The THYROID Thread

[Christine]

From what I understand, Hashimoto's is the condition which causes hypothyroidism?? Or is it possible to be hypo without having Hashimoto's?? I'm confused.

Hashimoto's is one cause of hypothyroidism. You can be hypo and not have it. It is an autoimmune disorder, meaning it's in the same family as things like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

 

[h2oophelia]

Thanks for the info angwill and Christine!

 

[hcmommy]

I'm still waiting for my bloodwork. I went ahead and called the endo myself because I'm about to go on vacation and didn't want to miss their call. I got an appt. for April 26th. Isn't that a long time to wait? I called the gyno to make sure that I don't need to be seen faster than that but couldn't get the nurse so I am waiting for a call back. Hopefully she will have something to tell me on the bloodwork too. I'm going to ask her if I can come by and get a copy of the u/s and the bloodwork too just because I would like to be informed about what they say exactly.

I'm wondering if I have something like Hashimoto's Disease because I have another auto immune disease but who knows. I hate waiting! I just know it's probably going to be a long process to get a final diagnosis.

 

[sallysue66]

Hi All,
I found out at my last annual check-up that my TSH is 3.06. FNP said they don't medicate until this is at 4. Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos runs in the family pretty strong so I was wondering if I should see a Endo. WWYD?
Thanks,
Lora

 

[angwill]

Hi All,
I found out at my last annual check-up that my TSH is 3.06. FNP said they don't medicate until this is at 4. Hypothyroidism and Hashimotos runs in the family pretty strong so I was wondering if I should see a Endo. WWYD?
Thanks,
Lora

Personally I would thank the Lord I didn't have hypothyroidism and hashimotos like my family. 3.06 is a perfect number.

 

[Christine]

Personally I would thank the Lord I didn't have hypothyroidism and hashimotos like my family. 3.06 is a perfect number.

Actually, under the "new" guidelines (which started several years ago) anything over 3.0 is now considered hypo. It used to be 5.0. If you have symptoms and you are over the 3.0, most doctors will treat.

I would go see an endo if you feel bad. It's one thing if you're feeling okay.

 

[hcmommy]

Dr. office called with my bloodwork and I hope this makes sense, I wrote it down real quick while the nurse was talking...

TSH 3.570
T4 7.3
T3 30
Free T3 2.2

She said all my levels were considered normal. What do you all think? I asked her to mail me a copy of the u/s results and the bloodwork.

Now they think I may have PCOS too. Need to get an u/s at the beginning of April. Haven't done any research on it yet, I'm more worried about why I have multiple nodules and no thyroid disease?

 

[Christine]

Dr. office called with my bloodwork and I hope this makes sense, I wrote it down real quick while the nurse was talking...

TSH 3.570
T4 7.3
T3 30
Free T3 2.2

She said all my levels were considered normal. What do you all think? I asked her to mail me a copy of the u/s results and the bloodwork.

Now they think I may have PCOS too. Need to get an u/s at the beginning of April. Haven't done any research on it yet, I'm more worried about why I have multiple nodules and no thyroid disease?

Here is an interpretation of lab values:

"TSH" Test -- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone / Serum thyrotropin 0.4 to 6

0.3 to 3.0 (as of 2003) Under .4 can indicate possible hyperthyroidism. Over 6 is considered indicative of hypothyroidism. Note: the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists has revised these guidelines as of early 2003, narrowing the range to .3 to 3.0. Many labs and practitioners are not, however, aware of these revised guidelines.

Total T4 / Serum thyroxine 4.5 to 12.5 Less than 4.5 can be indicative of an underfunctioning thyroid when TSH is also elevated. Over 12.5 can indicate hyperthyroidism. Low T4 with low TSH can sometimes indicate a pituitary problem.

Free T4 / Free Thyroxine - FT4 0.7 to 2.0 Less than 0.7 is considered indicative of possible hypothyroidism.

