Elevated TSH, antibodies...? re swollen gland, chronic sore throat

[Heather123]

I have been seeing a RE re infertility.  The clinic said my TSH was 6.3.  They ran a thyroid panel and found that my TSH was 4.99 two weeks later and that my antibody level was elevated.  I am on .1 mg of Synthroid daily.  I have had many symptoms of hypothyroidism for a long time (sensitivity to cold and light, fatigue, forgetfulness, carpal tunnel, very restless legs and feet, bad sleep, weak, etc.) but the last few months I've added more hair loss than normal (several strands in shower and when combing) and extremely stiff, painful ankles in the AM or after I've been lying down a while, and I've noticed one eye looks droopy in photos.  I had my TSH checked in Feb, it was 2.83.  I saw an ENT for chronic throat and sinus pain - she felt a swolllen gland on the right side of my neck.  I was negative for Mono.  The CT and MRI scans showed no problems except mild sinusitis.  I had also had hives for 3 months - the ENT and Allergist said possibly Acid Reflux.  I also am constantly clearing my throat and lose my voice often.  I did have chest pains for a few weeks (on the rt side - where Acid Reflux would strike).
Anyway...I'm thinking I should go to an Endocrinologist (not the RE) to check out the lump.  I'm also wondering if the throat pain (hurts almost 24/7) could be related.  Doctors have felt the thyroid area but haven't said anything was swollen.
Any opinions, related experience stories, whatever would be greatly appreciated.  Also, has anyone been tested for adrenal fatigue?
Thanks! :c)

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Hard to say what the "lump" is - easy to do a thyroid ultrasound (often done by the endocrinologist in the office) to determine if it is a thyroid nodule.  Some of your symptoms sound like reflux - so aggressive treatment there makes since.  The hives could be auto-immune thyroid and getting the TSH to around 0.5 has been helpful to some of my patients with hives.

Adrenal fatigue can be tested for with an ACTH stimulation test -- however treatment for adrenal deficiency is STEROIDS - so the only time I would take steroids is if the test truly shows an abnormality.

[Heather123]

Wanted to clarify - Acid Reflux was diagnosed due to right side chest pain and chronic throat pain.  Three-month long hives were thought to be from Amoxicillin, although I hadn't had a problem with it previously.

[Jen612]

I really don't know too much - I'm relatively new to hypothyroidism - was diagnosed in July just has husband and I had decided to try for our first.  All I can say is to definitely get in with a good endocrinologist - for the main reason that you are planning to be pregnant and an endo can keep the best watch over you.  I totally understand the fatigue and muscle soreness with hypothyroidism and I'm still not sure that I'm on the right dose of Synthroid but from I hear - you will feel better eventually!  Hope that helps   -Jen

[Heather123]

Thanks, and good luck to you both ttc!  I am hoping this is the answer - everything else is OK (tubes, etc.).  I did read it can take several months to regulate - hope it doesn't take me that long!  I really want a family ASAP - I'll be 38 in January.

[Jen612]

It definitely is frustrating!  At first I was really upset that we found out about my thyroid just as we decided to try but it could have been worse.  Untreated hypothyroidism is a big cause of infertility in couples so we could have tried for a year with no luck before finding out I guess.  We're trying to stay positive too - its tough to be patient since its been a couple of months and I'm still not regulated.  Good luck to you!

[Heather123]

I went for a ttc checkup in Aug '03 - he didn't do anything more than a regular exam and declared me "OK" - I had no idea about the thyroid tests.  Even when I went to my new doctors a year and then a year and a half later no one ran a full thyroid panel :c(  I didn't know about it 'til I went to a RE last month.  Most doctors only test TSH, sometimes T4 also - those may be OK but there may be a different thyroid level that is off, or one might have thyroid antibodies (like me).
For anyone starting to ttc I would tell them to definitely insist on a FULL thyroid panel.  Thyroid problems are quite common.  Imagine if this was my whole problem all a long, and I've spent almost 2 yrs ttc!  Sigh...

