Cancelled operation

[Pugmom76]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this group so my first post.So i have just had an important operation cancelled due toy thyroid being 10 on my pre op blood test. This was last Monday and I have been calling the doctors all week to try and sort my meds. Eventually today (week later) they looked at it BUT they want to talk to me about it over the phone on 19th July!!!

I'm constantly falling asleep, soon tired, hair falling out and feel really bloated all the time 😢 I feel so upset and don't know what I can do about i any other advice how I can deal with this?

Sorry for long post!

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Welcome to the group. If you could complete your profile it helps members understand your thyroid journey so far and be able to advise you better. Click on your image icon to start. Fill out the free text box at the top.

Are you currently diagnosed as hypothyroid yet and on treatment?

A TSH of 10 would signify that you are hypothyroid and if not already on treatment would need to start Levothyroxine.

Starting dose would be 50mcgs Levo. Some GPs start you on 25mcgs but its too lower dose to replace what your thyroid is already putting out and many feel worse on 25mcgs. Push for 50mcgs. levo replaces your own hormone production it doesnt replace it.

If you are already diagnosed you need an increase of 25mcgs. How much Levo do you take and when was your last blood test before this?

You could always phone GP surgery and ask for a cancellation or push for a sooner appointment.

How do you feel?

It's ideal if you can always get the same brand of levo at every prescription. You can do this by getting GP to write the brand you prefer in the first line of the prescription. Many people find that different brands are not interchangeable.

Always take Levo on an empty stomach an hour away from food or caffeine containing drinks & other meds. Many people find taking it at bedtime works well for them.

When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet. For thyroid hormone to work well we need OPTIMAL levels of vitamins.

Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3? Private tests are available, see link for companies offering private blood tests & discount codes, some offer a blood draw service at an extra cost. thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...

There is also a new company offering walk in& mail order blood tests in London, Kent, Sussex & Surrey areas. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...

Only do private tests on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid postal delays.

Recommended blood test protocol: Test at 9am (or as close as possible), fasting, last levo dose 24hrs before the blood draw & no biotin containing supplements for 3-7 days (Biotin can interfere with thyroid blood results as it is used in the testing process).

Testing like this gives consistency in your results and will show stable blood levels of hormone and highest TSH which varies throughout the day. Taking Levo/T3 just prior to blood draw can show a falsely elevated result and your GP/Endo might change your dose incorrectly as a result.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I assume you mean your TSH test result is 10?

Are you already taking any thyroid hormones? Read your post a few times and couldn't convince myself whether or not you are!

Honestly - that is a very short post! If it is less than a screenful, it's not long. And I use a 27" screen.

You are not the first who has hit this issue. Surgeons, and especially anaesthetists, are often more aware and competent at thyroid issues than GPs and many other specialists.

Is your operation related to your thyroid?

Just to warn you that even when you get prescribed a thyroid hormone, it can take many weeks, months, to achieve adequate thyroid hormone levels. You cannot just dive in and see sudden and huge improvement. (Sorry to bring bad news.)

Do you have any other blood test results? If so, please post. And include the reference intervals (ranges) as they vary from lab to lab. (TSH ranges are more consistent than most!)

This is a link to a very good article in the British Medical Journal discussing what the 'normal range' really is. Very readable.

The normal range: it is not normal and it is not a range

helvella.blogspot.com/p/the...

[Brightness14]

The anaesthetist has a duty to keep you alive and well when undergoing any operation.

It's better to sort it out now than land up in trouble later on. Good Luck

[Pugmom76]

Thank-you all, I am on levothyroxin 175mg I was diagnosed 30 years ago. Actually just spoke to the Dr! He said its very confusing ad my tsh is 10 but my t4 is high too. He's referring to an endo for advice so should have an answer by end of week. My operation is on my foot which is my 3rd operation on it. I do understand why they cancelled I'm just frustrated by the GPs. I'm going away in 9 days and just want to feel better 😪 I've had a kidney and pancreas transplant, I had diabetes for 30 years and I can hardly walk with my foot so didn't want anything else to go wrong lol

😅

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Pugmom76]

Would they consider an epidural or spinal anaesthetic, less risky than a general. I had foot surgery this way and its better imo than going under.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Pugmom76]

Do you have your FT4 result (and the range)?

And have you changed which make(s) of levothyroxine you are taking?

There are reasons you can find high TSH alongside high FT4. One possibility is interference causing one (or both!) to be higher (or lower!) than they should be.