THS not rising after TT

[iamlakeview]

I had a TT on 9/6/07 for what was a large benign multi-glandular goiter, however, two other < 1cm nodules had to be cut from my trachea and they biopsied as papillary cancer with folicular variants.

I am 7 weeks post-op and my TSH is ONLY up to 28.6.  The Grand Rapids hospital that will be doing the RAI demands a TSH of 50 before they proceed.

Is there any way to speed up this process?  Does staying on the LID diet help deplete so much iodine from your system that the TSH will rise more quickly?  

This is getting VERY frustrating, to say the least!

Thanks,

Bonnie in MI
TT 9/6/07
RL .7 cm pap, LL, .6 cm pap w/follicular
4 weeks post-op TSH 17.20, Tg < 3
6 weeks post-op TSH 20.7
7 weeks post-op TSH 28.6
waiting to reach TSH of 50 to get RAI

[iamlakeview]

THANKS for your reassurance, doc, even though I am sick and tired of waiting...  

I am a 56 year old obese woman who just lived through menopause.  An older gynecologist told me years ago, "Oh...you won't have many problems with menopause because all of your fat cells help store estrogen."

Mmm...wonder if that is a valid reason for my body to be SO SLOW at eliminating the THS?  Could that be a possibility?

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Sorry you are going through this....

The guidelines suggest a TSH >30 for treatment, you are essentially there at this point so most of us would go ahead and treat.  There is no way to speed up this process.  I am happy to see the Tg <3 w/ TSH of 17.2 b/c sometimes with a sluggish TSH rise the reason is too much thyroid left behind after surgery, but the low Tg suggests against this.

The LID does not effect TSH much.

good luck.