benign thyroid nodule

[Angeren14]

I had an operation to remove right side of my thyroid in December 2015 as I had a benign nodule. My doctor tells me that my thyroid function is normal. I also have fibromyalgia but I am convinced I have an under active thyroid as I am always cold, have gained nearly 2 stone in a year, tired ,have trouble sleeping, my muscles ache, all over , suffer from constipation. I have IBS . I have gone through the menopause. Last few months my tummy has been very distended , I have been experiencing shortness of breath, feel bloated all the time my hands, ankles, knees and legs are puffy . I am always needing to pee. Latest bloods showed my liver was slightly enlarged my GP prescribed omeprazole but didn't seem to take much notice about my weight gain. I have always maintained my weight around 9 stone 4lb give or take a few pounds. I have gained 11 lb since Christmas my diet has not changed I am getting concerned about the amount of weight I have put on and the tummy distention I am experiencing, I have been taking photos of my tummy on a weekly basis to show my doctor but my last visit to Doctor surgery I got a locom and wasn't given much time to discuss my symptoms.

I was prescribed gabapentin but stopped taking it as I didnt feel any improvement on pain, y doctor prescribed pregabalin also no improvement.

Is there anyone who knows of any other tests that can be done to check thyroid function or what can be causing these symptoms?

[Hidden]

I'd never normally say this but the SoB and puffy ankles could be a sign of a heart problem. I don't mean to scare you but I'd be trotting off to A&E tbh.

The stomach being distented and your weight gain could be an ascites - a build up of fluid.

I would not be happy for you to go back to see your really, really hopeless doctor.

I know this isn't the answer you were probably looking for and I hope I haven't distressed you and it may be all related to your thyroid but I would get myself seriously checked out asap.

H xx

[Jazzw in reply to Hidden]

Would tend to agree - your doctors sound hopeless. Get a second opinion and keep going back until they take you seriously. While going back, get copies of your blood test results - I think it's highly unlikely your thyroid blood tests are normal. The results might fall into what's laughingly call the "normal" range, but for many, normal is not optimal.

[Hidden]

I don't know many people who feel normal after having part of their thyroid removed. December 2015 was like, only 5 weeks ago, so your doctor should be taking more care of you than he seems to be doing. It sounds like you should have a thorough medical examination, especially for the shortness of breath.

[Angeren14 in reply to Hidden]

I had some bloods done 15th January 2016 cause I had been feeling breathless without exerting myself even climbing the stairs at home left me breathless, phoned the doctor who arranged for some blood tests , thyroid calcium liver function. I made appointment to see GP as my tummy has been very swollen for weeks and had the feeling of fullness. My blood results came back as normal apart from liver function the doctor examined my tummy said there was slight swelling and prescribed omeprazole and said tossed how I get on with tablets. IV been on them 2 weeks now no improvement so phoned GP surgery the first available telephone appointment is thursday or it would be about 3 weeks for face to face appointment even then you get very little time to rattle off all symptoms I usually go armed with list IV written down so I don't forget to mention all my symptoms but never get the opportunity to get it falloff my chest, as soon as I mention my fibromyalgia and menopause they say thats whats making me feel the way I am and basically bid you good day , so no further forward on my health issues , feel I have no quality of life

[SilverAvocado]

Angeren14, I can't tell whether your operation was this last December, or in 2014?

I had half my thyroid removed in 2013. I've just got hold of a complete medical record for the time, and I can see that it took several weeks for my TSH to raise after the operation. I've got 2 or 3 results in the 1-2 range. So of course doctors were telling me I was fine. Later it raised to 6, and they were still telling me I was fine, but I managed to get some replacement prescribed.

So I think with half a thyroid issues can develop quite slowly, and you can manage for a surprisingly long time on the T4 your own thyroid made.

