Hi..Haven't had my thyroid out but have Hashi, but go on what Barb said..Smoking i gave up for the 20th time this January..I used nicotine gum, my Hubby Champix tabs. Only bad thing their is i have to now get off the gum:( im sure there is bad effects after a while with them..My Hubby was ill on the Tabs and went off them after 10 weeks but he hasn't gone back to smoking:) I pray each day for strength to not even look at one again so far so good, i never want to put one in my mouth again..When i stopped i got sicker tho, didnt know why, was waiting to to be healthy like everyone said i would, was dx in june with Hashi/Hypothyroidism, Goiter and Nodual..I have gained around 16 kilos as well, i was always a small person so find this very uncomfortable..But im going to get better than what i am now, one day at a time, My meds are working well...Best of luck Dawn.
I can answer a couple of your questions: Smoking --- I quit in August 2007 after 42 yrs of approx 2-3 packs/day. I used the drug Chantix and it worked very well for me although not for my husband -- actually he read about the side effects and got scared so he quit taking it. Sometimes, I still crave a smoke, but all I have to do is remember the burning feeling of that smoke going down my throat, then the 2 surgeries I endured to get the excess tissue off my vocal cords and not being able to talk for a week after each one --------- that's enough to convince me that I really don't want it as bad as I thought...
Yes, you will still have Hashi after you have TT. Once you have the antibodies, they will always be there; however, without a thyroid, they will go into remission.
You sure have alot of loaded questions!
Well let's see. Let's start with the smoking. I quit smoking November 9, 1977 9p.m. 32 years ago, yippee. Quit cold turkey, I was a chain smoker, three packs a day. I just knew I had to do it and that was that. Had tried quitting many times, but finally reached the point of getting it straight in my head that I knew I was going quit and might as well get it over with. It was hell, but I survived it. We didn't have patches or anything back then. Sure I gained alot of weight, but was always heavy. So conquered the smoking and am always working on the weight issue. At my worse I was 100 lbs. overweight, now am 50 lbs. overweight. Lost 50 ten years ago and have kept that off. Was diagnosed with Hashi's in 1990 and had a partial thyroidectomy in 92 when the nodule got as big as a lemon. And with my latest episodes of tachycardia, I noticed the first three things they ask you in the hospital when you are having heatlh/heart issues:
1. Do you smoke
2. Do you drink
3. Are you a diabetic?
Well, if I don't get the rest of this weight off I will be a diabetic. So that issue is on my priority list right now. Yippee, I don't smoke!!!!!! After watching my Dad die of throat cancer, it was alot of motivation. But you really have to plant both feet on the ground, get the most determined positive thoughts in your head and just DO IT. Especially while you are younger, the older you get the worse it is. Ok, my thoughts for the day on that :-). Now I'm 60, so glad that is behind me.
Have a grand day . . .Kathy