Hi my name is Joi. I recently found a page on Facebook called "Stop The Thyroid Madness". They have and are helping a great many people, women and men, alike. Me as well. I had my thyroid out in 2005 due to papillary thyroid cancer. I pray that you will try to find the site and ask to be included. God be with you on your personal journey!
Yes your parathyroid glands regulate free flowing calcium in blood, I have the same problem 5 years ago Graves disease had radiation it failed anyways now I have osteoporosis / arthritis my teeth have gone to c**p. Best option it to take liquid high quality calcium with vitamin k. You need vitamin k for calcium to be processed and vitamin d3. I'm 30 and almost all of my lower molars are gone.
Ben, hopersonally you fell ok personally I'm useless most day.
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I am 49. Look young for my age and had to have my thyroid removed for stage 4 thyroid cancer. Let me start with signs of cancer 1st. For 2 yrs I complained to my primary dr that I was having trouble breathing but I don't feel like I'm wheezing. He blew it off as my asthma and I said one inhaler use to last me 2 yrs! Now I am using a inhaler every 3 months! Still fell on deaf ears and given steroids and noise sprays. I also was getting dry blood n stuffiness in my left side of my nose. As time passed I noticed my body aching n symptoms of carpel tunnel and cramps in my feet n getting charle horse on bottom of my foot or calf. I also noticed I was clearing my throat a lot and felt like it was dry or scratchy. Thought the achy feeling was age, maybe from my long job hours n standing n repetitive movements. Felt tired more often which was rare for me because I'm always active n working out daily! Then the problems swallowing n feeling a small ball on left side of neck and a "clicking" movement in my throats when I turn my neck. Mention the ball n clicking to primary and they did ultra sound and referred me to hospital to get biopsy n kept insuring me it's rarely cancer. Thru their mistakes it took 4 months before I was able to get the biopsy! It was cancer! 2 weeks later I had my thyroid removed which they ask if u want half removed or all. I picked all since I had cancer! Good choice since it was stage 4 and bigger then it looked on ultra sound n it also spread to my right lymp nodes which was seen till after surgery in the radiation body scan. I can not retain calcium ended up in ER 2days after surgery n it's like having a seizure as the hands tingle n face n they hands curl in n every muscle cramping n uterus too! Felt like labor as it progressed. They've couldn't get IV in because veins became hard. They had to give me seizure meds to relax my body. COuld of had heart attack too as the heart is a muscle. It's been a year n I still can't retain calcium so it took many months to figure dose of calcium I take morning and before bed carry tums or pills with me! As for the big radiation to kill cancer- the strict diet to rid body of thyroid hormone n iodine was horrible. Found out later from another doctor there was no reason to make me suffer that way bcuz they have a shot they can give for 2 days to lower your levels n 3rd day u can have RA. But no, this dummy had me for almost 2 months on this diet n no meds. U need ur thyroid or u die! So my body was shutting down n it was hell! Pure hell! From muscles twitching to tremors to hairs looking like an old furry stuffed animal- the wirey look n breaking n falling out. To dry itchy puffy eyes. Arms felt heavy so brushing my teeth felt like I had 10 lb weights on my arms. Lost my dexterity. Brain fog n very weak. If coarse started gaining weight bcuz I had no thyroid so even tho the diet was super strict I wasn't metabolising anything. I even started talking like I was having a stroke! As I said earlier the body is shutting down. Once ur blood test shows u have ZERO thyroid hormone then u go in for the big RA to kill cancer. I was disoriented. My face swelled up n my eyes puffy. I lost my sense of taste for about a month. Have nerve damage in neck, shoulder n on voice cord. So talking a lot or over noises makes my throat irritated n dry n scratchy. Cough a lot or clearing threat still. Also salvory glands got messed up from RA so my mouth dry a lot n need glass of water to eat my food. It's been a year since the big RA and my face suddenly started to swell up by the ear lobe n burn when I eat. I guess it's common. It's the glands being blocked from the RA so now I am more