T3 / Serum triiodothyronine 80 to 220 Less than 80 can indicate hypothyroidism.

So based on these values above, your TSH is over the mark based on the 2003 recommendations. My guess is that your doctor is not following the revised recommendations and is strictly going by the lab report which has probably not been updated. An endo will not ignore this.

Yet, your T4 is very normal.

I could not find a Free T3 interpretation value.

Your T3 is well below normal based on the range I posted. It is very important to get your lab report and see what the range is on your own bloodwork. They can differ from lab to lab depending on how they test.

 

[sallysue66]

Actually, under the "new" guidelines (which started several years ago) anything over 3.0 is now considered hypo. It used to be 5.0. If you have symptoms and you are over the 3.0, most doctors will treat.

I would go see an endo if you feel bad. It's one thing if you're feeling okay.

Thanks. I knew about the thyroid issues in my family but really didn't have a clue what the symptoms were other than my Aunts were both really tired and felt bad all the time and one thought she was losing her mind. I feel fine so was kind of shocked when the FNP called me about my routine labs and told me I was borderline hypo. I feel fine, ok a little tired but what working mom isn't? I guess my only symptom is I have been shedding alot of hair. I had chalked it up to age & peri-menopause. I don't want meds before I have to but i don't want to get to the point my aunts & cousins were either. FNP wants to re-check me in 6 months. I think my course of action now will be to ask for a re-check in 3 months just to stay on top of it and be pro-active. Sound reasonable?

 

[sallysue66]

Personally I would thank the Lord I didn't have hypothyroidism and hashimotos like my family. 3.06 is a perfect number.

But she didn't say it was a perfect #. She said I was borderline.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

I had my surgery at Peconic Bay and Im being followed at Stony Brook. As far as I know, it was just reg pap cancer. This is actually the first I'm hearing about the connection to Ground Zero and thyroid cancer. I was there for the first 36 hours after the attack and I worked part-time on site for the full duration of the clean-up/ recovery.

My endo increased my synthyroid to 300 mcg and switched me from generic to the name brand. Hopefully this will get things rolling in the right direction

Definetly sounds like you are headed in the right direction. Glad they increased your synthroid. I only take the name brand. Are you going to a SB endo, or one closer to you? I am going to one of the SB endos. I feel its better since they can communicate and get tests etc. much better than someone out of the SB loop. My SB endo talks to the SB rad. onc., I go to the SB imaging center for the neck ultrasounds, so all my info is in once place, they can just pull it up etc. If they think you need to see another dr. for anything else, they will do the referral and get you in faster if you have to etc. Just wondering who your rad. onc. is? I really didnt pick mine, they just assigned me one as part of my cancer team. Did you tell the rad. onc. you worked at Ground Zero. Our friend was a firefighter and he has had alot of lung problems and had to retire. He was buried under rubble and was dug out.He lives in PA now, so I dont know what kind of follow up medical care they are doing. There is a guy who was on tv, I think he was a firefighter from Nesconset or St. James and I think he was the one who had thy ca too?
Wishing you all the best. I dont have to do the diet this year, ! Just thyrogen testing.

 

[Christine]

Thanks. I knew about the thyroid issues in my family but really didn't have a clue what the symptoms were other than my Aunts were both really tired and felt bad all the time and one thought she was losing her mind. I feel fine so was kind of shocked when the FNP called me about my routine labs and told me I was borderline hypo. I feel fine, ok a little tired but what working mom isn't? I guess my only symptom is I have been shedding alot of hair. I had chalked it up to age & peri-menopause. I don't want meds before I have to but i don't want to get to the point my aunts & cousins were either. FNP wants to re-check me in 6 months. I think my course of action now will be to ask for a re-check in 3 months just to stay on top of it and be pro-active. Sound reasonable?

I think even the 6 months is reasonable and I might do that.

Your other numbers were very good as far as I can tell, so it might be some blip on the TSH test.

