The THYROID Thread

[kathleena]

Your nurse's message is confusing though - if your TSH is too high, then you need more synthroid. If they are too low you'll take less, which is what she told you to do. I know it's a balancing act, they was that TSH low but without you getting symptoms of being hyper.

This happens to me all the time. They say it is high because it really means that your thyroid is overactive (or high) although the way the labs are set up they measure TSH and the TSH is low in the lab range. Because TSH is produced by the pituitary they don't say - your pit is low, we have to treat your thryoid. So your thyroid is high, but your pit is low.

So if all they say is high or low - as them so what is the TSH lab range - you mean I'm high in the range or low?

Ya it's confusing.............

 

[mrsklamc]

Luvmarypoppins- I'm still mostly eating fruits and veggies, have had the 'lunch in foil' a couple times and DH made me guacamole on plain tostadas last night.

I'm not sure I can go to work this week- I was hoping to get all rested over the holiday and I have but I'm not sure I have the tact my job requires- I am blunt at my best and i'm afraid I'll look right at someone and say 'you're an idiot' because I can't think clearly enough for the platitudes.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Luvmarypoppins- I'm still mostly eating fruits and veggies, have had the 'lunch in foil' a couple times and DH made me guacamole on plain tostadas last night.

I'm not sure I can go to work this week- I was hoping to get all rested over the holiday and I have but I'm not sure I have the tact my job requires- I am blunt at my best and i'm afraid I'll look right at someone and say 'you're an idiot' because I can't think clearly enough for the platitudes.

Micayla, sending you a . Honestly I dont know how you are feeling since I didnt go hypo, just had the thyrogen shots because I had already been through soo much they said with the coma, bowel resection etc. I did that lunch in the foil too. I tried to mix the vegs up so it wasnt the same all the time, looked colorful on the plate etc. Tried to be something like they were eating. I made a big batch of pot roast stuff , just the meat,onions potatoes and carrots. That was 1 lb. of meat so that lasted for 4 meals, I did the peanut butter on unsalted matzoh, not great but o..k. did stuff like jelly on orange chicken, snap peas and basmati rice, close to chinese food I could get as possible. etc. I would have liked some air popped corn, but I dont have a popper for that., I did the no yolk noodles so that was o.k. a few times. Since mine was at easter and I couldnt eat ham, I did a pork chop with maple syrup, sweet potatoe etc. I microwaved an apple and put cinnamon on it if I wanted a break from the regular crunching. Hang in there, you're doing great.

 

[mrsklamc]

Micayla, sending you a . Honestly I dont know how you are feeling since I didnt go hypo, just had the thyrogen shots because I had already been through soo much they said with the coma, bowel resection etc. I did that lunch in the foil too. I tried to mix the vegs up so it wasnt the same all the time, looked colorful on the plate etc. Tried to be something like they were eating. I made a big batch of pot roast stuff , just the meat,onions potatoes and carrots. That was 1 lb. of meat so that lasted for 4 meals, I did the peanut butter on unsalted matzoh, not great but o..k. did stuff like jelly on orange chicken, snap peas and basmati rice, close to chinese food I could get as possible. etc. I would have liked some air popped corn, but I dont have a popper for that., I did the no yolk noodles so that was o.k. a few times. Since mine was at easter and I couldnt eat ham, I did a pork chop with maple syrup, sweet potatoe etc. I microwaved an apple and put cinnamon on it if I wanted a break from the regular crunching. Hang in there, you're doing great.

Awww. Thanks! I mostly don't care that much about variety right now because I can't seem to care much about...much. I am dragging myself in to work in a few minutes so I can get a few things done in case I don't make it in for the rest of the week.

 

[Christine]

Awww. Thanks! I mostly don't care that much about variety right now because I can't seem to care much about...much. I am dragging myself in to work in a few minutes so I can get a few things done in case I don't make it in for the rest of the week.

Hang in there!! You are really coming down to the worst part. What you are feeling is SOOO normal. I know that feeling of being tired and just feeling absolutely dull. And it doesn't matter how much rest you get--it just doesn't work.

I am with you on the food. By the end, I just didn't care. I was so worn down, I couldn't really desire any good food. This will be a different experience for you, however, if you ever induce hypo with the Thyrogen shots. You will still feel pretty good so you will sort of care more about your lack of food options!!

I just remember being so tired and lethargic then I ended up eating a lot of oatmeal.

 

[jennz]

Ditto what Christine said. Being so hypo is horrible, just like being a giant slug. However tv should definitely be able to hold your attention!

I've had my last scans with thryogen and am soooooo glad I can do it! No problems at all.

Just remember that this will all be over soon.

 

[mrsklamc]

A Co-worker (who I always find condescending anyway) informed me this morning that for her, sometimes it's just mind over matter.

Yes, dear, and YOU have your thyroid. argh.

 

[jennz]

A Co-worker (who I always find condescending anyway) informed me this morning that for her, sometimes it's just mind over matter.

Yes, dear, and YOU have your thyroid. argh.

Ah lovely...the experts weigh in - always fun right? Aren't you glad you can come here and be understood?

 

[mrsklamc]

Finally gave in today and didn't go to work. DH said I almost seemed drunk, got in the shower and was in there forever like I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing.

Thought you might find this funny though, if you've had to do this. I found myself staring at a headline at digg.com about a prisoner who had to have a five inch shank removed from...well nevermind where. I stared at it forever trying to figure out how they got the SHARK into the prison.

