Dosage troubles - TSH way up, then way down

[Susan108]

Hi everyone,
I had a total thyroidectomy a year ago for thyroid cancer.  I was on 150 mcg for a few months after the operation and TSH still high, so they put me on 175 mcg and TSH was still 28 and T4 too low, so they upped me to 212 mcg three months ago.  Within a month, the heart palpitations and anxiety levels were so high that I was only sleeping about an hour a night, so I stopped the Synthroid for 5 days and went back to the 175 mcg.  I couldn't think straight at work.  I was so tired, walking around like a zombie, but when I laid down to sleep, my heart and head were pounding so hard, I couldn't sleep much at all.  The endo said oh just take a Tylenol if your head's pounding.  That doesn't do a darned thing.  That's why I stopped for a few days.  I couldn't take it.  The blood work last week showed TSH back to 45, and fT4 of 4, so too low.  I didn't think 5 days would have had such an effect.  I won't stop again.

Has anyone else had trouble managing being hyperthyroid as part of the cancer treatment?  Do the dr's usually give you sleeping pills and anxiety meds to help with being so hyperthyroid?  I think the endo had said they want TSH at 0.1 or 0.2  

Susan

[Susan108]

Thanks for the info!  The reference range says Free T4 and 8 to 22.0 pmol/L.  I read it wrong though and I'm actually 14.5, so normal T4 and high TSH, but really feeling symptomatic.  The dr asked for T3 for the next blood work.

I will definitely ask about the beta-blockers.  The head and heart pounding is hard to deal with.  I went to a meditation class at noon at work today and had to leave after 15 mins.  Couldn't concentrate on the breathing and relaxing with the pounding.

Susan

[Susan108]

Thanks for the idea, Totie.  I will ask the doctor about it next week for sure!

Susan

[Totie]

I have been put on Ambien for the "insomnia". That was the only symptom left over from hyper/graves. It has been about 15yrs since my TT, and I still do not sleep, but I got used to it. I can only take the ambien every 6th or 7th day, because I have a high tolerance for it. I have also been prescribed Lunesta, my doctor prescribed it to me, so i guess it is okay to take sleep aides. I have for the past 10  yrs off and on.

Just make sure your doctor says it is okay.

[goolarra]

I just posted a question under "Is this YOU?...".  Please see my comments there.

I totally sympathize with you.  Your symptoms are hyper, but your TSH says you're hypo as they come.  Your FT4 is not a value I recognize as an FT4 value.  Can you supply normal range?  TSH does vary considerably normally.  So your being off meds for 5 days may not have been the WHOLE explanation for the rise.  My endo says that the variation in TSH is a percentage.  So, the higher it is, the more drastic the swings.

According to your labs, you are HYPO, not hyper.  There are drugs (like beta-blockers) that will help control the palps, and they do really work.  Hope you get some relief soon.