# Surgery on one side for hashimotos



## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

Hello,

After almost three years of consideration, I am 80% sure I am going to have one side of my thyroid removed. I do not have any nodules, but I do have a completely dead right side according to my uptakes, scans and biopsies that has in my opinion wreaked havoc on my life for three years. The left side appears to be fine, not as bad. I am waiting for the final uptake report.

I have not been able to tolerate any thyroid medication and can usually get about 3 good hours a day out of my life before i crash. My right lobe also causes me much pain, headaches, and of course the choking sensation.

I am going to decide if this is the right decision for me personally. I know that having the lobe out may or may not help my symptoms, but if it is dead, it will come out because of the repeated pain i am in.

I would like to know if there is anyone else on here who has, or can point me to someone who has had one lobe removed with symptoms of hashimotos only. I have decided this will probably be the right decision for me as i have not responded positively even with my labs in range to any sort of medication. All I am looking for is someone to share their experience with me.

thank You,
Bruce


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## namebug (Sep 22, 2011)

I have had the left lobe removed because it was damaged in a car accident, but I was also diagnosed has having Hashimoto's. I thought the right lobe was healthy and took synthroid for a short time, but it didn't seem to be necessary. I started back on synthroid a few years ago, but disliked it. The Hashimoto's symptoms have intensified, and my doctor finally referred me to an endocrinologist. The right lobe is not as healthy as I had thought, and she has recommended its removal, especially because the lab results are not a positive outcome.

So I understand how you feel about wanting to get the bad half removed, but then the other half may not remain healthy.

Unlike what I did, you will probably want to be vigilant about getting lab tests and keeping up with what the results reveal and sticking with an endocrinologist. I hope it works out well for you to have only half removed.


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

Bruce,

I know you've been chasing down every possible problem and I was curious if you've had your parathyroids checked? They don't have anything to do with thyroid but they're all packed in together and it seems to me like the symptoms of parathyroid problems could mimic thyroid with certain conditions.

I got kept in the hospital for an extra 3-4 days when me parathyroids got injured during thyroidectomy BUT there's not a chance I wasn't having parathyroid symptoms for months before the surgery. I think I was having parathyroid problems along with thyroid symptoms.

It is wondrous to be feeling better! Wow! I knew I didn't feel well but I didn't realize how bad things were until I started feeling so much more normal.


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

Ann, you and I keep missing each other but i wanted you to know ive been thinking about you the last couple days. I hope you are doing well. I keep lookin for you on the other board but i am sorry we miss each other.

Did your biopsy show any hashimotos?

Ive had my parathyroids checked with my calcium levels. seem to be doing fine. I guess i need to look at your other posts to see whats going on. When you feel better, please call me. bruce


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

I think I'm doing goooood, Bruce! I've got to go to the hospital lab this morning to have calcium checked but I'm not having any symptoms whatsoever.

The only thing kinda' worrying me or frustrating me is a growing sense of depression and I wish that weirdness would not resurface now that I really do feel like things are better.

Physically, I honestly couldn't feel much better for someone less than two weeks post-surgery...mentally/emotionally, I'm kinda' struggling and not sure what to do.

I haven't heard or seen any details about my pathology report yet. The surgeon told me there was a tiny amount of cancer (the size and shape of a pencil lead) in my thyroid but he'd gotten all of it. That's all I know right now but I'll see him again a week from today.

I feel well, per se, but I don't feel energetic. Everyone tells me I'm expecting too much too soon but it scares me to think I may fall right back into my old low-energy mode. I'm taking 125 mg Synthroid which I'd guess is a generous dose but I dunno...I thought I'd feel more energetic and have more stamina.

I have zero pain, my incision is there but it doesn't hurt, my throat doesn't hurt, my voice is practically normal and I'm returning to choir practice tonight. I don't feel anything out of the ordinary unless I swallow with my head back a little bit. I feel good - I'm just impatient to feel great! hugs4


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

thats amazing. That is just amazing. Ann I know you must of been a mess by what you described by your thyroid description. can you try to find out if you had hashimotos or graves when you talk to him? cant believe you went to choir practice. Call me if you can. if you dont have my number, write me on FB.

Im still waiting for my uptake to come back. Im not on any thyroid, just testostorone. I think on Thursday ill probably go back to my Dr. and she will want to play with 1/2 grain armour with me. My prediction.


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

My original diagnosis was Toxic Multinodular Goiter and the endocrinologist said Hashimotos...but I've never believed I had Hashimotos. As God is my witness, what nasdaqphil wrote on this website about Hashitoxicosis described word for word how I felt AND why I think I never had any bad test results.

