Question Regarding Doctor's advice

[drpr]

Hello, everyone. I'm new here and hope I can get some advice.  A year or so ago after a bout with hair loss I was diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism.  The Armour I was prescribed caused my hair to fall out even faster so I stopped taking it. My hair recovered and I seem to have been fine until last fall.

Last fall (around October) I developed swollen glands in my neck and groin, had a cough that was worse at night and in cold air, asthma-like symptoms and an increasingly painful neck- but everything happened gradually.  Finally the swelling in my neck was bad enough that I visited a doctor in early January. He thought I had an infected or inflamed thyroid and did blood tests.  It took a month to get my lab results back; they showed I had  a TSH3 level of .01.

Up until about last week I had pronounced symptoms of body pains, headaches, muscle weakness, racing heart and hot "flashes" along with the pain in my neck and the swollen thyroid, but they have all diminished in severity over the past few days.  Still, the doctor says I have Hashimoto's.  Despite the diminishing of the symptoms he wants me to take PTU and a heart medication (for the racing heart). I asked if I had to take the medication and he said that Hashimoto's goes away on it's on eventually, and the meds just help it go away faster, with fewer symptoms.

My questions (I'll number them so they don't get lost)i

1) Since my symptoms are diminishing, could that mean I don't actually need medication?
2) Is it possible, based on my symptoms, that I do NOT have Hashimoto's?
3) Is PTU recommended for Hashimoto's? (I see it prescribed for Graves disease).
4) If I don't take the medication will I be causing myself bigger problems?
5) Can diet help resolve hyperthyroidism? If so, what should I NOT eat and what SHOULD I eat?

Thanks!
-Allison

[endocrinepony]

hey just a little note 10-15 % of hashi patients may be antibody negative

[skeeterknitwit]

I went to an ENT with earaches and TSH <0.01.  He suspected Hashi.  The TPO test was negative.  So it was NOT Hashi.
I think in  the beginning of Hashi's, the antibodies attack your thyroid and it dumps stored hormone into your system as it dies off and you become hyper.  As the thyroid becomes unable to produce hormones, you become hypo.
1.  Don't be afraid of the meds.  They will make you feel a little more normal.  Once this resolves, you can stop taking them.
2. Ask for some antibody tests.
3. While you are hyper, avoid seasalt, iodized salt, potato skins, seafood, & red food coloring.  I ate chocolate covered cherries at Christmas.  You could have peeled me off the ceiling!

[medicmommy]

P.S. Were it me, and I thought it was hyperthyroid from thyroiditis, I would only take the beta blocker and stay away from any iodine containing foods or ablating meds...You may yet flip to hypothyroid. (You'll feel BAD if it does. You'll want to sleep all the time, be headachey, cold, tired, no energy, and muscle/ joint aches...) I flipped to hypothyroid last August, and didn't level out to normal until December...it may take a while..also, if you do the heart meds, taper off of them when it's time to quit, don't just stop taking them.) :)  ~MM

[medicmommy]

I've had thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism, and your symptoms match exactly...It took mine about 3 months to calm down, and then it flipped to hypo..Your TSH is LOW indicating HYPER thyroid. I took a beta blocker (Inderal) to keep my blood pressure and heart rate in check. Twice I had thyroid "storms" and was treated with IV meds to slow the heart rate down...(My resting rate went from 112 to 168 beats per minute, my body temp hit 102' and I was having chest pain at 43 years old!) I felt like poo. Within a few days on the meds, (3, I think) I felt SO MUCH better!
Do you know what your "frees" are (Free t-3. t-4)? If they are high, and your TSH is low, you are still hyperthyroid. If you haven't, get a RAIU (radioactive iodine uptake) test done. This will tell how your thyroid is actually functioning, and if it is Graves, or simple thyroiditis...Sometimes too much thyroid meds can make you artificially hyper too...Good luck! ~MM