6 month check after total thyroidectomy

[hope4thegoodstuff]

Have my full body scan back....No cancer showing at this time.  yippee'

I have to go to my endo tomorrow...I'm hoping that she will cut me loose and allow me to go to my regular dr.  That would be awesome.  6 months after total thyroidectomy, thyca and RAI and I'm still here folks....when they first diagnosed me, I have to admit...I was scared.  If you are going thru this....there is no better place to get help and advise.  

Had to get my labs this week for tomorrows visit.
Free T4 = 1.54   normal is .71 - 1.85
TSH = .55         normal is .50 - 5.00

TSH seems a bit low, but I don't know as I feel the way it reads....I actually am starting to feel somewhat normal...I still get really shaky if I do any major gardening or house work.  

[TamraW]

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! That's wonderful news that your are cancer free!

Why no FT3 testing?

I don't think your TSH is too low. As long as your frees are good and you feel stronger, without the hyper symptoms, then that's what matters.

:) Tamra

[hope4thegoodstuff]

My dr's don't believe in Free t3...I've been to 4.  The endo actually gets kind of rough about it and so does the physicians assistant that I see...but I think if endo cuts me loose for a year and allows my regular physician deal with my day to day adjustments...I think he (new reg physician) will check it...He is the first to ever talk to me about it....If not, I'll try one of these test at home things or I know a lab rat and she may be able to help me, if I offer to pay for the test...which I will gladly do....

You know just in the last week or so (maybe just since finding out the scan results)...I feel better.  It seems as though I am losing less hair (on synthroid) finally, I can get a bit of tachycardia first thing after I take my meds, but not like I used to....I don't have a life sucking couch anymore...used to be, I'd sit, I'd sleep... : )  I still get a bit wobbly though if I get to doing too much...I kind of have to catch a wall from time to time or I feel just off kilter.....I never get dizzy...just wobbly...but it's better....much better.

[TamraW]

How awful that you don't have a doc who will test/treat your frees. Good idea to try and get your family practice doc to do this. Docs who specialize in hormones and even chiropractors are known to be more flexible in testing and treating threes.

:) Tamra

[hope4thegoodstuff]

A chiropractor???? really?  I know lots of those...

[redheadaussie]

Yay! Good news! I bet you feel totally relieved! Once you get loose of the endo I am sure you can convince the regular doc to get those Free T3's checked.
  Tamra is right, even gyno's can get the whole thryoid panels checked....might be time for an 'open wide, and relax' check, hey?

[ChitChatNine]

Yeah!!! Doing the HaPpY DaNcE here for sure!  It's so good to hear from you and really really great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 months already, wow!

C~
partial 1/07

[nissah46]

Congratulations on the clean scan, but don't get rid of your endo.  You will be monitored for life. Thyroid  cancer patients need to keep their TSH suppressed to < 0.1.  Once the risk of recurrance is less, they may allow the TSH is rise slightly.  I am now allowed to be in the range of 0.1- 0.5. Some endos specialize in diabetes, so you should have one that specializes in thyroid cancer.  

[hope4thegoodstuff]

Yeah, she told me today that I'd have to go every 6 mos for two years before she cuts me loose, but I just feel so relieved to know that my levels are where she wants them and she said that I should start feeling normal again now that has happened.  
She had a thyrogobulin? report....I don't know if that is right, but it was less than 1 and she was happy with that as well.
Now I need to learn how to lose weight...that's always been difficult for me, but I gotta try something...

I think all of these endos specialize in diabetes....I don't know of a strictly thyroid dr here.

[nissah46]

Your thyroglobulin (Tg) is good.  That is considered undetectable.  The weight thing is always a challenge. Perhaps you can start with short walks, and increase your distance each week.  I love walking, you can do it on your own time, with no equipment, just sneakers.  Good luck.
Trish

[hope4thegoodstuff]

Thanks to everyone....man...I just don't know what I would do without you...not getting out on line so much these days...harvest season in the midwest means that my guy is not getting home so everything else is kind of on me...at least for a couple more weeks, I assume.  But I could not get thru all of this without your support...

[MANmom]

Your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) should be .1 or less...you now have no thyroid, so you should not be producing hormone to stimulate it...essentially, if it is higher than .1 you are probably not getting enough synthroid, hence your body is trying to produce more thyroid hormone.  Hope that helps.

[loonette]

Hi,
Great News!!  I agree with MANmom.  I was told that for cancer patients the TSH needs to be in the range .1-.05 so your TSH is not low at .55.  Mine is .99 and she wants to keep it suppressed.  I was told my labs were within normal range too, but I don't feel normal.  Normal is not complete exhaustion and wanting to go to bed at 7:00 pm!!  I was taking 125 mcg. of levoxyl, but endo upped it to 137 mcg.  Waiting for next round of blood tests in January, checking Vitamin D as well since I have achiness in bones.  I will get Free T3 testing done as well.  

I hope my 6 month check goes as well as yours!  Take care.