question

[Joannagof1]

do they remove all thyroid even if we dont have rai after or aybe some thyroid tissues are left?

Also if we do not absorb 100 percent of levothyroxine shouldnt we take more than we need?

[jimh111]

Why is your thyroid being removed? If it's just a goitre they may try to remove just part of the thyroid. If it's thyroid cancer they usually try and remove all of it but this can be difficult and little bits may remain which is why surgery is followed by RAI.

Levothyroxine absorption averages about 50%, the dose takes account of this.

[Clutter]

Joannagof1,

It is impossible to remove every bit of thyroid tissue. Some tissue will remain in the thyroid bed which is why patients at risk of cancer recurrence have RAI to destroy thyroid cells remaining in the bed and loosened by surgery.

Your dose will be based on the amount of Levothyroxine you do absorb.

[Hidden]

My thyroid was removed completely due to my trachea moving and restricting my breathing.

I had visited the GP several times in the UK and also had scans etc done and a FNA. here was no urgency at all which was worrying. Within one year I had moved to France and was quickly put on the Surgeons list and within 3 months had my thyroid removed. I had a 4.2cm lump and one fifth of it was paillary cancer. This never showed up on the FNA done in the UK. No more treatment was needed.

I am now on NDT and was told by the Professor to keep my TSH suppressed.