Before I had my thyroid removed I had some random tests done and never paid attention to them because I felt fine. A few years later, in going back over my records I saw that my TSH was always around 3.0 to 3.4 (at that time it was defniitely normal but today it would be borderline). Anyway, I always felt pretty good. I, too, worked and had two little kids so any tiredness I did have was not out of the ordinary.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Today I am going to the ent surgeon as an emergency. I have a 5cm mass by my L ear region. Its 1 1/2 cm deep according to dh.

I have taken tylenol, used hot compress yest. It was so painful as it was pulling on the neck dissection skin.

Honestly I dont know what it is. I think its more like something that is infected because all the lymph nodes were taken out over on that side.

I am hoping this does not involve needles or cutting my neck. I would prefer an antibiotic etc.

Later I am sure I will have an interesting story to share. I just thank God the nurse said I could come in after leaving a voice mail. They told me the earliest booking was in 2 weeks, like the 25th. No way would I last that long.

 

[mrsklamc]

Wow. Praying for you for sure!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Well I am back from the surgeon. He said its a grade 2 lymph node.

He "thinks" its an infection as it doesnt seem to be "acting" like cancer. Dh asked - well how does cancer act? He said it wouldnt be so fast growing and tender to the touch, which mine is.

I asked the np, if he took all the lymph nodes out in that area how could it be cancer etc. She said if its cancer, it will just find a place to go

I insisted that he do a fine needle biopsy. He is trying avelox antibiotic. I am supose to go back next monday if they get the path back.

Depending on what is happening he might order a ultrasound or ct scan.

He said to me "so what do you think this is"? Um, I felt like smacking him then. HE is the surgeon. I said, well you said I am full of surprises, so here is one. He did ask how ds21 is, whom he operated on also.

I then saw the dr. who saved my life. He said hi to me. If the other guy wasnt there I wanted to run up and hug him and say thank you for saving my life I told dh.

So its wait and see right now.

 

[mrsklamc]

I had a swollen gland under my chin; A doc I know personally told me 'the things you're worried about, having had thyroid cancer, don't hurt." My endo concurred when I saw her shortly after. So I don't know if that helps at all but hopefully you will feel the antibiotics kicking in over the next couple of days.

As to taking all the lymph nodes out- my surgeon said "I tried, I really did, but yours are just huge right now." - i.e. because they were swollen she didn't get out as many as she wanted to. She said she dug from my chin to my collar bone, and I believe her, because I could feel it! So maybe yours were swollen and could have shrunk back down to size...but we're going to go with "it hurts, because it ISN'T cancer!"

 

[Christine]

luvmarypoppins--

Thinking good thoughts for you and hope it works out. I agree that this sounds rapid and painful so not so much like a recurrence but I certainly understand being worried about it.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

The lymph node is going way down so Praise God! When I take the antibiotic about 3 hours later I can actually "feel" it in the neck area. Strange.

I cant take it till around 8 pm since I have to get all my vitamins and antacid stuff done 8 hours before.

I still feel a weird area closer to my jaw. If that does not get better I will ask him what it is, like a general swelling/strange feeling.

Micayla - how long did you have to take antibitoics for your chin lymph node?

 

[mrsklamc]

The gland was just swollen from RAI, not really infected, so I didn't have to take anything for it, just wait for it to go away. Still happens sometimes.

I woke up Tuesday morning, suddenly just feeling 'me' again after 3 weeks of my new dose. Anyone else experienced this?

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Well today is my last day of antibiotics. I am going to get a refill for another 5 days (They said to refill it if I needed it).

The node is down to about the size of my fingernail. Well at least I think. I cant see it from where it is, right below my ear lobe.

Its so nice and sunny out today and tomm. and I am suppose to avoid alot of sunlight, figures.

I dont know if I should push the ct scan. I personally would feel better if he could see if anything else is wrong in there etc. I am thinking he will just blow me off about that if the path is negative.