Hi! I had Radioactive iodine therapy almost 10 years ago to cure a decades-long hyperthyroidism. Thus no more thyroid. I was on 100 Levothyroxine, for about 6 years, difficult first year but then okay. Blood test every 3 months, as usual, but since 2016 feeling worse : weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, joint pains, etc. I was on 88mg then 75 then 88, TSH level goes up and down. T3 usually too low. T4 low too. My Doc. just told me that TSH is not important in my case and to just take 100 mg.
I live on a Greek island and the endocrinologist only comes once a month.
Would very much appreciate advice! Thank you!
Written by
Koola
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I have Graves Disease and was treated with RAI in 2005.
I became very unwell about 5 years ago, and found so much help on this site.
A fully functioning thyroid would be supporting you, on a daily basis, with approximately
100 T4 + 10 T3.
Some people can get by on T4 ( Levothyroxine ) alone, some people simply stop, at some point in time converting the T4 to T3 and some people simply need both these vital hormones dosed and monitored independently, to bring them into balance and to a level of well being acceptable to the patient.
It is well documented that people who have had RAI may do better on a T3/T4 combo or Natural Desiccated Thyroid, if levothyroxine doesn't appear to be working effectively.
T4 is a storage hormone and the body has to convert it into T3 which is what the body runs on. T3 is roughly 4 times stronger than T4.
Conversion can be compromised by low ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D and would suggest you ask for these to be tested along with a full thyroid panel to include TSH, T3 and T4 and antibodies.
When with these results post them all back on here, with their relevant ranges and people more able than me will be able to make considered opinion as to your next step.
You might like to take a look at the following :-
Your Thyroid and How To Keep It Healthy is written by a doctor who has hypothyroidism.
Dr Barry Durrant - Peatfield writes in an easy to understand, insightful way about all things thyroid. The thyroid is a major gland responsible for full body synchronisation, including your mental, physical, psychological and spiritual well being and we need to know what we've lost so that we may try to compensate and understand ourselves better.
Elaine Moore has a very well researched website on all things Graves Disease.
This lady has Graves and found no help herself in the late 1990s when treated with RAI. She wrote a book, and now has a very comprehensive website dedicated to all Graves patients with open forums and offers many current research papers.
It is stateside so medical protocol maybe slightly different but it is a very useful aid.
Barbara S Lougheed is another American lady with the same health issues and she also wrote a book entitled :- Tired Thyroid - I believe there is also a " Blog " .
Her book amongst others things debunks the current thinking that the TSH is all that is needed to treat hypothyroidism in Graves patients after RAI.
Thankfully your doctor already seems to be on board with that last statement, and I trust he takes both your T3 and T4 in order to monitor your progress.
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I'd appreciate some advice
After total thyroidectomy RI treatment, good idea? 
Advice appreciated...im confused 
ADVICE WOULD BE APPRECIATED...I'LL
KEEP IT BRIEF
Avoiding dose reduction, advice appreciated!
