partial thyroid removal, now problems

[badthyroid]

Hello, in 2004 I had half of my thyroid removed because of a nodule that the doctor thought was cancer. Thankfully it wasn't. The doctor at the time said there was no need of thyroid medicine. So now it's been ten years I have been seeing alot changes in me. I'm not myself, I have gained alot of weight, I feel sluggish, tired and most of all my hair is really falling out, I am 47 and my OB doctor doesn't think I'm going into menopause just yet. So beings that I have half of a thyroid I thought I would see a new thyroid doctor, my original doctor retired, this new doctor put me threw some tests, blood tests. I don't no the numbers of the TSH, FT3, or the FT4, nor the numbers for the Cortisol. The office called me saying that my thyroid was normal and they ordered a 24 hour urine for Cortisol and Creatinine. I don't no the results of that test yet. I will be calling the office tomorrow as I dropped it off on Monday. My question is, Can there still be something wrong with my thyroid even tho the blood tests come back normal. I still have my hair falling out in clumps, and my weight is just getting worse. Thank you so much for any reply's.

[Barb135]

Don't forget to get the reference ranges when you get the test results because ranges vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
Even if your thyroid hormones are "in range" they still might not be what YOU need them to be.

I do hope you can get your doctor to run the antibody tests.

You have to be your own advocate, so if your doctor tries to brush you off or refuses further testing, you should find another one asap.  If you're in the U.S, we might be able to help you do that.

[badthyroid]

Thank you Barb. I'm going to get my results for the blood tests that I had as soon as the doctor's office calls me about my 24 hour urine test that they haven't gotten back yet. Now it's a holiday and I have to wait until Tuesday for results. I will be asking him if he can give me the tests that you mentioned. I no there is something wrong with me I feel like there is. I'm not myself. I might have to get another doctor, I feel that he is pushing me under the rug. I have had other blood tests before that he has ordered an he tells me that nothing is wrong an sends me on my way. I hope he doesn't do this to me this time. Thanks again for responding to my post. Have a nice holiday.

[Barb135]

Yes, there can still something wrong with your thyroid, even though the test results are normal.  Just because your results fall into the "normal" range, doesn't mean they are normal for you.

We're going to need the results of the TSH, FT3 and FT4 *AND* the reference ranges, since ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report. It's always a good idea to obtain a copy of all your lab reports and keep them for your own records.  Mine have become the running record for my thyroid condition.  

You should ask your doctor to run thyroid antibody tests to determine if you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease, in which the body sees the thyroid as foreign and produces antibodies to destroy it.  Chances are that's what caused the nodule you had in 2004.  Hashimoto's is progressive, in that they antibodies continually attack thyroid tissue, until eventually, the thyroid can't produce anything.  The destruction process is, usually, gradual and happens over a period of years.  Hypothyroidism is the ultimate result of Hashimoto's; the hypothyroidism is what causes the symptoms.  Many of us have Hashimoto's (and even hypothyroidism), long before it progresses to the point of causing symptoms.

The antibody tests you need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGab).  You need them both in order to confirm/rule out Hashimoto's since they are both markers for Hashi's.

Your symptoms are all those of hypothyroidism.