Question:
Post-ops who are hypothyroid: any change in medication since surgery?
If so, I'd like to hear your experience with your medication since surgery. Have you had to change your dosage, brand, etc? Is it absorbed differently after surgery? My surgery was 3 wks ago yesterday, and I haven't started back on Levoxyl yet. I tried it one day just before my 2-wk checkup, and felt strange all day....brain fog, lethargic, couldn't think/concentrate. It's the only thing I did different that day, so I attributed it to the medication. Told my surgeon, and she said not to take Levoxyl until after we get labs done at my 4 wk check next Monday -- she wants to check my TSH, T3 and see how it's doing. I've only lost 18 lbs since surgery, despite following the plan to a "T." I'm wondering if the lack of medication is contributing to that?! Thanks. Francie P Lap RNY 4/27/04 — FrancieP (posted on May 19, 2004)
May 19, 2004
That is the same medication that I am on, and I am now 9 1/2 months post-op
and still on my thyroid medication, my WLS doctor told me that is one thing
that is not changed by the surgery. I have taken several blood test and my
TSH, T3 are the same as before surgery, so my pcp is keeping me the exact
same on my medication as before surgery. I did go off of 7 medications,
and have not had to take insulin since the day after surgery. I figured
that if all I have to take is my thyroid meds, that is okay. I am not a
doctor so I can not tell you about letargic, but it might have been your
blood pressure, mine has gotten very low at times, and before surgery I had
high blood pressure, or it may have been your sugar numbers went to low, or
that you may need B-12. Hope this helped. Cindy Smith, Open RNY 8-6-03,
-133 lbs
— cindy
May 19, 2004
Hi Francie, I'm on Levoxyl as well. I had lap RNY on 8/25/03 and have lost
80 249/169. I was told prior to surgery that losing weight will most likely
have no effect on my thyroid function. I just got the results of my blood
tests back yesterday and they have not, in fact, changed at all. I have,
however, been able to cut out the blood pressure meds. My pressure after
being off the meds for 1 month is excellent. Glad to be off at least one. I
honestly don't know if being off the medication would slow your weight
loss. My sense is probably not. Don't worry, though. 18 pounds in three
weeks is great if you think about it logically! Keep following your
instructions and you'll be amazed! Good luck!
— Kimberly C.
May 19, 2004
I take synthroid and my dosage has been reduced and my TSH levels are
running pretty good (about 1.5). before surgery, I was taking 35
micrograms and am now taking 15 micrograms.
Unfortunately, losing weight will not cure thyroid function and taking meds
will be a lifetime thing. I know plenty of thin people who are hypothyroid
and taking the same meds/dosage that I have been on both pre and post-op.
The 18 pound loss is great. It's common to lose that much in the first 2
weeks or so, then you'll plateau for a little while and not lose much, if
anything. However, I was never taken off of my synthroid - I took it the
day of surgery and took it in the hospital after surgery and every day
since.
— Carolyn M.
May 19, 2004
Hi,
I have had problems with my TSH levels. My doctor put me on Amour Thyroid
and has raised my dosage two times. I was on Synthroid before and on the
same amount for many years. He thinks my body isn't absorbing it like
before. If your thyroid is out of whack it will keep you from losing as
fast, as it would if your TSH level were normal. Weight gain is a symtom of
under active thyroid.
— kkubinski99
May 19, 2004
Before RNY in October 2003 I was on 175 mcg of Synthroid. Now I am down to
100 mcg and waiting for new blood results. Prior to surgery I used to take
my Synthroid with breakfast and my other pills. Now I take it when I get
up to pee at about 3 am. So that accounts for some of it but my doctor
thought that weightloss attributed to it too but after reading the other
posts I don't know.
— cat5dog1
May 19, 2004
I had RNY 3/15/04 on Levoxyl 1.75 since surgery and just had my labs done 2
wks ago, my levels are within range so my endo is keeping me at the same
dosage. I've lost 44 lbs, so I'm assuming thats "normal". Good
luck!
— SJWendy
May 19, 2004
I don't understand why your medication wasn't restarted after surgery. I
was started back on my Levoxyl the day after my lap RNY in 10/02. My
dosage has been adjusted about 3 times since surgery. It was decreased
twice, then back up once. (I was on Synthroid for 6 months in 2000 when I
started having thyroid problems, and at the end of six months, my
hypothyroid symptoms came back, so I was switched to Levoxyl. It has worked
for me since then.)The symptoms you described - brain fog, lethargy, etc.,
are symptoms of hypothyroidism, so I doubt the medication was the cause!)
— koogy
May 20, 2004
I kept taking my synthroid following surgery, just crushing it up to absorb
better, but in feb. I had my lab redone (my surgery was Dec 9, 2003) and
they had to UP my dosage. I am now taking 88 mcg up from 75, and my TSH
last lab was normal. I am changing PCP's and I will have my thyroid
rechecked in June to make sure the TSH level is where it should be and the
medicine is working. When my medication was upped my weight did seem to
come off easier.
— Christy L.
May 20, 2004
I just wanted to clarify/correct my previous post. I'm taking 150
micrograms of synthroid, down from 350 micrograms. Not the 15 and 35 that
I posted earlier. Talk about brain fog.....
— Carolyn M.
May 20, 2004
I'd get right back on the thyroid medication if I were you. Lethargy and
brain fog are signs of hypothyroidism, which would most likely be from the
lack of taking your thyroid hormone replacement pills for weeks, not from
taking one pill after being off of them for a couple of weeks. I've gone
on and off of Synthroid for a couple of months at a time in connection with
thyroid cancer treatments; I never feel differently the day I stop taking
the pills, it takes a couple of weeks to notice a difference, and when I'm
finally back on them, it takes a couple of weeks to notice improvement.
But when I'm hypo -- off of them for weeks -- I feel lethargic, in a brain
fog, and can't think or concentrate straight. My guess is you may have
been more aware of your hypo symptoms the day you took the pill, and not
that the pill caused them. I also think it might be hard to separate
post-op recovery from anesthesia, surgery, etc., and the fatigue associated
with that, from being "hypo."<P>I don't know what doseage
you were on, but like other posters I can't understand going off of it
without a blood test indicating you no longer needed it first. You may
need less of the medication over time, or you may need more, but not
needing it at all -- well, I think that'd be unlikely. Obviously I'm no
doctor, though, so I'd ask your doc some pretty hard questions about this
if he's advising you not to take them.
— Suzy C.
May 20, 2004
Hi,
My Levoxyl had to be increased, I am doing well now.
Marylyn
— Kriola
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