Total Thyroidectomy & Vit D Deficiency

[TimMck]

Hi - my 1st Blog .....

Just back from hospital after having my left Thyroid gland removed (last Wed), Right removed in January - all going to plan so far and recovering well.... But the consultant (who has been excellent throughout) thinks I maybe Vit D deficient and this maybe impacting my Calcium production from the parathyroid gland.

They have put me on 2 tablets a day calcium/vit D (Adcal) in the short terms as well as 125 Thyroxin....

Back to hospital a few times this week for regular blood tests - my arm looks like a pin cushion.

My thyroid functions were all fine before the Operations (they operated due to a quite large Goiter on the right side not due to thyroid function) and even the left side 'picked up the load' after the right side was removed, but unfortunately not that simple as Hurthle cells appeared on my 1st regular biopsy check up !.

So the upshot was another trip to hospital for the same Op again and a bit of an anxious wait to see if it is benign (obv hope so !) as undecided from the biopsy and Nuclear medicine check of the nodule which was slightly 'Hot' (hence the decision to remove all the Thyroid).

Anyway away from my rambling - anyone else out there Vit D deficient and taking tablets ?

Plus just to say as someone who is fast learning about Thyroid functions and the associated medicine and side effects I have found this website very helpful...as well as all of your posts ....

It's always good to hear we are not alone !

Looking forward to your replies - Tim

[hblower]

I contacted the hospital today on the subject of the proposed radioidine treatment, I was told I was booked a high dose. I then contacted the unit and was able to speak to the registrar that I saw on my 2 previous consultations, who at all times did not have my medical history, I suffer severly from malfunctioning saliva glands and found out this can be a side affect of radioidine but was not informed as a risk of treatment, when speaking to the Dr he said that my dosage would be so low that it would be unlikely, so I told him that nuclear medicine had told me it was high, at this comment he told me they work it out when you attend, I then told him that I also have trigeminal neuralgia. So its ended up that I get over my nasal surgey in 2 weeks and see him perhaps with the consultant taking my medical records with me to discuss more in detail. Its a good job that I have my records. I asked if my goitres were cancerous and would they get any bigger in a short time he said no. I intend to explore all avenues. Please can I have any comments.

Helen

[Irene]

Hi Tim - I'm also taking calcium/vit D (Calcichew tabs) have been on these since Feb. Problem is that most associated conditions seem to product similar symptoms so it's difficult to know what is providing the benefits and whether these tabs are making me feel different. I experienced bad joint pain (thought it was just that I was getting old) and was finding stairs a problem . But along with the Vit D deficiency the consultant said that I was very low on vit B12 so I'm having injections for this vitamin and being tested for pernicious anaemia. Felt loads better after combined meds. I had half my thyroid remove 30 yrs ago but the remnant was getting bigger under the strain of keeping my levels balanced. I'm now on Levothyroxine and hopefully this will allow the remnant of thyroid to shrink and save a further op. Hope you get good news and that nodule was benign.

[maureenlesley]

Check if your tablets stop the Thyroxine from working. I only found out recently that this can happen.

Hope everything goes ok for you.

[Daisy]

Hello Tim - I take Vit D 1500 mgs per day due to severe osteoporosis and have been told not to take it at the same time as the thyroxine. I take it late afternoon whereas I take the thyroxine on waking 30 min before breakfast. It is not interfering with the thyroxine as my TSH level has dropped down to 2.9 after only 6 weeks on the pills. Interestingly I am only on 25mgs per day and after week 6 have stopped sleeping in the afternoons and now have more energy also I am now warm which I find amazing. Cannot believe normal people are always warm. Still got a depressed appetite and not sleeping well at night but I am sure these things will also clear up. I have been fortunate to have a good doctor who picked up my under active thyroid from regular blood tests. I just thought my symptoms were age related and did not take them to the doctor. He is now keeping an eye on my Vitamin B12 as last test it was low but still in the acceptable range but advised a supplement for the time being. He thinks my TSH recovery down to 2.9 is partly due to taking the pills 30 mins before eating and drinking in the morning as it means the whole 25 mg is being absorbed. I keep it by my bed with a bottle of water and take it on waking. Hope you continue to make improvements

[halifaxlass]

Hi Tim & good luck with your results A friend who was going for thyroid etc tests before me mentioned to ask my GP about vit D deficiency. I did & had quite a fight to get this done as I was told ' It's not usual that fair skinned people suffer with this'. The test was done, I was deficient, had 2 injections which increased levels & am now on 2 Adcal D daily. I was also told this can affect thyroxine so have that 30 mins before breakfast & these in the afternoon. My thyroid level's not improving but vit D is now OK, can't have everthing at once !! Regards.

[Chippysue]

Hope that you will continue to feel better.

Did your Doc tell you that you must take your vit D at least 4 hours apart from your levothyroxine? It is recommended to just take your levothyroxine with water and not to have any other type of drink or food for at least half an hour and to take vits/supplements at the other end of the day.

Besides the goiter being unsightly did you have problems with swallowing? choking?

[TimMck]

Thanks for this - actually they didn't tell me about the gap needed I saw it on the leaflet - your advice about water only appreciated didn't know this.

Goiter although large at 7cm wasn't outwardly visible as it was growing round the windpipe - actually I didn't have much in the way of symptoms other than a 'tickly' cough which I thought was asthma related (and may still be).... They just found it by chance when I had a chest Xray and they happened to pick up the neck area.... so by luck really....