# Im back in.



## Brucergoldberg

Mark me down for feb 16. Went to see a new endo today. She did a looksie on me. Guess this can explain the pain everywhere, loss of hearing, ear ringing, sinus headaches, etc. The thyroid is pushing against my lymph node now. I told her right then and there "take this **** out now". SO there ya have it folks.

Im so over this at this point. I don't really care what happens at this point. I told them to call me if anything opens earlier, ill be sticking my ass in a cab when the phone rings and driving myself to have it removed if thats what it takes.

In the words of my 2 year old "see ya later babydolls!" LOL


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## shellebean

YEAH!!!...I think yeah, right?
Moving forward!


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## sonnyjane

Yay! I read some of your other posts and could clearly sense your frustration. I had mine removed in November and while it's been what I would classify as "an annoyance", I'm really not that much worse for wear post-surgery. Sounds like this is the best decision for you!


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## Brucergoldberg

There is not a waking hour that my throat doesn't hurt, awake or asleep. I feel like something is growing in my throat. She showed me her thyroid on the sonogram. Then she showed me mine. 
Hers looked all defined, pretty , very easy to read like a road map.
Mine looked like the same roadmap, except someone spilled a cup of coffee all over it and it was just a big ink blot of ****.


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## I DClaire

I won't say I feel excited for you but knowing what I went through for so long, knowing instinctively that I was just spinning my wheels trying to find answers that were nowhere to be found, I honestly believe this is your best shot. You know my story, how 3 1/2 years of tests never showed a thing other than a few nodules...then it turned out my thyroid was a royal mess "filled with" (in the words of the surgeon) cysts and nodules. I may be as wrong as wrong can be but I really don't have a great deal of faith in thyroid tests! A prominent EN&T specialist, after a barium swallow test, diagnosed that I needed my esophagus stretched because I had trouble swallowing. He said the pain in my upper chest was acid reflux, my nagging cough and transient loss of hearing in one ear were because of allergies. Did I say I don't have much faith in thyroid tests??? My thyroid was three times bigger than normal, filled with cysts, nodules and a tiny cancer - I did not need my esophagus stretched!

Either something really serious is happening OR you're losing your mind! :confused0003: Do you ever find yourself wondering which is the case? I know I did - I very nearly drove myself crazy trying to take prescription drugs for symptoms of hyperthyroidism...until one day a little light came on and 2 and 2 did not equal everything from a bone spur to acid reflex - I KNEW I had a thyroid problem that was never ever going to get better. Nasdaqphil's personal experience with Hashimoto's was an epiphany for me. It all made perfect sense.

My prayer is removing your thyroid will (in particular) help dramatically with the problems I know you're having with your hearing. You're too young to have the rest of your life compromised by something that is robbing you of the quality of life you want for yourself. Maybe it's not thyroid...but I don't think you'll ever find out unless you go with your gut feeling and see what happens.

I don't believe you'll find the surgery itself that hard to manage. I know you have access to wonderful specialists where you live. I just wish you all the luck in the world and will be thinking about you every day as you move toward this surgery.


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## Brucergoldberg

thanks. At this point, its almost humorous.... I didn't realize how messed up i was until today when she showed me her thyroid, and then showed me mine. I guess we gradually accept the gradually declining health as normal. Like a dog who loses a leg, just keeps going on like nothing happened. What i find acceptable today (pain, lack of sleep, all that stuff) would of killed me 2 years ago, but I've adapted to it and gotten use to it.

Heres my next challenge - I'm on armour. I want to get the "eff" off of this stuff and get on synthroid. How do i switch?


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## I DClaire

In retrospect, I now realize I did the same thing, Bruce. It's like I was so deep in the forest I couldn't see the trees until I actually got REALLY rundown - physically and mentally.

I practically lost the ability to sleep at night. For a few moments of energy I'd eat or drink anything loaded with sugar or caffeine, then feel even worse. I was struggling to the point of total exhaustion but couldn't see it. Family members and neighbors would comment all the time about how tired I looked and I really was so tired I thought my heart would stop...but I couldn't seem to control anything about my life - until I really got down.

One time I asked my endocrinologist had something triggered the onset of my thyroid problems and she said sometimes acute illness or chronic stress will cause a chemical imbalance that can lead to thyroid imbalance. I don't know that I was particularly physically ill before my thyroid problems started but I had lived under horrendous stress for a very long time.

A week or so ago Octavia posted something about identifying one thing that I could change that would maybe alter my perception of how stressed I was. I could think of a whole list but didn't think it was within me to change anything - I felt trapped by circumstances I thought I had no control over.

Then, I decided that I was going to make my life more about me for one week. Surely my so-called life wouldn't implode if I made myself the center of it for one week...and I liked the way it felt! hugs3

Maybe we all tend to lose ourselves sometimes. Then, like the three-legged dog, we quickly realize if we don't keep the momentum going we may lose it completely so we fall into altered ways of looking at things that may work to some extent but aren't normal or natural.

I'm pretty sure you're a busy breadwinner for your family, you're a husband, father, you have extended family and friends and all the responsibilities associated with living in a hectic, fast-paced world and the frustration and exhaustion of trying to manage all this when you really do not feel well has been another crippled dog story - you get it done but things aren't right, your body is tired. Surgery is not an easy decision to make but you don't want to wake-up 5-10 years from now and realize you've lost way too much to something that might not have been necessary.


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## bigfoot

Awesome news! I think having the frustration lifted by knowing there is a legitimate physical reason for feeling/being sick is a great feeling. I'm sure you (and your family) are relieved and excited about getting that sucker out.

hugs3


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> Mark me down for feb 16. Went to see a new endo today. She did a looksie on me. Guess this can explain the pain everywhere, loss of hearing, ear ringing, sinus headaches, etc. The thyroid is pushing against my lymph node now. I told her right then and there "take this **** out now". SO there ya have it folks.
> 
> Im so over this at this point. I don't really care what happens at this point. I told them to call me if anything opens earlier, ill be sticking my ass in a cab when the phone rings and driving myself to have it removed if thats what it takes.
> 
> In the words of my 2 year old "see ya later babydolls!" LOL


Shall we party on down? A TT party???

On the serious side; I am so so glad to hear this. Calendar is marked!!


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## Brucergoldberg

YIPEEE. its the most exciting thing to happen to me in the last 10 years. Tonight at dinner my kid says "are you scared?" I am like "are you freakin kidding me? I would be there in 20 minutes if they phone rang with an opening. I want this **** out of me." My labs are all in range. I take my meds religiously. My throat hurts, i can't turn my head. I feel something pressing against my trachea. Its like an alien monster!!


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> YIPEEE. its the most exciting thing to happen to me in the last 10 years. Tonight at dinner my kid says "are you scared?" I am like "are you freakin kidding me? I would be there in 20 minutes if they phone rang with an opening. I want this **** out of me." My labs are all in range. I take my meds religiously. My throat hurts, i can't turn my head. I feel something pressing against my trachea. Its like an alien monster!!


Quite frankly, I am really really worried about your throat hurting so bad. 2/16 can't come soon enough if you ask me!

I was so glad to get rid of my thyroid. Words cannot convey! As we all know, it can be a "killer!"


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## Brucergoldberg

i want to ask everyones opinion about something. Shall we vote?

My TT is scheduled for feb 16

my family vacation is march 13.

should i wait until i get back from vacation or will i be okay?


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> i want to ask everyones opinion about something. Shall we vote?
> 
> My TT is scheduled for feb 16
> 
> my family vacation is march 13.
> 
> should i wait until i get back from vacation or will i be okay?


All depends on what you plan on doing for your vacation? Mountain climbing? Wait. Laying on a beach somewhere; go for it.


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## Brucergoldberg

hawaii 

remind me how shitty i feel right now if i say I'm going to chicken out again.


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## Octavia

Take the vacation after the surgery, as scheduled. Consider it part of your recovery.

Tell me...exactly how "shitty" are you feeling right now?


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## Brucergoldberg

I'm on 1 grain of armour (erfa)

my ears are ringing
there is pressure and pain about 2 inches to the right of my adams apple
I also feel like someone has their finger in my trachea
my right lymph node is achy, as if i had the flu

and then my neck hurts to turn it, as if i slept on a pillow wrong.

When i swallow, i feel like i have a pill stuck in my throat.

Im a little tired, but more like a buzzing, like too much treble not enough bass.


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## Octavia

Brucergoldberg said:


> I'm on 1 grain of armour (erfa)
> 
> my ears are ringing
> there is pressure and pain about 2 inches to the right of my adams apple
> I also feel like someone has their finger in my trachea
> my right lymph node is achy, as if i had the flu
> 
> and then my neck hurts to turn it, as if i slept on a pillow wrong.
> 
> When i swallow, i feel like i have a pill stuck in my throat.
> 
> Im a little tired, but more like a buzzing, like too much treble not enough bass.


Okay. That question wasn't for me...it was for you. Come back to this post and many of your other posts if you consider "chickening out" again!

