25 years Post Thyroidectomy... still struggling

[jelfrank]

Diagnosed with thyroid "cancer" (Papillary Carcinoma - now no longer considered cancer? nytimes.com/2016/04/15/heal... But, the medical science in 1991 thought it cancer.

Parathyroids sacrificed in operation as well, so massive calcium supplements a permanent reality.

Taking 200mcg Levothyroxine. TSH at .12 (low?). So, with no thyroid shouldn't my dose of Levo go up?

BTW, taking Levo at bedtime now. Seems to work better than in the morning.

[Marz]

Hi - do you have any results for the FT4 & FT3. This would indicate more about what is happening - especially it would show if you are converting the T4 into the Active hormone T3.

Often people without a thyroid need T3 added.

You also need good levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD - for you to feel well and for thyroid hormones to work well.

Are you taking VitK2 MK7 - to ensure calcium goes to your bones and teeth and does not linger in the arteries .....

[shaws Administrator]

My personal opinion is that those with no thyroid gland at all should be given a combination dose of T4/T3. My opinion arose because when, finally, diagnosed and on levo alone which did nothing for me at all.

What you need is your doctor to do a Free T4 and a Free T3 and I'll give a link which will make things clearer about these two very important tests. They are rarely taken. I believe the basic is TSH and T4 is what the guidelines recommend. If Guidelines don't improve a patient's health they are less than useless.

If GP wont or cannot get lab to test FT4 and FT3 we have private labs which will do so.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

25years is a lifetime to be unwell.

Also check B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

Blood tests should be at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levo and test and take afterwards. This keeps the TSH at it highest as doctors only pay attention to it and believe if we're somewhere in the range we're on sufficient. We need to TSH to be 1 or lower or suppressed.

[CSmithLadd]

I'm glad you are having more success by taking Levo at night rather than in the day time. I always recommend that to others as it makes it less likely something will be ingested that interfere with its functioning. Nighttime dosing also helps clear your mind as you're not subconsciously focused on making sure you take it in the morning. Excellent.

I'm not sure if you are having symptoms or not. Since you are asking whether or not your Levothyroxine dose should be higher, I assume you are negatively symptomatic. From that viewpoint, I'll attempt to answer your questions.

Regarding your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, After TSH drops down to 1.5, TSH is a useless measurement in the proper treatment of hypothyroidism. Just ingesting thyroid hormone reduces TSH, so it is a useless tool for maintenance dosing of hormones as TSH lowers past 1.5 It is a common mistake doctors make when they cut back on thyroid hormone just as a patient is beginning to feel much better.

After TSH is lower than 1.5, all that matters is that the patient has no symptoms of hyperthyroidism and that their well-being is going in the right direction or right on target.

Most times, with or without a thyroid, Levothyroxine is stated as "not needing to exceed 200 mcg. to be effective." Doses of 200 mcg. and above usually indicate nutrient deficiencies that prevent the storage hormone Thyroxine/Levo (T4) to convert into the active thyroid hormone Triidothyronine (T3). You need conversion to take place in order to be well.

Unfortunately, many doctors just keep adding to the dose with no improvement in the patient. Doses of 400 mcg. are not uncommon, yet do not help the patient. That's because the problem is not the Levothyroxine. It is the lack of what the Levothyroxine needs in order to work. The doctors that do this never look at anything other testing than TSH. Another huge mistake.

You see, it is T3 that is needed in every single cell of the body for the entire body to function properly. There will be dysfunction and ill health if thyroid hormone conversions from the T4 you take (Levo) into the T3 your body desperately needs are not adequately facilitated. Nutrients are vital for those processes.

lifeextension.com/protocols...

A testing of Free T3 and Free T4 will allow the ratio to one another to be established. It is very helpful in identifying the lack of thyroid hormone conversion. The article at the link below is very useful in understanding how it all works:

thyroidnation.com/evaluatin...

If your issue is a lack of thyroid hormone conversion, it is probably due to a lack of nutrients that are vital to facilitate hormone conversion. Often times a lack of absorption in the gut (worsened by consuming gluten {mistaken by the body for thyroid antibodies} and much inflammation (exacerbated by ingesting refined sugar) keeps us from digesting foods and getting nutrients from the foods we eat as well as the supplements we take.

In that event, a supplement of stomach acid replacement may be warranted. You can test to see if low stomach acid is an issue and keeping you from absorbing nutrients properly: scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-...

Or you can get HCL with Pepsin (also called Betaine with Pepsin) and follow the directions. This method is a sure way to know whether or not you need it. Low stomach acid is a very common symptom of hypothyroidism.

The addition of Triidothyronine (T3) can be helpful to you as well. It can help control symptoms while you get your nutrients in order.

Please be sure to take K2 with those calcium supplements! Adding D2 also makes a trifecta of nutrients as explained in the article below:

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

Healing Hugs!