# One Week TT Post-Op - Goodbye to the Baseball



## RedHen0205 (Aug 6, 2017)

One week after total thyroidectomy - good-bye "baseball" sized nodule and all of your "little" friends - now to kick Hashimoto's to the curb. I'm feeling pretty great - better than before surgery - but still trying not to overdo. I have family and friends taking care of everything - bless them. Thanks to this board for all of it's positive thinking and practical advice.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

YEA!!

When are you beginning thyroid hormone replacement? What dosage?

Be sure to ask for Free T-4 and Free T-3 labs along with your TSH at your first lab.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Double yay!

I admit I felt FANTASTIC for the first three weeks after surgery and the I crashed. Hard. I was also terrible under medicated so I doubt you'll dea with that, but the lesson learned was if you do crash, call your doc.

Good luck and welcome to the thyroid-less club!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Congrats!!

I, too, felt fantastic for about 3 weeks and then I started dropping. You can have a hormone dump during surgery and it makes you feel great (and sometimes a little hyper) for a while until it wears off. Make sure you've got a good plan in place for your replacement meds and don't be too worried if it takes longer than you thought to get it dialed in correctly. It's a marathon, not a sprint.


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## RedHen0205 (Aug 6, 2017)

150 mcg - started the morning after surgery. Go back to Dallas on Sept. 11 for the T4/T3 tests - also calcium - parathyroids were limping along apparently too. Will be sure to watch that 3 week mark!


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

The two week mark is where you should start feeling the effects of the "Levothyroxine I am guessing?" give or take a few days...
Lets hope you're one of the people who tolerate it well.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

And make sure they are testing *Free *T3 and Free T4 (those Frees are the important ones).


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## RedHen0205 (Aug 6, 2017)

First round of labs are in since my TT. I feel better than I did before surgery - but I that could have more to do with sleeping better since there's not a huge thing blocking my trachea? I don't have an endo - still seeing surgeon to adjust meds - just was wanting to know what questions to ask when I call tomorrow.

TSH 0.084 (Range 0.45-4.5)

Thyroixine (T4) Free 1.04 (Range 0.82-1.77)

Triiodothyronine, Free 2.8 (Range 2.0-4.4)


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

So, you are hypo. It happens.

You'd want your free t4 to minimally be at 1.295 and your free t3 to (again, minimally) be at 3.2.

Your TSH looks good so just make sure they aren't dosing based on that alone.


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## RedHen0205 (Aug 6, 2017)

Hypo you think Joplin? I though the low TSH was hyper - but I don't feel hyper for sure and I'm gaining a little weight. Hypo based on T3 and T4? Thank you so much for your input. I'm looking of an endo now who doesn't just look at TSH.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Hypo based on free t4 and free t3. 

The TSH will be a little wacky for about 6-18 months after your TT. For some people, it is a good semi-general number to look at, but for other people, its totally unreliable. Who knows why that is...

I would guess if you don't add in more meds, you'll slowly feel more run down and your TSH will probably more reflective of how you feel. So I would imagine eventually someone will get your the amount of meds you need, but I'm of the opinion that you shouldn't have to come in with numbers that look like crap AND crummy symptoms just to get a reasonable dose, ya know? Quality of life and all.


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## RedHen0205 (Aug 6, 2017)

Thanks so much Joplin! Going to see endocrinologist in December - hoping to get things levelled out. I know these things take some time. I appreciate everthing!!


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## RedHen0205 (Aug 6, 2017)

Latest blood test results (my general says I'm "fine" - I think/feel hypo) Any thoughts?

Going to see new endo tomorrow.

TSH: 2.86 uIu/mL (range 0.45-4.5)

Free T3: 2.2 pg/mL (range 2.0 - 4.4)

Free T4: 1.13 ng/dL (range 0.82-1.77)

From what I've seen on this board - my T3 needs to be more in the 3-4 range to feel better. Can anyone confirm?

Appreciate the input so much!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You are correct! Your free t3 should be higher. Your free t4 is a little low too.


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