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Two weeks out
To be completely accurate, it will be two weeks out in about three hours, but never mind. Three weeks is close enough.
First off, how I am feeling. My bandages are still completely attached to my incision. The ends of the strips aren’t even curling yet. The surgeon’s notes indicate that by now the bandages should have fallen off on their own accord. I am still getting some “fluttering”, my body isn’t always warm, I am generally hungry but having to be careful not to put on weight, sleep is mixed, skin on my face isn’t flakey anymore, and the best news? My eyes don’t hurt. They still get a bit itchy and I am still using some artificial tears, but the pressure and pain are gone.
Today was my first followup with the endo. Blood pressure was very low for me, but my heart rate is too high. I have gained two pounds but this was after lunch. fellowEndo feels that I am healing well. He felt the incision and said there was no sign of infection or irritation. No mention of pulling off the bandages. My tremor is still present but he thought it was reduced from pre-surgery.
We discussed my levothyroxine dose at great length. The word half-life was used a lot. He states that he didn’t run the FreeT3 since it is simply too early for that number to show us anything useful. The TSH half-life is also too long to worry about just yet. He believes that my T4 is still elevated and will drop in the next few weeks. When asked how we will be watching to adjust the dose he plans to use a two-pronged approach. He will be evaluating the T3, T4 and TSH along with my description of how I am actually feeling. [YEA!!! An Endo who thinks how I feel informs dose decisions!] But no change in the dosage today.
The final note is, queenEndo wants me on name brand Synthroid not levothyroxine. This was rushed at the end. In fact, it was after I had already gone to the lobby and realized I didn’t have enough drug. I will ask more about this next time. She encourages me to get into the sun, have fun, put away my gray clothes, take a walk, and smile often.
Since my veins are troublesome, we are coordinating my endo blood draws with my other monthly bloods. The result is, I won’t see them again until the second week of May. This is longer than ‘ideal’ but I can’t have my veins collapsing.
I think that captures my progress following this thyroid removal.
*susan*
in reply to: Question about your uptake scan #1177743I was told to not eat fish, seaweed, sushi etc for 10-days pre-scan. Makes sense since I am in Boston where we eat all of the above regularly. Of course, the minute I wasn’t allowed to have fish, that is all I wanted!
*susan*
in reply to: Anybody have this? #1177701Wow. BRCA+ and estrogen do NOT mix! Lots and lots of literature on this. Do some reading here:http://www.facingourrisk.org/
This is a wonderful non-profit and discussion board for BRCA positive people.Oh, and welcome. Sorry to rush into the “other” stuff but my neck hairs stood on end as I read your original post.
*susan*
in reply to: Hair loss and doctor’s response #1177671Pshaw! My sister was first diagnosed when she went to the doctor with ONE symptom. Hair loss. When I started on the Methi-Crap my hair started to fall out like crazy. Sorry, I just don’t understand why doctors discount side effects that appear in the literature.
With Endo#3 this was one of the first assessment questions I was asked. Endo#3 is actually two Endos and they both agreed that this was from the disease.
*susan*
Totally Shocked!
Yesterday I had my blood drawn. [She collapsed my one remaining vein and had to use my hand. It was horrid and I am still in pain.]
Results are in! And…. drum roll with trumpets…. my TSH has not moved even a little bit. I am still sitting at -.02 [bottom end of normal is .27] which is why I had the thyroid removed. The FreeT4 moved down a smidgen from 2.0 to just inside the normal range at 1.7. No T3 was ordered.
What the H***?
What numbers are they using to determine my levothyroxine dosage? Why, two weeks after the surgery, has there been so little change? I know none of you are doctors, but any thoughts would be really appreciated.
*susan*
in reply to: Running in place…. literally! #1177579Two words: wireless headphones!
*susan*
in reply to: Living with Graves Disease… #1177498Why can’t we choose our families? My goodness, what a horrid way to spend my favorite Thanksgiving. My sister’s eyes are very buggy. Mine are getting there. I hate it. She hates it.
Strangely, my eyes didn’t get bad until after I started treatment. Amazing how much eyes can protrude in less than 16 days, the amount of time I was able to stay on the meds.
I have no idea on how to teach your family to be nice to you, or how to control this Graves stuff. I am still in the middle of this.
