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Panoramic Dental X-ray and thyroid

I was diagnosed with hypo and take thyroxine. My thyroid is enlarged as well.I had recently a problem in the wisdom tooth so I had a Panoramic Dental X-ray for the first time.The technician did not ask me about my thyroid and did not give me a thyroid shield.After the x-ray,I read that this may harm my thyroid.Is this true? I am very concerned after this x-ray as I had enough problems because of my thyroid and I do not want any more.

Thanks in advan
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Avatar universal
In that case you will need to make sure that your ferritin is optimal, since it affects conversion of T4 to T3.  Also, selenium is another one that is important.  Brazil nuts are a good source of selenium.   If all else fails to get your Free T3 high enough, there are places you can buy NDT type med and have it shipped.  

Be sure to get your cortisol tested also.  
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Avatar universal
You could try a dose of 62.5 mcg and see if that gives the same effect.  If it is okay you could stay on that for 4-6 weeks and by then you would have test results.  
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Thank you very much for you valuable info.I will try this.I also read your journal and was impressed by your story and how natural thyroid had changed your life.I hope I can take this but unfortunately where I live there is no T3 or natural thyroid medications.Only thyroxine.
Avatar universal
Hypothyroidism is usually considered as just "inadequate thyroid hormone".  Correctly defined it is, " insufficient T3 effect in tissue throughout the body, due to inadequate supply of, or response to, thyroid hormone".   So hypothyroidism is insufficient TISSUE T3 EFFECT, which can be related to both the levels of thyroid hormone and the response to it.  There are a number of processes and variables that affect the response, including Reverse T3, cortisol, Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin.  Due to the many processes and variables involved, there is no direct measure of the thyroid status of a person.  The best indicator of a person's thyroid status is an evaluation for symptoms that occur more frequently with hypothyroidism than otherwise.  

You have several symptoms that can be related to hypothyroidism.   In support of that possibility, you r Free T4 is less than 5% of its range, which is typically too low.  Your Free T3 is less than 30% of its range, which is again lower than many patients need to relieve hypo symptoms.  So you need a higher dose of thyroid med, yet you had a reaction to the increase.  Such a reaction may be due to low cortisol or low ferritin (storage form of iron).    In addition, hypo patients are frequently deficient in Vitamin D and B12.    So I think the next step for you is to get tested for cortisol, ferritin, Vitamin D and B12.   Note that the best test for cortisol is a diurnal saliva cortisol (free cortisol) panel of 4 tests at different times of the day.  Doctors typically only will order a morning serum cortisol (total cortisol) which is not as revealing as the saliva test.   Note that Vitamin D should be at lest 50 ng/mL, B12 in the upper end of its range,and ferritin should be at least 100.

A good thyroid doctor will diagnose and treat a hypothyroid patient by evaluation for symptoms, supported by expanded testing, and treatment with thyroid med as needed to relieve hypothyroid symptoms, without being influenced by resultant TSH results.
I say that about TSH because, unlike in the untreated state, TSH  is typically suppressed when taking enough thyroid med to relieve symptoms.  If you want to confirm what I have said you can find a lot of info by clicking on my name and then scrolling down to my Journal and read at least the one page Overview of a paper on Diagnosis and Treatment of Hypothyroidism:  A Patient's Perspective.  

Do you think you can get these tests done?
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Thank you very much.I have started to take Iron, Vitamin D and B12 already.And I planned to check them sooner.I took 75 dose for two days and when I experience fast heart beats,nervousness I stop them.Do you think I need to start them again for a week and see so perhaps this reaction may not last?
Avatar universal
I understand that fully.  I asked those questions to determine if your thyroid gland was even actively producing hormone, which depends on whether your medication and daily dosage is high enough to suppress TSH.    If your thyroid gland is basically inactive, then it would not have been affected by the radiation.  As I understand ti, usually the amount of radiation is so small that only with repeat exposures would there even be a concern.
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I take thyroxin 50.My last lab results are:

TSH 2.21 ( Ref 0.4-4.2)
Free T4 0.85 (Ref 0.8-1.9)
Free T3 3.43 (Ref 2.6-5.4)

I have subacute thyroiditis  for more than six months.I have also hypo symptoms (Numbness in feet and hands,neck pain,and increase in heart beats).I supposed to increase the dose to 75 but this dose made me nervous and anxious so I returned to 50 )

Thank you for your support
Avatar universal
Was your thyroid gland still producing hormone or were you taking enough thyroid med that the TSH was suppressed and not stimulating production of natural thyroid hormone?   Please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  Also, even more important than test results are symptoms.  What, if any, symptoms do you have?
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1 Comments
Sorry but I think that you can not get my Question.My levels are ok. I talk about the danger of x-ray to my thyroid
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