New to all of this

[dalmationcat]

September for me has been crazy, but in a nutshell.  I noticed a lump in my neck on 9/5 saw my Internist on 9/6 he sent me for an ultrasound and did blood work.  My US showed mulitple nodules the largest being 2.2sm on upper right portion of the right lobe, the nodule is cystic & solid in appearance.  Did an US guided FNA on 9/20 and those results show numerous hemosiderin laden macrophages consistent with contents of degenerative hemorragic cyst.  No evidence of malignancy, but no thyroid epithelial cells were present for verification.
Levels were T3-89, T4-7.4 and TSH 2.27

My question What in the world does all of this mean?  I am 43 and have generally been in good health all of my life, I do suffer from depression and have developen some serious PMDD as I have gotten older.  I believe I have the symptoms of Hypo thyroidism (hair loss, weight gain, irrirability, fatigue) but my internist and Gyn have always said my thyroid is fine.  I am scheduled to see an Endocronoligst on 10/3.

Any insight would be very appreciated, you all seem to have a fairly good handle on this topic.

[SELECTTEA]

my main thought is how do they rule out malignancy if they could not get any cells? Maybe they need to re-do the biopsy??

[flyingfool]

i don't know too much about nodules. But hearing the words not milignant can't be a bad thing!

The T3 & T4 numbers you gave appear to be TOTAL and not "free".  and are outdated and of little value.  You REALLY need to get the FREE T4 and FREE T3 tests done. They are "free" in terms of the hormone molecule not being attached to a protein and thus are "free".  The body only uses FREE hormone molecules.

The T4 hormone is a "storage" molecule that remains in your blood to be converted.  Your body when needed converts the T4 into T3.  The body only acutally uses the free T3 molecule.

Just because you fall within "normal" range means absolutely nothing with regard to whether you are  Hypo or not.  Many people have and are therefore Hypo and have hypo symptoms when they are towards the bottom of the reference ranges.  Typically it seems most people feel well when their free T4 is about mid range AND their Free T3 is in the UPPER 1/3 of the range.  Simply being in range can leave you Hypo.  The Dr's however have no problem leaving you this way and NOT feeling your best!

Demand that you get your Free T3 and Free T4.  They may resist you especially on the FT3 test.

Since your body ONLY uses the free T3 hormone, doesn't it make perfect sense to test and track this hormone?  It has also proven to be the only reliable relation to symptoms.  Symptoms are almost completely unrelated to TSH and are only marginally related to FT4.

Definately get those nodules checked out which it sounds as if you are.