Hi I've had a Lobectomy of the Thyroid gland, and been told by my Surgeon that i'm autoimmune. Firstly does this mean i have Hashimoto's? I'm also suffering from muscle fatigue and joint pain, i have been to the Doctor who's only answer is to wait until my next blood draw (a to see if my dose of Levothyroxine needs to be put up i'm on 75mg and he has suggested to do a couple of other tests one for muscle mass and another to make sure my immune system is not going mad.
I have been advised to go on a gluten free diet, this i have done but have to say i don't feel any effects at the moment, but i'm not sure if this will take time. Are there any supplements i could be taking to help ease my joints and muscles?
Many thanks
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wildone65
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You should have a thyroid test 6-8 weeks after starting 75mcg Levothyroxine to check the dose is adequate. Arrange an early morning and fasting (water only) blood draw when TSH is highest, and take Levothyroxine after your blood draw.
In the meantime, for maximum absorption Levothyroxine should be taken with water 1 hour before, or 2 hours after, food and drink, 2 hours away from other medication and supplements, and 4 hours away from calcium, iron, vitamin D supplements and oestrogen.
It takes 7-10 days for Levothyroxine to be absorbed before it starts working and it will take up to six weeks to feel the full impact of the dose. Symptoms may lag behind good biochemistry by several months.
'Autoimmune' usually means autoimmune thyroiditis which is another name for Hashimoto's. There is no cure for Hashimoto's which causes 90% of hypothyroidism. Treatment is for the low thyroid levels it causes. Many people have found that 100% gluten-free diet is helpful in reducing Hashi flares, symptoms and eventually antibodies.
Hypothyroid patients are often low or deficient in ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate so ask your GP to test because deficiencies can cause muscle fatigue and joint pain.
wildone65 Your muscle and joint pains could be due to low Vit D level but it is important to get it tested before supplementing. If you are in the UK you can get this done with a fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays for£28 vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html if your GP won't agree to do it. Come back with the result and members can advise if supplementation is needed and at what dose, along with the important co-factors necessary when taking Vit D.
Adopting a gluten free diet can help reduce antibodies but it can take time. Your surgeon has said that you are 'autoimmune'. It would have been nice if he's explained a bit more. There is Graves disease (overactive), and there is also Hashimoto's which eventually destroys the thyroid gland resulting in Hypothyroidism. Both are autoimmune conditions.
I had a lump before i noticed any symptoms and when i had a blood test done at the time i was borderline at 11? i had all the other things done FNA and the result came back 3F so they booked me in for an operation in October when i had my pre op they found that my TSH had shot up to 65.4 so they put me on 50mg levothyroxine to level me out, I had the operation on the 19 Dec 2016 6 weeks later i had a blood test and my TSH level was 13.5 so they upped my levothyroxine to 75mg. I'm still feeling pants though finding it had to walk and my arms are killing me but I still carry on because if i don't i'm frightened i'm going to seize up.
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