Exercising Post-Thyroidectomy, Pre-RadioIodine Treatment

[GoingHypo]

I had a total thyroidectomy for papillary cancer two weeks ago.  I was put on Cytomel for two weeks but am about to go off of it in preparation for the radioactive iodine treatment in two weeks.  I am a 28 year old female and exercise regularly, both cardio and weight training.  My doctor said to wait two weeks before exercising after surgery so i have just started again.  Is it safe to exercise after i go off the Cytomel, without a thyroid or any meds, in terms of metabolic rates and body temperature regulation?  My doctor says i won't want to, but the past two weeks has been the longest i've gone without exercise in the past 15 years and it drove me crazy.      

[kitcurious]

Call your doc and ask how much is okay under the circumstances.
I know how you feel. If I go more than a few days without exercise I go nuts.
They said wait 24 full hours after the afternoon of my FNA, but I asked a doctor friend and he said it would be okay to exercise the very next morning and I rode my bike in the AM, just not as far as usual.

[gemg]

I am not quite 2 weeks post thyroidectomy due to papillary cancer and I have read such scary things about weight gain clear up to 30 lbs. Now I excercise and eat healthy but it sounds like the weight comes like it or not. What can I do? I am pretty scared about this.

[ChitChatNIne]

May or may not happen (the wt gain) .. I am on synthroid after my surgery and my weight is absolutely the same.

Definitely ask your Dr. the specific good ?'s you ask us ....

Keep in mind it takes upwards of 6+ weeks for the internal stitches to heal, too!

Cheryl

WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY!

[Liz94]

I would say to take it easy for now. I had my TT in December and had to go off meds for 6 weeks before the RAI. I wasn't given the Cytomel and I became miserable after about 3 weeks.  As a very active long distance runner I was asking the same questions as you are. I walked everyday as long as I could but after about 2 weeks off meds I became short of breath and my heart would pound. My doc then told me to quit. He had previously told me that I could walk but not run for as long as was comfortable. Well, it quickly became uncomfortable at the 3 week point.  I didn't resume my regular running till 5 months post TT. I just couldn't do it. The RAI treatment was a difficult thing for me to endure, it made me very sick.  It was a long, frustrating time for me.  I liked to lift weights as well but I became so weak I couldn't do that either.  Good news is, I'm 6 months out now and I'm back to running and lifting and I'm back to my old self fitnesswise. Just don't push yourself to do more than you are comfortable with. Being hypo is pretty tough on the body, you don't need any added stress.

[nissah46]

I think the biggest concern would be strain on the neck area.  Walking won't hurt as long as you have energy, but be careful of anything involving lifting.Even sit-ups are hard on your neck muscles.
Trish