synthroid prescribed this a.m.

[mommy2two2008]

This is a re-post.  Really looking for some help ------ Hi everyone.  I just got back from the endo and I am still not any clearer on the issue of a small goiter, upper limits of normal in size, larger on the right, heterogeneous with no suspicious or focal lesions.  My blood work, as said in other posts, is normal : Free T4: 1.45; TSH: 1.04; TPO ab: <10.  No T3 done.  The endo just reiterated that the blood tests were normal, the goiter is still there - 3 wks post ultrasound.  He asked me how I was feeling, told him crappy and would rather stay in bed.  He gave a prescription for Synthroid, 25 mg 1x a day and set an appointment for six weeks to retest blood levels.

Should I be worried?  What is the significance of Synthroid and will it make this goiter go down?  My sternomastoid muscle on the right sticks out some (to me it is tight - contracted).  Others do not notice this, but I feel a pulling.  I also have some swollen gland on the right side of my neck.  Do you think there is any connection there?  Still worried.  Thanks so much!

[mommy2two2008]

Thanks so much for the reply!  New to this forum too!  Wishing you good health!! :)

[sweetsweet]

Hi! Welcome-unfortunately, I don't know much about goiter. I do understand that ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, so it makes sense that it would alleviate some of the swelling. Good luck!

[mommy2two2008]

This is what the ultrasound says:

"Thyroid Ultrasound Dated 4/8/08:   No previous are available.  

Findings: Right lobe measures 5.3 x 2.0 x 1.4 cm, left measures 5.0 x 1.3 x 1.6 cm

On the right, heterogeneous echo texture is seen without a discrete focal lesion.  On the left, similar findings are present.  Impression:  Heterogeneous thyroid upper limits of normal in size.  No focal suspicious lesions identified."

ANY thoughts you are anyone could give in this regard would be VERY VERY helpful!

Thank you!

Also - I noticed after 5 hrs of working (paralegal - sit in front of a computer all day), it started to swell after feeling o.k. (just small swelling) most of the day.  Is there any significance to the fact that after work I took a 600 mg Ibuprofen and the swelling sensation under the ear and the swelling sensation down the right of my neck seemed to subside a little?

[mommy2two2008]

Have another stupid question.  When I woke up this a.m. - the swelling in the thyroid and right neck area was not as bad as it had been.  Went the the dr, got the prescription, then headed to work.  This afternoon (after working about 5 hrs) my coworker commented my neck looked swollen on the right (which is the symptom side) and I didn't even mention to her that I had started to feel that swelling sensation.  I get this numbness feeling under the ear region, funny feeling on that side of the throat (no pain - just a swelling feeling under the sterno muscle), and get swollen spots all the way down to right above the thyroid, then the right thyroid area swells.  Intermittent tingle where thyroid is too.  What the He** is going on here? It was not as swollen this a.m. - I just do not understand!  Will start the Synthroid tomorrow a.m.  This just really freaky to me.  

[KelDC]

Synthroid is the replacement thyroid hormone.  I would imagine your doctor wants to use it to combat your "rather stay in bed" symptoms.  It can take 4-6 weeks for the Synthroid to really be working, and that is the usual timeframe to check bloodwork for adjustments.  

I honestly don't know if it can shrink goiters or not.... goiters can be completely harmless, I do know that.

Best of luck to you!