[Heather123]

Thank you :c)

[Jen612]

That's exactly what my doctor did too!  She said a lot of the things they would test for, nothing can be done about, so she did an exam and said we could try whenever we wanted! Crazy!  Well at least if this is your problem, you're well on your way to getting it under control!

[Heather123]

Thanks for the advice.  I've been skimming through several thyroid books and am confused.  Of course I want to feel normal again ASAP, but another main goal is to get pregnant.  I am supposed-to get my TSH to between 1-2 (last it was 4.99, prev 6.3).   I've read that some people need T3 and T4.  I've read Armour is not good if you are trying to conceive, then I've read things about Synthroid.  I am really confused.  I think I will be making an endocrinologist appt soon.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

PLEASE CITE REFERENCES THAT REFUTE TSH AND FOLLOW PATIENTS LONG TERM (AT LEAST 5 YEATS) TO DOCUMENT THEY DON'T DEVELOP IRREGULAR HEART RATE/A-FIB/STROKE/OSTEOPOROSIS AT A HIGHER RATE THAN KEEPING THE TSH 0.5-1.5.

[Heather123]

I have read about Armour having both T3 and T3, and how many people cannot convert properly, and that many people have had better results with Armour.
I am planning to see some other doctors and find out exactly what I should be taking for best results.  Of course, I'm aware that it may take people a long time to find the correct dose and/or medication that makes them feel 100%.
Besides feeling better, I want to get pregnant ASAP.  In another forum I was told I may have some immune problems b/c of my elevated anti-thyroid antibodies.  Should I just go to an endocrinologist, an immunologist????  Right now I am on .100 Synthroid daily for a month per my Reproductive Endocrinologist.  Maybe I should be seeing these other doctors to find out exactly what, if anything else, is going on????  But then you would think the RE would know what he's doing?  Also, is my thyroid not that bad right now @ 6.3, 4.99?  If not, then starting me @ .100 is OK to see what will happen?  Or do all doctors start out at the lowest dose?

[ancientmariner]

Hey, are posts disappearing? I could have sworn that armourgal posted some references in response to Dr. Mark's request but now I don't see them any more. Where did they go? I saw posts from other people that seem to not be there now, too. Some of them seemed to be challenging the current thinking on thyroid treatments. I believe that the open exchange of ideas was important, and I am really interested in learning everything I can about my illness, but I guess I won't find what I'm looking for here. Are we being CENSORED? It certainly looks like only ONE point of view is allowed!

[ArmourGal]

well since my posts at this forum have been deleted because I mentioned my own thyroid medication and because my own experience was judged to be giving medical advice....
let me just answer your question again...
http://www.altsupportthyroid.org/tsh/tshmedrefs5.php

I also said it might be beneficial to study some great thyroid docs - Peatfield, Derry, Dommisse, Lowe, Young

In fact you may be interested in Dr. Lowe's paper:
http://www.drlowe.com/frf/t4replacement/intro.htm

I also said it was beneficial to go back in time and see how hypothyroidism used to be treated successfully...before the advent of the TSH test.  

I suffered for 20+ years from undiagnosed Hashimoto's/hypo and the docs always said NORMAL.  AFter losing my health and coming near death from myxedema coma, I finally got diagnosed with Hashi's.  So the TSH is unreliable in some folks.  I was one of those folks and I have met dozens of others like me.  To try to understand how this could happen, I invested hundreds of hours studying and researching the subject.  I advise anyone who is diagnosed with hypo to investigate it themselves.

[High]

Hi, Does anyone else have a thyroid antibody count of 5000. My doctor and I are stumped.
I've had thyroid problems for 40 years, 3 years ago my normally hypo thryoid turned hyper, extremely hyper, it seemed to be due to an attack on my immune system due to incorrect medication and I controlled it within 5 months. Last Spring it started going really hypo, then I had an attack of antibodies with a count of 1000. I was put on eltroxin 3 months ago to help. Last week my antibody count had risen to 5000. Where next? I don't know. Any ideas?

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