# Will I ever feel normal without a thyroid?



## ETaylor1015 (Jan 4, 2013)

I am a 32 year old women with Papillary Thyroid Cancer (nodule <1 cm). The standard recommendation from everyone is a full tt. I am not so nervous about the surgery or the cancer as I am living without a thyroid. From the sounds of it I will never feel normal again. I currently have completely normal thyroid function, great energy, I am not depressed or overweight. I know reading on this site can be somewhat bias because people are not blogging on thyroid boards how great they feel, but is there life without a thyroid? I am expecting it to take some time after the TT to get my levels regulated, but once that happens is it possible to feel "normal" again? I have my surgery scheduled for January 25th and I am so nervous about what will happen to me without a thyroid that I am considering not having the surgery and just watching the nodule. Please share..Thanks!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I will tell you that I never thought I had symptoms before my surgery. I was running 25 miles a week, riding horses, traveling, working full time, etc.

And then I had my thyroid removed and its like someone turned a light on in my life. It's been a long, long, long time since I've felt this good -- at least 10 years, but probably more like 15. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have had cancer (I know, weird...) because without that diagnosis, I'd probably be futzing around with meds and battling antibodies and dealing with the ups and downs of autoimmune disease. When things change slowly, over many years, you don't realize the impact it has on you.

So, yes, you will feel normal again. It may take some time, but you'll get there. And in all likelihood, you'll feel better than normal. And you'll want to go back in time and kick your own butt for worrying about this.  Absolute the best thing that ever happened to me...I mean, after getting married and all that.


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## ETaylor1015 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thanks..it is uplifting to hear your story! Please keep more positive one coming!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I can say with all honesty that my papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis and surgeries were a blip...a minor interruption. You will feel normal again without a thyroid. The key is to start out on a high enough dose of replacement hormone so you don't sink into a hypothyroid state for months. (If you get RAI, you will need to go temporarily hypo, but that's different.)

A good starting point for Synthroid after total thyroidectomy is around 125 micrograms, unless you're a larger woman, in which case a higher amount would be better. You can go up or down from there based on lab results every 6 to 8 weeks.


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## Draco (Jan 9, 2013)

joplin1975 said:


> I will tell you that I never thought I had symptoms before my surgery. I was running 25 miles a week, riding horses, traveling, working full time, etc.
> 
> And then I had my thyroid removed and its like someone turned a light on in my life. It's been a long, long, long time since I've felt this good -- at least 10 years, but probably more like 15. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have had cancer (I know, weird...) because without that diagnosis, I'd probably be futzing around with meds and battling antibodies and dealing with the ups and downs of autoimmune disease. When things change slowly, over many years, you don't realize the impact it has on you.
> 
> So, yes, you will feel normal again. It may take some time, but you'll get there. And in all likelihood, you'll feel better than normal. And you'll want to go back in time and kick your own butt for worrying about this.  Absolute the best thing that ever happened to me...I mean, after getting married and all that.


I feel the same way. I never realized how tired and different I felt before my surgery and Synthroid. I thought back then, it was the norm for me.

Even though I am only a month into Synthroid, I feel AMAZING. I feel happier, more focused and over all feeling great  It made me realize how run-down and unmotivated I felt months ago compared to now


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

I have to believe thyroid surgery effects everyone differently. I've had a hard time but the 88-year old lady who lives behind me had a walnut sized nodule removed along with her entire thyroid and she's going like a house-a-fire!! Chris had her surgery app. 6 months before mine, then lost her husband to pancreatic cancer...but she's still working at their family-owned business, lives alone in a huge 2-story house which she keeps herself, never misses anything with her five grown sons and their active families, she travels and she does special things for everyone. Chris is my mentor!

I have another neighbor who found a golfball size nodule while putting on her moisturizer one night, had surgery, went through RAI and never misses a beat! She works, chases grandkids, works in her yard, etc.

I cannot seem to get there but I'm going to or die trying!  There are a lot of variables to be considered but I do believe life can be good without a thyroid.


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## ETaylor1015 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thanks everyone for sharing their story with me. I had the surgery and it was a success. No voice damage or damage to parathyroid. The surgeon started me on 137mg of synthroid. I weigh 145 lbs. I hope that is a good dose to keep me from going hypo. I wont know if i need the RI until the final pathology comes back. Please keep the stories coming. It is nice to hear positive info. I was reading on a blog on stop the thyroid madness and it freaked me out. Those people make it sound like synthroid will nearly kill me and natural is the only way to go. I am just trying to go with the flow and listen to my doctors right now and they are confident that the majority of patients do fine on synthroid. I pray I am one of them and this is easy for me!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

It sounds like a good starting point. I'm on 150 and weigh about the same. You don't want to overshoot.  just stay self-aware and pay attention to your body.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Please remember that Synthroid DOES work for the vast, vast majority of people. Those people are not online writing about it because they're living their lives. The stories you read on the 'net are from people who need to find something else that will work.


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## ETaylor1015 (Jan 4, 2013)

I got the pathology results today and was sad to hear it was worse than I thought. I had two positive nodes in the central compartment (considered local metastisis) and also was told it was the Tall Cell type of PTC. From everything I have been reading on the internet this is a worse prognosis. My surgeon and endo said it can be a more aggessive form or PTC but since my nodule with the cancer was only .8cm and not anywhere else in the thyroid, and that I am young, my prognosis is still excellent. The tall cell finding just means definite RI at a possibly higher dose. Now I am all freaked out that this has spread to other parts of my body. Has anyone had experience with this?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

It's been 8 years since my TT and I feel normal.

It may take awhile to tweak your meds to where you feel your best but it will happen if you pay close attention.

Be sure to always ask for the FT-4 and FT-3 tests before any dose changes.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I did not have tall cell, but I did have three positive nodes. My understanding is that while tall cell is slightly more aggressive, it responds well to RAI. Your doctors should give you a good dose and, if they do, you should be just fine.


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