# Recently diagnosed, scared & need advice!!!



## jessica (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi Everyone!
I am new to this, but really hoping someone could offer some advice! I am 24 years old & was diagnosed w/Hashimoto's about 1 month ago. As a student in the health care field I am already very interested in knowing all I can, but I am also sooo very tired of hurting & feeling like I do. It is beginning to take a toll on my schooling. I have recently been referred to a specialist, but it will probably take a few months to get an appointment.

list of some of my symptoms:
fullness feeling in throat 
difficulty swallowing (pills especially)
pin point headaches and pin point body pains
body pains (feels like growing pains) in fingers, hands, arms, legs
tingling in hands, arms, and legs (legs almost all the time), nose, lips, and chin
extreme fatigue most days (a lot of times comes on feeling almost like a dizzy spell)
insomnia some nights
memory problems
concentration & retaining information problems
anxious (recently had 1st few anxiety attacks)
depressed "feeling" 
Raynaud's (only b/c of symptoms)
lump in 1 armpit that i have had since i can remember has gotten larger, lumpier, and tender
lymph nodes in throat are larger and tender and have been for a while
ear issues (feels like it will never "pop" or always "full feeling" sometimes painful)

Here is a list of some blood work i have had done...
*TSH* 1.49
*T4 * 8.9
*T3 Uptake* 26
*Free Thyroxine Index * 2.3
*T3 * 151
*Thyroxine Binding Globulin* 24
*TPO * 130

Tests I have Had.....
*Thyroid ultrasound * (showed no apparent nodules, but thyroid was heterogenous)
*Thyroid Iodine Uptake Scan* - (dr. told me that thyroid does look inflamed, it "used the iodine the way he expected it would" ,and that there were some "cold spots", but that the cold spots were not important b/c that part of the test is usually done if the person is hyperthyroid")

I just went for more tests which included: 
Blood work...
*CPK, ANA, RA, Sed Rate* 
Other...
*c-spine * (to see if some of the symptoms are nerve related, etc) , and a *breast ultrasound* (for the lump)

Isn't a cold spot something to be concerned about? My doctor wants to do the "wait & watch" approach rather than medication, b/c i am not hypothyroid yet, but the pain and constant back & forth of how I feel is awful! Doesn't Hash. play a role in infertility? I am 24...that's scary! My doc also thinks that a lot of these symptoms are completely non-related to Hash. & brushes them off. wondering if some of these problems has something to do w/maybe a lymphatic system problem. My doctor treats me like I am a crazy person! Anyways....I am soooo sorry for the length, but I would appreciate any help possible!


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## Live2Love (Sep 14, 2009)

Hi Jessica,
Welcome to the board. I was diagnosed with Hashi's in October, and I'm 24 also. I was SO busy going to school and working that I never really felt like anything was wrong- just thought I was tired and stressed out. Several blood tests, a sonogram, and an uptake scan later- and my diagnosis was Hashi's. I ended up seeing a surgeon to have a fine needle aspiration done, but she could not find a specific nodule to biopsy. So, I am also playing the "wait and see" game. I go back in April.

I looked at your long list of symptoms and I will bold the ones that I have also had myself.

list of some of my symptoms:
*fullness feeling in throat*
*difficulty swallowing* (pills especially)
pin point headaches and pin point body pains
*body pains* (feels like growing pains) in fingers, hands, arms, legs
tingling in hands, arms, and legs (legs almost all the time), nose, lips, and chin
*extreme fatigue* most days (a lot of times comes on feeling almost like a dizzy spell)
*insomnia some nights*
*memory problems*
*concentration & retaining information problems*
*anxious* (recently had 1st few anxiety attacks)
*depressed "feeling"*
Raynaud's (only b/c of symptoms)
lump in 1 armpit that i have had since i can remember has gotten larger, lumpier, and tender
lymph nodes in throat are larger and tender and have been for a while
*ear issues* (feels like it will never "pop" or always "full feeling" sometimes painful)

After my diagnosis, and reading up on Hashi's to find everything I could on it...I realized I really had many of the symptoms- I had ignored them!