My last labs before surgery had me completely "biochemically euthyroid"...then the surgeon found my thyroid to be three times bigger than it was supposed to be and he said it was "filled" with cysts and nodules and a tiny bit of cancer.

I'd had ultrasound and nuclear uptake scans every 6 months for two years and nothing dramatic ever was indicated. My endocrinologist was concerned about two nodules, which I wouldn't have biopsied because I'd read so much about FNA not being reliable.

I couldn't have felt any worse and still been functional...but my tests were all within normal ranges.

My endocrinologist never pushed for surgery nor even really suggested surgery other than to say I needed to do something because nodules needed biopsy when they reached 3 cm. in size, which one of mine was. I'll never understand how my thyroid was in such a mess and nothing out of the ordinary ever showed up on tests.

I may have already told you this but my first internist (no longer with me!!) told me (when I begged for a referral to the second endocrinologist), "You're not going to stop until you do something you'll regret." She, two years into what I was suffering with, still did not believe I had a thyroid problem AND apparently the second endocrinologist never realized the problem was as bad as it was.


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

I want mine out so bad but afraid of what's on the other side. Are they going to tell you a final result?


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

I guess most people dont need to post on here if they arent sick anymore...


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Brucergoldberg said:


> I guess most people dont need to post on here if they arent sick anymore...


That is true. I think due to the very nature of this forum, we're a bit skewed to the "not doing so well" end of the thyroid spectrum. People who are doing well or are not feeling sick would not necessarily be motivated to seek out a discussion forum like this. There are exceptions, of course (myself included), and we enjoy everyone's input!


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

octavia,

Did you find out if you had hashimotos or graves or anything of sorts?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Brucergoldberg said:


> octavia,
> 
> Did you find out if you had hashimotos or graves or anything of sorts?


No, I only found out that I had cancer. Neither Graves nor Hashimotos was ever discussed or suspected. In hindsight, I probably had something going on for several years, but the few thyroid tests I had done always came back normal, and I didn't really pursue it. I also had two heart studies done (24hour monitor) due to palpitations over the last 15 years, and neither showed anything, so I just gave up.


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

does anyone have any thoughts on killing off the thryoid with RAI instead of surgery to see if that works for me?


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

Well for those of you keeping up with my saga, they are not repeating my uptake scan saying that it will just show hypothyroid. So i started thyroid again today. Started with a tiny dose of t4 and t3. 9.25 t4/ 2.25 t3 as a compound.

Felt overall today a little bitter, but about 7 pm i crashed so hard i could hardly stand it. As i write this post i am so tired, dizzy and have heart palps. Its only day one

if this doesnt work, surgery will be my next step. Im so dizzy


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

Brucergoldberg said:


> does anyone have any thoughts on killing off the thryoid with RAI instead of surgery to see if that works for me?


When my endocrinologist wanted to needle biopsy two of my nodules I resisted, I had read so much that suggested FNA was not totally reliable and I just didn't want to go through all that and then (1.) maybe not get a true report or (2.) always wonder whether the report I got was accurate or not. SO, I asked about permanently removing my thyroid.

I knew I had nodules, I knew everytime (every 6 months) I had an ultrasound and nuclear uptake scans that old nodules were growing and new ones were appearing - I KNEW sooner or later I was going to need my thyroid removed and I asked about RAI.

My endocrinologist said I wasn't a candidate for RAI because of the nodules, that she thought there was a danger if the patient had nodules that cancer might possibly be spread...so that's when I opted for surgery.


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

sorry id still like to talk to someone who has had this surgery for hashimotos only if you are out there.


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## Christi (Oct 12, 2011)

I had surgery to remove the diseased side (in my case right side) in October 2011. I did have a small suspicious nodule but I was only 8mm and surgery was recommended but my ENT said I could take the wait and watch approach. I opted for surgery. I skipped my follow up labs. I was in a bad auto accident in April 2011 and have been back and forth between Neurosurgeons and Neurolists and honestly got sick of doctors & needles so I took December and January off, though my Hypo systems are now disabling. My appointment is now set for February 24th. I was told that my left lobe looked healthy. In my case, due to my other issues with the car wreck, it's hard to tell if my symptoms are completely thyroid induced, or other issues generated with the nerve damage I suffered in the accident. Which, obviously, is why it was and is essential for me to have my panels checked! My ENT did feel that at my age (I'll be 40 this year) that the heathy side of my thyroid should be able to regulate my system without the handicap of the diseased side.

I'm not sure that will be of help to you or not.


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