# Graves, surgery planned



## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

I have relapsed with Graves and TT surgery is being scheduled in December. I have a long history of Graves dating back to age 14, now 52. Was euthyroid for years, and Graves kicked back in two years ago.

Anyway, I expect to go totally hypo once my thyroid is removed, and my endo has prescribed Synthroid 125 to start taking right after surgery. I have read that T3 is important to feel good, and that FT4 and FT3 testing is important, and I expect to ask for these labs when I see my endo post-op. He does test for T3, but hasn't tested for FT3 recently while my Graves was under control with Methimazole.

My first post-op appt. will be six weeks later with the endo, with labs done prior to seeing him. My question is--should T3 be added immediately, as the Synthroid is being added, after surgery? I am assuming he will review the labs first prior to determining if he will add T3, to see how my body reacts to being thyroid-less and with T4 only.

Thanks for your help, this is my first posting.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Whippetcat said:


> I have relapsed with Graves and TT surgery is being scheduled in December. I have a long history of Graves dating back to age 14, now 52. Was euthyroid for years, and Graves kicked back in two years ago.
> 
> Anyway, I expect to go totally hypo once my thyroid is removed, and my endo has prescribed Synthroid 125 to start taking right after surgery. I have read that T3 is important to feel good, and that FT4 and FT3 testing is important, and I expect to ask for these labs when I see my endo post-op. He does test for T3, but hasn't tested for FT3 recently while my Graves was under control with Methimazole.
> 
> ...


Hi and welcome!

You may be a good converter so only time and lab tests will tell!!

Have you had a recent RAIU? Just out of curiosity. Not necessary since you are getting the thyroidectomy!

Wow!! That's a long time to have active Graves'! Are you okay otherwise? Your eyes, your heart and all of that?

Thank you for joining if you will let us know the date of your surgery, I will put you on the list for thoughts and prayers.


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## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

Andros said:


> Hi and welcome!
> 
> You may be a good converter so only time and lab tests will tell!!
> 
> ...


*I was first diagnosed with Graves at 14. I was on meds for years, had blood tested all along, eventually was described as underactive and even Hashimoto's, so for years I took Synthroid.

I would say in my 30s, it was determined that I was euthyroid, and I was fine until about 50, when hyper symptoms brought me to have my labs done in detail and subsequently, had an RAIU to determine if it was Graves. It was--all the typical hyper problems accompanied it (racing pulse, pounding heart, dramatic loss of weight, night sweats, day sweats, some eye involvement, goiter, etc.) So I was put on Tapazole, was on for almost two years, eventually went onto a combo of Tapazole & Synthroid, levels were good, taken off all meds, then I relapsed with a vengence.

So, the answer is--I wasn't suffering for graves for 40 years, but I started with it as a teenager, became underactive, became euthyroid, then relapsed with Graves, became euthyroid, then relapsed worse than ever.

I have a strong family history of thyroid problems: my mother had a partial thyroidectomy back in the 1940s for goiter, and I have a twin sister who was diagnosed hypothyroid/Hashimoto's at the same time I was diagnosed with hyperthyroid--at 14.

So, that's a little bit more on me...thanks for your reply. Surgery is being planned for December 27, when I am off from work, so I don't have to take any additional time off. *


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Whippetcat said:


> *I was first diagnosed with Graves at 14. I was on meds for years, had blood tested all along, eventually was described as underactive and even Hashimoto's, so for years I took Synthroid.
> 
> I would say in my 30s, it was determined that I was euthyroid, and I was fine until about 50, when hyper symptoms brought me to have my labs done in detail and subsequently, had an RAIU to determine if it was Graves. It was--all the typical hyper problems accompanied it (racing pulse, pounding heart, dramatic loss of weight, night sweats, day sweats, some eye involvement, goiter, etc.) So I was put on Tapazole, was on for almost two years, eventually went onto a combo of Tapazole & Synthroid, levels were good, taken off all meds, then I relapsed with a vengence.
> 
> ...


Thank you for clarifying!~ Inquiring minds always want to know. Wow! You have had a real journey with this.

Interesting that you had "block and replace" all those years. Few doctors know how to handle that!

I am thinking that you may be glad to "finally" get that thyroid out.

Thanks for the date. Putting it up on the surgery schedule now and by the way, you will fit right in and many will be along to share experiences and so on. We have a lot of thyroidectomy patients here.


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## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

Andros said:


> Thank you for clarifying!~ Inquiring minds always want to know. Wow! You have had a real journey with this.
> 
> Interesting that you had "block and replace" all those years. Few doctors know how to handle that!
> 
> ...


*Just to clarify: I was on block and replace for a short period of time--recently. I was on Tapazole only as a teenager, Synthroid only when my thyroid went underactive (this is back in the 1970s and early 80s when the science of thyroid was less exact) and then back on Tapazole at age 50,,,levels came down so low that my endo did block and replace for about 6 months, until I was totally euthyroid...and only after that, only recently, have did I have most current relapse, for which I was on Tapazole only, and for which I remain on Tapazole only right now.

So, that's more clarification. Just want to know if anyone else out there has had a similar experience and, if so, after surgery, were you put on T4 and T3 right away, or only T4?

Thanks!*


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Whippetcat said:


> *Just to clarify: I was on block and replace for a short period of time--recently. I was on Tapazole only as a teenager, Synthroid only when my thyroid went underactive (this is back in the 1970s and early 80s when the science of thyroid was less exact) and then back on Tapazole at age 50,,,levels came down so low that my endo did block and replace for about 6 months, until I was totally euthyroid...and only after that, only recently, have did I have most current relapse, for which I was on Tapazole only, and for which I remain on Tapazole only right now.
> 
> So, that's more clarification. Just want to know if anyone else out there has had a similar experience and, if so, after surgery, were you put on T4 and T3 right away, or only T4?
> 
> Thanks!*


You are welcome and I am sure you will get many responses to your query! I did not have surgery so therefore I could not comment.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

After my surgery, I was only put on Synthroid. I feel good.

Welcome to the forum.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Welcome to the club! 
You have had a long battle with this. It amazes me that you have gone this long. I am 52 also with a 20 year on, and maybe not as off as I thought thyroid imbalance. I had surgery initially for Graves, and subsequently cancer, in July. I feel much better. I was put on Synthroid the next day. I do feel better but not quite as well as I think I should. I am hoping to add a little T3 to the mix to see how that goes.

The plan seems to be to use T4 and see if it is converted. The part that confuses me a bit is, if the conversion happens within the first few weeks, or does it take time.

Best wishes, and hope to "see" you around here.


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## Whippetcat (Jun 13, 2011)

webster2 said:


> Welcome to the club!
> You have had a long battle with this. It amazes me that you have gone this long. I am 52 also with a 20 year on, and maybe not as off as I thought thyroid imbalance. I had surgery initially for Graves, and subsequently cancer, in July. I feel much better. I was put on Synthroid the next day. I do feel better but not quite as well as I think I should. I am hoping to add a little T3 to the mix to see how that goes.
> 
> The plan seems to be to use T4 and see if it is converted. The part that confuses me a bit is, if the conversion happens within the first few weeks, or does it take time.
> ...


*Interestingly, I started with Graves, slipped "under" and then was told I have Hashimoto's, was fine for years, and, what felt like out of the blue, I was very hyper again. Did you have the surgery after 20 years? Wow! I guess you didn't have a TT, because then you had cancer--wow! How did they discover the cancer--nodules in the remaining thyroid?

You sound like you have had a longstanding battle with your thyroid, like me...I'm interested in hearing your timeline...*


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