I would appreciate input from you knowledgeable people ahead of my appointment with ENT surgeon.
I have had a swollen right side/goitre for approx. 6 years. Recently, I've found pressure on my trachea makes me cough occasionally.
3 years ago, an ultrasound scan showed cysts/nodules on both sides, too many to count on the right side. I had a fine needle aspiration. I don't think anything ominous was found in the scan, I was diagnosed with thyroid nodular disease.
I did see an ENT surgeon after the scan. I told him I did not want a thyroid operation and he said they would check on my in a few years.
Tomorrow is the follow up ENT appointment.
I am so fed up with my thyroid and my debilitating health. The thought of having to live my life like this and merely exist for the next 20 years fills me with dread.
I struggle with fatigue, lack of energy, dizziness, forgetfulness, brain-fog, depression, weight gain, constipation (which comes an goes), back and hip aches, cold sensitive - so the usual hypothyroid symptoms.
I saw an Endo in October 2000, who advised I have "an autoimmune process in place." she started me on Levo 25mg. My doctor has increased dose to 75mg. I have found the increase in dose helps initially but I soon feel the awful symptoms return.
1. As my thyroid has "too many cysts/nodules to count" is there much working thyroid tissue? I understand cancer and breathing issues are reasons for a thyroidectomy.
- Are comprehensive tests done to decide if it is safe to leave the whole thyroid intact,
- How do they test if both sides are producing thyroid hormones?
2. Will I always have an auto-immune problem, if the whole thyroid is removed? e.g. Will the antibodies attack another area of my body and cause another autoimmune disease e.g. rheumatoid arthrytis, lupus etc?
My last 3 blood test results:
March 2022
TSH 2.87 mu/L 0.27 - 4.20mu/L
(Euthyroid. Note: FT4 should be requested for query pituitary function for monitoring treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyroxine dose changes.)
T4 17.2 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00pmol/L
T3 not tested.
Serum folate 17.3 ug/L 3.90 - 26.80ug/L
B12 704 ng/L 197.00 - 771.00ng/L
Serum ferritin 113 ug/L 30.00 - 148.00ug/L
Vitamin D 25-OH - 181 nmol/L
September 2022
TSH 1.53 mu/L 0.27 - 4.20mu/L
T4 17 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00pmol/L
T3 3.0 pmol/L 3.90 - 6.70pmol/L
no ferritin, B12, folate, or vitamin D not tested.
serum thyroid peroxidase 119 lu/mL <35.00iu/mL
September 2000
TSH 5.11 no range
FT4 13.00 no range
serum thyroid peroxidase 90 iu/mL <35.00iu/mL
Thank you for reading my long-winded post!