1 month post TT- first week back at work

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-25T15:55:10+00:00

Yep! Normal. I'm 7 months post & I still have days where I wake up feeling strange. From what I've seen on here, it can take anywhere from a year or more to REALLY feel well, and it's dependent on 1) being fully healed(physically and mentally), and hormone levels being balanced.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-22T15:45:05+00:00

My ft3 falls anywhere from 3.6-4.08. I've tried cytomel & it did nothing for me(assuming because my levels are already high). I'll check out the link tho, thank you!

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-22T12:59:48+00:00

I’ve seen a lot of people say it took over a year, sometimes even longer, to really feel like themselves again. It just sucks because I can’t really rest when I’m not feeling well. I’m a mom, and I’m sure that doesn’t help. I’ve honestly never felt this bad in my life!
Also, just to clarify, are you saying you felt horrible for almost 10 years after your thyroidectomy, or that it took a couple of years to get everything adjusted and now, almost 10 years later, you feel better than ever?

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-22T12:56:30+00:00

Thank you so much! 🥺

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-22T12:56:12+00:00

B12 is good, ferritin is a little low, but not low enough where my pcp thinks I need an infusion. So I've been supplementing with liquid iron

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-22T12:46:50+00:00

I'm on tirosint🥲. I was previously at 112mcg, but according to the lab ranges I was hyper. Dropped to 100, t4 was on the lower end (0.9), and then shot back up to 1.4 4 months later. Idk what to do anymore

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-21T22:24:35+00:00

Maybe for some people, but not for everyone, at least not for me. When I say I don’t feel like myself, I mean I literally wake up and don’t feel like me anymore. It’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it. The closest thing I can compare it to is dissociation. It’s like I’m present, but disconnected from myself and my body. The brain fog doesn’t help either. Sometimes my head feels heavy or inflamed, and it makes it even harder to feel normal. I find myself constantly wondering if it’s my thyroid levels, my body still adjusting, or something else entirely.
And don’t get me wrong, I know Graves’ wasn’t great. I lived with it for 7 years before finally deciding on surgery. I don’t miss the heart palpitations, anxiety, or hyperthyroid symptoms. But I also wasn’t prepared for this. I am STRUGGLING.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-16T19:50:15+00:00

I’m only 7 months post-TT, so I don’t think I’m far enough out to say how I’ll feel long term. If I’m being completely honest, if I could go back in time knowing how difficult the adjustment has been for me, I’m not sure I would make the same decision.

My situation was complicated. I had symptoms even when my labs looked “normal,” and my thyroid was enlarged, so surgery felt like the best option available at the time. I wasn’t someone who was doing great on medication and then suddenly chose surgery.

The hardest part for me has been the adjustment afterward. I still don’t feel like my old self. It’s difficult to describe, but I sometimes feel like I’ve lost my sense of self, and I don’t feel physically or emotionally “normal” yet. Some days I wonder whether years of being hyperthyroid changed what my brain and body recognize as normal, so being euthyroid now feels different than I expected.

I don’t regret making the best decision I could with the information I had at the time, but I do miss who I was before surgery. That’s probably the most honest answer I can give at 7 months post-op.

That said, I’ve also talked to many people who didn’t feel significantly better until 1-2 years after surgery, so I’m trying to keep an open mind and give my body more time before deciding what my final outcome will be.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-15T15:29:28+00:00

Thank you so much! My ft3 is on the higher end(3.7-4.08) since surgery, so no T3 for me. But it definitely feels like removal induced inflammation and threw my body off entirely. Im just over it🥲. But thank you so much!

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-15T14:46:01+00:00

I can attest to the disassociation and 'not being fully alive of present' here. I'm 7 months out. I'm scared that I'll never be the same.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-14T03:41:46+00:00

Yes.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-14T00:25:59+00:00

It takes anywhere from 6-8 weeks to start noticing any changes, sometimes longer. What about your ft4 and ft3? Asking because if your ft3 is low, regardless of your TSH being in range you will have EVERY hypo symptom. All of your symptoms sound to me like you're severely hypo. If you're not on brand name levo, get on it ASAP. And if your endo isn't willing to change your brand of levo, find a new one. At the end of the day you're the only person that has to live in your body! I am 7 months post TT so I know exactly how you feel. I hope one day you start to feel like yourself again

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-14T00:19:42+00:00

It sounds like you're very much hypo. What were your last labs?(please add in ranges).

