any endocrinologists out there? i have thyroid cancer and recently (may 2007) underwent a complete thyroidectomy. i have been training for an iron-distance race coming up next month (which the doctors said was impossible to do…). i have been working out 20-28 hours a week but cannot get my synthroid regulated. i have religiously been taking my synthroid, but have remained hypothyroid. as an athlete i’m used to feeling tired, and honestly don’t feel like i’m hypothyroid at all. every endocrinologist i’ve talked too (and yes, i’ve talked to some really good ones) says that the amount you workout does not effect your tsh levels. any one know or hear otherwise??? i have to get regulated before i can return to work so if anyone can help with nutrition advice or other advice i’m all ears (i love my job and can’t wait to get back to work…)
thanks,
anna :o)
Anna,
I thought that if you had a complete thyrodectomy you did not have ups and downs in tsh but I am no expert. If you are consistently low you probably just need a higher dosage of the synthetic hormone. At least when you are working out as much as you are you are not gaining weight…
What do you do for a living that does not allow you to start working when you are able to train 20-28 hours per week? Anyone who can train that much should not be on sick leave.
Sindre
Hello Bananimal and All,
After a thyroid operation my wife takes some synthetic thyroid. She was told the synthetic has more consistent efficacy from dose to dose then the non synthetic which can vary a bit dose to dose.
Was you thyroidectomy complete or partial? If partial you may be still getting some natural thyroid.
To determine the dose accurately she was told by her doctor that she would have to be off thyroid medication for almost 3 months as there is a lingering effect of the medication.
Also it takes time to ramp up when starting the medication again.
For an accurate test of blood levels she also had a T3? test for pituatary output which can skew thyroid test results.
http://www.endocrineweb.com/tests.html
Consult your doctor and various tests to get a handle on your problem.
Good luck,
Cheers,
Neal
Woah - I’m not a endricrinologist but I am a fellow complete thyroidectomy person. I’m shocked that nealhe’s wife’s doctor recommended going off synthroid (or whichever synthetic thyroid) for three months to determine levels. From what I’ve heard from my doctor, going off for an extended period of time can wreck real havoc on your body and potentially throw you into the ER. Just for the record - my doc insisted that I have a 3-day supply of synthroid in our “emergency” kit (we’re in earthquake country) b/c she doesn’t want me going even three days without.
Bananimal - if you’re TSH levels are out of wack you may want to talk to your doctor about going on a combination treatment. I had be regulated on snythroid for a fair amount of time but once I started training for an ironman (also next month, are you doing Grand Columbian? 
) my levels went downhill pretty quickly. My doc put me on a regimine of synthroid and cytomel. To the best of my understanding, the cytomel is quick acting (within a couple of hours) so it will automatically kick up your levels whereas the synthroid is a longer lasting doseage. The combiantion has worked well for a lot of people and for me the difference was night and day within a matter of 4 days. Honestly went from barely being able to function to actually having energy again. I highly recommend at least asking your doctor about that avenue to help get/keep you regulated.
hey thanks for the advice, i’ll definitely ask about combo therapy…i just started taking the synthroid the first week of june…with my cancer i had to run all of the hormones out of my body before i could get the radioiodine treatment and scan. so i was very very hypothyroid.
i’m doing the chesapeakeman next month in maryland. good luck in the grand columbian, i did the chelanman half out that direction (i’m a flatlander so that was a tough course for me! haha)
also, as for my profession…i’m a pilot and can’t pass an faa flt physical with hypothyroidism (that’s not something they normally test for but since i had cancer they’re being pretty anal retentive about that kind of stuff!)
thanks,
anna
Hello Lilpups and All,
My wife only had half thyroid removed and takes very little thyroid so she could go without the supplementary thyroid for some time.
It was uncertain if she needed the supplement - so by going without she could get a more accurate blood test.
For Bananimal:
Also lots of airline pilot jobs available overseas and perhaps their medical requirement are different than the US FAA.
If you like dry heat Air Dubai is hiring.
Cheers,
Neal
Hello Bananimal and All,
I was thinking of ways to put your piloting skills to work if you cannot get a first class waiver for your FAA med license because of you dependence on thyroid supplement.
I talked with a furloughed pilot (sked airline) a short while back when I was at Edwards AFB. He had a job working for a defense contractor flying RPV’s (remote pilot vehicles) in Iraq, Iran, and so on.
He flies them from a console in San Diego. It was interesting to hear about a combat mission - search and destroy - remotely prosecuted.
It brings new meaning to a “this is not personal, just business” kill. Picture a guy at his console with a half eaten hamburger launching munitions at insurgents and targets of opportunity half way around the world.
As you probably know there has been a flury of airline pilot hiring recently with many furloughed pilots being recalled … and so there are probably defense contractor pilot position vacancies available.
If interested contact the RPV manufacturers about the availibility of employment.
http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=6405
Cheers,
Neal