*susan*
in reply to: Running in place…. literally! #1177577Perfect solution! Have too much energy? Dance. Pretty soon you will be square dancing at Town Hall.
*susan*
It has been a full week since I left the hospital. Time for a new update.
Yesterday I went to a client office. They had a glitch and really needed that glitch to be fixed. Though I went to their office with low expectations of myself, I managed to underestimate even that! Talking for any length of time makes my voice recede and it took all of my energy to figure out the problem. Without any food in the house, my husband and I even went to the supermarket and bought food. By 2pm, I was totally exhausted.
I have hit the point that I am not strong enough to do a full days work, but too strong to sleep all day. I know, this too will pass.
The incision is still covered in steri-strips. The surgeon had said that they would start to loosen and I could clip the ends by now, but that hasn’t happened. It is all getting a bit itchy but there is no pain. The back of my throat continues to be irritated but not enough to interfere with life. Just can’t gulp drinks.
For the first time, I am having some anxiety. But my anxiety is based on real life potential issues, so is this my thyroid or common sense? Hard to know. Sleep patterns for the past two nights have been altered. Much lighter sleep; waking more frequently. Even when I was hyper, I was sleeping 10 hours a night to feel rested, so this is new.
Will have blood drawn on Friday for my first follow-up appointment with the endo. She likes early blood draws to ensure that the results are ready by appointment time. Will be curious to see what tests she has chosen, and what my current numbers look like.
Canceled by 7 hours of meetings today and rescheduled them over two days next week. My voice needs to come back so I can make a living!
All for now,
*susan*
Karen,
A quick google search indicates that the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine has an office at 1950 Richmond Road. It also houses the Wellness Institute. The only PA listed has a doctorate in behavioral studies with a PA certificate.
Seems as though this might just be part of the Clinic system. No way I can help you make this decision, but thought you might like more information.
All the best,
*susan*
in reply to: Well, here goes! #1173581Az,
Just catching up with your Graves saga. Wow! Sounds like you have been on a true roller coaster. I have insurance and it took me three endos before I found one that didn’t make my skin crawl.
Hope your numbers continue to trend in a normal range.
*smtucker*
Took my first thyroid replacement pill this morning. Thirty minutes is a very long time when your body thinks coffee should be the first thing.
Noticed yesterday afternoon that I have a headache and it is still there, low-grade, waiting to break free. I don’t get headaches so not sure where this came from. Could be from stopping the pain meds, or the anesthesia, or my mother being in the house.
Swallowing is still uncomfortable, especially liquids. I am learning how to sip daintily. I didn’t really know that I gulped glasses of water before.
Still need extra sleep. Slept 9 hours last night, and took at nap at 10:30AM! I feel pretty much the same as yesterday overall; no miracle recovery.
*smtucker*
I am now 44 hours post-op and have taken a long look at my neck. This surgeon is an artist! He managed to make the incision along a natural neck fold, and then tucked all the steri-strips to the next fold. When this heals, it will be as close to invisible as you can make it.
I took some vicodin before bed last night, and that will be my last one. There isn’t enough pain to justify a narcotic. The back of my throat is still a bit irritated from the tubes they put down but not irritated enough to prevent eating. Last night I had some Lion’s Head meatballs in soup, and tonight will be a lentil vegetable soup.
I have decided to take tums to avoid a calcium depletion even though my bloodwork indicated I was okay yesterday morning. Felt a bit o’ tingling in the fingers and decided to play it safe.
Will try my first shower in a moment. Just want someone to be nearby in case I feel wobbly. Making it through thyroid surgery to fall in the shower would just be stupid!
*smtucker*
in reply to: Saw thyroid surgeon yesterday #1177360I just had this surgery yesterday, performed by a surgeon who specializes in thyroid.
My only prep for surgery was food restrictions. My surgery took less time than anticipated. It wasn’t enlarged. They kept me in recovery for 4 hours to watch for bleeding. Evidently bleeding is a rare, but serious, side effect of the surgery.
I spent the night in the hospital. This morning I had a calcium blood test. My calcium was normal, so no calcium replacement therapy. I have been warned to pay attention to my fingers and feet in case the calcium drops.
I did push this morning, and was released by 10:30. Happy to answer any of those knarly personal questions. Just ask!
*smtucker*
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