Just diagnosed

[MissFG]

Hi I've just been diagnosed but still unsure quite what I'm dealing with. I've had some symptoms for a long time but told a year ago I measured normal at 2.2 but now I'm 149.58 I think this is hypothyroidism. I've been put on 50mcg levothyroxine and told at 6 weeks I'll have a blood test and look at increasing my meds and test for antibodies. However I'd like the blood test now to see if I have graves or harishamoto. I have an enlarged thyroid so got a throat scan on 23rd it's only took a month! But struggle swallowing so not eating properly as I feel sick all the time. My voice is very hourse and my neck hurts. These are my main concerns as I think it's pressing on my larynx. I have severe fatigue headaches and generally most other symptoms except weight gain which I've actually lost 1/2 stone these last 2 months since I've been particularly ill. I put it down to stress but finally went to the doctors and following a blood test it's been a bit overwhelming. I've also been given an urgent referral to see an endocrinologist consultant. Is there anything else I need to ask for ie tests etc? Isn't advice would be really appreciated as everything I read saying its a chronic illness and I'm worried about what my health will be like in the future thanks

[rosetrees]

Sounds to me as if your doctor is doing all the right things at the moment, so don't panic. This forum is the right place to come for advice. Make sure you get into the habit of asking for the results of all your tests, plus ranges, so you can learn to monitor your own condition.

Also ask for your iron, folate, ferritin, Vit D and Vit B12 levels to be measured. It's quite common for one or more to be low in hypo people and having them well in range helps your thyroid meds to work properly.

[greygoose]

If you've been prescribed Levo, then you have hypothyroidsim.

The 149.58 must be your TSH, in which case I very much doubt you have Graves - which is overactive thyroid and the TSH would be very low. But, you could have Hashimoto's, because that is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. However, whether you have it or not, the treatment you get from your doctor/endo, will be exactly the same.

Hashi's is a degenerative disease, where the body's immune system slowly destroys the thyroid gland leading you to become more and more hypo. There is no treatment for Hashi's - not as far as doctors are concerned, anyway. But, if you do have it, there are things you can do yourself - won't complicate matters by going into that here and now!

The most important thing to remember is to have your next blood test as early as you can in the morning - before 9.0 - and always have your tests at the same time so that you can compare like with like - fast, except for water, and leave 24 hours between your last dose of Levo and your test. If you always do it that way, then you will be able to plot your progress - or lack of it. Doctors Don't usually know you should do that.

Always, always ask for a print out of your results. it is your legal right to have one. You need to see exactly what was tested and what the results were - not just your doctors opinion of 'fine' or 'ok' - and especially not 'normal', which is meaningless.

It is a chronic illness, and you will need to take some form of thyroid hormone replacement for the rest of your life, I'm afraid. But that doesn't mean you can't be well. And to be well, you need to be well nourished. Hypos often have nutritional deficiencies - through no fault of their own - so get the tests done that rosetrees mentions above. These all need to be optimal for your body to be able to use the hormone you're giving it.

Those are the basic tests. Get them optimal, and then you can work on your nutritional status from there. And remember, you are not alone. Your doctor may not know much about all this, but we do!

Hope that helps.

[MissFG in reply to greygoose]

Thank you you've been a great help! My doctor said harishamoto is very difficult to control. I've also seen most have they're thyroid removed as it fluctuates between hyper & hypo is this correct? As I've a swollen thyroid or nodule/growth could this affect treatment? Thanks

[greygoose in reply to MissFG]

What he means is, he doesn't know how to control it!

But a lot of patients control their own Hashi's with dietry changes.

For example, going on completely guten/dairy/sugar free diets. Supplementing with selenium. Keeping their TSH suppressed. These measures often lower antibodies, so that they attack less often, and therefore you Don't get the swings between hypo and hyper.

Removing the gland is rather a drastic measure taken by lazy doctors who can't be bothered to regulate their patients, and who Don't know very much about thyroid. Best to avoid that if you possibly can.

No, a swollen thyroid won't affect treatment. The only treatment that exists is replacing the thyroid hormone that the gland can no-longer make in sufficient quantity.

Most people have some nodules. The important thing is to keep an eye on them to make sure they Don't grow too much. But it still won't affect treatment.

[MissFG]

My thyroid has grown very quickly over a matter of weeks. So much so I'm struggling swallowing, have a choking sensation and my voice is hourse. Is this also normal and can the symptoms go and goitre reduce in size with thyroxine treatment thanks