:hugs:


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## Octavia

One more thing...you'll want to put a strong sunscreen on your scar for a year after surgery to minimize permanent hyperpigmentation. Be sure to bring some on your vacation!


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## Brucergoldberg

wow you sneaky bas$W$& i see what you did to me now LOL

whats scary is I've seen some scars from this doc, they aren't very low. I guess my modeling career won't be happening LOL


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## Octavia

Bruce, I know what you mean about where the scars are. My surgeon originally wanted to go an inch or two higher than I was comfortable with, so when I politely challenged him on it and asked him to cut as low as he could, he did. In his defense, his goal was to use one of my existing neck creases as his cutting line, but the problem is that I don't have any of those down low on my neck, and even the ones I do have aren't really that "creasy," so they wouldn't have hidden the scar well, anyway.

Just talk to the doc and make it clear that you'd like your scar/incision to be at the very bottom of your neck, and I'm guessing he or she will oblige. 

You mean I can blame my lack of a modeling career on my neck scar now? That's fantastic!


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## Brucergoldberg

Im actually excited about the surgery. I had my gallbladder out on accident (when they thought all this was my gallbladder originally so they took it out) so thats why i was nervous at first.

I had a couple questions and i realize this has already been covered at some point but,

what will i eat after surgery? like will i not be able to swallow anything? I'm pretty skinny and i struggle as it is to keep at a reasonable healthy weight.

Will they dope me up when i come out? Its not so much about the pain, but i think I'm going to need some good stuff to help me cope with realizing what just happened


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## Brucergoldberg

Andros and Octavia Rule. I salute you two for all your help. No one asks you to do this - its a thankless job. I know I'm a total smart ass, but you guys are truly appreciated. I hope y'all know this.


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## Octavia

Brucergoldberg said:


> Andros and Octavia Rule. I salute you two for all your help. No one asks you to do this - its a thankless job. I know I'm a total smart ass, but you guys are truly appreciated. I hope y'all know this.


Very sweet, thanks, Bruce!

Regarding your questions:

Food: I had two surgeries - a partial, then a completion to get the rest out a few weeks later. After the first one, I was unable to eat, not because of the surgery itself per se, but because I was not tolerating the anesthesia...I was sick for a few days, and anytime I would stand up, I would "get sick" so to speak. I reminded them of this no fewer than 19 times prior to my second surgery, so they did my anesthesia differently, and boy, what a difference! I was eating, walking around, playing cards with my husband, etc. A totally different experience! At the very least, if you're not vomiting from the anesthesia, you should be able to eat soft and semi-soft foods. You may not have the energy to work too hard on chewy foods. If you are concerned about getting sick from the anesthesia, or if you are prone to motion sickness, then tell your doc. (You would know, based on your gall bladder surgery.)

As you come out: Well, as I was coming out, the nurse kept bugging me (and bugging me, and bugging me) and asking about my pain level. I swear, all I wanted to do was keep sleeping, and she kept waking me up to ask me about my pain. I got all of the pain medicine I asked for while in the hospital, and left with a prescription for Oxycodone after both surgeries. I hardly used any of it. They will give you any pain meds you ask for while in the hospital (whether for pain or for relaxation/coping), assuming you're not asking for it more frequently than what your doctor's orders allow.

Just think...when you're coming out on the other side of your surgery, you will be starting a new chapter of your life, and ending an old one that you really haven't enjoyed much.


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## Brucergoldberg

i can't freakin wait. i wish and pray i was there now. Ive never wanted my throat cut so bad in my life. Bring it on!


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> Andros and Octavia Rule. I salute you two for all your help. No one asks you to do this - its a thankless job. I know I'm a total smart ass, but you guys are truly appreciated. I hope y'all know this.


I always have seen past the veneer, Mr. Bruce. We love you too and you are the bomb!

If I have to duke it out w/somebody, I would want you on my team!!

All kidding aside; thank you very much for your kind words.

We are "family" here!


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## Brucergoldberg

LOL

its more like I've been on death row for three years. Im ready to be put out of my misery. Ive been in the depths of hell already, i know what its like. I know i feel better now but something still isn't right. Its like groundhog day. every day i feel fine when i wake up, but by about 1 pm I'm ready to jump off the bridge.

I wonder if this will help me balance out too. I hope so. The pain is one thing, but the balancing is the other thing. Its two fold i guess.


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## Gwen1

Hey Bruce, am I missing something? I've read pretty much all your posts. What are the doctors saying? Is it hashtoxicosis that is causing your misery or what? Or will they know more when it's out? -Gwen


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## Mnmomof3

I am so glad you are ready to get this over with. As for vacation. I am two weeks post op right now and I am totally well enough to go on vacation. And as for the eating after surgery. By the time I was brought to my room in the hospital I was starving. The nurse only wanted me to eat something soft and mild at first to make sure I could handle it. I had some cottage cheese and pudding. When I kept that in for 1 hour I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted. I then ordered a regular meal from room service. I figured ahead of time that I was going to have swallowing issues and therefore be limited to being able to down soups and such. But I ordered a hamburger and had no issues. My throat actually felt MUCH better than it had the day before surgery. Even with the swelling from surgery, my throat was better. I know that not everyone is the same, but this was my expereince.


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## Andros

Mnmomof3 said:


> I am so glad you are ready to get this over with. As for vacation. I am two weeks post op right now and I am totally well enough to go on vacation. And as for the eating after surgery. By the time I was brought to my room in the hospital I was starving. The nurse only wanted me to eat something soft and mild at first to make sure I could handle it. I had some cottage cheese and pudding. When I kept that in for 1 hour I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted. I then ordered a regular meal from room service. I figured ahead of time that I was going to have swallowing issues and therefore be limited to being able to down soups and such. But I ordered a hamburger and had no issues. My throat actually felt MUCH better than it had the day before surgery. Even with the swelling from surgery, my throat was better. I know that not everyone is the same, but this was my expereince.


Sooooooooooooo good to hear from you! Life will be good again. Did you get the pathology report yet?


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## Mnmomof3

Andros said:


> Sooooooooooooo good to hear from you! Life will be good again. Did you get the pathology report yet?


I did get my pathology report. Final results: BENIGN! I am very thankful for this news. While I do realize that thyroid cancer is very survivable, I am thrilled that I don't need to go down that road. And lets face it...cancer is just plain old scary, no matter what kind you have.


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## Brucergoldberg

freakin awesome.

did they do any sort of looksie while you were in there?


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## Brucergoldberg

This is funny. when i went to go have my surgery in nov (and chickened out) i had a biopsy done. It was a full grain biopsy (full core) where they take a rice grain size piece to check for cancer. It was $12,000.

The surgery to remove the thyroid is $3700 (plus the hospital stay)

funny


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## Brucergoldberg

I wanted to ask. Despite feeling like crap every day of my life, i am able to get a work out in at the gym every morning. I just do weights, nothing crazy.

When can i work out after surgery? couple days?


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## Mnmomof3

During my surgery they took several lymph nodes that also came back clear. This was a huge relief to me because of my previous cancer history.

As for working out, they told me that I could resume my regular activities as soon as I felt good enough, but stay away from heavy lifting for a couple of weeks. But I will say that I helped my husband lift a snowmobile 5 days after my surgery and nothing happened. I am kind of a rule breaker though and maybe it wasn't the best idea, and......I did take the light end.

I did notice that if I yell I can feel the effects so if you are a yeller, try to limit it for a couple weeks.


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## Lovlkn

I went to your website to read your story - I've never heard of someone having such sudden and severe symptoms. Glad to hear they've figured out what it was.

Have you ever posted your labs? I'm a lab junkie and would to see your numbers, with ranges of course ;-)

As far as exercise I would give the incision a week or 2 to heal and ask you doctor for a recommendation as far as lifting weights or working out. You don't want to pop the incision. Are you having minimally invasive surgery?


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## Brucergoldberg

another [email protected] I should be a writer LOL

Yes this **** just came on suddenly. Within a period of about 2 months, i went from a normal guy to a guy feeling like i had an electric plug in the back of my head. My tsh was at 5, then shot up to about 30 8 weeks later.

my labs are very weird but usually within range. Remember people who are on porcine had different labs than people on t4. I wish my t4 was better

these were my best ones but i think i was on too much nature throid

tsh .96 .40-4.50
t4free 0.9 0.8-1.8
t3 4.1 free 2.3-4.2


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> another [email protected] I should be a writer LOL
> 
> Yes this **** just came on suddenly. Within a period of about 2 months, i went from a normal guy to a guy feeling like i had an electric plug in the back of my head. My tsh was at 5, then shot up to about 30 8 weeks later.
> 
> my labs are very weird but usually within range. Remember people who are on porcine had different labs than people on t4. I wish my t4 was better
> 
> these were my best ones but i think i was on too much nature throid
> 
> tsh .96 .40-4.50
> t4free 0.9 0.8-1.8
> t3 4.1 free 2.3-4.2


Your Free T4 is good. It is supposed to be low when taking "any" T3 as T3 is the active hormone.

