# LONG post beware! Subacute Thyroiditis return?



## Defeat The Curse

Beware, really long post!!! hugs4

Hi folks, My names Evan and I'm a Registered Nurse, 24 yr old male.
I hope to be able to help some people out here and get some help myself.
I'll tell my story of my thyroid disease; it's a bit of a rare form.
I've done countless hours of research on Thyroiditis and along with my Health field background I believe I can give some help to others as well. NOTICE, always see a DOCTOR!!!
But..... What is going on with me right now has me a bit confused so I'm going to make my first post.

Here's my story and history first:

*History from 2007* with first bout of thyroiditis:

I have been an avid weight lifter and athlete my entire life.
In 2007 I started noticing in the gym my heart was beating harder and faster than usual.
I went to my GP doc and labs were drawn and low and behold my TSH was 0.02 and my t4 and t3 were through the roof. I was having anxiety issues as well, but I thought it was due to going through Nursing School.

I then went to an endocrinologist. My thyroid Uptake scan was 0.4% at 24 hours.
During all of this i had no symptoms that i can remember of neck pain but being a weight lifter and athlete I had aches and pains all over from time to time that is dismissed, and a high pain threshold. My diagnosis turned out to be SUBACUTE THYROIDITIS. Whether it was Lymphocytic thyroiditis (also known as silent/painless thyroiditis) or Subacute granulomatous (known as "painful, or de Quervain") thyroiditis, this was kind of unknown. My Antibodies were elevated but I have read all forms of thyroiditis can have antibodies elevated in the beginning.

First discovered *2/23/07* with a TSH 0.05
Here is an over view of my labs then from *March 6, 2007*

TSH 0.02 (0.7-6.40 mIU/L) LOW
Free T-4 2.4 (0.8-1.8 ng/dL) Elevated
Free T3 628 (230-420 pg/dL) Elevated
Thyroglobulin antibodies 39 (<20 IU/mL) Elevated
Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies 38 (<35 IU/mL) Elevated

By *May 16, 2007* I was on my decent down to normal after almost 3 months of hyperthyroid
TSH 0.65 (0.7-6.40 mIU/L) slight low
T3 Total 95 (60-181 ng/dL) In range
Free T-4 1.2 In range

Then *July 17, 2007* (docs didn't monitor me close enough) I went to Hypothyroid so quickly that I had to go to the ER and my TSH was 16, super high, I had no energy at all, could barely walk, and my heart rate was in the 30s since I already had a low HR from being an athlete.
I started on synthroid at 50 mcg and in *August of 2007*, my labs were in range, my TSH was 3.8, although I distinctly remember through all of this still not feeling normal with some hypo symptoms. In September my TSH was down close to 1 with all of my other t3 and t4 in range, but yet still didn't feel right. I kept having I checked every month and a half and everything was all and well as far as Labs go.

*FINALLY by JULY of 2008*, My Endocrinologist doc decided it was time for me to try and come off of synthroid to see if my Thyroid had bounced back to life and could make hormone on it's own like happens in 90% of thyroiditis cases, excluding Hashi's.
My levels were checked every three weeks three times.
I felt normal again, when off the meds, my body was doing it on its own.
My endo doc by the way was awesome!
*July 22, 2008 *

Free T4 0.91 (0.61-1.25 ng/ dL) 
TSH 2.57 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)
Total T3 0.8 (0.8-1.6 ng/mL)

*April 17, 2009* I felt odd and had it checked, and I was normal
TSH 2.28 (0.4-4.50 pg/dl)
Free T3 357 (230-420 pg/dl)

So that's my history, I was supposed to be all well, never to have a thyroid issue again, and I was the happiest man in the world.

*CURRENT: UNTILL now, the curse returned.*

*June 15, 2011 * I started feeling ill, general fatigue and just sickly feeling. A couple days later on the 18th I started feeling worse, the lymph nodes in my Neck under my jaw started to swell up, and everyone once in a while I got some pains and tenderness.
By the June 23rd of this month my Lymph nodes were still swollen and I was getting some aches in my throat every so often.
I went to my GP that day, I had a fear it was my thyroid for some reason, because I was having anxiety attacks at work, which only happened in my life when I had thyroid issues. I'm one of those people that can take tons of stress and nothing phases me, when the crap hits the fan at work and I have a patient dieing or something, I'm on top of things, I do well under pressure. Point is, if I'm having anxiety I know something is not right.

Low and behold *June 23rd, 2011* Labs
WBC normal
TSH 0.21 (0.40-4.50 mIU/L) Low 
Free T4 1.6 (0.8- 1.8 ng/dl) In range
Complete thyroid panel *July 27, 2011*
TSH 0.15 (0.40-4.50 mIU/L) LOW
FREE T4 1.5 (0.8- 1.8 ng/dl) in range
Free T3 3.7 (2.3-4.2 pg/mL) in range
Thyroglobulin antibodies <20 (<20 IU/mL) in range
Thyroglobulin 2.9 (2.0-35.0 ng/mL) in range
Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies 38 (<35 IU/mL) Elevated

So today is the 30th, I'm taking 800 mg Ibuprofen three times a day, because the aches in my neck and lymph nodes have been more often and worse, some discomfort when swallowing, Swelling still in my lymph nodes under my jaw line. My right jaw close to my ear sometimes feels an ache or discomfort, it feels like pressure. Don't know what that's about? I'm also still having anxiety at times, periods of jitteryness/ spurts of energy and then fatigue. There is one area on the right side of my thyroid that is tender to palpation, and the thyroid generally feels soft and movable.

I'm wondering since my lymph nodes are involved what that could mean.
I hope to have an ultrasound this time. Maybe there's a hot nodule or something just spilling hormone but not enough to push my labs out of range, but enough for my tsh to be suppressed. I don't feel any lumps or what would be a nodule. I hope to have cancer ruled out, the swollen lymph nodes got me worried, but maybe it's a virus that my body is still fighting off, this would mark two weeks if so.

I have read where I'm at now is called subclinical hyperthyroidism.

My GP is having a thyroid uptake scan next week setup and I'm trying to set up to go see my old Endocrinologist because my GP is clueless from the note I read on my labs which said "uptake scan will determine if hypo/hyper". I laughed at that actually.

I'm really paranoid actually that I'm going to go back into hypothyroidism like I did once before with my battle with thyroiditis in 2007. Because of the half life of T4 drugs it takes 6 weeks usually to even get your levels to normal. I don't think I would be able to work my 12 hour shifts taking care of patients with the sever fatigue that comes along with hypothyroidism while I would be waiting for the drugs to kick in. If it comes to that I'm going to Try and Get FMLA for that period. This is bad timing for me because I was about to buy my first house, but now I'm waiting to see how this all plays out and if I need time off work if the dreaded hypo phase starts.

That's my story, sorry about the first long post.

Hope my first story of my history of my first bout may help someone going through that same thing.


