Guess where i spent my morning? Thyroid question?

At least it was not the ER. But it was at my PCP office and because today was open for walk in....we were there a while. At least i got my to see my hubbys'DR. Nice guy very close with both hubby and i. My hubby has MS so his DR is very familar in tx with interferon. Any how the last couple of days with all the fever and bone pain i have noticed that my neck at the front felt funny and it hurt when iswallow. Today i woke up with a throat that looks like a bull frog. DR felt my throat and said that as a result of tx my thyroid is overacting, i have to go for a metobolic and thyroid panel (hey JIM this doc knew to do this unlike the specialist) on Monday and also a thyroid ultrasound. The DR said this does happen from tx and sometimes it will resolve itself, but you go through a period of underactive thyroid. Someone please tell me if they have had this. I remember reading about someone having this when i first started posting. Is it possible it is just part of the posion trying to work its way out of my body.... i'm only not even 2 weeks post tx? I had 3 thyroid test at my request during tx all came back fine.   Thanks Anita

[jmjm530]

NY Girl had thyroid problems during treatment and I think she still does. You might post to her on Monday as she doesn't often post on weekends. Thyroid problems -- temporary and permanent -- are not uncommon on treatment  -- especially with women -- and therefore the necessity of getting periodic thyroid panels done.

All the best,

-- Jim

[snowbyrd]

Thanks Jim, thank God this DR at least knew a more about tx and sx. One thing iknow if i do have thyroid problems is i will not put any Meds into my body unless i know what the effects will be. Is there a specialist that deals with thyroid? i think it would be an Enocrinologist (sp) ?
Thanks for all your help Jim, I will post NYgirl on Monday.

[ladybug52]

Scuba diver had it and we haven't heard from him in awhile, last post he was losing vision. I hate these drugs! But it's been our only choice. I know more have posted re: the thyroid going wacky. I feel bad for you that you continue to have problems. Had your special specialist ever ran tests for the thyroids function level on tx?
Bug

[snowbyrd]

Hi there, You know this really sucks! I lost it today, lots of crying, I almost wish i never would have tx. Yes i had thyroid test during tx, all was normal. It kinda pissed me off that i told the Specialist last Wed that i felt something different in my neck and throat and he did't do anything. Well i just want this to run it's course, if I'm going to have post tx sx, lets just get them out of the way!
Maybe as a Bonus i will recieve the big SVR.
How you doing Bug,  How long after tx did you feel good? It's been a few weeks for you now. I hope you are doing ok.   Thanks for everything.

[ladybug52]

Little Anna:)
I have a grandmother and cousin named Anita. Well it really does su*ck but, you're specialist probably just thought that it was because or your flu like symptoms that your throat still hurt. At least he was testing the thyroid function and it was normal. I have been reading about thyroid dysfunction and goiters (the lump in the front of the throat) and sometimes they go away on their own. Wouldn't that be great?
I'm 5 weeks past my last shot today. Waiting for my heptimax test I had done a week ago Friday. I feel a lot better, I wouldn't dare complain about my minor annoyances to you! Not that it hasn't stopped me in the past!
Hugs,
Janice

[Teufelhunden]

At week 26 of my riba/interferon tx I was diagnosed with hypothyroid. The meds, for some reason, attack the thyroid. Some folks go hypo, some go hyper. Some go from one to the other. Not all people on tx has problems with their thyroid. I take 75mcg Lecothyroxine daily and my free T4 and TSH has stabilized. Most people go back to normal after tx. I've heard of a very few who had to have their thyroid taken out which means medication for the rest of their life. Week 42 and latest blood work shows no change in my thyroid. Good luck!

[rosebud57]

I was hypo during my trip to texas probably around 10-11 week of tx. back in february. Hope your problem resolves without problem  good thing there are some doc's out there who show better competence and sensitivity than others..

[nygirl7]

Oh my GOD I just typed out a long long thing and it disappeared ARGH!

Trying again:  you need to see an endocronolist. He will order the "nuclear imaging scan".  You take two radioactive iodine pills and then 24 hours later exactly you take the pictures so they can see how it's working.

I was diagnosed in one of my routine CBCs - the doctor SHOULD be ording the metabolic panel as this is not that uncommon during treatment. I was extremely hyper with a TSH of 0.0. The symptoms were all masked by the interferon (extreme weight loss, hair loss, rapid heartbeat, no sleep etc).

In the three weeks I had to wait for the appt to have the scan apparently my thyroid turned EXACTLY around and I became EXTREMELY HYPO!  This happens very very very often when you start out hyper.  Hyper is more dangerous than hypo because you can stroke out or have a heart attack - something called 'thyroid storm' I believe.

The doctor put me on a synthetic thyroid hormone replacement called synthroid. I'll take one pill a day forever. Of course it COULD go back to being normal but the chances aren't so great that it will unfortunately.

If you look up Graves Disease that is what hyper is.  It is Hashimoto when you go hyper.

It's important you get a good endo doc and see him right away.

It's very confusing because all of the stuff is backwards to what you would think would make sense (when your TSH is low it means the body is producing too MUCH thyroid hormone and when it's high it means it's making not enough).

The medicine just controls it so it is a level amount every day.  It's pretty easy really just taking the pill works just fine.

If I can help you just let me know. I hope I posted enough so that you get what I mean.

Make sure you go get the nuclear imaging scan.  Don't put it off!

Good luck!

[nygirl7]

PS

This is an autoimmune disease - meaning that the meds in addition to killing off the hepc virus causes your body to think your thyroid is one of them or some big bad thing it must kill as well. So the meds attack the thyroid trying to kill it for you.

So if anybody mentions auto immune disease to you - you'll know what that means.

[ladybug52]

Is it Hashimotos's disease? that's the only other one I've heard of besides Graves. Hope you're feeling better soon. Trip still on? Not very far away.
Hugs,
bug

[snowbyrd]

Thank you so much for posting, I have a horrible lump on my neck, very swollen, i went for bloodwork this morning and i go for ultrasound this afternoon. I feel like I'm going to stroke out really. I have tremors and rapid heart rate. From what i was reading, sometimes this happens at the end of tx I'm 2 weeks post tx, it's not the same thing as graves, it's called something else and it last 4 to 6 weeks and then you go hypo for a few weeks and then it corrects itself. I will demand an appointment with a Endo, How soon should i be on something to slow this down. I will post after my ultrasound this afternoon and i will show you the link to the name of the thyroid thing.
                                          Thanks Anita

[stangshelly]

I am now on medication for thyroid. I was first dx about week 30ish? I had tsh of 78? which is pretty high which means the thyroid is low,slow moving. hence hypo, My recent tsh is 0.04 which is low meaning hyper but on borderline so its working itself out. I have felt good last week or so and this tsh was drawn on week 8 of this dose of synthroid 125mcg which I have been on for 14v weeks? so dr. says to stay for now on this dose. Please don't worry alot of people txing go through this just make sure you see the dr and keep a close eye on it! I panicked the first time they told me but now I just go with the flow...you'll be okay wishes :) shelly

[GrandmaA]

When people need their thyroid removed following tx it's because they were hyperthyroid, not hypothyroid.

NJG is right it's very confusing. When you're low you have too much and when you're high you need more. I gave myself hyper because I couldn't figure it out. Then I wondered why the world was going so slowly.

[stangshelly]

you cracked me up with the last part of your post..lol...it is very confusing