# hi everybody....thyroid symptoms galore no dr help



## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

I guess I'm hoping people with experience can help me not feel like it's all in my head.

about a year ago I guess, I started being really tired...just plain exhausted. I had just started back to work after a long absence raising my sons, so thought that was it. At that time though I also started not being able to wear anything that touched near my neck (and I have always been someone that liked to wear choker style necklaces).
I started doing P90X got down to my high school jeans size, was feeling pretty good (still unable to have anything near my neck) then it was like all of a sudden I couldnt suck in enough air.....like when someone has younin a sleeper hold, you can breathe, but you have to work to suck enough air in through your neck area.
6 months later I developed a pop in my throat every time I swallow.
now my eyes feel dry, hair loss, lack of desire for hubby time lol, exhausted, still have the pop in neck,, dizzy, headaches, weight gain like crazy, dry skin, can't sleep, depression, my eyes get ticks in them, my head feels like itnhas tons of pressure (even a pillow makes it worse), face is puffy, I am soo forgetful now, tingling in hands, swollen legs. And other symptoms

I went to my GP he explained everything away....your fat=loose weight etc etc he did run tests
my B12 was a little low as was Folic acid
TSH and Free T4 drawn 4/24
TSH 3.37 (.35-6.20)
Free T4 .83 (.71-1.85)

I asked what about whatever was popping in my neck...he sent me to an ENT. Well, he said he supposed he coukd and I insisted he did.

They did not have blood work in front of them, but sent me for a thyroid ultrasound. U/S showed enlarged thyroid with lots of "micro"nodules. She said I was fine and started concentrating on the acid reflux that I get MAYBE once a month. I insisted something wasn't right and I wanted my thyroid checked. She orderd TSH and Free T4 refused to do any other thyroid tests.
these were done 6/12 (so about 49 days after my first TSH/free T4 test)
TSH had changed to 5.68 (.35-6.20)
free T4 had changed to .71 (.71-1.85)

I was called and told everything was a okay and all normal, and to make sure I stayed on my meds for acid reflux. During this 49 days I had gone more down hill, had had to call into work a couple times because I was to dizzy to drive.

I insisted for a referal to an Endo of my choosing, I have an apt in 3 weeks. But sometimes I start to think it's all in my head, like theu insist it is.

UNTIL this past weekend, I started with a headache Friday night, I took something and went to bed. SATURDAY morning I woke up and immediately felt the headache coming back so I took something for it....it kept building, it stayed with me all day only lessoning when I layed down at night. Sunday and Monday it was so bad I was in tears writhing in pain, it fealt like it originated in my Left thyroid area up my head and reached to my ear....I tried migraine meds....nothing helped. Hubby rushed me to the ER all tjey did was hook me up to iv and give me pain relievers. Discharged 2 hours later, before we made the 30 minute trip hom the pain was back. I dealt with it all yesterday, but it was mainly localized to my left part of my thyroid and all over the left side of my face, my lips and tongue tingled and were painful. Yesterday evening I started running a low grade fever. When I went to bed I turned my head and felt a pop or something in the area of my thyroid. When I woke up in the morning, the sharp sharp pain was gone, thyroid is pretty tender to touch, neck is stiff, and hurts to turn my head. But it's all a dull ache. I'm wondering if I had a Thyroiditis episode this weekend? Or one of those "micro"nodules became inflamed and burst.

I would have gone to my GP but with the way he talked to me I think he might have laughed in my face, same with the ENT. Cause they told me they couldn't do anything else for me cause I was fine. I did call the endo I have an apt for, and they moved me up as close as they could (3weeks out)

thoughts? Please assure me I'm not just an idiot.

I've had to call in everyday this week, and I think I'm going to have to quit....wrestling dogs over 100 pounds that don't want their hair cut or their nails cut, is just so hard when I feel like this.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

SUGGESTED TESTS
TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583
(Copy and paste into your browser)

You may have had a vascular (hemorrhagic nodule or cyst) situation that "popped" and if I were in your shoes, I would insist on FNA of some of those nodules and also some antibodies' tests which I will list for you and DEFINITELY a FREE T3 lab test.

You are having thyroid disease and it is NOT in your head. It is in your neck. Tch!! Join the club. Many of us here have had to fight the good fight to get a diagnosis. For me it was 20 years. I do hope that we can arm you w/enough information that you can get an earlier diagnosis and the proper medical intervention.

Welcome to the board!


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

Everyone knows their own body.

If you feel there is something wrong than there is something wrong.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise....................................................


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

Thank you. I don't think I can rely on either my GP or my ENT to do anything else, think I'm stuck waiting til my endo appointment on the 14th. :/ I'm very excited, he comes very highly recommended in my area. I just want to be some resemblance of me again.....I havent even ridden my horses, scared of the dizzy spells.....well and the pressure in my head is very uncomfortable when I add a helmet.

thank you so much for taking the time to respond.
I'm taking notes of tests and notes of what's going on with me day to day, because honestly I forgot my own address when we went to the hospital.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Dixieldy77 said:


> these were done 6/12 (so about 49 days after my first TSH/free T4 test)
> TSH had changed to 5.68 (.35-6.20)
> free T4 had changed to .71 (.71-1.85)
> 
> I was called and told everything was a okay and all normal, and to make sure I stayed on my meds for acid reflux. During this 49 days I had gone more down hill, had had to call into work a couple times because I was to dizzy to drive.


