Newly without thyroid help plz

[Booboobutterfly]

Hi I just had my thyroid out due t9 cancer 2 weeks ago and I'm on 150mg levo and I have no appetite yet I haven't lost any weight I'm eating a plant based diet same as before surgery and I walk 2-4 miles a day and started back to doing this 4 days after surgery why can't I lose weight? I go see my endo doctor for first time in October will she help with this? Oh and I'm shaky and have bad night sweats help plz somebody

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and, first of all, I am sorry you've had your thyroid gland removed. You will be relieved the op is over and you can get your health back.

If weight was lost as easily as walking many on the forum would be delighted.

Weight gain is one of the many clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism as we need thyroid hormones to be at optimal: they then raise our metabolism and weight should reduce.

When you begin thyroid hormone replacement it will be increased gradually until you feel well.

Blood tests have to be taken at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take it afterwards. Always get a print-out with the ranges for your own records.

Levothyroxine should be taken first thing on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating.

Some prefer a bedtime dose so would last have eaten about three hours previously. If having a blood test next day, you miss this dose and take after test and night dose as usual.

Members who have had the same op as you will respond with helpful advice.

[Booboobutterfly in reply to shaws]

Ty

[Marz]

Hi - have you had other tests done - B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD ? You need GOOD levels to feel well and for the Thyroid hormone to work in the body - ie for the T4 to convert into T3.

Try and be kind to yourself and not overdo things. Exercise can use up available T3.

The thyroid is also the thermostat in the body so you are possibly adjusting after the surgery. Take LOTS of VitC to support your adrenals.

Try not to worry about your weight at the moment until you are stronger. Low T3 can often be part of weight gain.

Have you checked with the surgeon about the para-thyroid glands ? - were they left in place ? They control calcium in the blood and if low this also could be a cause of your symptoms. Ask to have your calcium and adjusted calcium tested ....

Rest and re-charge 😴😴

[Booboobutterfly in reply to Marz]

I Don't see my endo doc till October and my surgeon said my calcium levels were good and I don't know any of my levels yet I'm just d8d post o.o visit Monday and he sa8d everything looked good but I'm freaking out these night sweats suck and I can't stand that

[Marz in reply to Booboobutterfly]

Maybe speak to your GP ....

[4Alexandra]

As you now have no thyroid you will most likely need T3 as well as T4 which is the present drug you have been prescribed. Also as reported to you previously you need to keep up your B12, folate and ferritin levels also your D3. A well balanced diet with red meat and fish is very important. Our system is not designed to function on vegetables alone, you may also find cutting out gluten and other carbs plus sugars will help with weight problems.

When you have your next blood test ask for FT4 and FT3 to be included, the TSH needs to be below 2 and isn't a good indicator of what is going on as the conversion of T4 to T3 is what matters.

I had my thyroid removed in 2005 and still struggled with, weight, energy loss, stomach issues etc., till I started taking T3 about two and a half years ago. Also have B12 inj cations and take D3. Do hope you don't have to wait so long to get well. Have you also considered your night sweats could be menopausal?

[LAHs in reply to 4Alexandra]

Agree 100%. Thyroidectomy patients usually have T3 only for a two to three months after surgery. This is to prevent grow back of cancerous cells. The T4/T3 struggle can start after you are stronger. You really should be on T3 alone for a while.

[Booboobutterfly in reply to LAHs]

And what is that? The levothyrixune?

[LAHs in reply to Booboobutterfly]

No, the T3 I was on was called Cytomel. It has similar names in different countries and biologically it is called Liothyronine and in your body it is called Triiodothyronine (the hormone). Cytomel has the name Cymomel in Mexico, it has yet other names in Europe but Cytomel and Cynomel are the two most famous.

Levothyroxine is pure T4 and it relies upon your body (liver in particular) to convert that T4 to T3 - If you are a good converter you are OK, but if you are a sub par converter - well, welcome to this site!

[Booboobutterfly in reply to 4Alexandra]

I have been in menopause since I was 28 when I had a hysterectomy it brought them on I can control them with black cohash my mom's cancer doctor said they help a lot and they are over the counter supplements.when does this tiredness go away I'm on 150 mg of levo does that mean its not strong enough? And I feel as if I'm struggling for the strength to talk then it sometimes feels like I'm losing my breath

[Hidden]

I had my thyroid removed in Oct 2015. Before that I wasn't on any medication. I had a deviated trachea which just appeared out of nowhere. I was not overweight.

After my op I was put on Levo and after only 6/7 months I was 10 lbs overweight. I had never in 69 years been on a diet or been overweight before. I felt ill and was aching all over.

I then joined this site and started to self medicate with NDT. I felt so much better and lost the 10lbs in a matter of two months.

You are just out of surgery and it will take time to feel well I don't know the answer but good luck!

[SilverAvocado]

It's important to make sure you're on the right dose of thyroid replacement. Best practice is that you should have blood tests every six weeks, and your dose adjusted. However after my thyroidectomy I only got this every 3 months. You will definitely feel rubbish if you're on the wrong dose, and I found the operation takes a long time to recover from. I definitely couldn't walk a mile or two after mine, so you're doing better than me.

It took me many months to get my blood tests to look balanced after the operation. I also had radioactive iodine (RAI) a couple of months after, and it was ten months from my first operation to finally being given the all clear, then about ten months after that before the blood tests looked good. I started off on T3, and then changed over to Levothyroxine after the RAI scans were complete.

Doctors don't tend to be very bothered about getting dosages right

[silverfox7]

Welcome to the forum. I've not had your op but I know from other operations they take a while to get over so get plenty of rest and fluids. Post your results and ranges when you get them for comments.

Hope you soon start to feel better.