You are getting up there w/the FREE T3 though. It is my humble opinion that you might want to consider backing down by 1/4 grain (15mgs.)


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## Brucergoldberg

i backed down... but this is alllll about to change :rubbing hands together: next thurs

[email protected]@!


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## Octavia

Brucergoldberg said:


> i backed down...


BRUCE!!!! Don't scare me like that...for a second, I thought you meant you cancelled your surgery!

Whew!


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## Brucergoldberg

are you kiddin me? Im going to be like one of those people camping outside target waiting for the store to open to save $20 on a coffee maker....


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## Brucergoldberg

6 more days .... 6 more days..... I'm loading up on armour... i raised my dose, I'm hoping to go a little hyper before the surgery.... my dr. cringed a little bit when i told her i wouldn't be taking her synthroid... oh well..


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> 6 more days .... 6 more days..... I'm loading up on armour... i raised my dose, I'm hoping to go a little hyper before the surgery.... my dr. cringed a little bit when i told her i wouldn't be taking her synthroid... oh well..


Have you talked to your anesthesiologist about your Armour dose? That would be a smart move on your part. We don't want to lose you on the turn.

Being over medicated can cause a "dump" of thyroxin which can be and is life-threatening.


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## Brucergoldberg

I'm on such a small dose still. I was on 1 grain armour. Now I'm up to 1.25 grains. I was trying to build up just a hair before the surgery. Pre- surgery my doc told me to increase a drop anyway as my tsh was 5 and my FT3 was mid range.

the endo wants me on synthroid. DO you think I'm a moron for insisting on armour still?


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> I'm on such a small dose still. I was on 1 grain armour. Now I'm up to 1.25 grains. I was trying to build up just a hair before the surgery. Pre- surgery my doc told me to increase a drop anyway as my tsh was 5 and my FT3 was mid range.
> 
> the endo wants me on synthroid. DO you think I'm a moron for insisting on armour still?


I don't think you are a moron at all. We all share the same concerns here. It is my humble opinion that we take a wait and see until after your surgery.

Labs and how you feel will be very important.


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## Brucergoldberg

im not kidding here - i can't stress this enough - the pain has grown worse every day. the ringing is growing louder. I feel like I'm beating some clock having this surgery done. I am really afraid they are going to find something else wrong with me once they are in there.


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## Octavia

2 more days, Bruce...2 more days. (Right?)

You're almost there!


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## shellebean

Hang in there, Bruce! I don't want you to be disappointed if that magic switch doesn't go on immediately after surgery and everything that has ailed you doesn't instantly vanish...but you know this is a positive move and know it it make things much better in the long run!!! Hang in there!


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## Octavia

shellebean said:


> Hang in there, Bruce! I don't want you to be disappointed if that magic switch doesn't go on immediately after surgery and everything that has ailed you doesn't instantly vanish...but you know this is a positive move and know it it make things much better in the long run!!! Hang in there!


I like what you said here, shellebean.


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## Brucergoldberg

but what if.......

I'm just sitting here looking at the freaking clock. Hurry clock hurry.... save me from the evil witch!!

2 days
1 hour
31 minutes
22 seconds


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## Gwen1

[quote name='Brucergoldberg']but what if.......

I'm just sitting here looking at the freaking clock. Hurry clock hurry.... save me from the evil witch!!

2 days
1 hour
31 minutes
22 seconds[

If you made it this far, you will make it 2 more days! Hang on! You will be O.K.


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## Octavia

Bruce, I just want to say good luck for tomorrow. Speaking for myself and probably several others here, if we could go with you and hold your hand through the whole thing, we would. I know this has been a long, hard road for you, and your surgery tomorrow is a giant step...we'll be thinking of you!

:hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs::hugs:

(That's all the hugs the system will allow...max of 7.)


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## Brucergoldberg

thank you. I am going to send a message to you guys through one of the board members who she and i have been contacting each other.

all i want to say is this

25 hours til T time!!!!!

ears ringing
throat hurts
can't turn neck
dizzy but my labs are all perfect.

See ya later babydolls!

BRuce


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> thank you. I am going to send a message to you guys through one of the board members who she and i have been contacting each other.
> 
> all i want to say is this
> 
> 25 hours til T time!!!!!
> 
> ears ringing
> throat hurts
> can't turn neck
> dizzy but my labs are all perfect.
> 
> See ya later babydolls!
> 
> BRuce


Bruce; we are all thinking of you and wishing you all the best. The suffering will be over and you will be a free man at last!

Take care and God bless.

If I know you, you will have the hospital turned upside down with laughter!


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## Brucergoldberg

I can't wait to torture them. Ive already sent a request to the nurses that on a scale to 1 - 10 ill be a 10 so get the drugs ready LOL


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## Gwen1

That's for sure, Bruce. We 'all can vouch for that! Be good to the nurses.


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## webster2

Best wishes to you!


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## I DClaire

Andros said:


> If I know you, you will have the hospital turned upside down with laughter!


Please do not do the same thing my husband's 85-year old aunt did and get yourself kicked out of a hospital at midnight on a freezing cold, rainy January night. :anim_63:

I can laugh now - not so much then...not when my husband and I were the ones who had to go get her!

Take care of yourself today, behave, you know we're all there with you in spirit but don't talk about it too much or they'll decrease your drugs!!

Don't do what I did and think you'll be cured and back up to speed by the time you leave the hospital - it'll probably be awhile before you're 100%.


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## joplin1975

Good luck!!!!


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## Octavia

I DClaire said:


> Take care of yourself today, behave, you know we're all there with you in spirit but don't talk about it too much or they'll decrease your drugs!!


Too funny!!!

That is crazy about your Aunt...they couldn't calm her down? Seriously? (Not to hijack the thread or anything...)


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## Gwen1

lol I'm sure Bruce wouldn't mind a little conversation on his thread while he's away getting fixed.


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## Mnmomof3

Hi All. Bruce and I have been keeping in contact via email and he has asked me to keep everyone posted on his happenings today. He and I messaged back and forth several times today, even a few messages while he was in pre-op at the hospital. He was in good spirits and ready to get it done with. Apparently they took his phone away about 45 minutes before showtime because I haven't heard from him since. As soon as I hear any news I will post it here. Amy


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## Octavia

Great!!! Keep us posted! Thanks for the update, Amy...


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## shellebean

Keep us posted...I'll bet he's being a "pistol"!!


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## I DClaire

Mnmomof3 said:


> Apparently they took his phone away about 45 minutes before showtime because I haven't heard from him since.


I don't know why this sounds kinda' funny - not to mention the post about Bruce getting "fixed". I've thought about him all day and really am anxious to hear how he is doing.

Octavia, Paul's aunt was a character! Bruce probably is too  but nobody could hold a light to this aunt. She was the world's worst hypochondriac and very seldom would cooperate with what was asked of her in the hospital. The staff was insisting she get out of bed because of the danger of a blood clot, she told them (in no uncertain terms) that she wasn't about to get out of bed, they told her she had to or put herself in danger...and she announced she was leaving! I imagine everyone who had to deal with her was relieved and someone called us saying she wanted to leave, wouldn't listen to reason so _adios!_

Let's just say it was a l-o-n-g night!!

I'd think Bruce might be home by now but maybe something happened and he has to stay hospitalized. I'm anxious for an update, that's for sure!


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## Mnmomof3

Okay, I just talked to Bruce on the phone. His nurse came in and we had to hang up quickly. I didn't get all of the details yet but here is what I know so far: his surgery took 5 hours. I asked why so long and that is when we got interrupted and he had to go. His voice sounded good to me, he sounded very tired but it seems like his voice is probably normal. He is discouraged because he still hears the ringing in his ears. And he is in quite a bit of pain. I will post more as I know it but it might not be until morning. I get up at 4:00AM and this is way past my bedtime. I will pass on everyone's well wishes to him. What a great bunch of supportive people you all are!!


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## Mnmomof3

Talked to him again. The surgery took so long because apparently things were wrapped around this trachea pretty good. He said right now, after 3 doses of Morphine that his pain is at a 7 on a 1-10 scale. He was going to get the nurse back in to talk about the pain level and see what they can figure out. The plan is that he will go home tomorrow. I just hope they can get his pain under control before he leaves. He is also going to be allowed to continue on Armour, which he seems happy with. I will post again if I learn more but I am sure if he gets home tomorrow you will hear from him personally. Good Night All. Amy


----------



## I DClaire

I'm glad I checked back before going to bed - I really felt a bit worried about Bruce. Five hours in surgery...gheez! I can't wait to hear what on earth they had to deal with.

Poor Bruce. I honestly didn't think he would have such a hard time. I hope tomorrow will be a lot different, that he'll feel better and get to go home.


