Newbie needs some help off you kind people,

[sarah24]

Hi i go in to hospital in 5 wks to have all my thyroid removed due to growths on it, that i can handle, what i cant handle is feeling like total crap everyday having no energy, feeling very cold all the time, want to sleep all the time and putting weight on but my Gp says my tests are borderline. Can any of you kind people come up with any ideas or questions i need to ask my Gp because i just dont know what to do anymore Thank you for taking the time to read

[RedApple Administrator]

Even if your tests really are 'borderline' at the moment, you will be immediately and unquestionably hypothyroid once your thyroid has been removed. There can be little to argue about that. Hence, your GP has no good reason (in my opinion) not to start you on thyroid medication now. Removal of your thyroid does not leave room for 'spontaneous recovery' from your current supposed state of 'borderline' hypothyroidism!

I would suggest you request immediate referral to a specialist, but that's probably pointless as you will surely be under the care of an endo following your total thyroidectomy.

[sarah24 in reply to RedApple]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and reply to my post RedApple, i understand i wont make a spontaneous recovery once after my op, i just dont know what to expect anymore from my Gp he just confuses me more when ive seen him lately, like the last time i went to see him i came back with sleepers even though i have no problem sleeping just up a few times in the time by the way i havnt taken them yet xxxx

[RedApple Administrator in reply to sarah24]

Maybe you could actually ask your GP this question:

"Once my thyroid has been removed, I will no longer be producing *any* thyroid hormone. As my test results are already borderline, could you please explain to me why I cannot be started on thyroid treatment right now?"

And, without wishing to alarm you, it has been known for surgical operations (where anaesthetic is involved) to be postponed when the patient has less than optimal thyroid hormone levels. The anaesthetist is the one who makes the assessment on this, because he/she needs to be sure that the patient will be able to recover from the operation, and this requires sensible levels of thyroid hormone.

So, I think you ought to bring this concern to your GP as well. Your GP could be (perhaps unwittingly) hindering you having your thyroid operation by denying you the thyroid medication you need now.

[Mumtoboy]

I would ask to see a specialist ASAP. Sounds like your GP is reluctant to start you on thyroxine. I'm day 5 post op and seems that I was very lucky in being referred to a great specialist before the op. good luck

[France1]

I so understand how you are feeling. People say 'it is only a simple operation' what are you worried about? In fact it is huge in the 'getting your head around it stakes' and even huger when it comes to getting those around you to understand how you feel and your fears. I had to wait a number of weeks for my operation to remove the thyroid and that was because I had too much thryoid in my system for a safe operation (i was taking medication to kill off the thyroid until I got to the correct level). I believe that they prefer you to be under-dosed rather than over-dosed - so this may be what the GP is thinking - however, I am sure that these decisions (they were in my case) were taken jointly with the Endo and the surgeon, who would not operate over a certain level of T4 in my system.

The last few weeks for me whilst they forced me down from hyper to hypo were the nearest thing to a living hell I could have imagined. I was so fatigued, so confused and could barely get a sentence out that made sense and I have to say it just got worse and worse until I finally had the op. As soon as I had the operation and notwithstanding all the issues you have after that - I knew that something had gone that had been dragging me down day by day and it was a huge relief.

So 5 weeks, it sounds like a life time but it is going to pass and you are going to feel better. If there is a real medical reason for not giving you anything to improve your symptoms (and you don't want the op putting off) then you need to try and get a plan for survival. Make sure those around you understand that you are now going to be thinking about only you and delegate every single job and responsibility you can. Feel no guilt about this, you need to look after number one and get used to doing it for ever more. Distract yourself the best you can. I could not read as I could not concentrate - but I could watch or even nap through films. So allow yourself to do nothing, call on your friends for as much help as you can get, practical things rather than sitting there waiting for you to make a cup of tea. Say no to anyone that asks anything of you and get as much rest as you can.

I spent weeks either in bed asleep (happiest mode) or wrapped up on the sofa, drinking tea and actually for once in my life letting everyone else do things - or they just did not get done and I did learn one important lesson - the world did not stop turning just because I was out there wearing myself out.

If you do get chance to easily see your GP ask for an explanation but as others have said this info should be coming from the Endo. But it sounds to me that the usual case is that it could take you 5 weeks to get the response you need and treatment started - in which case you will be there and once they have taken the thyroid they must start you with a replacement, there will be no excuses then.

Waiting for an operation takes a great deal out of your spirit. If you are rushed into hospital you have no time to think but when it is planned like this it will be (even if you think you are fine) playing on your mind. So please recognise that you need to be kind to yourself and make you are only around those that are willing to be kind to you also.

You will soon be the other side of the op and although things are far from straight forward at least the surgery will be behind you and the future ahead.

Thinking of you - and understand just how you feel.