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## kdsjen

First off, glad you're on top of it all but sorry you're feeling so cruddy.
I swear there must be some sort of hyperthyroidism "out there" that I haven't heard of. Your story doesn't sound too different from mine but you have loads more info.
I've had low TSH (below .03) for two (at least) years now. FT3/4 are both in range or slightly elevated. RAIU scan is normal, ultrasound is relatively normal (mild homogeneous enlargement). (I do have some symptoms, but nothing that is severely impacting my active lifestyle) 
How has your doc determined it is not Hashi's? Mine thinks it is, based on elevated antibodies (all slightly elevated except for a complete lack of TSI) and that I'm taking my sweet time burning the thyroid out to go hypo. For some reason that just isn't sitting with me 100% so I'm eager to hear what else you learn. 
I feel like I have *something* that's triggering a thyroiditis but am clueless as to what.
Do you have any thoughts on what caused yours? Any relation between the first and second bouts? Or what was different when you were euthyroid? Or again, are you cycling through hyper and hypo bouts of Hashis? (I've been told that's common.)
Sorry for all the questions - I hope you get some answers yourself... and can share them!


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## Defeat The Curse

I don't know, I very well could have Hashi's, this second bout brings more evidence i could.

As far as antibodies go, I have read they can be elevated in many forms of thyroiditis.

I'll link some info on that later tonight for you.

I'm just now learning on TSI and wondering why i've never had it drawn.

The main difference between this time and my last time, was this time i have pain and swelling in lmyph nodes. The pain usually makes it linked not to hashis.

I should know more in the coming weeks, the uptake scan should shed some light.


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## Defeat The Curse

KDSJen

Sorry for the quick reply before, now i have more time to get into some detail.

Here are two really good links about thyroiditis with some insight into their causes

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000215/1047.html

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/125648-overview

here's a link on the lab test break down, and antibodies at the bottom, funny thing about thyroid antibodies, you can't draw much conclusion from them a lot of times when trying to differentiate what type of thyroiditis, they can be elevated in certain degrees and certain times in all types.

My thyroiditis the first time around in 2007 was supposedly caused by a virus,
who knows.



> I've had low TSH (below .03) for two (at least) years now. FT3/4 are both in range or slightly elevated. RAIU scan is normal, ultrasound is relatively normal (mild homogeneous enlargement). (I do have some symptoms, but nothing that is severely impacting my active lifestyle)


my symtoms aren't bad right now, just jitteryness at times, times of fatigue, and times of tons of energy and anxiety, problem is working out is worrisome because my heart is beating harder so i can't work as hard as i want to, i fear it will stress my heart too much with all the excess adrenalin from too much thyroid hormone in the hyper state.



> How has your doc determined it is not Hashi's? Mine thinks it is, based on elevated antibodies (all slightly elevated except for a complete lack of TSI) and that I'm taking my sweet time burning the thyroid out to go hypo. For some reason that just isn't sitting with me 100% so I'm eager to hear what else you learn.


I actually saw two endo docs in 2007, the first thought i might have Hashi's and the second doc said no. The thing about antibodies, like i said before, and if you read the links, they can be elevated in all forms of thyroiditis, not just hashi's. I have read though that thyroglobulin is elevated in the painful thyroiditis, which i didn't have elevated this time, but was elevated my first time in 2007. So this time around my thyroiditis may be completely different in nature if that is what's going on.



> I feel like I have *something* that's triggering a thyroiditis but am clueless as to what.
> Do you have any thoughts on what caused yours? Any relation between the first and second bouts? Or what was different when you were euthyroid? Or again, are you cycling through hyper and hypo bouts of Hashis? (I've been told that's common.)


It's nice to have someone in the same boat to relate with, but sux to be us :tongue0015: Anyway, how old are you? male or female? Any family history of thyroid problems?
I have no history is my family except my aunt had postpartum thyroiditis that resulted in hypothyroidism. I'm male 24 yr old, and have always been a specimen of perfect health other than thyroid issues.

My doctor told me, when my first bout resolved in 2008 and i was off meds, i would not have to worry about anything with my thyroid happening again. He was wrong, or told me that for my mind. I have read that after thyroiditis ther is chance of recurrance.

When i was Euthyroid for i guess 3 years, i've felt great and normal. I was not cycling back and fourth as far as i know, unless it happened so short that i didn't know. I will say this about a two months before all this came up this time around i was taking a lot of 2 and 3 hour naps, so it's possible i was slightly hypo then maybe, but no labs or other symptoms to back that up.

I CAN'T believe you have had a surpressed tsh that low for 2 years, how often do you get your lab work checked? maybe you are cycling back and fourth, any evidence for that?
If you are young and male like me, i have a theory that youth and gender would allow your thyroid to hold off two years before going hypo if that is what your doc says.


