am confused about something.....

[dart frog]

Ok...Im having my thyroid removed on the 9th. I was sure my endo told me to start on the synthroid right away. But after reading so many posts here Im confused.
If the biopsy comes back as cancer then I will probably need the RAI...right? And if thats so will I have to stop taking the synthroid in order to have the treatment? If thats true...wont I have to stop taking it before I go on the diet BEFORE the RAI?

If Im right about ALL that.....wouldnt it make sense to wait to start the synthroid until AFTER we get the biopsy back?


I have a headache now

Rhonda

[Nicki1433]

All the information can be overwhelming.  To tell you the truth...2 years since original diagnosis and I still don't know what t3 & t4 are...other than thyroid something.  I can't believe endo said wait 6 weeks.  I would call and see if biopsy is back yet.  DEMAND ANSWERS!  

Nicki

[dart frog]

Found 1 nodule in feburary.Levels were all normal. Since my grandmother had thyroid cancer they decided to biopsy it in march. When they did the biopsy they found a total of 3 nodules. They biopsied 2 both were benign. large solid 1 in the isthmus hemoraged and balloned out ....now goes between 2cm and 4 cm.Started having problems swollowing and pain...so in May they u/s and found that my thyroid was NOW enlarged and I have a total of 8 nodules. The biggest 1 being  solid  1.7x1.1x.07. ....2 others are only slightly smaller.Smallest is 6mm
Still having swollowing problems with some breathing problems as well. Daily pain in thyroid and cant turn my head as far left and right.
Endo and surgeon decided no more tested needed...thyroid had to come out.They are somewhat concered about cancer since these have been fast growing. I was told they would biopsy thyroid and nodules at surgery time......hence all my questions about the meds afterwards. My endo already gave me the sythnroid, told me to take it after surgery, have blood drawn 6 weeks later and come see him

As of 5 months ago I barely knew where my thyroid was at!! :-) Now their cutting it out.... my head is spinning reading all these posts about t3...t4...hypo....hyper.....ack!

Rhonda

[MJ13]

I started taking levothyroxine about a week after surgery. I was on it from around 20 Dec - 4 Jan. I then took Cytomel for twice and then found out that I was scheduled for RAI on 17 Jan.  I went off all meds immediately and started the LID that day also.  TSH did not get high enough to do RAI on 17 Jan and had to wait another week til 25 Jan.  My endo started me on the med right away so I did not have to suffer through hypohe// any longer than necessary.  Sometimes it's hard to get an appt at centers that do RAI, so docs give us meds to stave of the hypohe// until absolutely necessary.  My endo told me next year when I do my first annual body scan, that I could problem get thyrogen shots instead of going of meds. Apparently the first go around for RAI they want your TSH to rise the old fashioned way.  

[Nicki1433]

Some doctors don't believe in the diet.  Yes, you will have to go off your meds before having RAI, but who knows how long before biopsy is back...could be unneccessary madness by keeping you off your meds.  I agree with Natalie in that, why did they take out your whole thyroid without a biopsy prior to surgery or during surgery?  

Nicki

[sans thyroid]

They are removing your entire thyroid without doing a biopsy first?  I am confussed about that.  How big is your nodule/tumor?  What scans have you had? Have you asked your doctor these questions???  I had my thyroid completly removed and that was after determining that it was cancer via a needly/ultrasound biopsy, ultrasound, CT scan and PET scan.  Since then, nodules have come back and I had surgery again to remove all of my lymph nodes, only after determining that it was cancer with all of the above tests I just mentioned.  I have had RAI four times now and, yes, you will be completly off your synthroid to do the treatment.

I am sorry you have a headache.  This is a frustrating situation.

Natalie