I-123 for Hypo/Hyper Thyroidism

[fldave]

I am a 62 year old male . I started having muscle aches/pain in my legs and arms about seven months ago .  Family Practice (FP) Dr. ran all conceivable blood tests, and ruled out Lyme, RA, etc. Only problem he could  find was TSH at 10+ .  I started Synthroid , and after a few months I was settled in at 100mcg/  .75 TSH; however, no relief from leg symtoms. I have been living with the aches, surviving on Vicodin.  
Two months ago, I started having hoarseness in my voice.  FP Dr sent me to ENT who had an Ultrasound done.  ENT took care of the hoarseness, but sent me to an Endocrinologist (END) , as the Ultra sound indicated nodules in the Thyroid.  END said I had to have I-123 scan to diagnose nodules, and I had to be off Synthroid for 6 weeks before I-123.  I stopped Syntroid and 6 weeks later had the scan.The results were  11% at 4 hours and 28% at 24 hrs.  END said I did not have a Thyroid problem, and did not need to take Synthroid  (based solely  on I-123 -- no blood work done).

Can these results from I-123 indicate Hypo/hyper  Thyroidism  ??  I thought TSH and related blood tests indicated Hypo/Hyper ?  I am still not taking Synthroid (need to see another Dr. to get Rx).

Thank you.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

No - A scan does not add much to the work up of thyroid nodules in a patient on synthroid for hypothyroidism.  The uptake does NOT reflect hyper or hypo - this is based on blood results.  

Would consider a second opinion.  This is what I would do -- recheck the TSH now that you are off synthroid just to confirm you still need it.  Check thyroid antibodies to confirm that the reason you are hypothyroid is due Hashimotos'.  Then carefully look at the ultrasound and consider fine needle biopsy of any nodule that is greater than 1cm (some say 1.5cm).  This is best done by a thyroid expert -- see thyroid.org or thyroidologists.com to find one near you.

If the muscle aches are due to hypothyroid, it usually resolves within 3-6 months - would consider a rheumatolgical workup to look for another cause.  And check calcium level to make sure this is not high.

[anterah]

I am  natural health practinionere who was given thyroid hormones when my immune system was down. I had a bad reaction to the high sudden level given tome. as a result many things have gone off.
leg pain came tome and I had parathyroid checked whihc wasnot being done by severeal doctors. it was high and as doctor here suggests to also check the calcium. one oughto check the active and inactive vitamin d test which is expensive but both must be done together. high levels of d or high calcium can cuase leg pain. at times if calcium is low it can cuase leg pain. sarcoid can affect that area as well in subcutanous tissue innflamation and that was found i an mri of the knee showing water accumulation that was creating stress and hard tomove in joints form inflamation (inflammation) not arthritis .  calcium in the blod can do this as well. as i said in two days tkaing d which was prescribed without doing the active and inactive test togehter caused more pain and inability to walk and move in the legs primarily. calcium is used for muscle contraction. when the thyroid is low and ther are nodules it is probably hashimotos and that is the immune system attacking he enzyme in the thyroid that helps change the t4 to t3 and that is an immune system stress disorder whihc can also have atttached the sarcoid and other inflamaton. reduce stress drink water sleep regularly and exericse in a routine and get rid of stress as if it were arsenic for several months and set bounderies on allowing others to abuse you.eat well

[anterah]

Go and get a full work up and check on bacterial infection etc. when thyroid is down the immune system can not fight off infection as well. it is important to breathe well and get a routine and meditate and get all the blood work up so you can see the whole picture.. but  when oe is under stress the thyroid can fluctuate. and it is imprtant to restore immune system . it willnot harm you to detox the colon and get rid of garbage food and  live right. i donot kow what you are alredy doing. emotional pain can also harm the immune system so forgive and pray and clear mind and communicate what you need to to others and try to bring peace to unfinnished projects. reflect on what might be attacking you and especially your self image and your home and resources or ability to exrpess your voice  and that  you know it is harmful but for some reason you allow it in any way. perhpas you think you can endure  and you donot wish to set bounderies and speak up and change your actions becuase you may loose. this is helpful in deling with immune system disorder as often when this is happening to the body we can benefit by also looking at the same sympton on a psychological level Ie you may have allowed what is harmful tto your personand or emotional being to come in without setting bounderies to it or properly honoring your Self and did not say "no" and  so that "invasiveness " to your being also translates to the body and the learned immune system responce .. to say it is ok to allow these things that harm us in...thus also altering the physical immune system to mirror as it were the same  okayness and and have our own system attack us. the immune system when it turns on us is that it has failed to discern and wrongly identifies  our self form the non self and thisis the case with hashimotos and or inflammartory dis-eases.. it is as if we are having our ease attacked or invaded.    so the cause has to be adressed as well as the occuring symptons. donot think ther eis no cure or no way to return to balance. it is important however to cease the insult to yourself by correcting your lifestyle and offering your perosn and body to have the best envirorment for re balancing and to not collect more entropy -choas and stress that your body can not organise fast enough and so it is overwhelmed by it and falls  into the weakness that can not then repair itself. I am working with that right now myself actually. i wish you comapssion and return to  your true self. God bless you  and your doctors. I wish them to see your health and not your disease only .