[Heloise]

Angeran, you are a better diagnostician that your own doctors evidently. Please start learning about hypothyroidism. The surgery you had already indicated your thyroid was having problems. Unfortunately, the profession prefers removing things to fixing things. Your thyroid could possibly have been trying to produce more hormone. Also, progesterone is important for thyroid function and menopause may have lowered that hormone, again stressing your thyroid. It's ridiculous that these people are not trained about the hormonal relationships.

Functional medics might want you to treat the causes but it's probably easier to just supplement with thyroid hormone. I prefer natural desiccated to synthetic T4 which is cheaper and of course preferable to the NHS. But please protect yourself from these ignorant people by educating yourself. If you learn from this short video, go to you tube and watch the remaining ones.

youtube.com/watch?v=U15Pcov...(Not working as expected?)

[faith63]

terrible! I have no doubt that you are now hypothyroid. Removing any part of the thyroid for a nodule that is benign is medical malpractice! With hashimotos' nodules come and go, they are treated by thyroid meds, which shrink them.

Have you been tested for hashimotos? Why did you have a nodule/\?

[Angeren14 in reply to faith63]

no tests done other than thyroid, liver,kidney,calcium and vitamin D all came back as normal except vitamin d slightly low was told to buy over the counter supplements, these tests have been repeated several times over the last year my cholesterol was high it was sitting at 10.2 I am now on 20mg of atorvastatin to lower cholesterol. It is now done to 6.4.

last blood tests done were 15th January so roughly 3 weeks ago my bloods were all fine apart from liver. I had gone to doctor because of my tummy being very distended and feeling breathless, gp examined my tummy and was told my liver is slightly swollen.

Way back in 2006 I was having the same symptoms as I am now bloods were done then and at that time my blood results showed i was perimenopausal my gp at the time thought i might have pernicious anemia and ran another test for that but I wasnt .He said I had a condition called Giberts syndrome.but no treatment was needed. So time went on and Iv been feeling crap for years.

Last year I was becoming very low in mood and wrote all my symptoms down on paper and marked on a body chart where all my pains were my gp said this looks like fibromyalgia and gave me a leaflet to read about the condition also referred me to pain clinic . Follow on a year later and I am now through menopause have put on 2 stone in a year my tummy very bloated I have puffy knees and ankles it feels like ive got elastic bands round me knees, feel very cold all the time, tired , poor sleep have IBS, high cholesterol so the list goes on.

Last June a lump appeared on left side of my neck my doctor tested me for thyroid function it came back normal she booked an ultrasound and it showed a fluid filled cyst on left side of thyroid and showed up a nodule on right side which was not visible so wasnt aware I had a nodule. I had 2 fine needle aspirations done as cells showed it was a suspicious nodule on right side. I was referred to endocrinology dept and was advised to have nodule removed. Cyst on left side disappeared by itself few months later.

I had the surgery done 10th dec 2015 results came back as a benign nodule.The surgeon told me that my thyroid can function normally and I should not need medication he said I would get a follow up appointment approx 6 weeks after surgery. Got my appointment date for follow up it is not until 17th of March.

[Rebec]

Why did they remove half of your thyroid? Did you have any problems with the gland beforehand or just because it had a nodule? It's awful that this operation created health problems for you now.

[Angeren14 in reply to Rebec]

I had these health problems before op, doctors keep telling me my thyroid function is normal and put it down to menopause and fibromyalgia causing these symptoms.

Last June a lump appeared on left side of neck an ultrasound showed a fluid filled cyst but also a nodule on right side which i wasnt aware of, 2 FNA's results showed up some suspicious cells I was advised to have it removed. It was a benign nodule. cyst disappeared a few months later.

[Rebec in reply to Angeren14]

So, do you feel better having had the operation or worse?

[Angeren14]

I feel the same as I did before my nodule was removed except this feeling of breathlessness ,my tummy , knees and ankles are swollen it feels as if a tight band is round my legs, IV also piled on nearly a stone in weight since I had the operating to remove the nodule