----------



## Andros

Mnmomof3 said:


> Talked to him again. The surgery took so long because apparently things were wrapped around this trachea pretty good. He said right now, after 3 doses of Morphine that his pain is at a 7 on a 1-10 scale. He was going to get the nurse back in to talk about the pain level and see what they can figure out. The plan is that he will go home tomorrow. I just hope they can get his pain under control before he leaves. He is also going to be allowed to continue on Armour, which he seems happy with. I will post again if I learn more but I am sure if he gets home tomorrow you will hear from him personally. Good Night All. Amy


Oh, Amy................you are so kind to do this for all of us and Bruce too!!! Yes; we all knew Bruce was not imagining things.

I am hopeful about the ringing; it will take some time for things to settle. Now I will worry about the pathology. As we all are.

This is horrible what the medical establishment did to him THE BIG FLUFF-OFF!


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## Octavia

Thank you for the updates, Amy (and Bruce). Hoping for good news today...fingers crossed.


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## joplin1975

Hoping today is a better day...hang in there Bruce!


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## webster2

Thank you for the updates. Keeping you in my thoughts, Bruce.


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## Brucergoldberg

I'm home..... just got in a couple minutes ago. Thank you Amy for helping me through this. It was funny i was emailing amy from the bed and i would doze off mid sentence and wake up like an hour later and finish it and then doze off again. LOL

Just got home from the hospital. Im a little tired but overall i feel much better. The biggest thing i notice is how relaxed i am. I have ZERO palpations. GONE, zero. Nada. I don't feel as anxious, my throat hurts from surgery like i got beat up but i don't have that pain around my neck or ears like i did before.

I feel hypo, but its not a weird sick hypo. Its ilke just a normal hypo, tired feeling. My ears are still ringing which sucks, but maybe i have a chance now of getting rid of that. Overall i feel much better than before the surgery. I am craving popsicles and cold sodas. The hospital sucked, I don't think i like this dr. for more than what she did. I won't go see her for balancing. I think she just wanted to take the thyroid out and after that, leave.

I got her to write me a prescription for erfa LOL I want the one grain so i don't have to take so many of the smaller pills. IM so glad to be home despite my ears ringing off the hook.... That sucks..

I had to fight my nurse, they kept giving me morphine and it wasn't doing anything to me at all. I made her call the Dr. at 10 pm to get permission to give me Delotin and benadryl. I was itching like crazy from the anastehia. I think at one point a nurse came in and i was scratching my ass and i finally had to tell her i felt like i had ants all over me.

I was hoping for more as fast as the ringing goes, but man i feel so much better. Thank you everyone. I think they were ready to be done with me when i was leaving. I guess my 80 requests for popsicles and drugs finally wore them out?

LOL


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## Brucergoldberg

OH my surgery took almost 5 hours. I guess my guts were stuck to my guts inside and they had to take everything apart or something. They said something about it being inflamed and "done" whatever that means (sounds like a piece of chicken) so they had to detach everything. I feel sorry for the person why had surgery after me, I'm sure that dr. was exhausted....


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## polly

Hey Bruce, I've just started following your posts on your surgery. Glad you are home and hope you feel better soon. A Popsicle will help : )


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## joplin1975

Glad you are home and feeling well, Bruce.

My ears still ring, six months after surgery and I was just talking to a co-worker who also have her thyroid removed ~25 years ago. She, too, has ear ringing. I never connected it to the thyroid and have kinda gotten used to it/been able to tune it all out, so mine is likely not severe, but...there it is.


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> I'm home..... just got in a couple minutes ago. Thank you Amy for helping me through this. It was funny i was emailing amy from the bed and i would doze off mid sentence and wake up like an hour later and finish it and then doze off again. LOL
> 
> Just got home from the hospital. Im a little tired but overall i feel much better. The biggest thing i notice is how relaxed i am. I have ZERO palpations. GONE, zero. Nada. I don't feel as anxious, my throat hurts from surgery like i got beat up but i don't have that pain around my neck or ears like i did before.
> 
> I feel hypo, but its not a weird sick hypo. Its ilke just a normal hypo, tired feeling. My ears are still ringing which sucks, but maybe i have a chance now of getting rid of that. Overall i feel much better than before the surgery. I am craving popsicles and cold sodas. The hospital sucked, I don't think i like this dr. for more than what she did. I won't go see her for balancing. I think she just wanted to take the thyroid out and after that, leave.
> 
> I got her to write me a prescription for erfa LOL I want the one grain so i don't have to take so many of the smaller pills. IM so glad to be home despite my ears ringing off the hook.... That sucks..
> 
> I had to fight my nurse, they kept giving me morphine and it wasn't doing anything to me at all. I made her call the Dr. at 10 pm to get permission to give me Delotin and benadryl. I was itching like crazy from the anastehia. I think at one point a nurse came in and i was scratching my ass and i finally had to tell her i felt like i had ants all over me.
> 
> I was hoping for more as fast as the ringing goes, but man i feel so much better. Thank you everyone. I think they were ready to be done with me when i was leaving. I guess my 80 requests for popsicles and drugs finally wore them out?
> 
> LOL


Your ringing will go away; repeat after me!!! My ringing will go away. And I truly think that it will once the swelling and inflamation dies down.

So, what did you do with that sucker? Is it in a jar of formaldehyde?? (sp?)

Bruce; pamper yourself to the max and I am dead serious.

We are so glad you are home!

Lu Anne


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## webster2

I am glad the surgery is over and that you are home. I had white noise instead of the ear ringing and it has left!


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## Octavia

Bruce, glad to hear everything went pretty well, all things considered. I, too, am hopeful that the ear ringing decreases. I'm sure you're super-tired...get some rest to help the inflammation go down, and hopefully that will help with the ears! 

Glad that part is over!


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## I DClaire

Send someone out to buy a bottle of Chloroseptic Throat Spray. I'm not kidding - it's good stuff! Not "good" like tasty but it was all I used for throat pain. It numbs your throat a little bit.

I'm glad you're home. Some of my thyroid tissue was wrapped around or pressing against my trachea. I remember the surgeon saying he didn't see how I could swallow. I've never had ringing in my ears but I used to have transient episodes where I'd lose hearing in my right ear and that hasn't happened since my surgery.

I read somewhere, maybe here, that it takes a year to completely recuperate from all this. I think I've so totally exhausted myself worrying about first one thing and then another that I finally have gotten my mind on other things and I actually do feel much more normal.

You've cleared the tallest hurdle though. I don't guess you've heard from your pathology report yet...hopefully that will be another worrisome detail you can check off soon.

The only time I got sick post-surgery was when a nurse insisted on giving me a shot of morphine and then :aim6:. I told her I didn't need the shot but she wouldn't listen...but she never even suggested a second one!!

Did you get out with your parathyroids intact? If you're not sitting around chomping on Tums, you probably escaped that, too!!

This time next year I'll bet the farm you'll feel better than you have in quite awhile.


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## shellebean

YEA, Bruce!! Way to go. Happy you are home and can start focusing on FEELING BETTER and getting on with your life. ONWARD!!!! Take is slow and stay positive.
Shelley


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## Gwen1

Hey Bruce, glad to hear you feel so much better. It couldn't have happened soon enough, I imagine. Hoping it will continue to be a relief and for a peaceful time of healing. Gwen


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## Brucergoldberg

omg! What did I do? I am so hypo already. My ears are ****ed. The locusts are romaing in my ears. I'm on 90 mcg of armour which is 1.5 grains. There is no way this is enough. I'm freaking out at this point. Any suggestions?


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## sonnyjane

Brucergoldberg said:


> omg! What did I do? I am so hypo already. My ears are ****ed. The locusts are romaing in my ears. I'm on 90 mcg of armour which is 1.5 grains. There is no way this is enough. I'm freaking out at this point. Any suggestions?


Sorry I can't help. I went on a 50 mcg of Cytomel post-surgery (total thyroidectomy) as a temporary dose because we knew I would need to get RAI post-surgery before going on my "real" dose of medication, which is now 137mcg Synthroid (and will be evaluated at my next appointment in a few weeks).

My *gut* reaction is to say that since your thyroid was just removed yesterday, your awful feelings right now are more related to just being beaten up during surgery and not necessarily to being hypo. It honestly took me a good week or two after surgery to really start feeling crappy and hypo. Until then I think I was "running on fumes" of my thyroid lol.

I do hope the ear thing gets sorted out  But please remember Rome wasn't built in a day. This is going to be a long process. You've taken the first step, but surgery doesn't automatically mean everything is better. You still have a lot of steps to take - but at least you've taken the biggest one!


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## joplin1975

Yup, sonnyjane is correct, you're likely in the midst of the infamous thyroid dump. Unfortunately, you just kind of need to get through it and re-test at 6 weeks to see how things are. Hang in there!


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> omg! What did I do? I am so hypo already. My ears are ****ed. The locusts are romaing in my ears. I'm on 90 mcg of armour which is 1.5 grains. There is no way this is enough. I'm freaking out at this point. Any suggestions?


