Just read your post moose..and curious with the answers too.
"tingling and cramping hands, face and feet"
- very obvious hypo thyroid symptoms.
"How is it that these surgeons know so little about the after effects"
- common sense and book smarts are not the same. And they dont listen to people. People that lack these talents in other careers would be fired.
You mention nothing about thyroid med, what is the plan?