blood tests interpretation, length of time for other half to take over

[violacat]

i had a lobectomy 10 weeks ago and fortunately it was benign.  my question is:  i had a blood test taken 7 weeks after the surgery.  my t3 was 2.18 and my tsh was 3.25.  i was told by my endocrinologist that i was hypo thyroid and should start taking medication.  my gp told me that the results are normal and i should wait and they would monitor me.  can i wait to see if the results improve?  how long does it take for the other thyroid to take over.  who is right?  thank you

[gimel]

I would expect that shortly after the lobectomy, the loss of that thyroid hormone would cause the TSH level to rise and thus stimulate the remaining thyroid tissue to produce more thyroid hormone.  Even though TSH is a poor diagnostic for thyroid issues, your TSH was a bit over the AACE's currently recommended range.  Also, your Free T3 level is low in any range I have ever seen for Free T3, indicating that your remaining thyroid tissue may not be able to provide enough thyroid hormone.  Just being anywhere in the range is inadequate because the range is far too broad.  

Even though your symptoms are minimal so far, I expect that will get worse unless you do start with thyroid medication.  So, I agree with your Endo.  

For future reference I would also like to say that a good thyroid doctor will treat  hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  You can get some good insight into clinical treatment  from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance.  The letter is then sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

[violacat]

Thank you so much for replying.  I have not received the report yet.  I was told over the phone by someone who did not even realize that I had just had a lobectomy and my GP had someone else call me too.  I don't think i am too bad.  i just notice an increase in extreme temperature fluctuations.  One minute I am cold the next minute I am too hot.  I should mention that I had a total hysterectomy five years ago fro ovarian cancer, but I was lucky and caught it early.  I am somewhat sleepy and fatigued, but no more so than before my surgery.  I am working on that in general.  I have always had dry skin because I am so fair.  I have been exercising (running ) regrularly to boost my metabolism and I am not depressed.  I guess that is why I don't want to rush into the medication just in case I have a chance of getting my right side to take over.  I am generally an optomistic person and very determined.  Do you know of what I can do to help the reamaining thyroid?  I eat a couple of brazil nuts every day for the selenium and maintain a healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables.  Thanks so  much again for replying.  I will supply you with the other results when I receive them.  violacat

[gimel]

I assume that the T3 test you listed is for Free T3.  If so, that is good info, but we also need to know the lab's reference range for that test, as shownon the lab report.

What symptoms do you have, if any,  that may indicate hypothyroidism?