Advice needed

[Fluffypip]

Can anyone advise? I'm on holiday..my thyroid is currently very overactive which i only found out before I left home. I will be seeing an endo as soon as I get back in a couple of days. I've never had thyroid problems before. Last night u started with a sore throat and runny nose and I'm panicking that it will set off thyroid even more. I don't know what to do.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Is this a new diagnosis? Have you been given any thyroid medication now or previously?

Do you have access to any results? has they cause of hyper been investigated?

Eg TSH, FT4 & FT3 any thyroid antibodies?

Doctors often say overactive thyroid if TSH is low. But what you need to know is how high FT4 & FT3. High levels can be transient and mildly elevated levels are not a great concern short term, but is something which need to be addressed.

If you throat is swollen & sore that may be symptoms from your thyroid. The runny nose may be a cold, or allergies. You can often have more sensitive allergies when thyroid is abnormal and being in a new environment may be contributing too.

Are you able to relax or is your holiday an active one? You really need low stress and little strenuous activity until you know what is going on with your thyroid.

[Fluffypip in reply to PurpleNails]

Thank you. I've never been diagnosed but had some tests recently because of done symptoms. My tsh last week was 0.01 my t3 is 8 2nmol t4 is 39nmol. I have a small 0.8 cm nodule. Negative for tsi and tpo. Awaiting endo appointment. I really want to enjoy the holiday but I'm sneezing, feel hot, nose running and throat on fire, also diarrhoea. I'm terrified of a thyroid storm as lots of people have mentioned this...are these symptoms? Or could a cold trigger one?

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to Fluffypip]

A thyroid storm is a concern with very long term uncontrolled thyroid levels, usually an additional trauma, serious illness or pregnancy precipitates it.

Your levels are quite high by most ranges but I’ve seen levels on here 4 or 5 times the norm.

Symptoms for thyroid are obviously severe eg

* a rapid heartbeat

* a high temperature

* high blood pressure (hypertension)

* yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)

* severe agitation and confusion

* loss of consciousness

Should there be any hint of symptoms such as these developing don’t hesitate to visit hospital.

TPO & TSI are common antibodies tested. TPO being common with both Hashimoto’s & Graves & TSI being Graves specific.

There is also TRab & TG antibodies, but it is likely your nodule is hyper functioning, this causes gradual rise in levels.

You may need to have an uptake scan to confirm the function through thyroid (ultra sound doesn’t determine function) But having a known nodule and negative antibodies make it a strong possibility.

I have a 5cm solitary hyper nodule & it’s been managed well on low dose carbimazole.

[Fluffypip in reply to PurpleNails]

Thanks, my heart rate is a bit high as I'm currently hyper and I feel hot as I seem to be coming down with a cold. I'm taking propranolol for the heart rate/blood pressure aspect. I did a private trab test and will get the results tomorrow. One month ago my tsh was 0.13 and t3 t4 in normal range so I can't understand why they have suddenly jumped up so much? Do you don't think i nedd to panic right now? Its difficult being on holiday!

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to Fluffypip]

Propranolol will help & does have an anti thyroid element.

What dose do you have?

You are likely to be a be anxious but & being hyper will cause heightened anxiety but I really don’t think panic is necessary.

Try to enjoy your holiday and if in any doubt prioritise your health.

[Fluffypip in reply to PurpleNails]

I've just received the trab test result which is negative so I guess I haven't got graves. Does that mean its definitely due to the little nodule? My voice is being effected as well as all the other things. Can I have radio frequency ablation on it? Is there any way of shrinking it? What's your long term plan?

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to Fluffypip]

It doesn’t definitely mean it is the nodule - it still needs to be confirmed, but it certainly very likely.

If you read through this post about Radio frequency Ablation there’s a fair amount of information. I am assuming you live in UK? If you are based elsewhere the access to RFA may be different.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

RFA isn’t routinely offered in UK although used to be offered in 2 NHS hospitals.

There is always the hope ot become more widely offered.

I don’t have means to travel & pay privately, and have only been offered radioactive iodine RAI treatment which I’m not keen on. Currently I’m on carbimazole long term.

[Fluffypip in reply to PurpleNails]

So is there a clinic doing private RFa here in the UK?

[PurpleNails Administrator in reply to Fluffypip]

The last member who looked into it was told by the UK clinic they weren’t currently offering the procedure. I included 2 private UK clinics in original information. Always worth contacting them and seeing what current situation is and if they know of any options.

The original poster of that thread found a private clinic in Italy that undertook the procedure. Link to clinic also in that post. They were very happy with outcome but I have no personal experience.

[Anthea55]

Could your cold symptoms be due to Covid? I had a streaming cold a few months ago. Also had a high temp for a day or two. I didn't think to test for Covid, but I think it probably was.

[Fluffypip in reply to Anthea55]

Pretty sure I'd feel worse with covid. Its like a mild cold. I don't feel unwell really.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Fluffypip]

They are saying there has been an upturn in covid cases here in the last month...