Has your doctor not instructed what you should do re your Armour? When you said you were itching and all, I thought thyroxine dump. Do you remember that I thought it might be better for you if you discontinued your Armour for a week or so prior to your surgery so you would not dump?

Anyway; I am not the doctor but if it were me, I would dispense with the Armour for a few days and I *definitely* would call my doctor.

If your FREE T3 is sky-high, that would make you feel like there are locusts in your ears. Have you taken your blood pressure?

{{{{Bruce}}}}


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## I DClaire

I was just the opposite. I felt reborn immediately after surgery and actually for a week or so...then the world caved in on me for awhile. I've posted multiple times on this site that I thought I was going to wake-up, start swallowing Synthroid and go on my merry way and that did not happen. I'm almost 5 months post-op and really just now feeling relatively normal.

There is no way of telling what all you may have to endure or have to manage that you'll discover as your body tries to re-adjust itself to all the changes. I honestly believe with all my heart that it takes time for most of us and maybe just about the time you're ready to throw in the towel is when things will start to show real signs of improvement.

Think about what or how your thyroid regulated everything in your body...and suddenly it was gone.

I kinda' doubt "Patience" is your middle name and it definitely isn't mine but I KNOW I've done myself more harm than good trying to find resolution before my body was able to re-group and adjust to everything being turned upside down, everything from my brain and the hair on my head to my digestive system, vision and fingernails. I don't think one thing about how our body's function escapes having to totally find a new place to call normal when the little organ that drove the whole show is damaged, diseased or removed.


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## Brucergoldberg

I am on armour, i bumped it up to a hair, almost two grains. Im multi dosing, not sure if that is the right thing to do, but honestly who the hell knows anymore. I feel like i felt before except now i have pain in my throat. Maybe this will pass. Im also pretty tired, kinda stupid. I could get around if i needed to, but just really tired.


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## Gwen1

I DClaire said:


> I kinda' doubt "Patience" is your middle name and it definitely isn't mine but I KNOW I've done myself more harm than good trying to find resolution before my body was able to re-group and adjust to everything being turned upside down, everything from my brain and the hair on my head to my digestive system, vision and fingernails. I don't think one thing about how our body's function escapes having to totally find a new place to call normal when the little organ that drove the whole show is damaged, diseased or removed.


I think IDClaire said it all here.

And stop playing around with your dosage-Bruce! We all know with thyroid
hormone, it's not an instant fix. You need to keep steady levels and anytime you
increase or decrease will cause an up and down effect until you level out on it in six weeks, 
providing it is the same consistent dose. I don't know if anyone told you that or not. Hang in there.  -Gwen


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## Brucergoldberg

i have not felt well doing multi dosing. I want to get off to the right start with this new deal. Maybe i should just do a single dose?


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## sonnyjane

Yikes I agree with the others! Please stop playing around with your medication!

You're going to do more harm than good. You just had surgery. You're going to be more tired and in pain than normal. You'll really mess up a lot - including your future test results which are needed to determine your ideal dosage - if you play around with your medications.


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## webster2

Bruce, just hang in there a bit longer. Your body has been through the wringer. Let the anesthesia leave your body and things will begin to settle down. It takes time but you will feel good again, maybe even great. For about a week, I just lounged around and drank ice water. Given what you had been through before surgery, it will take time...It is almost 7 months for me, and I feel pretty good.


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## sonnyjane

My first 5 days post-surgery were horrrrrrrrrible. Like - bawling my eyes out and wishing I was no longer on this earth horrible. But magically, I woke up on day 6 feeling "normal" again. Hang in there. It will get better, just might not feel like that right now.


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## I DClaire

Bruce, in spite of how he seems to feel right, appears alive and well on Facebook today...except for the little bluebirds circling his head!! If his sense of humor is healthy, it'll go a long way toward helping him get through the frustration he no doubt will still have to work through.

Being able to laugh when you feel like crying is a blessing.

I thought I'd take a moment and embarrass Bruce to death. :ashamed0003: Ladies, am I telling the truth or not? Do men ever seem more appealing than when they're sick or hurt?  Bruce is a really cute guy when he's well - even more so when he probably doesn't feel quite up to speed!!

I hope you're feeling much better today, Bruce!! The video is really cute!!


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## Gwen1

This really touched my heart IDClaire. Big Hugs to you, Bruce. I have appreciated your great humor through all this. You inspire me.  -Gwen


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## Brucergoldberg

Haha. i forgot that i even did that. I wish there was a way to post that so everyone can see it. Its a 8 second video clip showing exactly how i felt yesterday. I felt pretty damn bad today too. Woke up at 9 am, my ears were blaring. I took my medication, my ears were blaring worse. I told my wife goodbye and that i made a horrible mistake. I ate breakfast and then i went back to bed. I just woke up about 2 pm, feeling a little bit better. Took my afternoon dose of armour.

The doctor told me to continue to take 90 mcg of armour but there is no way in hell this is enough to sustain me. I bumped myself up to 120 mcg, i don't feel hyper at all. Im going to stick with this and let her yell at me if she wants to. The pain is almost gone, but i just feel totally out of it. I had horrible dreams last night about death, being stuck ilke this forever. Maybe i made a horrible mistake. My ears are ringing so bad.

I love you guys despite my *****ings and would of done this even if i didn't know you but knowing you has really helped me through this. Thank you AMy and Claire for being there for me. Im not sure whether or not to hug you or to beat you LOL


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## Brucergoldberg

Did anyone else have the horror of the ear ringing the next day? I thought mine was bad before, but now my body is ****ED!


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## Octavia

Bruce, to what extent do you think it's possible that you are feeling bad simply because you just had surgery two days ago? I just don't want you to underestimate how the surgery itself wears a body down, with the anesthesia, shock to the system, necessary healing that the body has to do, etc.

I'm sure the ear ringing is driving you batty, but I'd hate to see you overdo it on the Armour because you're just plain tired from the surgery, in which case no amount of Armour or T4 med is going to truly help...but plenty of rest will help your body feel better more quickly. Is it possible to give yourself too much Armour too fast? (I've never taken it.)


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## Mnmomof3

I love you guys despite my *****ings and would of done this even if i didn't know you but knowing you has really helped me through this. Thank you AMy and Claire for being there for me. Im not sure whether or not to hug you or to beat you LOL[/QUOTE]

LOL! If it would make you feel any better I would take the beating. It's been my pleasure to be there for you....I have become rather fond of you over these last couple of weeks.

And I agree with Octavia...you just had a pretty big surgery. Just coming back from the anesthesia is a lot of work for your body, not to mention all of the trauma involved in getting that darn thing out of there. You did not cut yourself shaving...you had major surgery. Keep getting the rest, eating good, drinking lots of fluids, etc. It will get better, I am sure of it.


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## Brucergoldberg

yeah i was just thinking the same thing. Maybe i should just stick with the 90 mcg. i can't believe that might be a full replacement dose but maybe it is. I slept til 1 pm today. I think I'm feeling better than before the surgery. I'm not sure. I don't feel as wired. I still feel wired or "twired" (wired and twired) but i don't think its as bad.

My family leaves tomorrow (goes back to work and all that) so it should make for an interesting day...

maybe the increase in meds is why i was so tired today too. Uggh


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## sonnyjane

Will you be getting radioactive iodine treatment do you know?


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## joplin1975

90 mg might not be the full replacement dose. It might be where your doctor wants to *start* you while you are in the midst of some major hormonal upheaval. Increasing your dose without your doctors guidance might could be complicating the post-op regulation process. I think those who start on their full replacement dose without any tweaks up or down are the exception, not the rule. Six months out and I'm still figuring it out.

I had an easy time with the surgery but I had my fair share of hot flashes, days of being twired, restless sleep and strange appetite patterns.

Stay hydrated, keep on top of your pain meds, ice, rest, and follow your doctors instructions and it will get better.


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## Brucergoldberg

geez i hope not. i haven't gotten the pathology report yet. Knowing this hospital, they may of forgotten to do that . I wasn't exactly dealing with the most sophisticated people.


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## Octavia

"twired" - love that word!!!

They'll probably need 4-7 days for a full pathology study/report...so don't assume anything about not hearing anything yet. Would be interesting if pathology studied the "emotions" of the tissue, as it sounds like yours was pretty angry!

:hugs:

So...are you taking 90 mcg Synthroid (or some other version of T4) plus some Armour?


----------



## I DClaire

Octavia said:


> "twired" - love that word!!!
> 
> They'll probably need 4-7 days for a full pathology study/report...so don't assume anything about not hearing anything yet. Would be interesting if pathology studied the "emotions" of the tissue, as it sounds like yours was pretty angry!
> 
> :hugs:
> 
> So...are you taking 90 mcg Synthroid (or some other version of T4) plus some Armour?


I knew the first time I saw someone post the word "twired" that somebody knew...somebody else besides me knew how it felt to be dead tired and hyper simultaneously. I don't feel that way too much anymore.

