[Nicholas]

#1059906

Hello everyone,

I have not posted for a long time so here is a quick update. After my 2nd RAI, I finally found a stable dose of thyroid medications. This lasted for a while but slowly I started feeling sick again. It was a combination of hyper and hypo symptoms and my labs where fluctuating up and down.

A couple of months ago I decided to go for the TT and also parathyroid exploration since my PTH has been elevated for a long time. (So the TT was scheduled for 4/23).

I survived the TT and the surgeon also found an enlarged parathyroid so he removed it. This was this last Tuesday (4/23/13). Since the surgery I am trying to recover.

I have no pain but my neck is swollen above and below the incision. They put me on Calcium and Vit. D replacement to avoid hypocalcaemia.
I am also back on 100mcg levothyroxin and this would be adjusted after a few weeks accordingly.

My first labs post op (day 2) indicate I have borderline low calcium and borderline low Free T3. TSH is at 9 (so hypo officially) and FT4 is normal.

However, I do have a strange symptom I need your help with. Every night since my surgery I have night sweats all night. Every hour or so I wake up completely soaked in water. I have no fever and no signs of infection. In the past I had occasionally some night sweats but never to such an extreme state. Anyone has experienced such thing?

Unfortunately, I have gotten no explanation from several physicians I have inquired about this. In the mornings I feel run down and very weak. I am afraid of dehydration. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[snelsen]

#1178683

Gosh, Nick, I cannot relate it to any of my experiences after TT.

THe only suggestion I have is to buy some Pedialyte, if you feel you are dehydrated enough to not feel well, GatorAid is not the right choice. It does not have enough of the electrolyte you need, if replacement is needed.

I’m not clear about when the surgeon removed one parathyroid. Was that a 2nd procedure, just last Tues 4/23 If so, did you have another general for this? Recovering from general anesthesia takes a few weeks.

Or are your night sweats from a couple months ago, after your TT?

It sounds like you are having frequent labs, thyroid panel and calcium,and the things you need to know. I copied this from the Cleveland Clinic discussion on low calcium:
Diagnostic Evaluation

Hypocalcemia needs confirmation, if there is any doubt, by measurement of the serum ionized calcium level. When the diagnosis is confirmed by the finding of a serum calcium level lower than 8.2 mg/dL (2.05 mmol/L) or an ionized calcium level lower than 4.4 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L), attention should turn toward seeking the cause.

But excessive nights sweats is not listed as one of the symptoms.
Have you been having the night sweats a few days, or a few months/ I think I am not reading your post accurately.

So, since you have already consulted a couple docs, I am hoping that these resolve. The night sweats are definitely not pleasant, and interrupt your sleep, and that is not good, either.

Do write again, welcome back!
Shirley

[Nicholas]

#1178684

Thanks for the reply.
My TT surgery was originally this week and because there was a possibility of a parathyroid adenoma they also had scheduled an exploration. So yes they removed both the (remaining post-ablation) thyroid and one parathyroid since it had an adenoma. There was general anesthesia and intubation. I am in replacement calcium (4000 units/day) since the surgery. In terms of labs now, my most recent (post OP /day 2) are the following:

CALCIUM, IONIZED 4.8 (4.8-5.6 mg/dL)
PTH, INTACT 31 (10-65 pg/mL)
CALCIUM 8.6 (8.6-10.3 mg/dL)
PHOSPHATE (AS PHOSPHORUS) 3.8 (2.5-4.5 mg/dL)
TSH 9.73 H (0.40-4.50 mIU/L)
T4, FREE 1.4 (0.8-1.8 ng/dL)
T3, FREE 2.3 (2.3-4.2 pg/mL)

I have night sweats every night since the operation but no fever. My Calcium last week before the operation was at 9.7 and the PTH at 97.

[Kimberly]

#1178685

Hello – Shirley gave you some good “food for thought”. If you are still experiencing these, I would mention it to your physician. Although I’m not familiar with this occurring post-thyroidectomy, there are other medical conditions and medications that can cause night sweats. Best to err on the side of caution and have a doctor check this out!

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