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Help! URGENT!
I've asked by a nurse from my primary doctor's office to stop taking my thyroid pills for a test with the radioloist which scheduled in 1/3/2012. Didn't think much of it, I just quit taking it. So far, it's beeen a month now. Lately, I've gaining weight like crazy. 20lbs and some so I quit eating sugar and peanut butter, drops about 10 lbs right away last week then It's coming back so quick this week. I don't eat as much and I am still gaining weight. I used to jog 3 miles a day, this week I can only jog 1/4 miles and my lower legs hurt so much force me to stop. Today, I can't even have a decent fast walking. I don't know what is going on and I am getting panic. Nobody is in my doctor's office to answer the phone until after New Year. What should I do? By the way, my whole body starts aching every where. Starts from headache. Woke up 4:00 am wide awake but body was just too tired to move. What's happening to me? My thyroid was completely removed by radiation years back.
Thank you so much for your helps, goolarra. I understand much better now and I will hang in here. You are such a wonderful person. Wherever you are, have a Happy New Year. 2 THUMBS UP to you!
First of all, I want to Thank you both for your replies. You make me feel much better. Not sure about T3 or T4. I am in Florida right now. They used radiation to removed my whole thyroid removed at least 15 years now. I am on Levothyroxine 125. And yes, I am going to visit the radiologist and have it scan. No seafood for 24 hours and fasting for 6 hours before the procedure. Then head back to revisit the radiologist 4-6 hours after the procedure again. The thing is I've been stay off the med for a month now and there is no way I can control my weight gaining, bodyache, headache, and my sleep. Everything is just so out of order. I didn't expect all these would happen. I wish there some sort of diet can help me go through this before I have my procedure done.
It sounds to me like you're about to have a scan with the radiologist. Before a scan, you have to stop meds. This will make you very hypo, and you will have many symptoms. However, it is unavoidable since it is required for the scan. Don't panic...this is to be expected when you have to d/c meds in preparation for a diagnostic procedure.
Often, doctors will replace your T4 meds with T3 meds (Cytomel). Since Cytomel is out of your system within a few days, it can ward off hypo symptoms for a longer period of time. If you have to do this again, you might ask your doctor about this approach. Cytomel can be contraindicated, however, depending on other health issues.
Good luck with the scan...
Be kind to yourself, and don't push yourself until you're back on meds.
Often, doctors will replace your T4 meds with T3 meds (Cytomel). Since Cytomel is out of your system within a few days, it can ward off hypo symptoms for a longer period of time. If you have to do this again, you might ask your doctor about this approach. Cytomel can be contraindicated, however, depending on other health issues.
Good luck with the scan...
Be kind to yourself, and don't push yourself until you're back on meds.
have you had any blood labs? Specifically Free T3 and Free T4 tests?
Are you taking any medication? Specifically Thyroid medication. If so what kind and how much?
Has this been a very sudden thing?
Where are you located in the USA or some other location?
I read that a normal Thyroid gland produces about 100 mcg of T4 and about 6 mcg or T3 a day. However oral medications have to be increased well above that amount due to the loss of absorption. That is how much you take versus how much actually gets into the bloodstream. Medicine is no where near 100% efficient. And in fact absorption varies from person to person as well as with what is in the stomach at the time the medicine is introduced. Certain Vitamins and minerals & fiber can bind them up and thus cause them not to be absorbed.
Are you taking any medication? Specifically Thyroid medication. If so what kind and how much?
Has this been a very sudden thing?
Where are you located in the USA or some other location?
I read that a normal Thyroid gland produces about 100 mcg of T4 and about 6 mcg or T3 a day. However oral medications have to be increased well above that amount due to the loss of absorption. That is how much you take versus how much actually gets into the bloodstream. Medicine is no where near 100% efficient. And in fact absorption varies from person to person as well as with what is in the stomach at the time the medicine is introduced. Certain Vitamins and minerals & fiber can bind them up and thus cause them not to be absorbed.
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If you have to do this again, though, ask your doctor if he can put you on Cytomel once you d/c your usual meds. (I'm assuming you take Synthroid, Levoxyl or generic levothyroxine, which are all T4-only meds.) You have to be off T4 for several weeks before a scan because it takes T4 that long to get out of your system. T3 meds (Cytomel and generics) are much faster-acting and out of your system in several days. So, some doctors will put their patients on T3 meds after d/cing T4 to keep them more comfortable. The T3 only has to be d/ced a few days prior to the scan.
I know you have to be very uncomfortable, but all your symptoms are the result of d/cing meds. It's to be expected while prepping for a scan.
Hang in there...Tuesday isn't too far away!