My daughter is home right now for Mardi Gras and yesterday afternoon made the remark that I was wondrously more like myself than I was a year ago...that back then she almost felt like I was withdrawing from everything because I felt so bad. She said she had noticed how many times this weekend I'd been laughing and enjoying the festivities.

Sometimes I guess we can be too close to the forest to see the trees but it feels majorly encouraging when you really do begin to believe you're feeling better and enjoying life again.


----------



## Andros

I DClaire said:


> I knew the first time I saw someone post the word "twired" that somebody knew...somebody else besides me knew how it felt to be dead tired and hyper simultaneously. I don't feel that way too much anymore.
> 
> My daughter is home right now for Mardi Gras and yesterday afternoon made the remark that I was wondrously more like myself than I was a year ago...that back then she almost felt like I was withdrawing from everything because I felt so bad. She said she had noticed how many times this weekend I'd been laughing and enjoying the festivities.
> 
> Sometimes I guess we can be too close to the forest to see the trees but it feels majorly encouraging when you really do begin to believe you're feeling better and enjoying life again.


Now that is the "best" news ever. For you, your recovery is insidious. Others who don't see you every day notice it right away.

When do you get your labs and an increase?


----------



## Octavia

I DClaire said:


> My daughter is home right now for Mardi Gras and yesterday afternoon made the remark that I was wondrously more like myself than I was a year ago...that back then she almost felt like I was withdrawing from everything because I felt so bad. She said she had noticed how many times this weekend I'd been laughing and enjoying the festivities.
> 
> Sometimes I guess we can be too close to the forest to see the trees but it feels majorly encouraging when you really do begin to believe you're feeling better and enjoying life again.


I loved reading this, IDC! hugs4


----------



## Brucergoldberg

Jesus today its Monday. I had my surgery on Thursday. I am freaking out. I am so tired, dizzy, nauseas, i can hardly seeing straight. I am pretending like i know what I'm doing, but I'm actually wishing that a big club would come out of the sky and clobber me over the head and put me out of my misery.

Im still taking 90mcg split into 2 doses (45 mcg each). Im so dizzy and i of course i have pain in the throat area. Im not hungry, i just want to be left alone and lay down and fall into a deep sleep. But I've got 2 kids and they are relentless.....

Is the nausea normal? And of course my ears are ringing like mad.


----------



## Octavia

Bruce, I vaguely recall that you've had surgery before...gallbladder, maybe??? Or is this your first surgery?

If this is not your first surgery, did you feel similarly tired, nauseous, etc. after the other(s)? If this is your first surgery, I think you need to give your body some time to relax and heal. I felt sick for days after my surgery...days. All I wanted to do was sleep and throw up, and that's pretty much what I did. It took me about a week to feel genuinely human again after my first surgery, and I'm convinced it's because of the anesthetic they used. For my second surgery, they changed up the anesthetic because I told them how bad I felt after the first surgery, and it made all the difference. Some people's bodies (mine included) just don't know what to do with some of those drugs that are used to put us under. I'm guessing that's at least 3/4ths of your issue here. Do you disagree?


----------



## Brucergoldberg

could be - sounds good... But i kinda feel like i felt before but like 3 x worse. Maybe i was hypo before and then having this time bomb out made me more hypo. Thats more in line with how i feel. Its weird the cycle - better in morning, worse as day goes on. Maybe I've got something else going on but who knows what. Ive been checked for lupus before and most other diseases. Not sure what the hell else it could be. Uggh


----------



## I DClaire

Andros said:


> When do you get your labs and an increase?


New labs day after tomorrow - will see my endocrinologist one week after that.

I, as I've said before, didn't have any problems whatsoever immediately following surgery as far as the way I felt. I walked all over the hospital for 4-5 days waiting for my calcium levels to improve but I felt great. I know, tragicly, that that is not the case for everyone.

Bruce, if you feel really bad, please get in touch with your surgeon or endocrinologist. Some people have monumental reactions to surgery that actually don't have anything to do with the surgery itself. Some people fall into dangerous levels of depression quickly and it can be life-threatening if it really does effect your mental or emotional state to a significant level.

Your poor body doesn't know what on earth is happening. I don't know why but for 2-3 weeks after my own surgery I could not think straight, I could not concentrate on anything (like reading or TV) and everything made me awfully nervous. The least little thing would seem to set off a level of nervousness that I had no way to control other than just try to hang on and wait for it to pass. I could not have dealt with little kids! Period!

Synthroid made me (after being on it awhile) feel half-crazy. My balance was off, it seemed like my hand/eye coordination was off, I was _OFF_ more than I ever felt anywhere near normal.

Your poor body is under seige right now. The days and nights are long and frustrating but I think, based on my own experiences, that it helps to try to stay as calm as possible. Even now, 5 months post-op, if something even slightly upsets me it'll seem to ignite a firestorm of nervousness...but it is getting better.


----------



## Brucergoldberg

claire,

you are on armour now? I am not as twired as before, but my ears are ringing like mad. the day i got out of the hospital my wife and i went to the grocery - we were walking holding hands through the store, just screwing around. I felt fabulous. Then today i swear i feel like a freaking bomb went off. This damn ear ringing is going to send me to an early death. It got worse after the surgery. I truly believe 90 mcg is not enough. It can't be enough. I was on 90 mcg of armour before the surgery and the tsh was at 5.10. My guess is that i need to be on 2 full grains.

Claire - are you multi dosing? Im going to call the surgeon in the morning. My guess is she is clueless.

bruce


----------



## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> claire,
> 
> you are on armour now? I am not as twired as before, but my ears are ringing like mad. the day i got out of the hospital my wife and i went to the grocery - we were walking holding hands through the store, just screwing around. I felt fabulous. Then today i swear i feel like a freaking bomb went off. This damn ear ringing is going to send me to an early death. It got worse after the surgery. I truly believe 90 mcg is not enough. It can't be enough. I was on 90 mcg of armour before the surgery and the tsh was at 5.10. My guess is that i need to be on 2 full grains.
> 
> Claire - are you multi dosing? Im going to call the surgeon in the morning. My guess is she is clueless.
> 
> bruce


If the surgeon is an ENT, she should not be clueless. At this point, I am wondering if you need cat scan of the inner ear and surrounding environment.

You need time for the TSI and other immunoglobulins and antibodies to calm down. Once they figure out they no longer have a "victim" to attack, they will scoot and skeedaddle.


----------



## I DClaire

Brucergoldberg said:


> claire,
> 
> you are on armour now? I am not as twired as before, but my ears are ringing like mad. the day i got out of the hospital my wife and i went to the grocery - we were walking holding hands through the store, just screwing around. I felt fabulous. Then today i swear i feel like a freaking bomb went off. This damn ear ringing is going to send me to an early death. It got worse after the surgery. I truly believe 90 mcg is not enough. It can't be enough. I was on 90 mcg of armour before the surgery and the tsh was at 5.10. My guess is that i need to be on 2 full grains.
> 
> Claire - are you multi dosing? Im going to call the surgeon in the morning. My guess is she is clueless.
> 
> bruce


I'm on 60 mg Armour, Bruce. That, one blood pressure pill, Vitamin D3 and Calcium are ALL I'm taking at the moment. My problem tends to be getting too much medication rather than too little...but I do hope I get bumped-up a little bit with the Armour next week. I never know - I'll think I need more of something but test results will often indicate I need less. My liver doesn't process drugs well.

The level of ringing in your ears you've always talked about is incredible. My younger sister has that but to a much less intense level. Still, she has gotten to where she can't talk on a telephone, can't converse in places like noisy restaurants, can't bear loud music, etc. She has tried everything and been seen by several specialists but they tell her it is Meniere's and all she can do (short of a surgery not done here) is eat less salt, drink more water and exercise more...none of which have made one particle of difference. Lynn's labs show a very slight thyroid imbalance but her doctors tell her that has nothing to do with her hearing problems but I suspect it does.

Like you, I hope and pray I never have the ear-ringing problem because it would probably drive me insane. I'm extraordinarily sensitive to loud noise (I watch TV with the remote control in my hands, lowering the audio on commercials, raising it when the show comes back on). I have to use earplugs when I go to most movies and shop at a few stores (Charming Charlie is the worst for loud music).

My sister did suffer a terrible injury to her eardrum as a child but the ear that bothers her the most today is her right ear, she injured her left ear. When she was 4 years old, a bunch of neighborhood kids were shooting fireworks when one lit one in his hands, didn't realize he'd thrown the match down instead of the firecracker...then when he did realize what he'd done, he threw the lit firecracker to within inches of Lynn's left ear. She had several surgeries as a child to save her eardrum.

You're in my thoughts and prayers every day. I know you wonder every day if the ear/hearing problems are related to your thyroid or not. One doctor told Lynn that there is an operation that might help her but the closest location would be Memphis and the outcome might be the problem would get worse instead of better.

I'm not good at health multi-tasking - I can only deal with one personal health problem/frustration at a time.