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## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> Beware, really long post!!! hugs4
> 
> Hi folks, My names Evan and I'm a Registered Nurse, 24 yr old male.
> I hope to be able to help some people out here and get some help myself.
> I'll tell my story of my thyroid disease; it's a bit of a rare form.
> I've done countless hours of research on Thyroiditis and along with my Health field background I believe I can give some help to others as well. NOTICE, always see a DOCTOR!!!
> But..... What is going on with me right now has me a bit confused so I'm going to make my first post.
> 
> Here's my story and history first:
> 
> *History from 2007* with first bout of thyroiditis:
> 
> I have been an avid weight lifter and athlete my entire life.
> In 2007 I started noticing in the gym my heart was beating harder and faster than usual.
> I went to my GP doc and labs were drawn and low and behold my TSH was 0.02 and my t4 and t3 were through the roof. I was having anxiety issues as well, but I thought it was due to going through Nursing School.
> 
> I then went to an endocrinologist. My thyroid Uptake scan was 0.4% at 24 hours.
> During all of this i had no symptoms that i can remember of neck pain but being a weight lifter and athlete I had aches and pains all over from time to time that is dismissed, and a high pain threshold. My diagnosis turned out to be SUBACUTE THYROIDITIS. Whether it was Lymphocytic thyroiditis (also known as silent/painless thyroiditis) or Subacute granulomatous (known as "painful, or de Quervain") thyroiditis, this was kind of unknown. My Antibodies were elevated but I have read all forms of thyroiditis can have antibodies elevated in the beginning.
> 
> First discovered *2/23/07* with a TSH 0.05
> Here is an over view of my labs then from *March 6, 2007*
> 
> TSH 0.02 (0.7-6.40 mIU/L) LOW
> Free T-4 2.4 (0.8-1.8 ng/dL) Elevated
> Free T3 628 (230-420 pg/dL) Elevated
> Thyroglobulin antibodies 39 (<20 IU/mL) Elevated
> Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies 38 (<35 IU/mL) Elevated
> 
> By *May 16, 2007* I was on my decent down to normal after almost 3 months of hyperthyroid
> TSH 0.65 (0.7-6.40 mIU/L) slight low
> T3 Total 95 (60-181 ng/dL) In range
> Free T-4 1.2 In range
> 
> Then *July 17, 2007* (docs didn't monitor me close enough) I went to Hypothyroid so quickly that I had to go to the ER and my TSH was 16, super high, I had no energy at all, could barely walk, and my heart rate was in the 30s since I already had a low HR from being an athlete.
> I started on synthroid at 50 mcg and in *August of 2007*, my labs were in range, my TSH was 3.8, although I distinctly remember through all of this still not feeling normal with some hypo symptoms. In September my TSH was down close to 1 with all of my other t3 and t4 in range, but yet still didn't feel right. I kept having I checked every month and a half and everything was all and well as far as Labs go.
> 
> *FINALLY by JULY of 2008*, My Endocrinologist doc decided it was time for me to try and come off of synthroid to see if my Thyroid had bounced back to life and could make hormone on it's own like happens in 90% of thyroiditis cases, excluding Hashi's.
> My levels were checked every three weeks three times.
> I felt normal again, when off the meds, my body was doing it on its own.
> My endo doc by the way was awesome!
> *July 22, 2008 *
> 
> Free T4 0.91 (0.61-1.25 ng/ dL)
> TSH 2.57 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)
> Total T3 0.8 (0.8-1.6 ng/mL)
> 
> *April 17, 2009* I felt odd and had it checked, and I was normal
> TSH 2.28 (0.4-4.50 pg/dl)
> Free T3 357 (230-420 pg/dl)
> 
> So that's my history, I was supposed to be all well, never to have a thyroid issue again, and I was the happiest man in the world.
> 
> *CURRENT: UNTILL now, the curse returned.*
> 
> *June 15, 2011 * I started feeling ill, general fatigue and just sickly feeling. A couple days later on the 18th I started feeling worse, the lymph nodes in my Neck under my jaw started to swell up, and everyone once in a while I got some pains and tenderness.
> By the June 23rd of this month my Lymph nodes were still swollen and I was getting some aches in my throat every so often.
> I went to my GP that day, I had a fear it was my thyroid for some reason, because I was having anxiety attacks at work, which only happened in my life when I had thyroid issues. I'm one of those people that can take tons of stress and nothing phases me, when the crap hits the fan at work and I have a patient dieing or something, I'm on top of things, I do well under pressure. Point is, if I'm having anxiety I know something is not right.
> 
> Low and behold *June 23rd, 2011* Labs
> WBC normal
> TSH 0.21 (0.40-4.50 mIU/L) Low
> Free T4 1.6 (0.8- 1.8 ng/dl) In range
> Complete thyroid panel July 27, 2011
> TSH 0.15 (0.40-4.50 mIU/L) LOW
> FREE T4 1.5 (0.8- 1.8 ng/dl) in range
> Free T3 3.7 (2.3-4.2 pg/mL) in range
> Thyroglobulin antibodies <20 (<20 IU/mL) in range
> Thyroglobulin 2.9 (2.0-35.0 ng/mL) in range
> Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies 38 (<35 IU/mL) Elevated
> 
> So today is the 30th, I'm taking 800 mg Ibuprofen three times a day, because the aches in my neck and lymph nodes have been more often and worse, some discomfort when swallowing, Swelling still in my lymph nodes under my jaw line. My right jaw close to my ear sometimes feels an ache or discomfort, it feels like pressure. Don't know what that's about? I'm also still having anxiety at times, periods of jitteryness/ spurts of energy and then fatigue. There is one area on the right side of my thyroid that is tender to palpation, and the thyroid generally feels soft and movable.
> 
> I'm wondering since my lymph nodes are involved what that could mean.
> I hope to have an ultrasound this time. Maybe there's a hot nodule or something just spilling hormone but not enough to push my labs out of range, but enough for my tsh to be suppressed. I don't feel any lumps or what would be a nodule. I hope to have cancer ruled out, the swollen lymph nodes got me worried, but maybe it's a virus that my body is still fighting off, this would mark two weeks if so.
> 
> I have read where I'm at now is called subclinical hyperthyroidism.
> 
> My GP is having a thyroid uptake scan next week setup and I'm trying to set up to go see my old Endocrinologist because my GP is clueless from the note I read on my labs which said "uptake scan will determine if hypo/hyper". I laughed at that actually.
> 
> I'm really paranoid actually that I'm going to go back into hypothyroidism like I did once before with my battle with thyroiditis in 2007. Because of the half life of T4 drugs it takes 6 weeks usually to even get your levels to normal. I don't think I would be able to work my 12 hour shifts taking care of patients with the sever fatigue that comes along with hypothyroidism while I would be waiting for the drugs to kick in. If it comes to that I'm going to Try and Get FMLA for that period. This is bad timing for me because I was about to buy my first house, but now I'm waiting to see how this all plays out and if I need time off work if the dreaded hypo phase starts.
> 
> That's my story, sorry about the first long post.
> 
> Hope my first story of my history of my first bout may help someone going through that same thing.


Welcome to the board. It sure sounds like the "typical" progression towards hyperthyroid and at this point, cancer is a concern.

TSI would be a good test to have.

TSI
Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism.

http://www.medicineonline.com/topics/t/2/Thyroid-Stimulating-Immunoglobulin/TSI.html

and these that you have not had..............

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), 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/

Because of the lymph involvement, it does sound like it could be papillary cancer bearing in mind that there are other causes for swollen lymph.

None the less; cancer is a strong consideration based on what you have written.

Thyroid cancer symptoms
http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/thyroid-cancer/Pages/symptoms.aspx

When are you scheduled for an ultra-sound?


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## Defeat The Curse

> Welcome to the board. It sure sounds like the "typical" progression towards hyperthyroid and at this point, cancer is a concern.
> 
> TSI would be a good test to have.
> 
> TSI
> Normally, there is no TSI in the blood. If TSI is found in the blood, this indicates that the thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin is the cause of the of a person's hyperthyroidism.
> 
> http://www.medicineonline.com/topics...bulin/TSI.html
> 
> and these that you have not had..............
> 
> TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), 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/
> 
> Because of the lymph involvement, it does sound like it could be papillary cancer bearing in mind that there are other causes for swollen lymph.
> 
> None the less; cancer is a strong consideration based on what you have written.


I've never had TSI drawn, what can it prove or disprove is the question.
That's the only thing i have never had drawn, that and tbII.

I am a little worried about cancer, but my history is thyroiditis, so this is most likely a flare from that, plus my thyroglobulin levels were low as seen in my original post. I have read that thyroglobulin has a link to cancer in most cases.
The swollen lymph bothers me, but i Bad allergies, and if it was a virus that started this case of thyroiditis, like the docotor hypothesised in 2007, that could explain that. I have had tons of colds and sinus infections, and the flue once this year already, lots of stuff has gone around work this year.

But of course i'm going to do everything i can to have cancer ruled out.

