6 months post partial thyroidectomy and feeling terrible please help

[Alice1991]

Hello I'm 25 and 6 months ago had a partial thyroidectomy due to a large nodule on my left thyroid gland I was told I'd be able to live a normal healthy life with the remaining right side and no medication brilliant! 6 months on I'm tierd all the time constantly freezing cold my body aches I struggle to sleep I've gained weight my skin is terrible my hair has started to fall out and my mood is terrible not to mention awful periods and struggling to conceive! I'm going to the doctors Tuesday as I've not really received anything in the way of aftercare and can't help but think that all of this must be related I just want to be a happy healthy wife and mum to my 3 year old! Any advice would be greatly received many thanks

[shaws Administrator]

First of all I'm sorry you had to have part of your thyroid gland removed.

Second, I'm sorry that all is not going to the plan that you were told when the operation was suggested.

First you have to have a new blood test (if you've not had one already) for your thyroid hormones. Make an appointment for the earliest possible and fast (you can drink water). Ask doctor to Test TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and antibodies. Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. If he wont you can get a private one from a recommended lab we have a list. If you were on thyroid hormone replacement you should allow 24 hours gap between last dose and test.

Usually they think TSH and T4 is sufficient, but not if you've lost part of your gland. The most important thyroid hormone and the one that runs our whole system is T3 (liothyronine). Levothyroxine which you will most likely be prescribed if TSH is high converts to T3, but it has to be sufficient dose of T4.

Others who've had similar to you will respond. Doctors usually only request a TSH and T4 test

Always get a print-out of the results with the ranges and post if you have a query and members will respond.

Symptoms sound hypothyroid, i.e. period problems and fertility. You have to get your thyroid hormones in balance as it might be difficult to conceive and you also want to feel well.

[Nickinoo1]

They said that to me too. The half they took out was the half that worked and my levels quickly rose so now I have Levothyroxine which took time to get to grips with bit I've functioned well on for past year,

As Shaws says you need a new blood test. Post your results and the wise peeps here will advise you. You should have had one about 6 weeks after your op? Did you lose your parathyroid glands as well when they took the half? Did they check your calcium levels after your op?

ask for B12, ferritin and vitamin D levels to also be tested.

Good luck xx

[Raali in reply to Nickinoo1]

Hi Nickinoo how much Levothyroxine do you take? I had my partial a 8 months ago and have felt terrible ever since. Does one get better with medication?

[Sadie-g]

I had the same thing and 4 years on still have all those exact symptoms as still won't give me any medication! It's definitely due to the thyroid as happened gradually after having half removed yet doctors have tested me only twice and said levels are fine!! Really hope you you find a solution, It affects you so much and frustrating to be told you're fine!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Sadie-g]

Ask doctor for a new test and follow instructions above. Post on a new question. I don't know why, if you have clinical symptoms, they allow you to stay unwell and wont even give you a prescription to see if you improve. They cannot remove half your thyroid and presume it will provide sufficient, blood tests cannot tell how unwell you feel and should take symptoms into the equation.

[Hidden]

After my partial in 1989 it did take some time for the remaining ½-gland to start working properly, but it was a lot less than 6 months, perhaps 4 months at the most. Then had 15 years or so of normal life until I had to have the remainder removed.

The doc said he had expected the remaining half to start working quicker than it actually did, so yours seems to be exceptional.

Whatever your TSH might be, I would suggest that you ask doc for a smaller amount of levo than seems appropriate in order not to discourage the remainder of yours to start working again. If the reading came down too low your remaining bit may very well decide it is not needed and give up altogether.

You have the chance to regain normal life and some months of feeling rotten is well worth it when it saves you what so many of us have had to endure for year after year.

[humanbean in reply to Hidden]

Taking too small a dose of levo will just leave people under-medicated. People have to take what they need to give them relief from symptoms and give blood test results their doctors will accept (assuming they are relying on doctors to treat them).

Bear in mind that taking Levo will reduce the TSH, and lower TSH will reduce the output of the thyroid.

You can't take a small amount of levo and hope the pituitary and the thyroid won't notice and will somehow continue to work in the way they did before.

[Hidden]

I can't believe they haven't even monitored you after this and just left it. That is pretty shocking! Even if it's just to see if the half left is or isn't working properly. I know someone who has had this and she is on levo and started taking it within a few months (think 3 maxumum)of the operation.

[Alice1991]

Thank you for all your replies I had my colleague order all the tests and take my blood 7am this morning I'm a phlebotomist so it's a perk of the job I've done half the work for the doctor all she has to do is check the results at my appointment on Tuesday! I felt pretty good for about 2 months after my op but I've steadily been feeling worse and worse up until now where I don't actually feel like I'm living just existing all I do is sleep!

[pennyannie]

Hello Alice

Just so you know a working, fully functioning thyroid would support you daily with approximately 100 T4 and 10 T3.

I believe if there has been the medical intervention of surgery or ablation both these essential hormones should be on ones prescription. Some people do well on T4 alone, some people simply stop converting T4 to T3 and some people simply need both these vital hormones medicated and monitored independently to bring them into balance and find a level of well being acceptable to the patient.

I understand that you are presumed to have some thyroid function left but thought this of help.

There is a book that I found very readable and full of all things thyroid :-

Dr Barry Durrant Peatfield - Your Thyroid and How To Keep It Healthy :- this doctor has hypothyroidism and his book explains the implications of when this major gland malfunctions and stops working to it's fullest potential.