Multiple diagnosis- which are Hashimoto's symptoms?

[leilajax]

Since the doctors aren't up to date on either treating Hashimoto's or Lyme, I need help discerning which of my symptoms fit Hashimoto's.   I am having a lymphectomy on May 3rd.  Dr. is investigating chronic infection ( EBV, CMV, TB, Lyme, bartonella, to name a few); autoimmune disorders (sarcoidosis, MS, lupus, and a couple of others with really complex names that I can't remember, and lymphoma.  I guess the biopsy will rule out a lot and then we'll move from there.  
Question is which symptoms can don't seem related to Hashimoto's, so that we can narrow down what else we are dealing with?
(P.S. I have posted latest blood results and was told that my levels we're at most people's optimum.)
Symptoms:
Blurry vision/ difficulty focusing (slow)
Unexplained weight loss
Symptoms cycle and flare up (increasingly severity)
Sensitive to temperature
Squeezing sensation in throat
Bulging veins
Darkening of arteries during flare up (small ones in fingers have even burst and bruised)
Severe stiff neck and tightness in upper back
Chest pain ( can worsen if arch back)
odd chest pain that parallels each side of T spine in spots
Lymph nodes enlarge during each flare up (axiallary and cervical) do not reduce in size just get larger and larger with each flare up
General lymphatic pain
Tremor and weakness
Irritability
Low blood pressure
Morning swelling in hands
Heart pausing a few times a day
Sinus pressure and constant nasal drip
Dizziness, confusion, brain fog
Severe inflammation of joints (pain does not ease with high dose of antiinflamatory) pain is inconsistent (2 days here, 4 days there, 3 days etc...) (wrists, fingers, toes, knees, sacrum, ankles)
Dull shooting pains along sides of neck and down arms
Constipation
Tightness in upper back and neck that worsens the longer I am on my feet
Loss of muscle mass
I'm probably forgetting much more, but if you could guide me with the above list I'd really appreciate it.  I know the basics of which symptoms are probably just going to fit Hashimoto's but I wanted to give you as full of a picture as possible.  Again, my thyroid levels are at great levels even for Hashimoto's.  also, I was only on 1 grain of Naturethroid for two weeks before giving up bc I did't feel any better (actually worse).  I have since been told that I should've given it 6 weeks.
Thanks for any help you might be able to give!  I'm kinda petrified of this upcoming lymphectomy and results!

[leilajax]

Gotcha!  That makes complete sense.  I have been on doxycycline for a month now to knock down some of the Lyme.  Unfortunately I could be rotating high doses of different antibiotics for over a year until the bacteria subsides and then will have to do many courses of Lyme cyst busters and antibiotics for god knows how long.  Considering that this is going to be a long term thing, and I've already started treating the Lyme maybe it would be ok to try a low dose of Naturethroid now just to get some relief?  I just didn't want to push myself into hyper-hell if my labs were in target range.  Thank you for checking the percentage for me!  I think I saw goolarra post how to calculate it once, but I can't remember.  Also, with long term Lyme treatment, symptoms only get worse for the first couple of months of each new antibiotic, so I don't think feeling some symptom relief will make things too confusing.  At least that what I'm thinking, but I'm really new at this.  I am told if the antibiotics make you feel worse than they are working, so i'm probably not going to attribute feeling better to the lyme treatment for a long time.  Do you know anything about reverse T3 and with mine being just over the range if that is a factor?

[flyingfool]

I'm not sure.  What treatment options are there for Lyme's.

it may make sense to deal with one problem at a time.  it is very possible that other symptoms that seem Hypo related may also be related to Lyme's.

It appears you do have Hashi's though with the high antibody tests results.  Even though the numbers are down.  From my understanding is that the test result is really either positive or negative for Hashi's. If they are elevated you have it.  it doesn't matter how high they are other than perhaps the rate of attack upon your thyroid.  I have no idea how variable the antibody numbers are.  For example I wouldn't be surprised if they vary from day to day if not within hours.  So it may be hit or miss of when you test the blood as to where it is at in whatever cycle that it may be fluctuating through.

Your FT3 is stable between your last two tests.  At 42% of the range.  Which some may say is low.  So some thyroid medication may do you some good.

The problem is, once you start to feel better (thinking optimistically), if you changed both Thyroid and Lyme medications, you won't really know which of the two helped make you feel well.  That is why I suggested that maybe you concentrate on the Lyme for a period of time.

[leilajax]

With those labs, do you think .5 a grain of Naturethroid will help reduce symptoms?  I will try to keep at it for at least 6 weeks this time.

[leilajax]

Thank you so much for your response!  
In May 2012 I was hyperthyroid
TSH .015 (.45-4.5)
FT3 9.1 (2-4.4)
FT4 4.26 (.82-1.77)
Methanizole for 2-3 months then euthyroid ever since.

Feb 14 2013,
TSH 1.6 (.4-4.5)
FT3 3.1 (2.3-4.2)
FT4 1.3 (.8-1.8)
T3 reverse 27* (7-24)

March 5 2013 same ranges
TSH 1.72
FT3 3.1
TPO anti 830 (down from >1000)
TGab 1843 (<20 normal)

I was not on NDT during either test.  Other than high calcium and high RDW and some protein spills in urine and blood alloy tests ALL other blood tests have come back normal.

The severe posterior neck pain, lymphatic pain and constantly enlarging lymph nodes are the most concerning symptoms to me.  most puzzling is the fact that symptom flare ups started out in a once a month cycle, then twice a month, and now all symptoms move on an unending painful cycle.  Is there anyway possible Hashimoto's causes enlarged lymph nodes or a noticeable cycle of symptom flare ups?  This is getting all too scary and increasingly concerning.  The doctors really don't know anything about Hashimoto's (even the few good ones that I've seen) nor Lyme for which I tested positive for a Lyme specific antibody.  Multiple diagnosis is really mucking up treatment!  I pray the lymphectomy harbors answers.  Axiallary node measures 2.5 cm and is being removed for full biopsy.

[flyingfool]

Several of your symptoms are consistent with Hypo.

You definitely stopped too soon.  It is quite common for people starting thyroid medicine to feel worse initially instead of better.  Also starting out on one grain for some people is too much to start with.

The specific symptoms that re consistent with Hypo are:

Sensitive to temperature
Squeezing sensation in throat
Irritability
Dizziness, confusion, brain fog

Understand that these same symptoms are also common with other things besides low thyroid.  So you definitely may have more than one thing going on and maybe nothing at all to do with thyroid.

Do you have your blood lab results?  If so please post them along with the reference ranges.  Particular to thyroid are:

TSH
Free T4
Free T3