Life after thyroid removal - what follows?
79When you are first allowed home
We must remember that a full thyroidectomy ( removal of the thyroid ) is major surgery, and that our life will infact never be the same after the operation, although we will be able to lead a normal life, and our life expectancy should not be shortened as a result of having the operation.
As mentioned in my earlier articles, the thyroid is one of the most important endocrine glands in the body, controlling the rate of our metabolism, and without it, in simple terms, our body will gradually shut down.
So, as we no longer have a gland to make the hormones necessary to control our metabolism, we must take them in tablet ( chemical) form. This all sounds very simple, and indeed can be if you are lucky enough to be suited to the type and first dosage given to you by your doctor... but be prepared...
Thyroid medication
Your medication and possible side effects
You will be prescribed sodium levothyroxine. This will be in tablet form, 1 tablet taken everyday preferably an hour before breakfast.
The strength of dosages range from 50mg, 75mg, 100mg, etc up to around a maximum of 250 in one tablet.
Your doctor or endocrine will start you off on what he or she considers to be the right level, but , unless you strike gold so to speak, you will find this is followed by a series of blood test, upping or downing the level of medication, until results of T.S.H, T3 and T4 are that of a person with a perfectly functioning thyroid.
The most common side affects that you will experience whilst your dosage is being played around with, are those of underactive thyroid. If you already had underactivity, then you may notice little difference, possible more severe fatigue, or episodes of depression.
Of all the people I spoke to prior to my surgery, I was told to expect rapid and huge weight gain, and have spoken to many people who are apparently on the right dosage of medication, but still can't shift the extra weight, and are palmed off by diet sheets by the dietician.
We all know that if we have a slow metabolism, then we need to consume fewer calories per day, than a person of normal metabolism, and being given diet sheets may help a little , but I think in the case of many pacients is not the answer, and there is still an underlying problem, or the medication levels are still not suitable.
i am now one month into my recovery from my surgery, and although i am indeed suffering from severe fatigue, and other symptoms of underactivity of the thyroid such as problems with memory and concentration, I have not managed to gain any weight at all, and still tip the scales at under 50kg!
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will i be able to speak after operation?
I had my whole thyroid removed, First surgury was May 9th n Second Surgury was June 1st. First one they took out CANCER ... OMG!!! I have no cancer now but My mental status is awful! the Anxiety, the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop... My stress level is high, n so r my Emotions...
i've been livin on thyroid meds for 10 years now after a full thyroid removal it has been hell the doctors don't really know how to treat us one even sent me into multible thyroid storms because he had my meds to high he said your in the normal ranges but what i found out is that you have to find your normal range for me even in the normal range at the higher end could send me into another thyroid storm you have to listen to your body and stay on your doctors to do something about it or your body and mind will suffer. everyone should see an endo to manage this lifestyle it's worse than havein suger problems but at least they have a way to check there blood when they don't fell good we have to go to the lab and always check your calcium,potasum,and other thyroid levels because they go up and down too my life has been a roller coaster sence they removed mine
This article is obviously posted via some service or layperson who is not familiar with common English language expressions or the correct endocrine vocabulary. I consider the accuracy of this information to be suspicious.
D. I am sorry but I consider your comment to be down right nasty and unfounded. I am British, 100% born and bred and have suffered from thyroid cancer as well as total thyroid removal...I assure you I know what I am talking about.
I am having really bad mood swings and can't seem to control any of my emotions sinse having my thyroid removed early January, my memory has gone totally to pot. I am told that my medication is the right level for me and the weight gain that I am experiencing is normal and I shouldn't worry about. I am worried and think that I may be depressed now, I don't know, I just can't seem to get a handle on anything in life at the minute, everyone gets on my nerves, I just want to be left alone, please help
Judy, I am now post op one and a half years, and I still have foul moods, no concentration, no short term memory and feel a totally different person than before the op. Unfortunately my hormone levels also are "correct" and am fed up with an endocrinologist telling me I am fine when she has never been through what I have. If there is light at the end of the tunnel, I think it is still far off. All I can say is that you are not alone in your feelings, I think there are very common indeed.
hello! i stumble into this page today because i was trying to find some answers about life after this removal of the thyroid. i didnt get my thyroid removed through surgery but i instead got a nuclear oblation. Two months after that i gained all this weight and doing all this research i found out to be common and loosing it has been a real pain. B
but thats not what im trying to find out. well i was put on sythroid and the first dosage the doctor gave me was too low even though i felt really good and everything was fine after the bumped it up higher my feel have become really sweaty, i get minor headaches, and y hair falls of in huge chunks ! for a girl in her early twenties..this is a nightmare but i talked to my doctor and she said that during the process of the removal of the thyroid my body was focusing itself on recovering and getting better so hair growth stopped but now its back to growing hair that it may look like its falling off but its actually growing back! well she may be right but how can i help my body through this journey and has any one found an effective way to remove the extra pounds in a safe but effective way...please any suggestions will help. Thank You
i have loads of saliva spilling out daily
I HAD MY THYROID, REMOVED, I COULD NOT EAT OR DRINK WATER IT WAS SO HARD WAITING TO HAVE IT TAKING OUT. I SLEAR MY WORDS, I WAS PUT O THE PILL AN I FILL WORSE NOW THEN I DID BEFORE THE DOCTORS TOLD ME I MUST HAVE THE OPERATION, I DID NOT HAVE THE BIG C. THANK GOD. BUT I CAN NOT GET ANY FOOD DOWN MY NECK AND I WAVE WATER ALL WAYS RUNNING OUT THE SIDE OF MY MOUTH AND I CAN NOT TALK RIGHT. I CAN SING ANY MOORE I SHOULD LIKE I AM GARGLING MY MOUTH WITH MOUTH WASH WHILE I AM TALKING KNOW ONE CAN UNDERSTAND ME, THE DOCTORS SAID THAT I HAVE TO GET MY CORDS SHOCKED AN A BALLOON PUT DOWN MY NECK AN THAT WILL MAKE ME BE AL RIGHT. ALONG WITH THE PILLS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.I AM SO VERY WORRIED
natural-thyroid-user 17 months ago
I used to be in the er all the time myself. I had to get on anti-anxiety meds, I had been beside myself. I am sure it turned out thyroid disease but like I said I did not know to ask about for copies there was no internet like this.