gastro/thyroid

[bash786]

I have the following medical problems:
• Epigastric pain/burn and discomfort
• Thyroid disease (unclassified)
I was affected with a bell’s palsy (facial nerve palsy) 18 months ago(March 2008). The palsy lasted about 3 months for which I took very high doses steroids(glucocorticoids). My consulting neurologist spoke of Bell’s palsy being of viral aetiology which made sense as I had treated and was in close contact with a patient with Herpes simplex virus type 1. This led to me testing for HSV which came up positive and  I started antiviral therapy (Zelitrex). To date my bloods still show up positive for HSV.
While I had the bell’s, I was on high dose steroids and one day I experienced sudden discomfort, pain and watery diarrhoea which I thought was rupturing of my stomach mucosa (ulcer).
I have since then been suffering with my stomach, having abdominal discomfort, burning, pain and reflux. I have to eat smaller meals and wash down with alot of water as I get a felling of  partial gatstric outlet obstruction. My symptoms worsen on ingestion of certain foods: hot liquids, tea, spices, which I have excluded from my diet.
I don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
I have been on PPI’s : 1 tablet daily and gaviscon and Ulsanic for the last 17 months or so. I recently added an extra PPI (nexiam alt with pantocid) to my existing rx.
In the last 2-3 months I experience tingling and numbness of my hands and weakness, fatigue and difficulty maintaining concentration which I thought was due to alkalosis (milk alkali syndrome) for which I did do a blood gas which did reveal mild alkalosis.
I have been for 3 gastroscopes, results of the most recent one is attached, showing intestinal metaplasia and chronic gastriris.

6 months ago I was diagnosed with a thyroid illness, whereby my T3 and T4 are normal but TSH was high and still continues to increase. Last checked it was 22. I also have high levels of antithyroid globulin and antithyroid peroxidise which is in keeping with Hashimotos BUT thyroid ultrasound showed multiple small cysts which is in keeping with subacute thyroiditis OR I have read up on a rare autoimmune disease where the thyroid and gastric tissue can be affected by one disease entity.
Thyroid scan was normal.
I am very tired of feeling ill all the time, fatigue, weakness, difficulty concentrating whether it be from alkalosis or diseases itself and feel I should go for surgery.
I really would like to know your views on the matter  and I eagerly await your reply.
Thanking you very much for your time.

[bash786]

thanx, going to try to get an appointment with  a new endocrinologist, feel like im not being taken seroiously and i may be progressing towards a thyroid storm

[ggreg]

Well, the virus and the thyroid issues can pretty much cause all your symptoms.  I think since your labs show you still may have both illneses, you should be reevaluated as to which direction your treatment should go.  For example, could be your thyroid meds need to be adjusted.  I might add that medical students sometimes worry about their own physical health rather too much, after studying so much about all the possible diseases out there.  That's not to say you don't have HSV or abnormal thyroid readings.  But I think it could be you're making yourself even sicker than you really are.  I hope you're under the care of a general doc who can sort thru your various and sundry issues, and decide the right path to take in addressing your health problems, becuz YOU cannot be objective, which is necessary in treating illness.