community is for discussions relating to thyroid issues, goiter, Graves disease, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, Human Growth Hormone (HGH), hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, metabolism, pituitary gland, cancers, thyroiditis, and thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH).
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Looking for general thyroid health resource

by spuds65, Mar 14, 2007 12:00AM
Ok, all you veterans....I am now 5 weeks post surg., 2 weeks post RAI, and 2 weeks on levothroid (125 mg.  All of this came as a complete surprise when I was diagnosed on Jan. 16, and it did indeed turn out to be papillary, but now am cancer-free!  ANYway,  I am a total ignoramus about all thyroid issues.  I am having my final post-op appt with my surgeon tomorrow, and then will see my endo on April 9.  I would really like to be prepared and pro-active about my treatment, but do not even really know what to ask.  Is there a good book I could read to bone up on T3 T4, synthetic vs. natural hormone, diet, appropriate tests, additional tests I could /should have/avoid, dosing questions, etc, etc.....?
Member Comments (7)

by utahmomma, Mar 15, 2007 12:00AM
To: spuds65
There are some good books out there but I've found more useful information on the internet:

http://www.endocrineweb.com/
http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/
http://www.thyca.org
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_3X_How_is_thyroid_cancer_staged_43.asp?sitearea=
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/thyroid101.htm
http://www.checkyourneck.com/
http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/thyroid

I do have the following books:
The Thyroid Diet (Mary Shomon), - good book
Thyroid for Dummies  - pretty good primer with handy reference on drug interactions
The Thyroid Cancer Book (Sara Rosenthal PhD - a thyroid cancer survivor) - I really like this book!
The Thyoid Solution (Ridha Arem) - good
Thyroid Power (Richard & Karilee Shames) - ehhh
Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment (Clark & Noguchi) - (textbook) - good

Hope this helps

by utahmomma, Mar 15, 2007 12:00AM
To: spuds65
Hey neighbor!  :-)   (should have known from "spuds")

I hope your spring in Idaho is a warm and beautiful as it is here in Salt Lake City!

Let us know how it goes with your doctors!

by spuds65, Mar 15, 2007 12:00AM
To: utahmomma
WOW!  I should have known!  Thanks, Utahmomma!!!  BTW, I think we are neighbors---I am in Idaho.  Have a great day,  and thanks for all of your helpful posts!! :)

by spuds65, Mar 15, 2007 12:00AM
To: Utahmomma
Oh, you know it's spring in Idaho when the PROMISE of 6o degrees in the afternoon prompts people to wear shorts in the a.m. to the grocery store when it is still only 35 degrees!  I love it, and the blossoming trees are just opening up along with the daffodils.

So, I got a clean bill of health on my final scan from my radiation oncologist!  She still wants me to come back in a year for another scan....not looking forwrd to that since I am still not tasting anything!  This morning's visit with surgeon went really well, really just a formality as he checked the healing of my incision, listened to me, discussed my vocal range and singing voice, and basically made sure my other doctors are doing what they should.  He was actually quite sympathetic and apologetic (since he is the one who MADE me hypo via the TT) about all of the fun hormonal irregularities, which was really nice since all of my friends are so clueless and keep congratulating me on being "through with it all," but you know how that goes.  So, for now I am just continuing on my levothroid and awaiting  my endo appt. on the 9th.  How are you feeling?

by utahmomma, Mar 16, 2007 12:00AM
To: spuds65
I'm hanging in there.  I'm glad that you got such a great prognosis from your surgeon.

My endo wants me to have a nuclear scan this coming fall (a year after the first RAI) - he said that I won't have to go off the Synthroid, they will just give me a shot then the scan.  However if there is thyroid tissue present anywhere I'll have to go off the Synthroid, back on the LID, through hypohell, and have a higher dose of RAI (I had 100mCi last November).

Check with your endo, that may be what they want to do with you too.

It's a "long, strange trip" isn't it?!?!

Oh, and for the people who tell you "at least it's over with" - just smile then COMPLAIN ALL YOU WANT here!  We understand, even if no one else does.

Keep an eye on the hyper symptoms.  I invested in a BP cuff and it's a *good* thing.  I usually have a BP of about 90/60 so this is really strange.

Here's to good health (someday)

What part of Idaho are you in?

by spuds65, Mar 19, 2007 12:00AM
To: utahmomma
Hey!  I missed  your post in the last few days of a crazy week.  You know what I really don't understand is how we can have HYPER symptoms when we are truly HYPO because of TT?  It is all very confusing.  I usually read up on this fabulous site late at night to try and educate my ignorant self, because my poor husband gets really nervous if he is up while I am "researching."    As for follow-up scans, my radiation onc. already told me she wants me to do one in a year because of my suspected exposure to radiation fall-out, even though my scans from 2 and 3 weeks ago showed no spread.  I had such a big dose for my RAI (153.5 mci) that I cannot imagine there is even one thyroid cell that would dare raise its head!  Anyway, I am in the Boise area--where are you?  Western UT?

by utahmomma, Mar 19, 2007 12:00AM
To: spuds65
Hey Spuds,


I love Boise!  There are some great sushi restaurants and clubs in your downtown area.  Bummer thing is my ex-husband lives in Boise now so no visiting for me.  :-)

I'm in the Salt Lake area.  It's been nuts here too and I just saw your post before logging off for a few hours sleep.

The hyper symptoms are probably from a high dose of thyroid replacement (Synthroid or something similar).  After cancer our endos like to keep our TSH levels very suppressed (somewhere around 0.1) to ensure no more cancer growth.  It becomes so much fun since we have no thyroids left (we hope) and our bodies think we are hypo but our thyroid replacement makes us hyper.  I've had symptoms of BOTH for the past couple of years.

Even though you are cancer free (YEAH!), plan on blood tests every couple of months at first to get your dosage right then a couple of times a year from then on out.  Oh, plan on a uptake scan in a year then a couple of years after that if your levels stay consistent.

Fun, isn't it??

Off to bed - rest well up their in the state of potato.  :-)
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