Skin Discoloration on Neck/Hypothyroid?

[eeshort1]

This may sound a bit odd..however, I have noticed in the last 3 months there is a dark discoloration of skin on my neck just above my shirtline on both sides.  It almost looks like my neck is dirty. I have tried different things to scrub it off to no avail.  A co-worker of mine told me that her brother had something similar and was diagnosed with Hypothyroid.  Does this sound possible?  I have been tested on a few occasions in the past for my thyroid as I have had symptoms of irregular heartbeat for which I take Atenolol.  Is it worth going to the Dr.?

[TamraW]

Last year I was misdiagnosed with Shingles, but I kept getting the so-called Shingles monthly, along with fatigue, constipation, and a feeling like I'd been hit by a train. I have MANY more symptoms now. I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (a form of hypothyroidism). I get rashes/hives/burning skin frequently, but it has been better since the Synthroid.

Beware about lab values, though. Some doctors look at high values and interpret them as normal. It really depends on your endo. My TSH and FT4 looked normal to my first endos, so I switched and she ran more tests and found that I do have Hashi's.

Get your labs and post them here afterward, along with your symptoms, so we can give you our opinions.

Thyroid labs to ask for:
TSH
FT4
FT3
Anti-TPO
TGlob

Also, sometimes parathyroid disease causes these symptoms, along with kidney stones and bone density issues. If you have stones or bone issues, ask for PTH, serum and ionized calcium.

Take care...
:) Tamra

[jena64]

I have a red neck all of the time like it is sunburned.  I thought it is because I'm getting older and I know your skin changes.  But could this be something else?

[TamraW]

The front of my chest is red most of the time, with tiny little red spots inside of bigger blotches. It looks and feels like a sunburn. Read my above post about my disease. It doesn't mean you have hypo or hashi, but you should get your labs, especially if you have other symptoms.
:) Tamra