My doctors are slow moving on my care and i tried to call my old endo, and they told me i needed a new referrel, now i have to wait until monday to tell my GP to refer me to my endo doc. My GP office told me they were setting up a RAIU scan.

*
thanks for the reply!!!!!!*

from what i've searched i can't find very many cases on this board of even what i went through in 2007, or very many men my age. sigh .. . just another reminder of how random my battle has been.


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## lainey

Actually, we've had one in the past week in the thread "Another newbie, no diagnosis"

She is in the midst of what seems to be her first round of thyroiditis.

You're actually one of the few people I have encountered that has good results from it running it's course and returning to normal for a while. Most people don't have enough of a good history, or find the boards in the beginning of their journey, so your post is novel in the sense that it's nice to know what the outcome can be.

The TSI would only prove if you have the stimulating antibodies, which may give some direction as to where you may end up if not euthyroid--you could trend toward hyper overall.

In most people the disease process is one of attack and retreat re: antibodies, so that ultimately they end up with an improperly functioning thyroid.

The scan would be revealing enough to determine if this was simply the thyroiditis returning, or if you have other structural changes in the thyroid.


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## Defeat The Curse

Thanks Lainey.

Yea my history i figured might help someone going through the same thing.

My first case was supposedly like i said thyroiditis not of the Hashi's form. And if it's not hashi's there is a 90% chance recovery to euthroid/ normal.


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## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> I've never had TSI drawn, what can it prove or disprove is the question.
> That's the only thing i have never had drawn, that and tbII.
> 
> I am a little worried about cancer, but my history is thyroiditis, so this is most likely a flare from that, plus my thyroglobulin levels were low as seen in my original post. I have read that thyroglobulin has a link to cancer in most cases.
> The swollen lymph bothers me, but i Bad allergies, and if it was a virus that started this case of thyroiditis, like the docotor hypothesised in 2007, that could explain that. I have had tons of colds and sinus infections, and the flue once this year already, lots of stuff has gone around work this year.
> 
> But of course i'm going to do everything i can to have cancer ruled out.
> 
> My doctors are slow moving on my care and i tried to call my old endo, and they told me i needed a new referrel, now i have to wait until monday to tell my GP to refer me to my endo doc. My GP office told me they were setting up a RAIU scan.
> 
> *
> thanks for the reply!!!!!!*
> 
> from what i've searched i can't find very many cases on this board of even what i went through in 2007, or very many men my age. sigh .. . just another reminder of how random my battle has been.


RAIU is the way to go; I am very glad to hear this. Please keep us in the loop!


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## Defeat The Curse

THE RAIU scan was done today and yesterday, i don't have the offical report, but i got some numbers and saw some of the images.

at 4 hours my uptake was 1.6%
at 22 hours my uptake was 1.8%

the images were not very good due to the low uptake, but from what i saw there was more uptake on the right by a small margin.

I guess since the the uptake was so low this could be another occurance of subacute thyroiditis? what are the odds of it happening again and possibly being caused by a virus? I have been sick a ton this year, this really blows, i feel like i have terrible luck, from what i have read there was only a 4% reoccurance rate if that.

I get to see my Endo Doctor on August 2nd, what a wait, i wish doctors could get patients in to see them faster.

Good news is my symptoms have died down, and i have a prescription for propranolol but when i took it i didn't like that my Heart rate got in the low 50s. I am an athlete and my heart rate resting is already in the low 60s so i don't want it any lower. As long as i'm not having anxiety attacks i'm not taking the propranolol.

I'm dreading the probably inevitable swing to hypothyroid like happened to me in 2007.


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## lainey

>>I guess since the the uptake was so low this could be another occurance of subacute thyroiditis?<<

Sorry, most likely yes.

Perhaps you can get your GP to do the blood work a little more often for the next few months--you might be able to "head it off at the pass" that way--re: going hypo.


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## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> THE RAIU scan was done today and yesterday, i don't have the offical report, but i got some numbers and saw some of the images.
> 
> at 4 hours my uptake was 1.6%
> at 22 hours my uptake was 1.8%
> 
> the images were not very good due to the low uptake, but from what i saw there was more uptake on the right by a small margin.
> 
> I guess since the the uptake was so low this could be another occurance of subacute thyroiditis? what are the odds of it happening again and possibly being caused by a virus? I have been sick a ton this year, this really blows, i feel like i have terrible luck, from what i have read there was only a 4% reoccurance rate if that.
> 
> I get to see my Endo Doctor on August 2nd, what a wait, i wish doctors could get patients in to see them faster.
> 
> Good news is my symptoms have died down, and i have a prescription for propranolol but when i took it i didn't like that my Heart rate got in the low 50s. I am an athlete and my heart rate resting is already in the low 60s so i don't want it any lower. As long as i'm not having anxiety attacks i'm not taking the propranolol.
> 
> I'm dreading the probably inevitable swing to hypothyroid like happened to me in 2007.


Were you on a low iodine diet prior to the uptake? Or any meds that could interfere?


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## Defeat The Curse

> Were you on a low iodine diet prior to the uptake? Or any meds that could interfere?


no, i took a multivitamin every day which had 100% of iodine

I actually have only been taking half the multivitamin lately since i'm hyper and i don't want all the iodine, it has well enough of the other nutrients anyway, it's one of those gnc multivitamins.

Guess it doesn't matter since my thyroid is not abosorbing any iodine.

I'm at work now, had an axiety attack and jitters real bad because i left my propranolol at home of course.

This really sucks, it's getting old!


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## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> no, i took a multivitamin every day which had 100% of iodine
> 
> I actually have only been taking half the multivitamin lately since i'm hyper and i don't want all the iodine, it has well enough of the other nutrients anyway, it's one of those gnc multivitamins.
> 
> Guess it doesn't matter since my thyroid is not abosorbing any iodine.
> 
> I'm at work now, had an axiety attack and jitters real bad because i left my propranolol at home of course.
> 
> This really sucks, it's getting old!


That could have affected your uptake.


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## Defeat The Curse

Andros said:


> That could have affected your uptake.


Guess I should have mentioned I didn't take my multivitamin either day of the scan, and I may have skipped it the day before, but definitly didn't take it the day I took the scan pill or the next day. And I had only been takin half the multivitamin a week before.

I did have a bowl of raisin bran two hours before taking the pill.

None the less, I think the scan was accurate because it is much like the results in 2007and kinda makes sense to go along with what I think is thyroiditis again.

Andros you sseem very knowledgeble and I see you post a lot, do you think I could have effected the scan due to my diet the week before since I only stopped the multivitamin the day of the pill? My docotors are idiots who set up the scan, they didn't tell me any prep stuff, luckily the scan place called the day before and said avoid seafood, so I got the idea to not take extra iodine of any kind. I read after the fact that its good to FAST 8 hours before takin the raiu scan pill, which I didn't do cause I didn't know. I had raisin bran


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## webster2

It seems like the multi-vitamin might have skewed the scan. I was told not to eat a variety of items before the scan. I also found out that multi-vitamins contain iodine, here on this forum!