[anterah]

Go and get a full work up and check on bacterial infection etc. when thyroid is down the immune system can not fight off infection as well. it is important to breathe well and get a routine and meditate and get all the blood work up so you can see the whole picture.. but  when oe is under stress the thyroid can fluctuate. and it is imprtant to restore immune system . it willnot harm you to detox the colon and get rid of garbage food and  live right. i donot kow what you are alredy doing. emotional pain can also harm the immune system so forgive and pray and clear mind and communicate what you need to to others and try to bring peace to unfinnished projects. reflect on what might be attacking you and especially your self image and your home and resources or ability to exrpess your voice  and that  you know it is harmful but for some reason you allow it in any way. perhpas you think you can endure  and you donot wish to set bounderies and speak up and change your actions becuase you may loose. this is helpful in deling with immune system disorder as often when this is happening to the body we can benefit by also looking at the same sympton on a psychological level Ie you may have allowed what is harmful tto your personand or emotional being to come in without setting bounderies to it or properly honoring your Self and did not say "no" and  so that "invasiveness " to your being also translates to the body and the learned immune system responce .. to say it is ok to allow these things that harm us in...thus also altering the physical immune system to mirror as it were the same  okayness and and have our own system attack us. the immune system when it turns on us is that it has failed to discern and wrongly identifies  our self form the non self and thisis the case with hashimotos and or inflammartory dis-eases.. it is as if we are having our ease attacked or invaded.    so the cause has to be adressed as well as the occuring symptons. donot think ther eis no cure or no way to return to balance. it is important however to cease the insult to yourself by correcting your lifestyle and offering your perosn and body to have the best envirorment for re balancing and to not collect more entropy -choas and stress that your body can not organise fast enough and so it is overwhelmed by it and falls  into the weakness that can not then repair itself. I am working with that right now myself actually. i wish you comapssion and return to  your true self. God bless you  and your doctors. I wish them to see your health and not your disease only .

[anterah]

Go and get a full work up and check on bacterial infection etc. when thyroid is down the immune system can not fight off infection as well. it is important to breathe well and get a routine and meditate and get all the blood work up so you can see the whole picture.. but  when oe is under stress the thyroid can fluctuate. and it is imprtant to restore immune system . it willnot harm you to detox the colon and get rid of garbage food and  live right. i donot kow what you are alredy doing. emotional pain can also harm the immune system so forgive and pray and clear mind and communicate what you need to to others and try to bring peace to unfinnished projects. reflect on what might be attacking you and especially your self image and your home and resources or ability to exrpess your voice  and that  you know it is harmful but for some reason you allow it in any way. perhpas you think you can endure  and you donot wish to set bounderies and speak up and change your actions becuase you may loose. this is helpful in deling with immune system disorder as often when this is happening to the body we can benefit by also looking at the same sympton on a psychological level Ie you may have allowed what is harmful tto your personand or emotional being to come in without setting bounderies to it or properly honoring your Self and did not say "no" and  so that "invasiveness " to your being also translates to the body and the learned immune system responce .. to say it is ok to allow these things that harm us in...thus also altering the physical immune system to mirror as it were the same  okayness and and have our own system attack us. the immune system when it turns on us is that it has failed to discern and wrongly identifies  our self form the non self and thisis the case with hashimotos and or inflammartory dis-eases.. it is as if we are having our ease attacked or invaded.    so the cause has to be adressed as well as the occuring symptons. donot think ther eis no cure or no way to return to balance. it is important however to cease the insult to yourself by correcting your lifestyle and offering your perosn and body to have the best envirorment for re balancing and to not collect more entropy -choas and stress that your body can not organise fast enough and so it is overwhelmed by it and falls  into the weakness that can not then repair itself. I am working with that right now myself actually. i wish you comapssion and return to  your true self. God bless you  and your doctors. I wish them to see your health and not your disease only .