How long after TT before I feel normal

[jeano22383]

My surgery was 9/2 and I was put on levothyroxine on 9/14.  For a while I felt great, better than I had felt in a looooong time (i was hypo before they took out my thyroid) but now I am slowly feeling worse and worse.  I am lucky if every 3rd day I feel good.  All I want to do is sleep, and my muscles get sore so fast, especially carrying things (I waitress part-time and the plates of food sometimes kill me).  I have another blood test on 10/29, but should I cal and make an earlier appt. if I am feeling this horrible?  please help, I am so frustrated!

[jeano22383]

thanks for that information!  I was on calcium immediately after the surgery, and they checked that every day until it returned to normal (about 5 days after the surgery).  I guess for now I will have to wait on the results and take with me this new information to ask my doctor about.  thanks for everything!

[Smilerdeb]

I have always fasted BEFORE labs.
Anyone who tells you different is wrong.
Also you should be on Calcium after a TT as the Calcium levels drop dramatically so a calcium test would be great if you can ask your Doc to do this at the same time as your other labs.
Take yr T4 AFTER labs and not before.
Good Luck :)

[iunderstand69]

You may want to ask around about taking meds before bloodwork.  It skews your bloodwork and you get a more accurate reading if you omit it and then take it right after bloodwork:)  Maybe get some other opinions.    Your dr should be able to look at your bloodwork and call you even before they see you. :)  vitamins.  selenium and zinc help T4 convert into T3.  You should be taking calcium with added D3 at night or at least 4 hours away from your thyroid meds.  Anything with calcium or magnesium will eat into your thyroid drug and you need to always make sure you are getting the full potency of your thyroid drug.  Also,  I think you mentioned hair loss and dryness.  evening primrose oil is really good for this and also taken in larger doses can help with weight loss.  I would be doing all of these to start:)  Hope it's not too overwhelming!  Please keep me posted and I am here if you need anything.  Have a great rest of the day!

[jeano22383]

Well basically my levothyroxine went from 50 before the surgery, and right after, my endo increased it to 250.  Because I have cancer, he said i would need between 250-300 to stay on the hyper side.  I was scheduled to have my bloodwork checked again on 10/29, but by the advice of the others who posted, I called today and they fit me in today.  Unfortunately, they can't fit me in to see the dr. until next tuesday.  The nurse told me that it was a non-fasting lab and it was okay to take my medicine (because I already had when I made the appt this morning).  In fact, I've never fasted before thyroid bloodwork ??? I started taking the women's one a day multi-vitamin in the hopes that would help also.  Are there other vitamins that you would reccommend?  In any case, I feel about as bad as I did before I was ever started on medicine, and the weird thing is that I felt great for a while after my dr. increased my dosage.. does that make sense?  It's only been the last week - 2 weeks that I have started to feel really bad again. ughh... I don't like this long road that I am on!  thanks for your advice

[iunderstand69]

I saw where you were going to go in for labs-make sure you don't take your thryoid meds before bloodwork.  You want to fast and drink only water before bloodwork.

[iunderstand69]

I have been where you are and I know how frustrating it is.  Honestly, you may not have quite as much adjustment because you were hypo before.  You have to think about everything your body has been through.  Even though, you were hypo before you have gone to no thyroid.  That is a HARD thing to go through.  Make sure they have you on enough thyroid meds and also make sure your body is converting the T4 into T3 or you will feel really really bad.  Are you taking any vitamins?  You want to make sure your adrenals don't get fatigued.  I promise that it will get better.  It is a process, so try to be patient.  It will get better soon.  Let me know if I can help with anything.  Also, if you need suggestions on vitamins that help, let me know:)  If you need anything, let me know......

[jeano22383]

thanks very much for the advice.  I will call tomorrow and let you know how it all goes.

[Super_sally888]

Yes, definitely go in earlier.  4 weeks is actually soon enough to see what your levels are and to make a new adjustment.

Let us know how you go.

[laura1967]

you haven't had labs done since before surgery?  Yes I would ask or just go in early. You are probably hypo and need higher dosage. I would also insist that you get your Free T3 done with your Free T4 to make sure you are converting properly.
Keep us updated and feel better soon!  :)