From what I understand - cold nodules are concerning. Especially if they are over a certain size. Have you made an appointment with the specialist? I would request a FNA if possible. Just to be sure there isn't anything to worry about.

As for Hashi's playing a role in infertility. Once your doctor can get your thyroid levels regulated- then your fertility should stabilize. Andros, am I correct on this?


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## Live2Love (Sep 14, 2009)

Oops! I didn't realize you already started another thread. Andros has probably already addressed many of the things I included here.


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## jessica (Feb 8, 2010)

I hate hearing other people are going through this, but I can't help but be happy that someone knows what it feels like. Especially someone my age b/c it's not that common.

You said that you had a sonogram and a uptake done? This helped diagnose you? Technically my TPO is the only thing that the doctor used to "diagnose Hashimoto's" & it's also the only blood work that is off as of right now. Still waiting on more blood work. As far as tests go I had the uptake scan, but he only thought the "way it worked or used the idodine" was important. What did your doctor say when you had it done or y you had it done? You also said you had a FNA--did the scan or sonogram show a nodule? b/c mine didn't show any on the ultrasound but the scan showed those cold spots --i too thought i ran across alot of info pointing to that being not so great. Wondering if I even need a FNA for that if there aren't any? maybe for the huge lump under my arm! lol Guess I am just so confused b/c i have normal blood tests except the TPO. No nodules, but cold spots, and these god awful symptoms. Just at a loss i guess. :confused0003: Hopefully your right on the infertility thing...glad you had some info on that! Please let me know...even if it's start to finish....how your doc is handling this and what all you had b/c maybe we'll have alot in common & can help each other! Thanks a ton for all your help & please stay in touch & keep me up to date.

Hope you start feeling better!!!


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## Live2Love (Sep 14, 2009)

Hey Jessica, 
I have a lengthy post back and forth with Andros in the Lab Results section. You can look there for some of my lab work & the like.

Well, the whole reason I ended up getting checked out was because I was there for a required physical for massage therapy school. I didn't even know anything was wrong with me. I mean sure, I was tired, my hair was shedding, and my skin was soooo dry and pale, oh and my left ear felt like it was plugged up or there was pressure but not annoying enough to do anything about it. Anyways, each symptom crept up one by one and I hadn't noticed that I was a walking textbook case! Anyways, my doctor felt a fullness on one side of my throat. She asked if I noticed that it seemed large. I hadn't. She wanted my TSH, T4 & T3 levels that day, and I came back a few days later for the sonogram. The sonogram showed cold nodules, and one side was deemed "suspicious." So, the FNA was my next step. I went to see the surgeon, and she did her own sonogram in her office. She could not a suspicious cold nodule to biopsy. She said the texture of my sonogram was very lumpy and bumpy and inflamed. And her diagnosis was Hashimoto's. Which...by that time I had already self-diagnosed myself- so it was a relief to hear her say that. Now, my doctor was unconventional because she didn't make the diagnosis solely on my lab results or the fine needle aspiration. Her recommendation was to recheck me in 6 months, and if my goiter has gotten any larger- to consider removing partial or all of the thyroid.

Now, I'm reading your post about your nodules not showing up on the sonogram. I am wondering if these nodules are hidden deep inside your thyroid gland. Or were even on the posterior side, and were not caught on the ultra sound. Perhaps you can request that the specialist do another sonogram & then you can discuss the FNA with him/her if they find nodules? Or, even discuss the uptake and scan results. Just voice your concern like you are with me. Neither of us wants to me a cancer victim! Although, I have heard many times that if you were to have cancer- that thyroid cancer is the best. It does not spread fast, and is usually contained in the thyroid alone.

