Total Thyroidectomy & Synthroid Dosage

[lilypad300]

I know it's different for everyone, but what is the average dose of synthroid for people who have has a thyroidectomy?  
My doctor started me off on .175 and then I had an anxiety attack the other day (see journal)  today he said my numbers were good, but reduced me to .137 and gave me some .150 samples as well.  He said to start on the .137 and if I felt sluggish to take the .150's .  How will I know the difference between general fatigue and not enough synthroid.  Would the .175 have caused my anxiety attack?  

help!
thanks!

[annie_2013]

yes....I just checked on some of my previous results and they have checked the free t4 too...these were my results

T4,Free(Direct) 1.67 ng/dL        normal ranges-  0.82 − 1.77 01

TSH 0.084 Low uIU/mL              normal ranges- 0.450 − 4.500 01

Thyroxine (T4) 13.6 High ug/dL    normal ranges- 4.5 − 12.0 01

these were my levels when I was feeling lots of palpitations and was taken to the ER ..the doctors thinking it was a heart attack

as for the free t3 im sure they did that test yesterday too and as soon as I get resultsI will post them here...thank you so much for your recommendations...you 've made me dig through my previuos lab results to find out if they are checking what is needed to correct my dosage...I appreciate it a lot! =)

[gimel]

When you go back for tests, I highly recommend that you insist on Free T3 and Free T4, in addition to the TSH they always want to test.  Note that these are not the same as Total T3 and T4.  Free T3 is the most important because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.  Scientific studies have shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate at all.

[annie_2013]

no I dont think they have performed those tests on me, but as soon as I receive my results I will post them here so we can all compare...I will ask my doctor about  vitamin D, B12, ferritin and iron tests...thank you for advising this

[gimel]

Please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges so that members can assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.  Also, have you been tested for Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, and a full iron test panel?  If so, please post those results and their reference ranges as well.  

[annie_2013]

hi, I know its a little late to respond to your comment.  I had a total thyroidectomy in 1993 because of thyroid cancer and for so many years I was ok taking synthroid .1mg.  When I got pregnant 4 years ago thats when the nightmare started, I was changed back and forth from .75 to .1 dand then when my baby was born I started to take .125 ..then 2 months ago  I started to feel the stmptoms of heart palpitations. I started to feel anxiety and sometimes panic attacks, very tired that I had to sit down most of the day so I was sent to the ER by this doctor who did not know anything of my past medical history.  he did an ekg on me and told me I was probably having a heart attack...so at the er they did all this special tests to see if it was my heart and they said it was ok...so I went to my endocrinologist the next day and did the blood work and he said I was feeling like this because my pill dosage was a little high so he changed it back to  .100, I felt better for a month or so and again last friday I started to feel the same symptoms.  So today I had blood work again and a thyroid ultrasound to make sure cancer has not returned... I feel so depressed thinking I may never get my normal life back...This thyroid thing brought me so many complications specially infertility issues and miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies, so I can say what other people say that after the surgery I did not have problems with symptoms but it did messed up other health issues in my life. so im waiting on results and really hope it was only the pill and needs to be changed to another dosage...otherwise they will send me to a cardiologist  =(

[gimel]

Any test can always be a bit off, but if you are talking about blood pressure, that is a fairly reliable test.  If you are still feeling bad, I urge you to go to a doctor or hospital and find out more.