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## Brucergoldberg

i had MRI of ear drums and all that stuff. Everything was fine. Its the thyroid. The thyroid came out and the noise was turned up.

I can't believe you are only on 1 grain armour. WOW. thats a baby dose  I was on 90 mcg and my tsh was 5.0 and my ft3 was not that great. SO i know that 90 mcg for me isn't enough. In fact i took 120 mcg today and had a little relief. Not much but a little.

Maybe I'm just being impatient. Im curious to see what happens with Tgab.. should be interesting.


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## Brucergoldberg

the surgeon is a endocrine surgeon. She only takes out thyroids. In fact i feel a little taken advantage of seeing her, as i should of known her answer was going to be a removal. She is an ENDO by trade and a surgeon.

When i called to talk to her (i haven't seen her since she took the thing like a thief in the night) the receptionist said "I've never heard of anyone feeling worse with your symptoms so i don't know". (reallY???? out of the 500 surgeries you have witnessed I'm the first guy with nausea and ear ringing?)


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## I DClaire

I've posted here previously that while I truly like my endocrinologist, her staff leaves a lot to be desired and there's no way to get around them. I've called, literally begging to be seen, and been told I had to wait for my next appointment. I wish all that was different and I've nearly bitten my tongue off to keep from complaining but one of these days I'm going to probably tell one of the office people how the cow ate the cabbage!! :anim_55:


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## Brucergoldberg

Ok i have to vent a little bit. First of all, I love claire. she is a bad ass lady. DId anyone see what claire looked like when she was young? WOO HOO>>>>!

Now, down to business.

Is there some secret society of doctors like something like pelican brief or the firm where all endocrinologists have some secret **** they keep amongst themselves like a fraternity secret? I guess since hypothetically i cannot PROVE how crappy i feel, they can throw it back in my face like they have never heard of it? I know for a fact a friend of mine went to one of my endos and reported the same problems as me and the endo told him that this was the first time the endo has heard of anyone with these problems. Are they F'n Morons???

SO today I got a call from the PA of the moron that took my thyroid out. I told her that i was dizzy, that the ear ringing is worse, that I'm so tired i can hardly stand it and that i have this bruise that goes around my trachea down to the top of my chest. She procedes to tell me she has never heard of this before.

REALLY??????? you have done 500+ TT in the last year, and I am the first person you have met that feels crappy 3 days after surgery? None of your other patients have a big bruise from the operation? All your patients get instant relief? None of them feel hypo? You are a LIAR! I have no respect for them anymore.

Oh and claire I got rid of my Facebook for the thyroid issues. I still have my other one, but you seem to respond to this more anyway.

bruce


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## Andros

I DClaire said:


> New labs day after tomorrow - will see my endocrinologist one week after that.
> 
> I, as I've said before, didn't have any problems whatsoever immediately following surgery as far as the way I felt. I walked all over the hospital for 4-5 days waiting for my calcium levels to improve but I felt great. I know, tragicly, that that is not the case for everyone.
> 
> Bruce, if you feel really bad, please get in touch with your surgeon or endocrinologist. Some people have monumental reactions to surgery that actually don't have anything to do with the surgery itself. Some people fall into dangerous levels of depression quickly and it can be life-threatening if it really does effect your mental or emotional state to a significant level.
> 
> Your poor body doesn't know what on earth is happening. I don't know why but for 2-3 weeks after my own surgery I could not think straight, I could not concentrate on anything (like reading or TV) and everything made me awfully nervous. The least little thing would seem to set off a level of nervousness that I had no way to control other than just try to hang on and wait for it to pass. I could not have dealt with little kids! Period!
> 
> Synthroid made me (after being on it awhile) feel half-crazy. My balance was off, it seemed like my hand/eye coordination was off, I was _OFF_ more than I ever felt anywhere near normal.
> 
> Your poor body is under seige right now. The days and nights are long and frustrating but I think, based on my own experiences, that it helps to try to stay as calm as possible. Even now, 5 months post-op, if something even slightly upsets me it'll seem to ignite a firestorm of nervousness...but it is getting better.


Will be waiting in the wings w/bated breath.


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## joplin1975

Bruce, when are you scheduled for your follow-up appointment? Do you have stitches or glue? Would you be comfortable posting pictures of the brusing?

I think most of us felt varying degrees discomfort after surgery -- from mild hormonal upheaval to much more. I don't think anyone has felt "instant relief." But the fact that you have bruising is somewhat disconcerting. I was told that minor bruising can be common but anything more than "minor" was cause for concern -- its a vascular area and, per my surgeon, one of the most technical aspects of the surgery is properly tying off the vascular tissue that feeds the thyroid. DO you have any swelling?


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## Brucergoldberg

no swelling really. just a bruise and the obvious slit that everyone looks and says "man this guy is nuts, he tried to kill himself".

I have some photos and even a short video my wife took of me that is 6 seconds long showing how looped i was after surgery (this is the one claire refers to with me with birds going around my head like a popeye cartoon). how can i post them? or can i email them to someone?

I had glue and a strip. Amy said "you look like you nicked yourself shaving" hahaha.


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## Octavia

Brucergoldberg said:


> REALLY??????? you have done 500+ TT in the last year, and I am the first person you have met that feels crappy 3 days after surgery?


Well, Bruce...we knew all along you were special! 

I hope you're feeling a little bit better each day.


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## Mnmomof3

Brucergoldberg said:


> no swelling really. just a bruise and the obvious slit that everyone looks and says "man this guy is nuts, he tried to kill himself".
> 
> I have some photos and even a short video my wife took of me that is 6 seconds long showing how looped i was after surgery (this is the one claire refers to with me with birds going around my head like a popeye cartoon). how can i post them? or can i email them to someone?
> 
> I had glue and a strip. Amy said "you look like you nicked yourself shaving" hahaha.


Well I was a little jealous when I saw your bandage...mine was huge by comparison. Because of the size of my nodule they had to make a fairly large incision...yay me! About the bruising though...my doc said that anything more than a little is to be reported to him. Mine did not bruise at all. Obviously, every one is different but I am concerned if you have a lot of bruising.


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## Brucergoldberg

How long did it take for you folks to get your pathology back? its been a week for me. I could be dead and buried at this point. I really do not like this Dr. at all. She's too "blow and go" for me. (how many thyroids can i take out in one week without giving people attention they need afterwards)


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> How long did it take for you folks to get your pathology back? its been a week for me. I could be dead and buried at this point. I really do not like this Dr. at all. She's too "blow and go" for me. (how many thyroids can i take out in one week without giving people attention they need afterwards)


Have you called and inquired? I am getting antsy about it myself. LOL!


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## joplin1975

My surgery was on a Monday in the late afternoon and I received my results Saturday evening.


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## sonnyjane

Brucergoldberg said:


> How long did it take for you folks to get your pathology back?


I had my surgery Nov. 21 and had my follow-up to go over pathology on the 30th. Do you have a follow-up scheduled?


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## Brucergoldberg

Next friday. I had another question -

does anyone have or "had" horrible anxiety that came and went on a daily basis? I have horrible anxiety. It comes and goes mid afternoon. I am not stressed. Its a daily thing. Someone else just told me that before they were better this was the worst problem that they had.


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## Gwen1

Brucergoldberg said:


> Next friday. I had another question -
> 
> does anyone have or "had" horrible anxiety that came and went on a daily basis? I have horrible anxiety. It comes and goes mid afternoon. I am not stressed. Its a daily thing. Someone else just told me that before they were better this was the worst problem that they had.


I have it. I haven't had a TT like you, but I'm in the middle of a dose change right now. I'm not an anxious person either.


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## chopper

That's my biggest problem and always has been. I go from sleepy and tired to feeling like someone stuck my with a needle full of speed. My breathing opens up and I feel very "vascular" and I "wake up". Feels like the equivalent of about 5 or 6 cups of coffee some times and varies in degree of severity.

It's a big pain in the ass. I've been told by others after being on these boards about 10 years, that anxiety usually comes and goes with dose changes or changes in your numbers and tends to go away once you level off. Others have said they've had it when hypo and once their numbers came up, it totally went away. Hang in there.


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## Brucergoldberg

awwww..... Master.... I read your stuff before i even know what a thyroid was. I think your whole essay on TSI and thyroid doses was genius. Read it once, think about it quite often.

so its not a anxiety as in "too hard to cope with stress" but more of a physical "jesus i drank too much coffee" feeling x 10 , right?


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## I DClaire

I had surgery on a Friday morning and the surgeon called with my pathology report the following Tuesday.

I went through the most bizarre anxiety-type attacks several weeks after starting Synthroid. They weren't brief, they would last for hours or sometimes all day. One afternoon I was trying to Christmas shop and I swear I felt like I didn't know who I was. I was shaky, it seemed like my balance and coordination were off, my vision seemed beyond wacky, and that was the afternoon I bumped into the big pottery vase at a gift shop and it hit the floor like a bomb and shattered. I felt like I was intoxicated and the people in the store probably thought I was but I absolutely was not.

