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Could surgery affect thyroid levels??
I am hypothyroid and have been on synthroid for a couple of years...well in Jan my TSH was around 1.5 (don't have results with me so not exactly sure..I know it was 1. something and there was a 5 on there!).
Well I had my gallbladder removed a little over 2 weeks ago and felt fine for about 1 week and then took a nose dive into fatique and weakness. So I took my bloodwork again and my TSH went up to 2.62 which I know is still in normal range, but could it be that is causing my fatique??
I was taking 62.5 of synthroid and now want to increase myself to 75 mg of synthroid (I have enough pills) on my own without going to doctor..I wonder if this is ok?
I also have hashimotos so it could just be a swing but not sure if you adjust meds during a swing or ride it out.
Could the surgery have just temporarily mixed things up and it will go back on its own.
I know I should go to doctor but it takes weeks to a month to get an appt and I have enough to up my dose.
I know 62.5 is an odd number but I had issues last year and adjusted on my own and had been fine with that dose for about 10 months or so.
Well I had my gallbladder removed a little over 2 weeks ago and felt fine for about 1 week and then took a nose dive into fatique and weakness. So I took my bloodwork again and my TSH went up to 2.62 which I know is still in normal range, but could it be that is causing my fatique??
I was taking 62.5 of synthroid and now want to increase myself to 75 mg of synthroid (I have enough pills) on my own without going to doctor..I wonder if this is ok?
I also have hashimotos so it could just be a swing but not sure if you adjust meds during a swing or ride it out.
Could the surgery have just temporarily mixed things up and it will go back on its own.
I know I should go to doctor but it takes weeks to a month to get an appt and I have enough to up my dose.
I know 62.5 is an odd number but I had issues last year and adjusted on my own and had been fine with that dose for about 10 months or so.
In your first post you said, "So I took my bloodwork again and my TSH went up to 2.62 which I know is still in normal range, but could it be that is causing my fatique?? " The answer to that is no. TSH does not directly affect symptoms such as fatigue. TSH only sends a signal to the thyroid glands to increase or decrease output of the actual thyroid hormones, T4 and T3. In addition, only the portion of T4 and T3 that are not bound up with protein molecules (thus free) affect body functions.
Your med dosage should be based on your symptoms, and the levels of these free thyroid hormones, FT3 and FT4. Since FT3 has been shown to correlate best with hypo symptoms, it appears that your FT3 level is too low in the range, and your FT4 is already in the upper part of its range, I suggested that you should consider adding in some T3 med. I still suggest that, even though you expressed concern about it.
I expect that most of the horror stories about using T3 are related to not fully realizing that it is at least 4 times as active as T4, thus it has to be taken properly. By this I mean starting with a low dose and ramping up very slowly to prevent the type of reaction you are worried about. For over 25 years I was on a full daily replacement amount of T4, and my T4 test result was at the very high limit of the range, yet I still had lingering hypo symptoms. After learning about the importance of FT3 and getting tested for it, T3 (Cytomel) was added in to my meds. I am still doing some tweaking, but I feel best ever.
It was also very interesting to me to notice on the info about Cytomel (my T3 source), that it had no known side effects. How many meds do you know that can state that? Again, I think success in using T3 is all about starting with a low dose, splitting the daily amount into two doses, and testing regularly as you slowly increase the amount until symptoms are relieved. Just my opinion.
Your med dosage should be based on your symptoms, and the levels of these free thyroid hormones, FT3 and FT4. Since FT3 has been shown to correlate best with hypo symptoms, it appears that your FT3 level is too low in the range, and your FT4 is already in the upper part of its range, I suggested that you should consider adding in some T3 med. I still suggest that, even though you expressed concern about it.
I expect that most of the horror stories about using T3 are related to not fully realizing that it is at least 4 times as active as T4, thus it has to be taken properly. By this I mean starting with a low dose and ramping up very slowly to prevent the type of reaction you are worried about. For over 25 years I was on a full daily replacement amount of T4, and my T4 test result was at the very high limit of the range, yet I still had lingering hypo symptoms. After learning about the importance of FT3 and getting tested for it, T3 (Cytomel) was added in to my meds. I am still doing some tweaking, but I feel best ever.
It was also very interesting to me to notice on the info about Cytomel (my T3 source), that it had no known side effects. How many meds do you know that can state that? Again, I think success in using T3 is all about starting with a low dose, splitting the daily amount into two doses, and testing regularly as you slowly increase the amount until symptoms are relieved. Just my opinion.