 

[rubato]

Hi everyone. I'm new here. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos about 4 years ago. I had a huge nodule and that was being watched for the 4 previous years, but then I gained 40 lbs in between tests and was sleeping for 20 hours a day, losing all my hair. You know, the standard stuff. So, I've been on Synthroid for the last 4 years. I lost the weight, feel better most of the time, and, because we are suppressing my TSH, my nodule is shrinking!!! Yah!

But, I still don't feel fully like myself. Sometimes, I have really good days. Sometimes, I'm living in a fog. I also catch everything. I'm assuming that's because I have an auto-immune disease, but it still sucks.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself. It's good to see the support people are getting on here.

 

[Christine]

Finally gave in today and didn't go to work. DH said I almost seemed drunk, got in the shower and was in there forever like I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing.

Thought you might find this funny though, if you've had to do this. I found myself staring at a headline at digg.com about a prisoner who had to have a five inch shank removed from...well nevermind where. I stared at it forever trying to figure out how they got the SHARK into the prison.

Hey--this happens to me sometimes on the DIS and I'm not even hypo!! The things I *think* those thread titles say--well, I amuse myself sometimes.

The good news is--you're still typing relatively well. You should have seen me when I was really hypo. When I went back and read some of the things I typed it was like I was drunk. It's hard to believe that the first time I went hypo I worked right up until my treatment.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

Does anyone with Hashimoto's nodes feel like they are constantly choking when swallowing? Sometimes it just feels like I've got steak stuff in my throat. And if I bend my neck certain ways I feel like I'm choking. I go back to the endo in January. Just wondering if anyone else here has experienced this?

 

[Christine]

Does anyone with Hashimoto's nodes feel like they are constantly choking when swallowing? Sometimes it just feels like I've got steak stuff in my throat. And if I bend my neck certain ways I feel like I'm choking. I go back to the endo in January. Just wondering if anyone else here has experienced this?

I think that this is a pretty common feeling for anyone with thyroid nodules. When they get to a certain size, they do put pressure on the throat and can impact swallowing. While the nodules are harmless (benign), many people opt to have a thyroidectomy to get rid of that uncomfortable feeling.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I think that this is a pretty common feeling for anyone with thyroid nodules. When they get to a certain size, they do put pressure on the throat and can impact swallowing. While the nodules are harmless (benign), many people opt to have a thyroidectomy to get rid of that uncomfortable feeling.

My endo has mentioned removing them, since they are getting bigger but, thank God the ultrasound shows never cancerous, but he says that a thyroidectomy on a Hashimoto's gland is one of the most complicated surgeries, he says it's messy.

Anyone had their glands removed for "comfort"?

 

[Christine]

My endo has mentioned removing them, since they are getting bigger but, thank God the ultrasound shows never cancerous, but he says that a thyroidectomy on a Hashimoto's gland is one of the most complicated surgeries, he says it's messy.

Anyone had their glands removed for "comfort"?

I wondering how an ultrasound can show that something isn't cancer. You know that it can't, right? Have they done a needle biopsy.

Hashimoto's glands are often very vascularized (mine was) and it can be a bloody surgery.

 

[mrsklamc]

I didn't even know I HAD any swelling prior to being diagnosed w/ cancer a couple months ago and I can't BELIEVE how much more comfortable breathing is after having my thyroid removed. I would huff and puff going up and down stairs- I just thought it was from being a few pounds overweight. Ok, like 25 pounds overweight but not obese.

Anyway, my point it- I know it's scary but I think you should definitely consider it. I don't know where you are but we (DH and I and my MIL the nursing professor) could not have been more pleased and confident w/ my surgeon so if you happen to be near Indy send me a PM.

 

[rubato]

My endo has mentioned removing them, since they are getting bigger but, thank God the ultrasound shows never cancerous, but he says that a thyroidectomy on a Hashimoto's gland is one of the most complicated surgeries, he says it's messy.

Anyone had their glands removed for "comfort"?

I've debated it. There's nothing like that feeling of not being able to swallow. But, I've had so many surgeries for other things, I'm reluctant to have one that isn't "absolutely necessary". I'm sure you'll do whatever is right for you.

 

[mrsklamc]

Does anyone know how many days AFTER RAI ablation before I can go off the LID?

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I wondering how an ultrasound can show that something isn't cancer. You know that it can't, right? Have they done a needle biopsy.

Hashimoto's glands are often very vascularized (mine was) and it can be a bloody surgery.

All the endo has ever done is an ultrasound. He says he can tell if a further biopsy is needed based on the color it shows (the hot spots) and the shape. Because he says these things are normal, I've never had a biopsy.

Was the aftermath and recovery of your surgery difficult?

For those that have had the surgery for non-cancer: Do you generally feel better after the diseased glands are removed?

 

[mrsklamc]

All the endo has ever done is an ultrasound. He says he can tell if a further biopsy is needed based on the color it shows (the hot spots) and the shape. Because he says these things are normal, I've never had a biopsy.

Was the aftermath and recovery of your surgery difficult?

For those that have had the surgery for non-cancer: Do you generally feel better after the diseased glands are removed?

Spots on an ultrasound can be hyper-echoic or hypo-echoic (meaning whether they absorb sound waves or bounce them back. Cancerous cells tend to absorb sound waves ( I think, I might have that backwards) but the only way to tell for sure whether a mass is cancerous is a biopsy.