Update & miracles do happen as well as oddities.

[ravenhex]

Been some time since I last had time or energy to appear here. So here is a little update.

My antibodies are still AWOL. Yippee and my thyroid has stopped hurting and some bumps have also gone awol.

I am now a fluctuating thyroid which dips back and forth between the under and over active modes. The only side effect of this is I now get a cold freezing flush. That I don't like, never thought Id say it but I prefer the hot flushes.

the Miracles....

I have NORMAL, yes NORMAL iron levels. The first time in 34years I have an iron count. How did I achieve this wonder.. I switched from tablets to liquid iron

(GHASTLY TASTE) and in one month my iron levels shot up. To prove it wasn't a fluke Dr put me back on tablets for 2 months and down the level went to what was my uncountable amount. 3rd month back on liquid iron and up it went up to normal.

So for those who have anemia it might be worth trying the ghastly tasting liquid iron, can be brought with out prescription and it has all the irons. I took Feroglobin Liquid, other versions around too.. My Dr tried it on some of her other anemic patients, some with thyroid issues and the the thyroid sufferers irons did improve. Those who were anemic via other issues also found the iron levels rose. Didn't work for all but was a step in the right direction.

My Dr agreed with me that as I have stomach and bowel issues( multiple twists and the bowels pretty much shut down) tablets were dissolving too slowly and by the time it got moved the iron was depleted. The liquid however moved more quickly and so got absorbed. liquids move more quickly through my system that food products.

We then tired vitamin D in liquid form and bingo that shot up into normal. So for me liquids seem to work better over tablet forms. Wish they did liquid thyroxine, might work better.

Second miracle...

Recently, post op 3 weeks, had 2 vertebrae removed from my neck that had collapsed and one was out of joint and into the spinal column,plus the discs were protruding out. I now have a cage with carbon fibre to help the bones regrown and knit back forming the fusion. My first day post op was BRILLIANT! My head felt lighter and oh what a relief to have no more pins and needles and to feel my hands and arms again. Plus open my hands fully without feeling they were being ripped apart as so tight. Things are still ok, I have the odd lightening bolt as swelling and scar tissues are still going down and sealing. But boy oh boy its so lovely not to have this huge weight it felt like pushing down onto my spine and the angry buzz from the impinged nerves trapped. My bony spurs were removed from C4 & C7 as C5& C6 were taken out. The surgeons did say the spurs were causing mega issues pushing into the spinal fluid, luckily it didn't rip it open. Most certainly was the clicking and shuddering i kept feeling. He has seen a sharp rise in underactive thyroid patients with these Osteophytes are bony lumps (bone spurs) that grow on the bones of the spine or around the joints. Mine extend from C1 and he suspects go all the way down my spine and are probably on other joints too, they certainly are there from C1 down to T6 he has seen on the X-rays he has had taken. They can be drilled out if they are causing nerve problems via trapping or pinching or as in my case pushing into the main veins to the head, causing the migraine, light headed, dizzy spells and faints etc.

So for anybody with clicking sounds or grinding etc, might be worth asking for a ultrasound or X-ray or ct scan to see if that is the cause. Very least it rules it out.

Final miracle

I lost a lot of weight in 1 month I dropped 15 kilos, put some on 5 kilos, lost some more 3 kilos, put a little on 2 kilos and lost a little bit more 7 kilos to get to a weigh of 105.5 kilos, not been that for a very long while. The miracle I am still lighter than I was and have been for years. Still have some way to go but its heading in the right direction. Hopefully in after 5 weeks are up, post op care no exorcises for 8 weeks to allow bones to knit. I can start back slowly exercising, walking again and that helps keep the weigh on the losing side. The initial 15 kilo drop was put down to my thyroid suddenly deciding to shoot into overactive mode. Its then bounced just over and back under again. More under than over.

Now the oddity.

Last thyroid check showed an anomaly, the TSH and T4 were odd and didn't match my previous results. a repeat blood test is re-booked as I was post op of 3 days when it was taken. They put the result down as operation caused a glitch as not only the anesthesia but also as they went in via the front the thyroid was moved along with everything else. Seems my body still wants to throw a odd party still.

[Pastille]

Hi ravenhex wow you have really been through it. I sympathise and so glad to hear you are feeling better and getting to the root of problems, however I am just replying to say that there IS a liquid thyroxine. Please repost asking about it and you will get the info you need. Or put in search box. Good luck with it x

[ravenhex in reply to Pastille]

Ohh thanks. Will check out about liquid thyroxine.

[radd]

ravenhex,

Gosh , you have been through the mill .......

So pleased you hear things are looking brighter for you. Fluctuations may level as thyroid hormone works progressively better now deficiencies are being addressed. It's great antibodies are controlled but symptoms can lag behind good results by several weeks.

.

Levothyroxine is available in liquid form .

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

.

Don't they realise major surgery can influence thyroid hormone function ! ! ..

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/715...

[ravenhex in reply to radd]

Don't think the blood bank do. They see my name and must go OK here is the weirdo's blood again, now what is she up to. LOL

My Dr does recognise that some patients with thyroid problems are affected by surgery. Sadly not all Dr's including surgeons seem to. Equally saddening when the thyroid throws a wobbly not all surgeons bother to tell their patients that. As I heard direct from the woman who asked her different Consultant what her bloods said, he replied we didn't test thyroid, that is your Dr's job to do. She through a right good hissy fit as he left her file on her bed so she looked and there was thyroid with a warning it was too high. Cant recall the numbers, but made me go that's not right. She had to hone her Dr and tell him her numbers and get her dosage altered and extra blood testing ordered. Her Dr told her Consultant after ringing the ward to give him an earful over this. Then a red faced angry Consultant tried to take her file away and she clung on to it. Demanding he apologised and was suspended for failing to tell an overactive thyroid patient her levels were seriously high.

Just makes me think why? They run the tests so why not just say the results. Most patients know roughly their levels and can say, yes that's normal or no its not. Even if the Consultant didn't understand them. A quick call to an Endo, would tell them. A warning from the blood bank isn't just slapped on for fun. As she told him, Sister and the ward Manager, his failure to inform her could have resulted in her slipping into a coma, that could have killed her. One complaint officially lodged.

Mine I think threw a wobbly; as my neck surgeon was don't from the front of the throat. It should have been to the right side but mine ended up under the thyroid, right where you'd expect a tracheotomy to be. As they were doing the surgery with me inside the CT Scanner I can only suppose they thyroid was in the way where they had planned and was why it was then below it. It had swelled up slightly post op, then everything inside the front of throat was moved out the way, everything had swollen. At least mine and his registrar recognised that Hashimoto's affects surgery, whether inactive or active.

[radd in reply to ravenhex]

rh,

What a terrible experience for everyone.

Consultants may have their own specialality but as most conditions and so treatment overlap, it is blinkered, lazy and dangerous (as you say ) not to treat the "whole" patient.

Lucky we educate ourselves !

[glo42]

What a rough time you have had! I'm pleased that you have a GP that will listen and help you through the roller coaster ride. Keep thinking positive. Well done.xxx