I really don't want to add the T3, I can't get it in my town and it scares me anyway. I went through this last summer, and it was a nightmare! It took about 2 months to where I can function normally. I slowly got back to normal and have been on synthroid ever since and no problems...of course my doc doesn't believe in T3 and I don't want to self medicate, I am not a doctor and don't think I should make a medical decision to just start adding meds.
I know there are people who believe in the T3 but I also have read horror stories on that to.
I know there are people who believe in the T3 but I also have read horror stories on that to.
Following is an excerpt from this link.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/705229?src=mp&spon=22&uac=114112DX
Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of an intensive rehabilitation programme on thyroid metabolism, the relationship between disability and thyroid hormone level, and the occurrence of nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) before and after rehabilitation.
Design, Subjects and Measurements: This was a clinical prospective study. Orthopaedic surgery patients (n = 82) were classified into two groups: patients in whom early active mobilization and walking were possible (walking group, WG, n = 45), and patients in whom these were not recommended (nonwalking group, NWG, n = 37). Levels of free T3 (fT3), fT4, TSH and rT3 were measured before and after surgery, and then at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days from the beginning of rehabilitation. Personal, nutritional and clinical data were acquired for all patients. The Barthel Index (BI) was used to assess disability before and after rehabilitation.
Results: Immediately after surgery, both groups of patients showed a significant decrease in mean fT3 concentrations and a significant increase in rT3; mean fT4 values decreased significantly only in NWG patients. Once rehabilitation had been completed, fT3 and rT3 levels returned to baseline values in WG patients. In NWG patients mean fT3 and fT4 levels continued to decrease significantly and rT3 values remained significantly high until the end of rehabilitation. NTIS occurred in 38% of the NWG patients. No significant changes in TSH levels were observed in either group. Finally, we observed a direct correlation between fT3 levels and the BI in WG patients.
Conclusions: Our data suggest that early patient mobilization and physical activity during an active and intensive rehabilitation programme induce recovery of thyroid function and avoid occurrence of NTIS.
I think this says that after surgery, there were effects on FT3 and r T3 levels. This was observed in all groups, but the levels returned to baseline levels after rehab exercise. No change in TSH level was noted.
Of course surgery itself is somewhat debilitating, but in your case, your symptoms and your rise in TSH level may be an indicator of the need for increased meds. Further, it appears that your FT3 level is not in balance with FT4, and it is low in the range. Since FT3 is four times as active as FT4, plus FT3 has been shown to correlate best with hypo symptoms, I think you may need to add a source of T3, more than just an increase in your T4 med.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/705229?src=mp&spon=22&uac=114112DX
Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of an intensive rehabilitation programme on thyroid metabolism, the relationship between disability and thyroid hormone level, and the occurrence of nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) before and after rehabilitation.
Design, Subjects and Measurements: This was a clinical prospective study. Orthopaedic surgery patients (n = 82) were classified into two groups: patients in whom early active mobilization and walking were possible (walking group, WG, n = 45), and patients in whom these were not recommended (nonwalking group, NWG, n = 37). Levels of free T3 (fT3), fT4, TSH and rT3 were measured before and after surgery, and then at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days from the beginning of rehabilitation. Personal, nutritional and clinical data were acquired for all patients. The Barthel Index (BI) was used to assess disability before and after rehabilitation.
Results: Immediately after surgery, both groups of patients showed a significant decrease in mean fT3 concentrations and a significant increase in rT3; mean fT4 values decreased significantly only in NWG patients. Once rehabilitation had been completed, fT3 and rT3 levels returned to baseline values in WG patients. In NWG patients mean fT3 and fT4 levels continued to decrease significantly and rT3 values remained significantly high until the end of rehabilitation. NTIS occurred in 38% of the NWG patients. No significant changes in TSH levels were observed in either group. Finally, we observed a direct correlation between fT3 levels and the BI in WG patients.
Conclusions: Our data suggest that early patient mobilization and physical activity during an active and intensive rehabilitation programme induce recovery of thyroid function and avoid occurrence of NTIS.
I think this says that after surgery, there were effects on FT3 and r T3 levels. This was observed in all groups, but the levels returned to baseline levels after rehab exercise. No change in TSH level was noted.
Of course surgery itself is somewhat debilitating, but in your case, your symptoms and your rise in TSH level may be an indicator of the need for increased meds. Further, it appears that your FT3 level is not in balance with FT4, and it is low in the range. Since FT3 is four times as active as FT4, plus FT3 has been shown to correlate best with hypo symptoms, I think you may need to add a source of T3, more than just an increase in your T4 med.
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