# 3 months post-lobectomy, starting on synthroid



## suzan30 (Sep 26, 2011)

Hi, everyone

I'm now 3 months post-surgery and after recent tests my doctor said I was mildly hypothyroid and started me on a low dose of synthroid, just 50 mcgs. I'll be tested again in 6 weeks. I'm just wondering if this is the norm for people with half a thyroid. I was hoping to be able to get by without any medication. On the other hand, after a week on synthroid I seem to be feeling better, not so tired and apathetic and my brain fog seems to have lifted.

Thanks,

Suzan


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

suzan30 said:


> Hi, everyone
> 
> I'm now 3 months post-surgery and after recent tests my doctor said I was mildly hypothyroid and started me on a low dose of synthroid, just 50 mcgs. I'll be tested again in 6 weeks. I'm just wondering if this is the norm for people with half a thyroid. I was hoping to be able to get by without any medication. On the other hand, after a week on synthroid I seem to be feeling better, not so tired and apathetic and my brain fog seems to have lifted.
> 
> ...


I am glad to hear you are recovering well. I went for 20 years with half a thyroid. I only took synthroid for one year. I had a very well known and respected surgeon with the first surgery. He told me I would take synthroid for the rest of my life. I wish I had listened to him. If you are feeling better, it is a great thing...one little pill is not so bad. I hope you continue to improve daily!


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## suzan30 (Sep 26, 2011)

You are so right about the one little pill! But I am curious--why did you only take synthroid for one year? Did your doctor recommend going off it?


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Miscarriages were what brought me to find out I had a thyroid problem. Shortly after I had the half out, I found I was pregnant. After our son was born, my GP said that I could probably get by without taking the synthroid. I wish I had not listened to her. The surgeon told me it would protect my remaining thyroid, I wish I had listened to him, it might not have changed anything but I wouldn't have these doubts and what ifs? One little pill is really not a big deal. My husband always repeated what the surgeon told me. I think he wishes I had taken it too.

I am glad you are feeling better!


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## Vivian (Oct 6, 2011)

I am also 3 months post lobectomy and have been on synthroid (75mcgs) for 6 weeks. Just got repeat bloodwork and now tsh is in normal range so I am staying at that dose and repeating tests in 6 months. I feel a lot better since starting meds. My surgeon told me before the surgery that there was about a 30% chance of needing synthroid after 1/2 is taken out.


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## suzan30 (Sep 26, 2011)

Webster-so sorry to hear that you had such bad advice from your ob-gyn. It is so difficult sometimes to know whose advice to take.

Vivian--what was your TSH before you started synthroid? Mine was 5.15 which my doctor said was "mildly hypothyroid." Does 50 seem like the appropriate dose?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I know I'm not Vivian , but my RAUI showed the left side of my thyroid was non-functional, so I was depending on Righty (before my surgery, that is) and at that time my TSH was around 6.5 (upper limit of my lab's range was 4.5), but my free T3 and T4 numbers were totally normal.

I was started on 50mcgs (again, before surgery) and holy mother of all things chocolate, was I ever WIRED. As in, I would go to be at 11:00pm (normally I'm in bed by 9:00 or 9:30) and would get up at 3:00am. Before most people got up, I had a couple loads of laundry done, my kitchen was cleaned, all my work emails were answered, exercise done for the day and then I'd just sit there twiddling my thumbs thinking that maybe if I vacuumed the cats, there'd be less fur in the house. :tongue0013:

Turns out I'm somewhat sensitive to Synthroid and had my FNA not turned out cancerous, we would have gone down to 25mcgs. I bet you'll do fine on 50, but if you feel hyper, sweaty, or jittery, don't be afraid to talk to your doctor.


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## suzan30 (Sep 26, 2011)

Dear Joplin,

Thanks for responding. I'm feeling pretty good on 50. Before I started I was totally exhausted--going to bed at 9 after lying on the couch for 2 hours. Now I am definitely livelier but I've found that when I so my usual exercise (45 minutes on an elliptical), I get kind of queasy and lightheaded. Of course, it may have nothing to do with the synthroid but the timing makes me wonder.

Thanks,
Suzan


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## Vivian (Oct 6, 2011)

Vivian--what was your TSH before you started synthroid? Mine was 5.15 which my doctor said was "mildly hypothyroid." Does 50 seem like the appropriate dose?[/QUOTE]

Suzan - My TSH before starting synthroid was 8.97 (range 0.40 - 4.50). 75 mcg has put my TSH in normal range after taking for 6 weeks. Is your doctor going to test your TSH again in 6 weeks? I would think retesting along with how you are feeling, will tell you if 50 mcg is an appropriate dose for you.


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