I am sure someone with knowledge will be along shortly to answer your questions.

Best wishes.


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## lainey

Your results were so low that I doubt that a multivitamin really would be the cause, especially if the results are similar to the last time you had thyroiditis.

The low iodine diet and special prep is for those having a scan for thyroid cancer. As a screening test, you really don't need to observe the diet for any more than a day or so before (unless, really you are over-doing it on the iodine supplements, which we have had people doing in the past)--otherwise, you may end up with results that are skewed the other way.

Almost all multivitamins have iodine. If you don't want it, you usually have to buy individual products that you want to supplement.

Sorry you have to suffer through this again. What's the plan for follow up lab work?


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## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> Guess I should have mentioned I didn't take my multivitamin either day of the scan, and I may have skipped it the day before, but definitly didn't take it the day I took the scan pill or the next day. And I had only been takin half the multivitamin a week before.
> 
> I did have a bowl of raisin bran two hours before taking the pill.
> 
> None the less, I think the scan was accurate because it is much like the results in 2007and kinda makes sense to go along with what I think is thyroiditis again.
> 
> Andros you sseem very knowledgeble and I see you post a lot, do you think I could have effected the scan due to my diet the week before since I only stopped the multivitamin the day of the pill? My docotors are idiots who set up the scan, they didn't tell me any prep stuff, luckily the scan place called the day before and said avoid seafood, so I got the idea to not take extra iodine of any kind. I read after the fact that its good to FAST 8 hours before takin the raiu scan pill, which I didn't do cause I didn't know. I had raisin bran


http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/raiprep.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003689.htm

In preparation for an RAI scan or .......................etc..
http://www.thyca.org/rai.htm


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## Defeat The Curse

lainey said:


> Your results were so low that I doubt that a multivitamin really would be the cause, especially if the results are similar to the last time you had thyroiditis.
> 
> The low iodine diet and special prep is for those having a scan for thyroid cancer. As a screening test, you really don't need to observe the diet for any more than a day or so before (unless, really you are over-doing it on the iodine supplements, which we have had people doing in the past)--otherwise, you may end up with results that are skewed the other way.
> 
> Almost all multivitamins have iodine. If you don't want it, you usually have to buy individual products that you want to supplement.
> 
> Sorry you have to suffer through this again. What's the plan for follow up lab work?


there is no plan, my doctors suck, i have to wait until august 2nd to see my endo, then there will be labs drawn, In a perfect world they would get drawn every week to monitor when i'm going to make the dip into hypo.


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## Defeat The Curse

Andros said:


> http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/thyroid/raiprep.html
> 
> http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003689.htm
> 
> In preparation for an RAI scan or .......................etc..
> http://www.thyca.org/rai.htm


after reading more on those links andros, i'm very angry that i was not educated by my doctor. The scan uptake could have been greatly effected it sounds due to me taking a multivitamin every day a week before the scan even though i discontinued the multivitamin the day of.

The insurance company shouldn't have to pay for a scan that was not properly done because they didnt educated the patient on propper prep.


----------



## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> after reading more on those links andros, i'm very angry that i was not educated by my doctor. The scan uptake could have been greatly effected it sounds due to me taking a multivitamin every day a week before the scan even though i discontinued the multivitamin the day of.
> 
> The insurance company shouldn't have to pay for a scan that was not properly done because they didnt educated the patient on propper prep.


That is correct; I would contact the insurance company. This is a downright shame.

It will have to be re-done also.

I am sorry this happened to you but I am glad to see that bit of anger and that you are not sitting back and taking this whole scenario quietly.

We need education; tons of education on behalf of patients. We also need advocates out there.


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## lainey

DO NOT confuse the diet for a whole body scan for cancer with the prep that is necessary for a normal uptake scan. They are different, as they should be. There is very little prep needed for an uptake to get reasonable results--you said you did not take the vitamin for a couple of days before the test--as long as that was all you were taking, and you weren't also eating excessive amounts of high iodine foods, you were fine. Keep in mind, you want a picture of how the thyroid is functioning under normal circumstances.

"Normal Results

6 hours: 3 - 16%
24 hours: 8 - 25%"

From: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003689.htm

You have labs that are nearly hyper, yet your uptake was low--in theory, if you were really hyper the uptake would have been high, instead your results showed a VERY low uptake==SO LOW (at 1.6 % after 4 hours and 1.8% at 22 hours) that, unless you were really overdoing it on the seafood, I think there was no way a vitamin caused those results.

Even if the uptake were slightly higher because you stopped the vitamins the week before, they probably still would have been low in the range or below it. Your diagnosis would still be consistent with thyroiditis. You can tell the doctor about the vitamin, but in the grand scheme of things, I don't think it will change much.


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## Defeat The Curse

Lainey

Thanks for the input, I actually agree with you

I'm still mad though because now I will have uncertainty in my mind and want cancer ruled out


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## lainey

They would have found nodules to biopsy if cancer was an issue. I don't really think you need to worry about that, unless the scan found a decent sized adenoma.


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## Bungee

Hey Newbie,
I am also going through what looks like may turn out to be thyroiditis. I still need to see the endocrinologist to confirm and rule out anything else.
I know how awful you can feel with that. I would often wake up in the wee hours of the night with bad body aches and neck tenderness. I could not imagine working at all, much less a 12 hour shift! 
When you had thyroiditis the first time around did you have any nodules? If so, did you have them biopsied?
Again, I know how awful you feel...I had weeks where it seems I was living on Tylenol. Be careful taking too much ibuprofen over a long period of time. Don't want to damage your kindeys.

I have not hit a hypo phase yet...is that worse than the hyper??


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## Defeat The Curse

Bungee said:


> Hey Newbie,
> I am also going through what looks like may turn out to be thyroiditis. I still need to see the endocrinologist to confirm and rule out anything else.
> I know how awful you can feel with that. I would often wake up in the wee hours of the night with bad body aches and neck tenderness. I could not imagine working at all, much less a 12 hour shift!
> When you had thyroiditis the first time around did you have any nodules? If so, did you have them biopsied?
> Again, I know how awful you feel...I had weeks where it seems I was living on Tylenol. Be careful taking too much ibuprofen over a long period of time. Don't want to damage your kindeys.
> 
> I have not hit a hypo phase yet...is that worse than the hyper??


I have had no nodules felt, or shown with the uptake scan.

Hypo was way worse than hyper for me.


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## Defeat The Curse

UPDATE**

August 2nd, 2011

saw my endo doc, i Have been feeling much better for like 2 weeks prior, Normal actually.

Sure enough, Labs are normal now.

Ft4: 1.06 (0.61 - 1.25 ng/dL)
TSH: 1.09 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)

also of note

I actually found another lab from 3/20/2007 that some were saying i should have had drawn, and i did back then.