dry in my mouth then ever! Eyes still dry n found out I have severe dry eye and was given restasis eye drops. I gained 22 lbs so far n it can lose 8 lbs n 2 days later gain it back! Seems to be going on stomach n butt. I still get tired easily, get muscle twitching especially at night. Had EMG found out I have carpel tunnel - common from thyroid removal. Also nerve damage in left side neck n can't turn neck to left all the way. Can't lift left arm all the way n hurts to get shirts on n off. I developed shortly after RA 7 blood clots from a blood draw in right arm. It was bruise for 2weeks n I felt something moving up my arm. Told my cancer dr who blood specialists. She told me go home n reschedule - I went straight to ER as I was getting pain in heart. Found out the clots went to my heart! From a blood draw! Dumped that dr. ITS been a year n been complaining I still feel tired. Throat still feel same as when I had cancer- still feel all the symptoms. Guess what? New dr had me get ultra sound n found 7 more tumors n I am making the thyroglobulin antibody so basically RA can't kill cancer as it attaches to cancer n blocks treatment! Good job for being my cancer "is the one u want IF u had to pick" bcuz it's easy to killl....hmmm really? Then y is it spreading? And out of all the specialist I seen n told how I felt they all blew me off n one dr listened !
I was told that my parathyroids are still there and working and that my vocal chords were not harmed. That said I would have never had the surgery if I knew it would complicate my life as much as it has. Since the surgery I have been rushed to the ER twice due to my calcium levels dropping so low that every muscle in my body cramped up all at once and i couldn't even talk.
I now have to take very large calcium pills four times a day as well has a prescription drug that helps my body absorb the calcium. Although they say it shouldn't be a permanent problem its been three months and still no change. The calcium problem causes very painful tooth and gum pain and my feet still randomly cramp up all the time. As for my vocal chords I have no clue whats going on there and neither do my doctors. I have had a very horse voice since three days after the surgery. And to be honest it becomes quiet painful to talk. Its been three months and my coworkers and doctors both seem to think it is getting stronger but i dont really hear it.
I missed about 4 weeks of work because my body was so drained after the surgery. I think it may have something to do with having both autoimmune desieses. In short, if you dont 100% medically need the surgery dont get it. I wish I never did. Also sorry for all the spelling errors. HAHA
The potassium iodine all but killed me. Swelled in face, neck, throat, gums. Hurt ro wear my dentures. Throwing up, sore throat, body aches, fever, chills, sensitivity to heat. Sever depression and anxiety. I personally think I was having an allergic reaction and would not recommend going this route. Meds did not work for me either. Had to go with full thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism and Graves disease. Immediately felt better in alot of ways but now 5 days post op taking 4500mg oystershell calcium, 500mg antibiotic for 7 days, 100mcg levothyroxin forever and oxycodone for 7 days as needed for pain and my throat is still sore, voice very hoarse, painful muscle cramping everywhere and tingling in fingers, hands, toes and feet. Concerned and of course its the weekend. Combination of meds causing constant horrific nightmares to the point of insomnia and there's quite a bit of swelling at the incision site. Everything I'm reading says I should be feeling much better. Im a customer service rep in a call center. I need my voice back!
I am 11 days out from a total Thyroidectomy. The feelings that you’ve described are very familiar to what I’m going through. I am in very little pain at this point but I have started feeling extremely depressed. I have been crying, feeling extremely fatigued as dizzy. My appetite comes and goes. I already take celexa. I have been taking it for depression for about 10 yrs. My endocrinologist doubled my dose of levothrioxide to 100 mcg. I don’t know if this has messed me up or just the surgery in general but I do not like this feeling at all. I have been around people this weekend and it has ended in tears. I can’t live like this. I don’t know what to do. I’m supposed to go back to work in 2 days. I can’t imagine having the energy to handle it. HELP!!!!