I believe my thyroid is growing back

[HelenCastro]

I had thyroid cancer years ago and all my thyroid was removed.  I traveled to Colombia, South America to get medical treatment and to buy my synthroid.  In fact, the synthroid in Colombia varies in price depending on regions of that country, I found a small town that sold me a 90 day supply for $2, please consider the change in currency makes a difference. Nonetheless, far cheaper than the USA.  Also, I informed the doctors of Colombia that I had been off synthroid for some time.  I eventually found 100 mcg and again I faced the situation of running out of that medicine so I began to cut them in half and take half a pill daily, instead of the 175 mcg that my USA doctor recommended.  The doctors over there also advised me that it was dangerous to do so, I had informed them that I was in that situation and that I had been doing this for weeks and  I felt no change.  The doctors began to run various tests but I could not continue the studies with the doctors since I had to return to the USA, but they found something whether it's a tumor or my thyroid growing back.  I strongly feel my thyroid grew back because I am functioning normally and today I don't worry if I take a pill daily.  Let me mention there is more to this story than just doctors, I also prayed that my thyroid would grow back so that I wouldn't need to worry about medical attention.



This discussion is related to How can I make my thyroid grow back?.

[redheadaussie]

The only way you will know if your thyroid has re-grown is to get an ultrasound and some blood tests done. It is possible that you have a tumour there. There is no way all thyroid tissue can be removed 100% at surgery. The parathyroids which deal with calcium are on a bed of thyroid tissue and to remove them would put the patient at high risk of having hypocalceamia. (low calcium in the blood)
There is a chance that you have some functioning thyroid tissue left. This can happen though not commonly.
I am more concerned that you had cancer and now they have found a tumour or new thyroid growth. There is a chance you may have a cancer regrowing.
  Cutting the pills in half is not a good idea. The actual hormone is not always precisely spread evenly over the tablet. There fore varying your daily dosage. Also only a few weeks or days is not enough time to know that it has caused no change. It takes up to 6 weeks to notice any effects.
  I would highly suggest you get to a doctor soon and ask for the tests to be done. Continue to take your medication daily. There are places you can ask for help if you are not able to afford medication.
Cheers

[Smilerdeb]

From what I have researched...a thyroid cannot grow back.
Thyroid TISSUE can and so too can cancer in the thyroid tissue.
The only way that a thyroid can function again is if you suffer from Graves, Had RAI (no Thyroidectomy) and the thyroid can 'fire up' later on in life because it wasn't fully nuked.

If you are skipping doses of meds and taking basically whatever you can lay your hands on to make the prescription go further, you are at high risk of Myexedema Coma where the thyroid levels are too low, the TSH too high.
THEN the bodys organs start to malfunction.
This can be a slow process or a fast one...depending on each individual person.

This is a dangerous practice and I wouldnt advise anyone to do it.
A T4 med is not expensive by any means and should be treated like 'food' as that is what it is to your body.
if you starve yourself of food when its needed , eventually you will die.
The same goes for T4 meds if your organs need it and you fail to get it.

Dont you feel sick or tired?
You dont say if you had RAI or not after your throid was removed???
If you dont take the right amount of meds and dont take them regulary when needed then you are playing Russian Roulette with your own life.
And medical treatment will cost a lot more than a prescription of a T4 med eventually.


You posted a posting to Dr. Lupo in August 2008 and he gave you his response telling you that you need a T4 med for the rest of your life.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid/How-can-I-make-my-thyroid-grow-back/show/606653?personal_page_id=96679&;post_id=post_3336531

I would be going back to your Doctor as there are places where you can get help as RedHead said but to ignore the situation hoping for a miracle....that is never going to happen.
Sorry to be blunt but there are people here who want to be helped and are going through debilitating symptoms and this posting is just giving them false hope.
I am sorry but I disagree with you.