Within a day or two of that event, I was driving and sideswiped a big plastic garbage or recycling container that was sitting on a curb. I hit it with the rear view mirror on the passenger side of my SUV...and the noise nearly scared me to death! On impact, the rear view mirror (which swiveled, etc.) slammed down against the side of the SUV like a gunshot! I've never had a wreck or even received a ticket in 50 years of driving - I KNEW this was not good...I had no business driving.

Those two things in particular made me realize I was getting in serious trouble and not long afterwards my endocrinologist took me off Synthroid and I started taking Armour which, so far, has never caused me to feel anxious or panicky. Synthroid, almost from the day I started taking it, seemed to make me feel like I had had way too much caffeine!! Toward the end of the day the crazy feelings would subside but the next day they'd return...generally around lunch or shortly thereafter.


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## Brucergoldberg

geez..... well I'm armour, i hit a curb today and i still have anxiety!!!


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## daisydaisy

b3 niacinimide not niacin was given to me for low thyroid, hash and anxiety like symptoms it has helped alot last three weeks. he said I was deficient. it's over the counter and I suggest u start with a low half dose to see how u feel then work your way up. it can cause low bp should u have issues with that but generally it makes you feel very relaxed. it takes a week to get used to it as can cause side effects of a headache if you use too much at once. It's just a vitamin. Also cod liver oil liquid works wonders too as it has what we need for hash thyroid sufferers.


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## Brucergoldberg

thanks. Hey this is totally unrelated but has anyone heard from thornvu?


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## Brucergoldberg

can't i just get one person to say "

i have exactly what you have and i can relate 
i had what you had and feel better now
i had what you had and its completely gone
i have what you have and have no freakin clue either.

I know this is thyroid related, but why can't i find anyone with the same **** going on as me?


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## Brucergoldberg

had my first labs come back today. Will post them soon, but this is very odd....

the labs 2 weeks before surgery, and the labs 2 weeks after surgery are almost identical. my hormone lady says she thinks the thyroid was dead and the body doesn't even notice it gone. everything was in range. The TPO went from 626 to 115 CHI CHING!

anyways, i thought you would find that interesting. I thought the tsh would be like 100 or something. Its 4.0 and it was 4.5 2 weeks before surgery. ft3 high range, ft4 mid range. retest in 4 weeks


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## Brucergoldberg

i got my pathology report back. No cancer but it was pretty messed up. all different colors and stuff. is there a way for me to post a photo of it on here?


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## shellebean

NO CANCER....YEA!!!

What a relief.


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## Brucergoldberg

yes i had to wear a diaper to the dr. visit just in case.


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## I DClaire

Brucergoldberg said:


> i got my pathology report back. No cancer but it was pretty messed up. all different colors and stuff. is there a way for me to post a photo of it on here?


This is the way I post pictures. Go to your User CP and find "Albums".

Download the document or photo from your files.

Then, Copy the URL.

When you're ready to post the photo, click on the little yellow square box just above the screen where we type our posts.

Clear the first message (something about allowing scripted windows) - then Paste the URL in the second little form you'll see.


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## Brucergoldberg

the dr. said the keyword on the pathology report was "marked" "Marked" is another word for "you are fu$ked" from what i gather

http://thyroidboards.com/album.php?albumid=18


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## McKenna

Hi Bruce,

I've been following your recovery and I hope you feel better soon.

What *I* take "marked" to mean on your path report is that your thryoid's appearance was consistant with Hashi's. Hashi's technical name is chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. Marked means visible or distinctive. So you know your Hashi's was confirmed with pathology.

The good news on the report are 1. No malignancy, 2. No significant atypia (abnormality in cell) and 3. No parathyroid tissue (parathyroids are intact). Bear in mind I'm not a medical person, but I have gone down this road.

Your TPO going down so much after surgery is wonderful! Mine actually went up after surgery and didn't start going down until I went gluten free.


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## Brucergoldberg

Do your ears ring ? God help me


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## McKenna

Yes my ears ring. Not constantly, but on and off over the past few years.

BUT, I also have other issues that I'm dealing with. I have insulin resistance, prediabetes and something going on with my liver. So I don't know if my blood sugar ups and downs have anything to do with my ears ringing.

It really does take a while for things to improve and I was not one who felt immediately better after my thyroid was removed. It takes time to recover from surgery, to get to a good dose of replacement, and then it takes even more time for your body to repair the damage thats been done from having a messed up thyroid, metabolism, etc.

Hang in there!


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## Brucergoldberg

my labs came back from the 2 week visit. My tsh went from 4.0 to 12.0 - frees were not given to me but with a tsh of 12, doesn't really matter. They want to bump me from 1.75 grain to 2.5 grains. seems like a lot to bump doesn't it?


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## webster2

Brucergoldberg said:


> my labs came back from the 2 week visit. My tsh went from 4.0 to 12.0 - frees were not given to me but with a tsh of 12, doesn't really matter. They want to bump me from 1.75 grain to 2.5 grains. seems like a lot to bump doesn't it?


It does seem like a big jump. My TSH is 18 and my frees are not even at the bottom of the range. I got bumped up by a half a grain, and recheck in 6 weeks, Address adrenals in 4 weeks..never a dull moment.


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## Brucergoldberg

yes. I'm gonna have to agree with you webster. I'm not going from 1.75 to 2.50. no freakin way. ill go to 2, then maybe 2 1/4 after couple weeks


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## cmaxwell1

Couldnt help but laugh when I read you saying about your thyroid being multicolored then saw theyd ink stained the different parts. Did you really think you had a colorful thyroid or were you kidding.
Yeh marked just means noticeable really,looks like the best possible outcome
congratulations
x


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## Brucergoldberg

Ohhhhhh!!!! I thought it was so diseased that it turned green and yellow like that piece of meat i forgot about in the back of my fridge.....


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## Brucergoldberg

hello, im one month out - had my surgery feb 16. On a positive note, the pain is gone from my neck and i can swallow. But on a negative note, I have never felt worse in my wife. I have horrible nausea which is my biggest symptom. Also fatigued, and have that weird motion sickness thing going on. I am on 2.75 grains of armour due to the fact that my last labs were in the toilet.

tsh 12
ft4 .5 (1.0 TO 1.8)
FT3 3.0 (2.3 TO 4.1)

to say I feel crummy is an understatement. The crappiness with a thyroid wasnt a whole lot better, but i didnt have the motion sickness feeling all the time.
You old timers on here, have you seen others with this?

I felt pretty good til about 5 days ago. It seems i feel worse day by day.


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## Octavia

Your ear ringing an now the constant motion sickness really make me wonder about some inner ear issues.

I sure wish you were feeling good, Bruce.


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> hello, im one month out - had my surgery feb 16. On a positive note, the pain is gone from my neck and i can swallow. But on a negative note, I have never felt worse in my wife. I have horrible nausea which is my biggest symptom. Also fatigued, and have that weird motion sickness thing going on. I am on 2.75 grains of armour due to the fact that my last labs were in the toilet.
> 
> tsh 12
> ft4 .5 (1.0 TO 1.8)
> FT3 3.0 (2.3 TO 4.1)
> 
> to say I feel crummy is an understatement. The crappiness with a thyroid wasnt a whole lot better, but i didnt have the motion sickness feeling all the time.
> You old timers on here, have you seen others with this?
> 
> I felt pretty good til about 5 days ago. It seems i feel worse day by day.


Bruce, have I asked you if you had your ferritin checked?


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## Brucergoldberg

It's not an ear issue as I've had multiple work ups.. Could have low ferritin. What's the fix for that?


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## Andros

Brucergoldberg said:


> It's not an ear issue as I've had multiple work ups.. Could have low ferritin. What's the fix for that?


Getting sufficient iron in your diet. And if you take a supplement, it should be a good 5 hours away from your thyroid med.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ANEMIA?

Common Symptoms

Symptoms of anemia vary depending on the severity of the condition. Anemia may occur without symptoms and be detected only during a medical examination that includes a blood test. When they occur, symptoms may include the following:

•Weakness and fatigue are the most common symptoms of even mild anemia. (Even iron deficiency without anemia can reduce working capacity in some people.)

•Shortness of breath on exertion.

•Rapid heartbeat.

•Lightheadedness or dizziness.

•Headache.

•Ringing in the ears (tinnitus). :sick0026:

•Irritability and other mood disturbances.

Etc, etc............................
http://preventdisease.com/diseases/anemia.shtml

It has to be a Ferritin Test.

Ferritin http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081504.htm
(should be 50 to 100; the closer to 100, the better)


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## Brucergoldberg

well all this crap started after the thyroid came out. The neck pain is gone but the nausea there constant. you know if you took a nap on a hot day and someone woke you up right after you fell asleep that weird feeling you get? Ive got that 24 hours a day


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## Sharon

Bruce,
Has the ringing in your ears ever stopped? I'm having the same problem.
Sharon


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