Throdectomy...

[Totalthyrodectomy]

What is the range for TSH and T4 AFTER ATOTAL THYRODECTOMY? TSH 0.05 anf T3 22.2...IM COLD AND EXCHAUSTED!! PLEASE CAN SOMEBODY MSYBE GIVE AN OPINION ON HOW TO ADJUST ELTROXIN INTAKE ACCORDING TO THESE BLOOD RESULTS. IT VARIES ALL THE TIME. DESPERATE!!

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and, first of all, I am sorry you had to have a thyroidectomy.

My personal opinion (and I am not medically qualified) is patients should be given a T3/T4 combination at the very least of they've no thyroid gland. The reason why? is that levothyroxine is an inactive hormone and it has to convert to T3. T3 is the only Active Thyroid Hormone and it is needed in all of our millions of T3 receptor cells and it is this which drives our whole metabolism from head to toe.

Why are they so mean? In the UK they've recently withdrawn all T3 to patients who felt much better when prescribed it alone or added to T4 (levothyroxine is T4 and liothyronine is T3).

What dose of Eltroxin have you been given. Usually it is 50mcg to start and a blood test every six weeks after a blood test. The aim being a TSH of 1 or lower and a Free T4 and Free T3 in the upper part of the range.

When we give the results we also have to give the Ranges. Ranges are in brackets after the results and it is because labs use different machines with different ranges and it enables members to respond.

I don't quite understand what you mean by 'varies all the time' which I am assuming the doctor or endocrinologist is adjusting Eltroxin up/down according to your TSH. If so I'd change to someone who is knowledgeable - which is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

You should have been started on 50mcg of Eltroxin (T4) with a blood test and 25mcg increments every six weeks until TSH is 1 or lower with a FT3 and FT4 towards the upper part of the range.

I would ask for T3 to be added to T4 (eltroxin) and it should be on a 3:1 or 4:1 (Eltroxine - T3).

This is the procedure for blood tests:-

The very earliest possible appointment, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between Eltroxin and test and take afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest as that appears to be all they take notice of whilst ignoring patients terrible symptoms - it is symptoms that are supposed to be relieved.

Also ask for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be checked as these also give us symptoms if not optimum.