Dixie, welcome! The results I quoted above from your original post indicate that you are hypothyroid and would benefit greatly from starting on Synthroid or an equivalent. Although your Free T4 is technically in range, it is BARELY in range, and most people seem to feel best in the upper part of the range. And by today's standards, your TSH is unquestionably hypo.

I'm not normally one to jump on the "find a new doctor" bandwagon, but...well...the ones you are seeing simply aren't listening to you or paying attention to your labwork.

Has your GP seen your latest numbers? If not, please have them sent over to your GP. Maybe your GP will see the numbers for what they are and get you started on treatment.


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

Yes, he has seen them. As I went to their office to get a copy of the ones they had done, I mentioned I was going to go get the ones from the ENT and they had them at my GP.


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## Tara1313 (Mar 11, 2014)

For over six years I have been going to endo after endo. It took my fifth endo and a very forceful me to find that I was hypo and thyroid cancer. Now I don't have s thyroid. If they caught it sooner I may not be going for my full body scan to decide if I need rai. Stick with it. And by the way if you are under 45 years old especially your tsh is waaaaay to high.


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## Tara1313 (Mar 11, 2014)

Also go yo an endo vs go they specialize in it.


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

I'm 37


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

By any chance, did the ER do any labwork on you? Surely they did, right? Do you have the results?


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

The only tests the ER ran were electrolytes and a prego test.


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

I called my GP this morning, because I wanted to see about a perscription for my headaches. They said they wanted to see me first. I was hopeful, thinking we would get to discuss the enlarged thyroid with multiple nodules, and the jump in my TSH and change in my FT4. Well he told me I was perfectly normal, my Enlarged thyroid and nodules were "nothing to write home about" and that my 5.68 TSH was normal.
he even told me to stay off the internet and stop researching......and that I was wasting my money getting an endo appointment!!
He referred me to a neurologist and wrote a perscription for amitriptyline. 
I was just wanting some pain meds to get me through the bad headaches until my endo appointment on the 14th.

I'm not sure if I should keep the neurologist apt, I feel like I'm just throwing money away with the last 2 drs..... and they make me feel like an idiot.


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

Monday I had my appointment with the new endo.....he is awesome, he spent almost an hour just discussing everything I was feeling and stuff.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's. I felt so wrong to be so happy, I finally had a dr that lostened and a name for what's going on. He said my thyroid is really struggling. Also noticed an enlarged lymph node in my neck, we'll be doing another ultrasound in 5 weeks to make sure it's gone down.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Sorry, did I miss something? On what basis did you get a diagnosis of Hashimoto's? Don't believe I saw any antibodies test results.


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

On what basis?
That would be by the ultrasound and bloodwork the new endocrinologist ordered when I saw him....and I didn't post those (is that a requirement? )

I was sharing that I found a dr that took me seriously, and finally did what needed to be done.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

I for one am glad you found a Doctor who listens.

This seems to be one of the hardest aspects of getting the right treatment for this disease.

Just finding someone who takes you seriously must make you feel somewhat better?

Hope your new Doctor helps you feel the way you used to.

GOOD LUCK...............


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## Mojito (Jul 18, 2014)

Dixieldy77, good for you for not giving up. It is absolutely criminal that sick people have to have that much persistence just to get proper medical care. What if you didn't have the focus or the strength after the GP or the ENT shot you down? With your lab numbers I might have just curled up into a ball. I hope you feel better soon. One time when I had a round of being hypothyroid I had a fullness choking sensation in my neck that persisted a long time and I even went to the ER over it. I got a bitchy doctor who acted like I was wasting her time and told me it was acid reflux - um, it wasn't.


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## Dixieldy77 (Jun 25, 2014)

I agree Mojito, thankfully even if I had wanted to give up, my husband wouldn't have let me. He sees me daily have to grab for something for stability when I'm dizzy. He's seen me cry as I watch my sons play, but can't run around with them.

I have that fullness and the ent said it was acid reflux, I only have reflux problems when I eat something really acidic. Pills and foods get stuck in my throat. And my neck feels like I have a way to small turtleneck shirt on.

Thanks to creepingdeath too....I am so happy to have an answef. Can't help butbworry about that enlarged lymph node though.


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## ssMarilyn (Nov 15, 2013)

From your neck symptoms, you have silent reflux, which I was just diagnosed with a month ago. I don't have heartburn, yet my throat feels swollen and I can't stand any clothing touching it. I also have an issue with swallowing and I choke on occasion. The meds you take for it are for 6 weeks use at most. Most MD's don't follow that rule and some people are on acid meds for decades, which leads to all sorts of health issues that can threaten your life. You need to watch the video on this website. My new thyroid doc, who is an angel and lifesaver, told me to listen to this MD - http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/25/news-flash-acid-reflux-caused-by-too-little-acid-not-too-much.aspx


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