Thyroid issues?

[cher8150]

I am 53.  I had a partial thyroidectomy when I was 40 which turned out to be cancer.  The surgeon did not want to go back in and felt he had gotten all the cancer.  Last year I was feeling horrible and my doctor,thinking it was my heart, ordered a carotid artery study which showed a nodule on my remaining thryoid. So surgery to remove the other thryoid.  9 months of pure hell after until I convinced him to put me on Synthroid and not the generic.  thathas helped tremendously.  However, lately I feel lousy, so fatigued, heart races, muscels ache, diarrhea.  When I tell him how I feel he says my thryoid is in normal limits.  I am curious to know if anyone else feels this way after thryuoid removal?  I feel in some ways my entire personality has changed.  I am moodier, feel down more, can't handle stress. Just not myself.

Thanks for listening.

[mandiful86]

Holy crap... you sound exactly like me. I have not had my thyroid removed. I was on 175 mcg of Levothyroxine a day for three years. At first I felt awesome, but about 9 months ago, everything changed. I was in my 3rd trimester of my 4th pregnancy and I attributed everything to pregnancy. My OB thought it was my thyroid and my Endo. thought it was pregnancy related. Both doctors told me my levels were fine and I shouldn't be feeling this way. Neither did anything to help, because the TESTS were fine. After I had the baby in April 2011, it got worse.

I had muscle fatigue so bad that it was hard to hold my head up. My arms felt like they weighed 100 lbs. I started having insomnia and if I did sleep I would wake up with my heart throbbing. I was lethargic. Nothing seemed to be fun. I wasn't depressed, just neutral. I became a different person. I went from loving, patient mother to snappy and moody. I would yell at my kids when I was stressed, it was like the only emotions I had was mad or extremely mad. I had so much aggression for no reason. I had a headache everyday and for some reason I craved sugar. Every bone and joint in my body ached like I was 95 years old and I'm only 25. I thought maybe my levels were high, but the doctors said they were fine. I thought I was going crazy, but something inside told me it was my thyroid.

I recently moved and my insurance changed. So right now, I have to stretch what little Levothyroxine I have left out until my insurance kicks in and I can have more testing done. Consequently, I am taking a lot less. Like 175 mcg a week instead of a day. All my mood problems, insomnia, bone/joint pain,  headaches, aggression and muscle fatigue stopped. I am in no way recommending you do this though. I'm only doing it temporarily out of necessity. I just think it's odd how great I feel without it. I'm not in perfect condition my hairs been falling out,  my face is puffy, hands swollen, constipated, and my heart still races.

Hopefully, we both get this figured out.

[Barb135]

Can you please post your latest thyroid hormone test results, along with the reference ranges from your lab report?  This will  help members assess your situation and comment more fully.

Your doctor should be testing the minimum TSH, Free T3 and Free T4.  

[gimel]

Just because your thyroid test results are within the so-called "normal" limits does not mean that is adequate for YOU.  The ranges are far too broad for that to be the case.  Many of our members, myself included, report that symptom relief for them require that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and Free T4 adjusted to around the midpoint of its range.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from the letter in this link.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

After reading the letter I think you will conclude that you are not getting the proper treatment you need.  So, you have two alternatives.  One is to give your doctor enough info to cause him to reassess his treatment and treat you clinically.  If he is not willing, then you will have to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.