Toxic Multinodular Goiter is Isocort bad or good for this condition?

[McMillanNelson]

I have Toxic Multinodular Goiter with nodules. (I have posted my blood work and sonogram results in my journal on my profile)  Last night I went back over my blood results from routine blood work I have had down since 2001.  In 2001 I had no thyroid problems and felt healthy and normal. about 2003 I started to have symptoms of fatigue etc etc. in 2004 My doctor did test my TSH and T3 , T4 etc.  at that time my TSH was low .. .25 The doctor did not really explain what any of it meant and just told me to start taking this stuff called Isocort.  At the time I did not see that the Isocort was doing anything and stopped taking after about 3 months. None of my blood work over the next couple of years included any thyroid tests and I had moved to another state. Anyway, I did not know what I had until a real sonogram and blood work in October / November of this year.

My Question is, Is anyone taking Isocort and if so is it helpful, of anyone that is toxic like me, is Isocort bad to take ?  What about Cortisol in gneral for toxic Multi  Nodular Goiter ?

I am still not sure what causes theses Toxic Nodules and if there is any way naturally to shrink them etc. I continue to study ...

Thanks,

McMillan

[goolarra]

Yes, I think there were some posts on another thread that confused you about nodules.  "Leaky" nodules are different from your toxic nodules.  These are the nodules associated with Hashi's and are much different from your toxic nodules.  The Hashi's nodules sometimes accumulate hormones, and then these are "leaked" rather than secreted into the bloodstream, sometimes causing Hashi sufferers to swing from hypo to hyper  The "leaking" type is pretty much irrelevant to your situation, so I wouldn't spend a lot of time on it if I were you..

[LazyMoose]

Glad to see your condition its starting to make sense! So, the isocort was just a shot in the dark by the doctor...Hmm..

Many of us have nodules, your toxic type is more rare. The term 'goiter' itself is kind of confusing at first. If you noticed its not hardly used here at all.

good day,
LM

[McMillanNelson]

goolarra, Thanks again for your wise input.  My question was really because my family doctor prescribed Isocort to me 5 years ago, with the onset of my problems. He did this based on my TSH being low . So you have all just basically confirmed that that was stupid, and probably is what made my symptoms only get worse until I stopped taking it.

I did not have any ultrasound or any clue that I had Toxic Multinoduler Goiter until thus year. when finally I wet to a health screening place to get my own Ultrasound, which confirmed a thyroid problem. prior to that I went through 4 general practitioners in 5 years.

Thanks for the advise about the nodules I am trying to find out how they "leak" and I do indeed need to understand the various types of nodules I have because it would appear they are not all the same exactly ( Sonogram report is posted in my Journal)

I continue to be grateful to the group!

-McMillan

[goolarra]

I have to agree that I wouldn't take any hormones unless I had had the testing to prove a deficiency.  

I'm not sure if I'm reading your post correctly, but I'd like to clarify a couple of points in case there's some misinterpretation going on here:

On the subject of goiter...you have to be careful in interpreting what you read about goiter, because all goiters are not the same.  Goiter can be caused by both hypo and hyper, and the treatments for these two types are almost direct opposite.

Toxic nodules do NOT depend on TSH to produce hormones.  They are independent of TSH.  Your TSH is low because your nodule is dumping hormone into your bloodstream, and your pituitary is trying to limit your thyroid's output.  So, you can't manipulate what your nodule is doing through any influence on the pituitary and its production, or lack thereof, of TSH.  There are also many different types of nodules, so make sure you are reading about toxic nodules.

[LazyMoose]

I bumped this up for others to comment on the Isocort. I did not read into your other post since you were getting answers, I now see the posts are similar with the frees ect., and no adrenal test.

[LazyMoose]

Lets start from your first post......TSH is .25, but what was your free T3 and T4 with the ranges?

Some  hypos have adrenal insuficiences and take Isocort for it, and it may lesson the 'stress' on the thyroid gland.  The two glands to some extent, work together but not directly.

Personally, I would not take anything for any gland without knowing how well the gland is functioning.  I will PM some one that knows nodules very well.  Still - your need to clear up a communication gap with you doctor, you are his customer after all.

[McMillanNelson]

Hi LazyMoose, Yes I am aware that Isocort is freeze dried adrenal glands and cortisol etc.  http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/isocort/  Being that I am HypERRR  I was trying to understand why a doctor would give Isocort (with no cortisol blood or urine test)  with no ultrasound and and only low TSH number.

I have read that Isocort is used mostly for Hypo, but I have also seen some discussion of people using this for goiter.  Since my T3 and T4 are "normal" and TSH , Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, low I am wondering what effect Isocort may have on the balance of TSH and the pituitary gland since it  depends on its secretions for stimulation releases, TSH in response to the thyroid hormones it senses in the blood etc.

[LazyMoose]

Just for clarity........Isocort and Cortisol are for the adrenal glands which you mention nothing about.

Adrenals can be stressed with hypOthyroidism, but at the time you were a little hypER by the TSH.

TSH ,free T3 or T4 will not define adrenal heath. Did you have a adrenal test -a blood cortisol test, urine (not to common) or saliva adrenal test done at the time he told you to take Isocort?