Hashimoto's Disease??

[sp1002]

Hi, I'm 27yr old female and I've been diagnosed with Hashimoto's.
However, I'm underweight. I'm only 96 lbs and I'm 5'5".
I've wanted to gain weight my whole life and when I was 16 they discovered a nodule in my thyroid.
At that point my TSH level was around 12-13. I took synthroid for a year. My TSH levels either increased or remained the same. I therefore choose to stop taking the medication, since it was having no effect on me whatsoever (i wasn't gaining weight, nor were my TSH levels coming down).

I started seeing a new physician 2 yrs ago and when she saw my TSH level (which was 17) I told her the story, so she said OK, we'll just monitor your TSH levels every so often. A few weeks ago, I saw her again and my TSH was at 57.
I had another ultrasound done, there was a nodule on my left thyroid lobe.
I then went for a thryiod uptake in which both by 4 hr and 24 hr uptake were in the normal range.
My latest blood work came back with my TSH level at 71.36 uIU/ml. Free T4 at 0.73 ng/dl. Total T3 at 129 ng/dl.
Serum thryoglobulin was 26.1 ng/ml with antithyroglobulin antibodies at 55 IU. Thyroperoxidase anitbodies were 33 IU/ml.
My report is that I have chronic lymphocytic (hashimoto's) thyroiditis.
Like I said, its not easy at all for me to gain weight.
I'm never tired, I usually have lots of energy and rarely feel fatigue.
My hands are not warm/sweaty. no eye signs, no tremors in my hands.
so I don't understand how I have hashimoto's. I understand that my blood levels indicate this. but there are no other conditions.
my doctor has me taking synthroid again, starting today, but i'm wondering if the medication will somehow cause me to lose weight?
Is this common? I keep searching for information on anyone that has my "symptoms" and I can't seem to find anything.
thanks for your time

[GravesLady]

We don't have to have all the so called classic symptoms to have thyroid.  I only had 2 or possibly 3 at the most, for GD.
Your weight could be another health issue altogether or its just genetic. However, if you are over medicated you could become and experience hyperthyroid symptoms, which weight loss would be one.  If you are monitored on a regular bases that should not happen and that would be every 6 to 12 weeks until you reach the right level and dose for you to feel your best, not a 100%, but close.  You might find a little weight gain once you have achieve your goal level. If weight is due to thyroid it is only a 10 to 15 lb concern and it night even level out after a while.

Doctor Lupo will define.  Hang in there!

GL
18 year GD and 12 Thyroid Patient

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Your symptoms (or lack of) are not typical, but the labs are clear -- if anything, the TSH needs to be normalized to protect heart/brain function and to decrease the growth potential of nodules/goiter.  Synthroid type meds are indicated in this case.  You may or may not have a weight change with this -- see how it goes...

Repeat US after normalizing TSH to re-evaluate the nodule to see if biopsy is needed.