TBII <6.0 (<=16.0%) In range

so i'm going back to endo for labs 3 weeks from this last draw, and then three weeks from then for more labs, He believes it was another battle with Thyroiditis most likely caused by a virus. So we are monitoring my labs for the next 6 weeks to catch a possible hypo dip phase. I'm hoping there will not be a hypo phase since i never went that far into hyper (i don't think anyway, never had enough labs drawn then to see if my levels went higher).

What was the most interesting about my appointment. I mentioned how rare this would be to have a reocrruance. He agreed . . . and i told him i had read as little as 4%.
But he said, in the 1970s a Doctor named Paul Wolfe M.D. did a study while spending time at portsmouth Naval hospital. Anyone who came into their E.R. with symptoms of common colds or viruses had thyroid pannels drawn when they were told to come back at certain intervals. My doctor said the study showed that like 60% ended up with changes in thyroid levels signalling cases of thyroiditis. Only some had symtoms.
Point is, many people could get thyroiditis when they get colds, just not on a level to be felt with symtoms

I TRIED TO FIND ANY ARTICLE ABOUT IT AND COULDN'T

Really wanted to read about this to get the facts straight.


----------



## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> UPDATE**
> 
> August 2nd, 2011
> 
> saw my endo doc, i Have been feeling much better for like 2 weeks prior, Normal actually.
> 
> Sure enough, Labs are normal now.
> 
> Ft4: 1.06 (0.61 - 1.25 ng/dL)
> TSH: 1.09 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)
> 
> also of note
> 
> I actually found another lab from 3/20/2007 that some were saying i should have had drawn, and i did back then.
> 
> TBII <6.0 (<=16.0%) In range
> 
> so i'm going back to endo for labs 3 weeks from this last draw, and then three weeks from then for more labs, He believes it was another battle with Thyroiditis most likely caused by a virus. So we are monitoring my labs for the next 6 weeks to catch a possible hypo dip phase. I'm hoping there will not be a hypo phase since i never went that far into hyper (i don't think anyway, never had enough labs drawn then to see if my levels went higher).
> 
> What was the most interesting about my appointment. I mentioned how rare this would be to have a reocrruance. He agreed . . . and i told him i had read as little as 4%.
> But he said, in the 1970s a Doctor named Paul Wolfe M.D. did a study while spending time at portsmouth Naval hospital. Anyone who came into their E.R. with symptoms of common colds or viruses had thyroid pannels drawn when they were told to come back at certain intervals. My doctor said the study showed that like 60% ended up with changes in thyroid levels signalling cases of thyroiditis. Only some had symtoms.
> Point is, many people could get thyroiditis when they get colds, just not on a level to be felt with symtoms
> 
> I TRIED TO FIND ANY ARTICLE ABOUT IT AND COULDN'T
> 
> Really wanted to read about this to get the facts straight.


Here is some credible reading material for you; have fun!

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/Chapter19/19-frame.htm


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## Defeat The Curse

got my latest labs back, the newest three week interval

8/23/11

TSH 2.98 (0.61 - 1.25 ng/dL)

T4 0.73 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)

Hope this doesn't mean i'm heading towards hypo, like the usual course.
Seems late to head to hypo now. That Tsh has creeped up since my last draw on 8/2/11 of 1.09 and a t4 drop, both still normal though


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## Andros

Defeat The Curse said:


> got my latest labs back, the newest three week interval
> 
> 8/23/11
> 
> TSH 2.98 (0.61 - 1.25 ng/dL)
> 
> T4 0.73 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)
> 
> Hope this doesn't mean i'm heading towards hypo, like the usual course.
> Seems late to head to hypo now. That Tsh has creeped up since my last draw on 8/2/11 of 1.09 and a t4 drop, both still normal though


It looks like you are creeping towards hypo. Your doc won't run FREE T3 and FREE T4?

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.
http://www.drlam.com/articles/hypothyroidism.asp?page=3


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## Defeat The Curse

Andros, that is Free T4 I left off the F for some reason

Ill go back and edit them all later


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## MIMAZOLCIAK

I totally feel your pain I have been told I have subacute thyroiditis. It is pure hell for me.

I did the uptake and I was told, LOW IODINE DIET, NO MVits for one week before, No seafood, No Japanese food or Chinese for one week in advance. However I did call around to various nuclear medicine places and they all had different protocols. I opted for the place that seemed to be most restrictive in hopes of having an accurate scan.

I hope you get some answers and of course I hope you feel better soon.

How long was it before you felt back to normal after the first occurance?
It has been about 4-5 weeks for me and I am still having issues.


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## Defeat The Curse

MIMAZOLCIAK said:


> I totally feel your pain I have been told I have subacute thyroiditis. It is pure hell for me.
> 
> I did the uptake and I was told, LOW IODINE DIET, NO MVits for one week before, No seafood, No Japanese food or Chinese for one week in advance. However I did call around to various nuclear medicine places and they all had different protocols. I opted for the place that seemed to be most restrictive in hopes of having an accurate scan.
> 
> I hope you get some answers and of course I hope you feel better soon.
> 
> How long was it before you felt back to normal after the first occurance?
> It has been about 4-5 weeks for me and I am still having issues.


It can have different length of course for different people, my first time through it in 2007 was worse.

I was hyper thyroid then for about 2 1/2 months, which is longer than normal course, and hypothyroid . . . . well on hypothyroid meds for about 9 months untill my doctor took me off to see if my thyroid rebounded on it's own, which it had then.

This time, i was subclinical hyperthyroid for about a month, could have been actually hyper, but didn't have enough labs to catch a above normal time, but did have very low tsh.

I'm normal now, but . . appear to be dipping to hypo from last labs, and this week i'm starting to have some fatigue, anxiety, cold intolerance. Hoping i don't need to go on meds and it rebounds, i have 2 more weeks from today before my next lab draw.

I had taken a multivitamin the day before my uptake scan, my doctor said it wouldn't have caused my reading to be as low as it was, and my reading was accurate.


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## MIMAZOLCIAK

Glad your doctor gave you some clarity! And thank you so much for your info.

Did your doctor put you on prednisone to treat your thyrioditis?


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## Defeat The Curse

MIMAZOLCIAK said:


> Glad your doctor gave you some clarity! And thank you so much for your info.
> 
> Did your doctor put you on prednisone to treat your thyrioditis?


nope, neither time, and the first time was worse, i just took lots of ibuprofen, my pain in the neck was never very bad.

I took propranolol while in the hyper phase though.


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## MIMAZOLCIAK

I initially had pain on my right side, which is now on my right side and far more painful. It is making my ear hurt and back teeth/ jaw. Everytime I come off the prednisone I develop a fever. I can't wait for this to be over. My dr gave me the same beta blocker. I never took it.

I have heard icing the thyroid area will help inflammation.


