Question: Prepping For Rai (Hypohell)

Background:  I was hypothyroid for about 5 years (that we know of). Hashi. Earlier this year my primary care phys noticed my enlarged thyroid. Ultra sound. 2 nodules. Total Thyroidectomy July 16th. Papillary Thyroid Cancer. 3 places (1.5cm, .5cm. and .4cm). Clear margins and now prepping for RAI.

I stopped my levothyroxine July 23rd. Tested one week later and my TSH was at just 9. In the days since, I'm definitely more tired and I just don't feel like doing anything that involves physical movement beyond walking across a room, but I don't feel the crazy tired yet that I've read about. Though there's some weird business going on w/ my digestive system and I'm not "tracking" as well in conversation & thought processes. Otherwise I feel like I feel too good and am worried my TSH isn't high enough yet. Endo was optimistic we could get there in a couple weeks.

I've already started the Low Iodine Diet. Agreed w/ Doctor to start it now so that I'll be ready when my TSH is high enough for the RAI.

My question: Is there any way to hurry this up?  I can't figure out anything myself and this is my last-ditch effort to ask, will anything help raise my TSH? Exercise? Chanting? Sacrificial gifts to unknown goddesses? 

Another TSH test tomorrow to see where I'm at.

Impatient...

 

So, your endo put you on Levo after your thyroidectomy?  I only ask because most of us go on cytomel after our TT because it is quick to leave your system, unlike Levo wich can take more like 6 weeks.  I hope you are right and it will only take you a couple weeks.   Sorry to say there is not really anything you can do to hurry it up.  It just takes time.  I did like your ideas though, they made me chuckle.  I hope your tsh levels hurry up for you.  Good luck, let us know how it goes.  Skylog

Thanks.

I was on Levo before the TT.. for a few years. They (the surgeon and the Endo) just had me continue to take it like always. I think if we'd have suspected it was cancer (it seemed like such a long shot), they probably would have just kept me off of it after surgery. I could have been a week ahead of the game.  Can't really 2nd guess it now.

Thank for the reply.

 

Well that makes sense.  I sure hope everything goes quickly for you.  I know how aweful being hypo is.  Good luck.  Skylog

I was put on Synthroid right after surgery when I had a TT May 28th.

I am on the LID for RAI now, Aug 13 dose and Aug 19 is scan.

There was a chance that it was cancerous as my FNA showed hurthle cells but wasn't conclusive for cancer yet.  Pathology result was positive for PAPca with Tall Cell variant but they told me I could do thyrogen shots so I wouldn't have to go off meds. 

I wonder why they put me on the meds if there was a chance of cancer then, hmm.

Just waiting to get this over with now

Shelli

I had TT on 6/24 and was placed on Cytomel. I had a large thyroid for many years, primary care doc found nodule via ultrasound, then did thyroid scan which confirmed cold nodule(s). Saw the endo in April, dx'ed with Hashi's but no apparent symptoms other than large gland. Fine needle biopsy in May indicated papillary carcinoma. I had TT on 6/24, went on cytomel until 7/24 and then began LID for 2 hellacious weeks. I got tired with very puffy face and eyes, but no other notable symptoms. 

I had RAI yesterday (100 microcuries) and came home today to discover my taste buds are shot. I was looking forward to a good salty burger! The irony!

My TSH was 58 on Wed  (RAI on Thurs) and total body scan is set for next week. 

Lori 

I too was placed on synthroid (75 mcgs) after surgery (TT) because my ent doctor didn't seem to think there was any possible way that I had cancer.....unfortunately I found out I did have papillary carcinoma several weeks after.  The reasoning behind putting me on synthroid was that my ent and endo didn't see any reason to delay treatment.  I was on the synthroid until about a month before rai.  Then I went off sythroid and on cytomel for two weeks.  Then off all meds for two weeks while on the lid.  Then a week after rai I went back on synthroid (75 mcgs).  I stayed on that level until I had my blood test done the last week of july.  I was moved up to 100 mcgs to suppress TSH.  Take care. 

Hello...I too, was diagnosed with papillary, tall cell cancer. I had an 18.5 cm nodule on the left side of they thyroid and an 8.0 cm on the right side. I had been hypo thyroid for 8 years and on medicitions for that amount of time. The past 18 months my thyroid had been juggling numbers like crazy and I had lost 20 lbs but my primary care doctor never put the it together that we had a problem. He just would change my medication on occasion. My sister actually insisted I see an endricrinologist. Boy, was that the right decision. It saved my life.....

Anyway, I went through total thyroidectomy in late April, Rai June 2nd. They put me on Cytomel and Levothyroxine at the same time for two weeks. I came off the cytomel after two weeks and continued with levothyroxine.  I feel amazing now. I just had blood work done and my tsh was 4.2, so they increased the levothyroxine to try and decrease the tsh. Hopefully this will help. I am apparently hypo-thyroid but I really don't feel bad.   

Good luck to you!!