Post thyroidectomy hyperthyroidism and thank you

[CalamityJane100]

Thanks all for your advice on follow-up tests after tests showed I was hyper despite having had a full thyroidectomy 14 years ago. You gave me the confidence to be pushy!! My GP was very reticent but my immunologist acted very quickly. These are my latest results. I am also booked in for a thyroid ultrasound and thyroid biopsy (how do they do that with no thyroid?)

Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulins >40.00 iu/L (normal <0.56 iu/L)

TSH <0.03 mU/L (normal 0.35 - 5.50 mU/L)

Free T4 15.2 pmol/L (normal 10.5 - 21.0 pmol/L)

25OH Vitamin D3 normal 99.2 nmol/l

25OH Vitamin D2 <5 nmol/l

[Jazzw]

Is that still on 25mcg levothyroxine?

[CalamityJane100 in reply to Jazzw]

Yes it is

[Jazzw in reply to CalamityJane100]

I thought it might be from what you said on your last post. There’s definitely something strange going on, isn’t there?

It’s not unusual for TSH to remain suppressed where people have had a thyroidectomy to deal with Graves but I wouldn’t expect your FT4 to be quite as high up as it is. What was the reason for your thyroidectomy?

It’s good that your immunologist is on the ball even though your GP isn’t!

Hope you get to the bottom of it soon x

[CalamityJane100 in reply to Jazzw]

I'm just so angry that my GP left me with data like this for 3 years! I was just told levels all ok so I never saw them until very recently when I questioned it. I was never told what was wrong with my thyroid, it was just a mess and needed extracting.

Pretty worried tbh

[Jazzw in reply to CalamityJane100]

I bet. Try not to worry too much (I know, much easier said than done). It’s not unheard of for left-behind thyroid tissue to grow again.

I’d imagine they’ll do the scan before considering if/how to do a biopsy—if it shows some tissue then that’s what they’d biopsy.

Sending big hugs cos I know how much more worrying this stuff feels in the late evening xx

[CalamityJane100 in reply to Jazzw]

Thank you, you're very kind - and knowledgeable!!l

[nellie237 in reply to CalamityJane100]

It's pretty appalling that you didn't get an explanation for the surgery. I believe that studies have shown that patient recovery is better when we are fully informed. I would hazzard a guess and think that the comment that it was 'a mess' probably indicates that it was difficult and they didn't manage to remove all of it, and as Jazz said it is not unheard of for some tissue to re-grow. Although this is not good news for you, please don't worry too much because if you do need further surgery you should get the top guy for the job 2nd time around which is likely to be a much better/more efficient experience than it was the last time.

One of my brothers had his tonsils removed as a child......and again when he was an adult. One of my sisters had an extra toe removed as a baby.......and again when she was about 6 yrs old.

[CalamityJane100 in reply to nellie237]

Thank you for your thoughtful words and taking the time to reply.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also get folate, B12 and ferritin levels tested