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## Defeat The Curse

MIMAZOLCIAK said:


> I initially had pain on my right side, which is now on my right side and far more painful. It is making my ear hurt and back teeth/ jaw. Everytime I come off the prednisone I develop a fever. I can't wait for this to be over. My dr gave me the same beta blocker. I never took it.
> 
> I have heard icing the thyroid area will help inflammation.


Yea i did have some ear pain and jaw, sometimes, but so vague, all of my pain was really vague, which was odd about my bouts with it, like a mix between painfull and painless. Never got fevers, that i'm aware of, but i rarely get fevers even when i'm dog wet sick.

I suggest you try to get your doctor to check your labs frequently once you start to come down out of the hyperthyroid state, my first time ( the bad time) with the bout, i was hyperthyroid, then it switched over to hypo in 2 weeks and my tsh was 16, then i had to wait for the meds to kick in which takes 3 weeks about.


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## Defeat The Curse

Well UPDATE:

I'm definitly starting to feel changes.

Starting to have some symtoms and i'm a week out from my next lab draw.

I'm having anxiety, fatigue, racing heart rate at times (racing for me is like 95 because usually i'm like 55-65 because i'm an athlete), and my bowels are moving a little more. When i wake up i'm super tired for first two hours, then i'm kinda normal, then i hit a wall after 5 hours and i'm needing a nap about by mid day. And i'm starting to feel some oddness in my throat, probably my thyroid being pushed to make more hormone.

These seem more like hyperthyroid symptoms, but from what i remember last time i went hypothyroid, i had these symtoms as well, so i'm just one of those people that has hyper symptoms with hypo. What i'm getting to is i believe i'm dipping into hypothyroid and my labs will show a trend down.

I'm tempted to call my endo and have my blood drawn monday instead of next monday at the due date. That would only be a 2 week gap between my lab draws, but i want to catch this as fast as i can if i am going hypo .. . . . I still have to work, and 12 hour shifts as an RN at a level 1 trauma hospital is very demanding. I would like to get started on hormone replacement as soon as possible if i can.

But i'd hate to go in and have labs drawn and them still be normal just a little lower than before, would show a trend down still. I've always been one of those people that starts to feel symtoms as soon as my levels are barely off of my normal.

Kind of a dilema


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## Defeat The Curse

got my latest labs back, still trending down, My endo has me coming back in 3 weeks to see if my tsh is out of normal range and will start me on synthroid for 6 months while my thyroid heals and then take me off of it like last time. I would have rather gone ahead and started it now, as i'm feeling hypo symtoms, the fatigue is killing me the most.

*8/23/11*

FT4 0.73 (0.61 - 1.25 ng/dL)

TSH 2.98 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)

*9/6/11*

FT4 0.80 (0.61 - 1.25 ng/dL)

TSH 3.91 (0.34-4.82 uIU/mL)


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## tromblee

Hi Defeat-the-Curse! I just wanna say thank you for posting this!

I struggled with the same thing back in January--I hardly even knew my thyroid existed, and suddenly everything in my body was uniformly messed up: my ears hurt, my tonsils hurt, the back of my head hurt, my shoulders hurt (everything EXCEPT my thyroid), I was dizzy, I felt weak and shaky, I had nightmares, panic attacks and was in a constant state of anxiety, I was hungry all the time, I couldn't think clearly or sequence events, I couldn't sleep for more than three hours, I was short of breath all the time. It kept getting worse and worse, and I knew ("knew") I was dying.

You're lucky, though--you saw what was happening, got to a competent doctor and got treatment. I was having every hyperthyroid symptom known to man (and then some!) and the doctor told me it was all in my head like the silly little girl he took me for.

The next doctor told me I was an end-stage drug addict digging herself into an early grave, completely dismissed the evidence that was my body, and refused to treat me. I have never been so degraded in my life.

Keep in mind, I had no idea what was going on, I was in a constant state of panic (like you, hardly anything phases me, and yet here I was in a state of moderate-to-severe shell-shock, completely convinced that I was going to drop dead at any moment). I finally figured out about de Quervain's thyroiditis and realized I wasn't dying.

Since April, I have been in a state of hypothyroidism--it really can hit you suddenly, severely. I could hardly get out of bed for 8 weeks (and I still had to teach 5 hours every day). I've largely recovered, but I still feel the strange fatigue and spaciness even to this day. I guess this is what happens if you DON'T take the thyroxine supplement--I never went back to the doctor for help, since I have lost all faith in them.

ANYWAY--just writing in to say thanks, and I wish I'd been able to read your story 9 months ago. I hope for 3 things:
1. That I'm one of the 90% who makes a full recovery, eventually
2. That this thread helps some other people
3. THAT YOU MAKE A FULL RECOVERY SOON

*I am happy to help anyone else out as well, feel free to shoot me a line.


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## tromblee

Just wanna add a couple things.



> And i'm starting to feel some oddness in my throat, probably my thyroid being pushed to make more hormone.


I had a (pleasant!) icy-burn in my thyroid region during my hypothyroid phase. I assumed it was the feeling of regeneration. It felt minty fresh! I also felt constantly hungry in my throat.



> These seem more like hyperthyroid symptoms, but from what i remember last time i went hypothyroid, i had these symtoms as well, so i'm just one of those people that has hyper symptoms with hypo.


Yeah, I was like that too--my primary complaints being that I was overheated (maybe living in a hot climate influenced this) and unbearably hungry ALL THE TIME. My heart would race on occasion. I would wake up at night feeling "unsettled" and sometimes convinced I was dying (not in a panic-attack sort of way, I just had the delusion that I was dying). Insomnia and nightmares, too.

Not trying to chatter too much; just putting that out there so folks who might be new to this can see that thyroid patients don't always have textbook responses.


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## MIMAZOLCIAK

*Defeat The Curse* have how are you feeling?


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## Defeat The Curse

tromblee said:


> Just wanna add a couple things.
> 
> I had a (pleasant!) icy-burn in my thyroid region during my hypothyroid phase. I assumed it was the feeling of regeneration. It felt minty fresh! I also felt constantly hungry in my throat.
> 
> Yeah, I was like that too--my primary complaints being that I was overheated (maybe living in a hot climate influenced this) and unbearably hungry ALL THE TIME. My heart would race on occasion. I would wake up at night feeling "unsettled" and sometimes convinced I was dying (not in a panic-attack sort of way, I just had the delusion that I was dying). Insomnia and nightmares, too.
> 
> Not trying to chatter too much; just putting that out there so folks who might be new to this can see that thyroid patients don't always have textbook responses.


You really should go back to the doctor, a different one, someone and get your Thyroid labs checked and corrected if need be.

This is the second time i've gone through this, the first time was terrible and much worse, and the doctor caught it because i had her run a lipid panel and she did a thyroid panel randomly due to my symtom complaints, that was in 2007. It took me about 8 months to get through the hypothyroid phase, and would never had made it without synthetic synthroid.

I don't know how anyone lives without thyroid replacement when they are hypothyroid, i'm barely hypo and am extremely fatigued, pluse my sinusitis is at it again so i got this sinus infection on board, taking ciprofloxacin for that.

