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Has anyone developed a sudden onset of 24/7 tinnitus after a total thyroidectomy?

I had a complete thyroidectomy in January 2016. A week later stitches were removed and I was started on Synthroid. A week after starting Synthroid my ears started ringing and have never stopped. It has now been two months since my surgery and I am ringing like crazy! We have tried different levels of Synthroid and 4 days ago I switched to WP Thyroid (NDT). Still ringing! I'm inclined to believe it is a nutritional deficiency from not having a real thyroid anymore. Has anyone had luck correcting the tinnitus? If so, what worked for you?
Best Answer
649848 tn?1534633700
COMMUNITY LEADER
Zinc deficiency can cause ear ringing, but this would have nothing to do with not having a thyroid.  If you didn't have the ringing prior to the TT, but you do have it now, I'd agree with gimel, that's most likely related to being hypo; however, you could talk to your doctor about trying a zinc supplement, if the ringing doesn't improve.
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Avatar universal
Hi
I also suffered from tintinutis after thyroidectomy and I seem to get more intense ringing when I have excessive body fluid that I say is from my hormone levels being wonky.  Just my 2 year fight with tintinutis and fluid unnatural buildup ans reducting sodium has not helped me at all.
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One more helpful thing....I purchased Lipo-Flavonoid Plus Capsules its this supplement I kept seeing on TV and I purchased it ...it really did help although some had no luck not my case.
Avatar universal
there are studies now connecting the radiation treatment after thyroidectomy to hearing damage and loss. I have had Tinnitus since my thyroidectomy and rai treatment in 2008.     https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101115174017.htm
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Avatar universal
Are you sure you are being adequately medicated for the hypothyroidism?  Also have you been tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin?
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Avatar universal
She did not that time. My hair has started falling out like crazy so I called this week and went in for blood work. This time they did TSH and Free T4 only.

TSH - 27.732 (H) range .450-4.500
Free T4 - .47 (L) range .82-1.77

They also tested my liver. This is very concerning to me.
ALT 48 (H) range 0-35

Upon reviewing blood work, my doctor told me to double my dose of WP Thyroid so I will begin taking 2 grains (65mg x 2) tomorrow.

Your thoughts are truly appreciated!
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Avatar universal
We may be able to help you convince your doctor.    Before going further right now, did you not test for Free T4 along with the Free T3?
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Avatar universal
Thanks so much for all your detailed help! Below is the last lab work that I had.

TSH  0.040 (marked as LOW)  range 0.350-4.500
T3      3.2                               range 2.3-4.2
Calcium 1.28                          range 1.12-1.32
This was done on March 10,2016. I don't go back for another 8 weeks. These are all the reports they gave me.
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Avatar universal
Thank you Barb! I'm going to pick some up today to see if it will help.
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Avatar universal
I also had total thyroidectomy. Was diagnosed Graves disease Nov 2015.  

Allergic to antithyroid meds + severely enlarged thyroid = thyroid must be removed.  

Surgery was last month.  Parathyroids left intact, but still taking calcium citrate (1500mg) and vitamin D (was 1000 iu but now 2000 iu) supplements daily.  Also taking 125 mcg daily Synthroid.  Last bloodwork  T4 approx. 16.5 (normal range 12 to 22).  T3 well below normal range so 2 days ago my Endo said I have a T3 conversion problem, and she started me on Cytomel.  12.5mcg daily for one week, then 25 mcg daily after that.  No change to my Synthroid.  Have only taken the Cytomel once so far, so don't really know what to expect yet.  Have not noticed any extra ringing in my ears, but have only been on Synthroid since Feb 10.

I am 50 years old, male, quite smoking last spring, and heart attack survivor (2004) if that means anything.
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Avatar universal
Please post those blood test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.

Also, be aware that the conversion tables shown for converting T4 to desiccated and to T3 are incorrect.  They erroneously show the following:
100 mcg T4 = one grain of desiccated=25 mcg of T3.   So by that there would be a 4 to 1 ratio of T4 to T3.  That is incorrect.  According to scientific studies and also the AACE/ATA Guidelines for Hypothyroidism, the correct ratio is 3 to 1.

A grain of desiccated contains 39 mcg of T4 and 9 mcg of T3.  So, if you multiply the 9 by 3, according to the 3:1 ratio, and add the 39 mcg of T4, that comes out to be 66 mcg.   So according to that one grain of desiccated like WP Thyroid is only equivalent to only 66 mcg of T4, not 100.

Your prior dose of 200 mcg of T4 would thus be about 3 grains of desiccated thyroid med.
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I wish I could convince my doctor of this!
Avatar universal
I started on 137 Synthroid. Starting constant ringing in ears a week later. Was told dose may be too high. Advised not to take for a week as the Synthroid plus remaining hormone floating around in my body after surgery might have been too much. Still ringing. Started back up on 137. Had blood tests which showed severely low. Moved up to 200. Still ringing. Switched to 1 grain of WP Thyroid, equivalent to 100 Synthroid.
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Avatar universal
I cannot imagine it to be related to nutritional deficiency from not having a real thyroid anymore.  Tinnitus can be associated with being hypothyroid, which is a common occurrence for patients after a TT, until the biologically active thyroid hormone levels (Free T4 and Free T3) are optimized.  So tell us about your different dosages of Synthroid, and when you changed  dosage.  Also any other symptoms you have noticed.  And please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.

T4 meds like Synthroid take 4 weeks to reach about 90% of their final effect on serum levels.  Changing dosages in a short time does not allow time to get the full effect.  Also now you have switched to WP Thyroid 4 days ago , which again is not long enough to determine the effect.  What is the dosage of the WP Thyroid?
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I can understand all the fears and decisions concerning thyroid problems. 40 years ago following the birth of my my 3rd child and a partial hysterectomy.  While still in the hospital I began to notice an enlargement in my neck. Unfortunately I was having terrible reactions to the meds I was receiving for pain and that was what the doctors focused on. I couldn't sleep and every time I got up for any reason I fell. They finally put up rails on my bed and tiresome to them. My doctors, who were excellent OB-GYNs, and decided I was a nut case and suggested my husband agree to put on the Phyc ward. He refused and suggested they remove me from all medication for a couple of days. I did respond to the lack of meds and was dismissed. I spent 13 days in the hospital following a simple surgery. When I returned for my post surgery exam I asked my doctor to look at my neck because it had enlarged greatly. He sent me for the T3 and T4 nuclear test. When he got the results they were so high he decided the test was contaminated and refused to except the results. He sent me to wonderful internist who got the correct diagnosis and I got a paid in full bill from the original doctor for as well as an apology. Eventually a great surgeon removed the very large goiter caused from Graves Disease. I was on one thyroid but eventually put me on synthroid. I have learned that thyroid problems can cause a myriad of trouble. What works for one patient very well be trouble for another. After all these years I still have ringing in my ears and guess I always will. It is maddening at times and has an effect on my hearing.  Since the Graves disease I haven't had a normal hospital stay. I am always end up way over the normal stay. Didn't mean to write a book but hope this will help someone find an answer when there is a problem a doctor is baffled over.
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