Post thyroidectomy edema/swelling: I was just... - Thyroid UK

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Post thyroidectomy edema/swelling

5 Replies

I was just goggling my symptoms and found this forum. I just had a total thyroidectomy in March/2016, and have been on 125 since, my TSH has slowly climbed. free T3 is 2.68, TSH 0.772, T4 1.11. in May. Doc won't change dose as of yet, but I feel like CRAP! Also Ive noticed since surgery my lower legs & ankles blow up (swell) quickly/ daily, and my abdomen is out of control. Im to scared to step on a scale . This has to change. Should I be worried? And Im back to feeling sleepy all the time like I was before surgery.

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Pastille profile image
Pastille

Welcome :) That's how I found the site. Divine intervention led you here as you couldn't be in a better place for help and advice :) First though it would help if you could include the ranges in brackets from your blood tests, people here can help you better then and see where you're up to. Is that T4 right at 1.11??

in reply to Pastille

Thanks, I got labs done today and I'm hoping the dose gets changed cause something is not right. My TSH in 11/2015 before surgery was (0.764),after my surgery in march , test done May 2015= (0.772). My free t4 in 11/2015 b 4 surgery was (0.91)and after surgery in May 2016 was (1.11). and my t3 after surgery was (2.68). Now mind you all of these results are normal, but they are on the low end of normal, and I believe thats why I still feel like crap. Just as before my surgery my labs were always normal, but I developed a goiter which was causing problems with breathing & swallowing which led me to telling doc to take my hypertrophic thyroid. Thankfully it was non-cancerous after biopsy testing. Per my lab, these are the ranges

T3 free ranges(2.57-4.43)

t4 free(0.60-1.70)

TSH (0.320-5.500)

SilverAvocado profile image
SilverAvocado

Hi posthyroidtaylor, it sounds like you haven't been looked after since your thyroidectomy! Best practice is to have a blood test every 6 weeks and dose adjusted. Although my endocrinologist only did this every 3 months.

I had my TT in April 2013, and am only now starting to get better since I began to buy my own dessicated thyroid medicine from overseas. Hopefully you will start feeling better sooner, as I think I've been quite unlucky, but it can be a long road and is much rockier than doctors tend to believe.

Like Pastille said, those numbers look very very low, which means you may be badly undermedicated, but we need to see the ranges to be sure.

in reply to SilverAvocado

Thanks, I fussed at my doctor over the weekend and just got an order to do my blood work today. I had lots of conversation with many co workers with the same problem and they told me they get there blood drawn every 6 weeks also. I then thought why is he making me wait 3 months. Hopefully the numbers turn out well today

SilverAvocado profile image
SilverAvocado in reply to

Seeing the ranges you posted earlier your numbers are definitely a bit low. The best indicator is freeT3, as this is the amount of active hormone. You want it to be in the top third of the range. Just being inside the range is not good enough.

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