12 hour shifts as a nurse are near impossible for me right now, i'm going to attempt to get fmla, if i don't i will probably lose my job for calling in sick too much. But people who do not suffer from a thyroid element don't understand how hard it really is.

I'm a registered nurse, let me tell you, i would rather way worse things happen to me then go through this hell, thyroid is a bit uncontrollable due to the system of getting labs checked and having to wait 3 weeks between checks, the half life of 7 days on thyroid meds and t4.

Diabetes would be much worse to have, but way easier to manage and have a healthy comfortable life.


----------



## tromblee

> You really should go back to the doctor, a different one, someone and get your Thyroid labs checked and corrected if need be.
> 
> This is the second time i've gone through this, the first time was terrible and much worse, and the doctor caught it because i had her run a lipid panel and she did a thyroid panel randomly due to my symtom complaints, that was in 2007. It took me about 8 months to get through the hypothyroid phase, and would never had made it without synthetic synthroid.
> 
> I don't know how anyone lives without thyroid replacement when they are hypothyroid, i'm barely hypo and am extremely fatigued, pluse my sinusitis is at it again so i got this sinus infection on board, taking ciprofloxacin for that.
> 
> 12 hour shifts as a nurse are near impossible for me right now, i'm going to attempt to get fmla, if i don't i will probably lose my job for calling in sick too much. But people who do not suffer from a thyroid element don't understand how hard it really is.
> 
> I'm a registered nurse, let me tell you, i would rather way worse things happen to me then go through this hell, thyroid is a bit uncontrollable due to the system of getting labs checked and having to wait 3 weeks between checks, the half life of 7 days on thyroid meds and t4.
> 
> Diabetes would be much worse to have, but way easier to manage and have a healthy comfortable life.


I _should_ go back to the doctor! Right now, though, it's a matter of money and trust, and also since I seem to get better and better each month, I am not terribly worried. I'm fully functional now, just spaced-out sometimes, and I lack stamina.

I know you got it twice, I can't even imagine that--I hope I never get a relapse. I'd commit suicide (except I'd be too afraid of dying due to panic, lol)--this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me! It's hard to imagine that it's as non-dangerous as a common cold.

It IS hard to cope with hypothyroidism without a supplement--I did stuff 5 hours out of the day and lay there, eyes closed, for the other 19 hours. Even five hours was too much; I can't imagine doing a 12 hour shift! It was hard just to get up to go to the bathroom or find something to eat. No idea what my actual levels were, but I felt close to comatose at all times.

Still, it was a walk in the park compared to the hyperthyroid phase, which is what got me through it. Blech.

All thyroid patients now have my full sympathy, support, and understanding. :hugs:


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## tromblee

Hi again, Defeat-the-Curse:

Sorry to keep double posting. I found sth you said on another message board. You said this:



> ...a Doctor named Paul Wolfe M.D. did a study while spending time at portsmouth Naval hospital. Anyone who came into their E.R. with symptoms of common colds or viruses had thyroid pannels drawn when they were told to come back at certain intervals. My doctor said the study showed that like 60% ended up with changes in thyroid levels signalling cases of thyroiditis. Only some had symtoms.
> Point is, many people could get thyroiditis when they get colds, just not on a level to be felt with symtoms
> 
> I TRIED TO FIND ANY ARTICLE ABOUT IT AND COULDN'T


If you ever do manage to locate that article, I'd be interested in hearing about it.

I think I had a super-bad case of subacute thyroiditis, because mine came from a super-bad virus. I don't know what it was, but it felt like I was being strangled for two weeks straight. It was definitely not your garden-variety cold. It also gave me a severe bacterial sinus infection after it was over...which has NEVER happened to me before.

I had been living my first year in Asia when I contracted this--maybe some strain of virus I have no immunity to? It was unlike anything I've had before; I don't know if the severity of the primary virus is a contributing factor.

I tell you what, though, I'm terrified of ever getting sick again now.

Good luck with fmla.


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## Prolixity2013

I found an article by Paul D. Woolf, M.D., Richard Daly (Lt. CMDR., MC, USN), 1976

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0002934376905350

The article refers to four women and one man with painless subacute thyroiditis presenting with hypermetabolic signs and symptoms.

One could probably write to this doctor at his present address and request his other articles. Info included below article.

Here is a list of publications and research by Dr. Paul D Woolf:

http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Paul_D_Woolf/credentials#research

Be sure you press the "show more publications" link at the bottom for more publications/research.

The article mentioned above is listed in these under April 1976 and titled, Thyrotoxicosis with Painless Thyroiditis.

I found one article in there titled, Community Outbreak of Thyrotoxicosis: Epidemiology, Immunogenetic Characteristics, and Long-term Outcome, February 1988, *The American Journal of Medicine.*

My first bout with thyroiditis occurred during Fall 1998. My ESR was unusually high and I was quite symptomatic. I was treated with antibiotics for another disease because it appeared I had it. In reality, it was thyroiditis. I actually felt better than I had in years. Later my TSH rose and my FT4 decreased. Four years later without any subsequent episodes of thyroiditis I developed subclincal hypothyroidism.

During Summer 2005 following a vigorous program with cycling (20 - 24 mph) six days a week and lifting weights three times a week, I suffered from mild symptoms and referred pain in my neck, throat and ears. This second bout with subacute thyroiditis developed into perimyocarditis. It took over a year to receive a proper diagnosis because I was not young and a male. Usual age for pericarditis to develop is 20 to 30 and mostly in males. To this day, I still wonder if the vigorous exercise and weight lifting played a role in my getting both subacute thyroiditis and perimyocarditis. Subacute thyroiditis is the leading cause of pericarditis.

My third bout was Mother's Day 2008. Elevated ESR and CRP. Thyrotoxicosis. Accused of manipulating my own medicine and overdosing myself. Some symptoms of pressure in ears/pain in neck. Stupid endo and MDs. (Under different endo's care now.)

My fourth bout occurred in Fall 2009. Elevated ESR and WBC. Thyrotoxicosis.

The fifth in Fall 2010. Elevated ESR and WBC. Thyrotoxicosis. Mild symptoms.

The sixth in Fall 2011. Elevated ESR and WBC. Thyrotoxicosis. Worse symptoms

The current and seventh bout and the worst of them and started in Fall 2013. I have the classic symptoms and signs of severe subacute thyroiditis. This time I have thyrotoxicosis (sweating, diarrhea, head tremor, palpitations, heat intolerance, weight loss of 15 plus lbs in 6 weeks without trying to lose wt, nervousness) thyroid pain, a sore throat, referred ear and chest pain (sternum), fever, malaise, and severe arthralgias. Because I have suffered from the subacute thyroiditis on and off for years, my weight and health have fluctuated. My TSH/FT4/FT3 have never been stable for more than six months straight. I see my endo every six months.


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