# hashimotos and thyroidectomies?



## smelliebellie (Oct 14, 2012)

does everyone with hashimotos have their thyroids still? Do they eventually have to get their thyroid taken out? Anyone dealing with hashi's for years and still have their thyroid?


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

I don't believe many with Hashi's get their thyroids out. Not really in the treatment plan for our current medical system. I think most are told to just wait for it to "burn out" and the lucky ones actually get diagnosed with Hashi's and hopefully put on levothyroxine. Even luckier ones can get docs who dose by FT3 and FT4 in addition to TSH and are willing to try adding Cytomel or using Armour.


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## Sarah31905 (Sep 3, 2012)

I have Hashimoto's and I am scheduled to have a TT November 29th. This is because I have nodules in both lobes that grow. So to save me further discomfort with swallowing, ultrasounds, and FNAs we are just removing the culprit instead of doing the "watch and see" method.


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## Texaschick (May 26, 2012)

Hi...I was dx with Hashis in Feb., but honestly now knowing what I know I think it started about 5 yrs ago. Had TT on 8-21. I had a 2.3cm nodule on lower left lobe. You know what? I reallllllly am glad it is gone! God is good...I haven't felt this good in 5 yrs!!!


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## smelliebellie (Oct 14, 2012)

i did not have any nodules shown on my ultrasound. just a mildly enlarged right lobe. my dr didnt even consider RAIU. so i guess the only way we can get this thing out, is if something shows up and gives ENT's reason to get it out?


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## surge (Aug 15, 2012)

It can happen that you can get your thyroid out without nodules BUT it is going to take more pushing from you. I'd bring up the possibility with both primary and endo to see what their standards are for recommending TT. Also, I'd make sure they both have full knowledge of the testing you've done to rule out other issues. My endo was skeptical until my primary called and talked through the testing I'd gone through with her. My primary basically vouched for me that this came out of nowhere, I'm otherwise healthy and we'd done our due diligence to figure out what else it might be. My endo then pretty quickly agreed, especially b/c my TSH keeps inching up even though my FT4 and FT3 look normal and I complain of feeling hyper a few days a week. It did help me that I had several small nodules-- nothing she wanted to look at closely and nothing she thought could be contributing to the overall issues...

Still, I've met with two endocrine surgeons and both admitted to not liking to operate on hashis patients unless they have to. There is so much swelling in there that it can complicate the surgery and some patients don't feel much better afterwards-- particularly patients who struggle with predominantly hypo symptoms.

Just know that everyone along the way is going to counsel you to be cautious-- it is surgery. It still might be the best choice for you. Make sure you're keeping a record yourself of all your testing, that you're tracking symptoms, and in all honesty, bug your providers...let them know when you do feel swelling, if you're still experiencing g.i. issues, sleeplessness, fatigue. You want them to know you're suffering and sometimes that means you reminding them often...


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## javynliz (Aug 27, 2012)

I have a small solid .4 nodule and he won't do a FNA until it gets bigger. I asked for one but he said no.


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## ccrew (Jul 1, 2012)

bigfoot said:


> I don't believe many with Hashi's get their thyroids out. Not really in the treatment plan for our current medical system. I think most are told to just wait for it to "burn out" and the lucky ones actually get diagnosed with Hashi's and hopefully put on levothyroxine. Even luckier ones can get docs who dose by FT3 and FT4 in addition to TSH and are willing to try adding Cytomel or using Armour.


That's what I was told that it should "burn out" and he doesn't know why mine hasn't.... Lucky? I was dx'd with Hashi's by and Endo who did so and then said have a nice life, you're lucky you don't have Graves, bye now. I am on what you call Armour, (we call it "Thyroid" here and it's natural Thyroid), and although my tsh is down, no relief from symptoms and lymph swelling, pain, fatigue etc..... so not so lucky..... doesn't always work.


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