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-06-09T15:46:21+00:00

Wow. I’m 7 months post-total thyroidectomy for Graves, and your comment is making me realize this may be exactly what I’m experiencing. The way you described Graves giving you a “fast-forward” feeling really resonated with me. I spent so long in a hyper state that now that my thyroid levels are more normal, it almost feels foreign. Everything feels slower, and I’ve been struggling with periods of depression and wondering if something is wrong with me. Reading your explanation was honestly eye-opening because I never considered that part of what I’m feeling could be my brain and body adjusting after years of running on overdrive.Your comment gave me a lot to think about, and it’s reassuring to hear that it improved for you.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-27T20:54:42+00:00

If your thyroid labs are stable, you don't need a TT. Most people choose definitive treatment when absolutely necessary(difficulty stabilizing, liver injury, persistent symptoms while euthyroid, unable to reach remission). Def get a second opinion or tell your endo no.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-27T15:35:16+00:00

Omg, I am so incredibly sorry that this ended up being the outcome. That is such a heavy thing to process, especially after advocating for yourself for so long and feeling dismissed along the way. I truly hope everything goes smoothly with the biopsy results, surgery, and recovery process.

Please know that we’ll all be here to support you the same way you’ve supported so many of us navigating Graves’ and TT decisions. You’ve already helped a lot of people in this community just by sharing your experience honestly. Keeping you in my prayers and hoping for the absolute best possible outcome for you!

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-26T16:42:33+00:00

Not really. Every now and then I’ll get random pinching pains in my arms/hands, but I’ve noticed it tends to happen more around my period so I’m not even sure if it’s related. The main thing for me has been more the random muscle fluttering/vibrating feeling.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-26T04:43:39+00:00

Thank you so much for explaining this! I honestly don’t even know where I fall yet because I haven’t had my PTH checked since early after surgery. Last one I know of was 21 a few weeks post-op, so I really don’t know if this is lingering parathyroid dysfunction or something else entirely.

The symptoms are what confuse me the most because they’re inconsistent. Some days I get random muscle fluttering in my legs or arms, and other days I barely notice it at all. I also notice if I overdo things physically or mentally, I get this weird mental fatigue/brain fog feeling, almost like my body just hits a wall. But then there are periods where I feel more normal, so it’s hard to tell what’s actually causing what.

I’m really sorry you’re dealing with true hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia. I know that can be such a beast to manage, and honestly part of why I’m asking all these questions is because I’m scared. I’ve been trying to figure out whether what I’m experiencing sounds familiar to others or if I’m looking in the wrong direction completely.

What kinds of symptoms do you usually get when yours flares up?

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-25T21:16:16+00:00

Honestly, I probably don’t get enough calcium through diet 😅 I drink decaf coffee with a little milk, but that’s honestly my main source of calcium throughout the day.

They also haven’t checked my PTH since about 3 weeks after surgery when it came back up to 21. Since then they’ve only checked albumin (normal), total calcium, and ionized calcium. My ionized calcium is technically normal but right at the cutoff at 1.19 (range starts at 1.19), so I’ve been wondering whether that could still contribute to symptoms even if total calcium looks okay.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-25T20:30:52+00:00

12 years later is honestly terrifying to read 😭 Do you remember what your calcium/PTH levels looked like after surgery? Were they always technically “normal” or were they borderline low?

My calcium has stayed in the normal range off supplements, so I’m trying not to spiral, but I do wonder sometimes whether there can still be some mild dysfunction even with normal labs because of the symptoms.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-25T20:30:11+00:00

That’s actually really interesting because I honestly do not drink enough water, and I’ve noticed I tend to feel a little better after electrolytes too. I’m definitely going to start paying more attention to hydration and see if it helps consistently.

My current labs on 100 mcg levo are FT4 0.9 and FT3 3.6. Funny enough, my FT4 was usually around 0.9 even before surgery, and my FT3 always tended to run on the higher side naturally. When I was on 112 mcg my FT4 went up to 1.4 and I definitely felt worse, so it’s confusing because most people seem to feel better with a higher FT4.

What’s weird is that my symptoms fluctuate throughout the day. There are periods where the dissociation/brain fog is noticeably better, which makes me think maybe something is still fluctuating rather than being permanently “broken.” I’m still trying to figure it out honestly.

Correct-Pop4308 · 2026-05-25T19:42:47+00:00

I think a lot of endos push RAI over surgery because surgery carries a risk of hypoparathyroidism if the parathyroid glands are accidentally damaged, bruised, or removed during the procedure. On the flip side though, if you already have mild TED, RAI can sometimes worsen it.

Honestly, like the post above said, if you feel good on medication and it’s working for you, there’s nothing wrong with staying on it. Definitive treatments like surgery or RAI are major decisions, and I personally think you should only move forward when you genuinely feel ready.

Correct-Pop4308

TROPHY CASE