I am interested in that lump under your arm though. That is a spot for lymph nodes as I am sure you are aware. I think of the lymph nodes as pool skimmers. You know- the kind where it catches all the leaves and junk in the pool? Well, it sounds to me like the pool skimmers under your arms are full. What about in your throat, or behind your ears? Are those areas full as well? If so, that sounds like you have either had a few bad viruses, or you still have something that is keeping you under the weather. Have you addressed the lump with your doctor? If so, what did he/she say? If they do not think it is anything to worry about - I would ask them if they will sign a rx pad saying that you are okay to receive lymphatic drainage massage. This is a very gentle massage that will help clean out those pool skimmers, or move the toxins/junk to the next pool skimmer- and thus make you feel a bit better.

I will do some research on the infertility thing. As far as I remember, if you are on thyroid replacement hormones & you are regulated- you should be okay. But, it can be difficult for us to get pregnant if our TSH is not where it should be.

P.S. How are you feeling today? I noticed your TSH was around 1-ish in the other posts. Have you had any heart racing? Heat intolerance? Anything like that?

Take care!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Live2Love said:


> Hey Jessica,
> I have a lengthy post back and forth with Andros in the Lab Results section. You can look there for some of my lab work & the like.
> 
> Well, the whole reason I ended up getting checked out was because I was there for a required physical for massage therapy school. I didn't even know anything was wrong with me. I mean sure, I was tired, my hair was shedding, and my skin was soooo dry and pale, oh and my left ear felt like it was plugged up or there was pressure but not annoying enough to do anything about it. Anyways, each symptom crept up one by one and I hadn't noticed that I was a walking textbook case! Anyways, my doctor felt a fullness on one side of my throat. She asked if I noticed that it seemed large. I hadn't. She wanted my TSH, T4 & T3 levels that day, and I came back a few days later for the sonogram. The sonogram showed cold nodules, and one side was deemed "suspicious." So, the FNA was my next step. I went to see the surgeon, and she did her own sonogram in her office. She could not a suspicious cold nodule to biopsy. She said the texture of my sonogram was very lumpy and bumpy and inflamed. And her diagnosis was Hashimoto's. Which...by that time I had already self-diagnosed myself- so it was a relief to hear her say that. Now, my doctor was unconventional because she didn't make the diagnosis solely on my lab results or the fine needle aspiration. Her recommendation was to recheck me in 6 months, and if my goiter has gotten any larger- to consider removing partial or all of the thyroid.
> ...


That is correct. That is why I "always" recommend a radioactive uptake scan. It is a known fact that sonograms do not pick up nodules that are smaller than a "certain" size and a lot of this depends on the skill of the operator as well.

So, I hope you request and get the RAU.


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## jessica (Feb 8, 2010)

i had the RAU scan done about a week after the ultrasound. that's when they said they saw those dang cold spots but that (according to dr.) "it doesn't pertain to this b/c your not hyperthy.

Now i'm just trying to figure what other tests could help & what tests are usually used to diagnose Hashi. that my doc ...we'll just be nice and say...forgot to do!?!?! ha

i did want to ask yall...
does anyone know of any associations/groups or places that help w/the medical costs. Being only 24, in college, & completely on my own i'm worried b/c i will only have insurance until december. I'm sure this is going to continue to get costly and just wandering what resources (even more than financial) are out there

thanks again!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jessica said:


> i had the RAU scan done about a week after the ultrasound. that's when they said they saw those dang cold spots but that (according to dr.) "it doesn't pertain to this b/c your not hyperthy. :confused00030:
> 
> i did want to ask yall...
> does anyone know of any associations/groups or places that help w/the medical costs. Being only 24, in college, & completely on my own i'm worried b/c i will only have insurance until december. I'm sure this is going to continue to get costly and just wandering what resources (even more than financial) are out there
> ...


Hoh, boy!! I wonder if you could go to student counselor and they could recommend a clinic for those on a limited income?


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## jessica (Feb 8, 2010)

I just got off the phone w/the school & I was told that there is a charity hospital and that "good luck b/c they are terrible". They told me to look into a thyroid or autoimmune association, medicaid, or social security! lol


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