# Doing my research...



## nyer_at_hrt (Nov 11, 2009)

Hi All,
I'm just looking for anyone who might have a similar situation as mine. I went off of my Birth Control Pills in June after 10 years of break through bleeding on them my OB/GYN and I decided to take a break. Immediately the first month right before my period my neck swelled, glands swelled and I got a serious ear infection. Next month my neck swelled, I had a fever, my glands were huge but the doctor had no idea what was wrong. The 3rd month I was sooooo tired but no neck pain. The 4th month I again developed a severely sore neck, swollen glands and was exhausted. The 5th month severe exhaustion. At this point my Aunt(a mid-wife) sent me to the doctors because she said it wasn't PMS as I thought. Doc sent me for full work up but thought it was an ob/gyn issue.

Results came back with TSH at 4.94. They sent me for a full thyroid work-up plus an ultrasound. The ultrasound came back with a nodule on the left side of my thyroid. I have the exact wording but not in front. So they said I needed to see an endo(appt. is next Thursday). Anyways my blood results however came back with my TSH back down to 3.54. In the meantime this month I again had a swollen neck and it hurt sooo bad that the seatbelt hitting it hurt. Plus my throat hurt to where I went to doc but strep test was negative. she said it was the thyroid.

The first bloodwork was done right before my period(3 days) The second blood test was done right after my period.

SOOOOOO since I always get my symptoms right around my period is the doctor gonna look at me like I have 2 heads 

Has anyone experienced symptoms only around pms time????

thanks 
steph


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

nyer_at_hrt said:


> Hi All,
> I'm just looking for anyone who might have a similar situation as mine. I went off of my Birth Control Pills in June after 10 years of break through bleeding on them my OB/GYN and I decided to take a break. Immediately the first month right before my period my neck swelled, glands swelled and I got a serious ear infection. Next month my neck swelled, I had a fever, my glands were huge but the doctor had no idea what was wrong. The 3rd month I was sooooo tired but no neck pain. The 4th month I again developed a severely sore neck, swollen glands and was exhausted. The 5th month severe exhaustion. At this point my Aunt(a mid-wife) sent me to the doctors because she said it wasn't PMS as I thought. Doc sent me for full work up but thought it was an ob/gyn issue.
> 
> Results came back with TSH at 4.94. They sent me for a full thyroid work-up plus an ultrasound. The ultrasound came back with a nodule on the left side of my thyroid. I have the exact wording but not in front. So they said I needed to see an endo(appt. is next Thursday). Anyways my blood results however came back with my TSH back down to 3.54. In the meantime this month I again had a swollen neck and it hurt sooo bad that the seatbelt hitting it hurt. Plus my throat hurt to where I went to doc but strep test was negative. she said it was the thyroid.
> ...


Stephanie..........welcome and I am so glad you "finally" got in with us. LOL!! Not w/o some effort, right?

Yes; the inflammation of the thyroid is usually much more pronounced in females during pms and sometimes beyond.

I am really glad you are seeing the endo this Thurs.. What did the ultra-sound have to say about your nodule? Solid, cystic, hypoechoic etc..?????

Please let us know the endos treatment plan when you find out.

What do you mean by glands? Do you mean the thyroid gland or do you mean lymph nodes in the neck?


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## nyer_at_hrt (Nov 11, 2009)

the ultrasound says ....

the right lobe measure 4.3 x 1.2 cm and the left is 4.5 x 1.4 cm. the gland is overall homogeneous in echotexture. a small solid nodule is noted toward the lower pole on the left 6 x 5 mm.

small well circumscribed nodule lower pole left lobe of thyroid. nodule is solid in appearance without calicification.

the swollen glands were lymph nodes. my neck gets extremely sore and feels swollen and the lymph nodes tend to swell also.

my only regret so far is that i should have had the ultrasound and 2nd bloodwork done about 3 days prior to my period since this is when my tsh was high the first time.(sorry to any guys on here for talking about pms and such) hahaha....


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

nyer_at_hrt said:


> the ultrasound says ....
> 
> the right lobe measure 4.3 x 1.2 cm and the left is 4.5 x 1.4 cm. the gland is overall homogeneous in echotexture. a small solid nodule is noted toward the lower pole on the left 6 x 5 mm.
> 
> ...


Hmmmmmmmmm; while not calcified, don't like the solid nodule so I am glad you are seeing and expert and I hope you get FNA (fine needle aspiration) to make sure you do not have thyroid cancer.

Okay; you may wish to get some other tests run once you get on track w/ the thyroid. Swollen lymph nodes are often caused by Sjogren's, Lupus and a few other things. My philosophy is to cross one bridge at a time here. We will see if treating the thryoid treats those lymphs as well. It is entirely possible and I hope so.

Sending hugs,


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## nyer_at_hrt (Nov 11, 2009)

well in the past i have been tested for a lot of diseases like lupus...this was back in 2004 when the doctors couldn't figure out why i was breaking out in hives head to foot on a regular basis. a dermatologist finally told me i had salicylate sensitivity. i'm basically allergic to the world. once i figured out my main triggers they hives are for the most part under control. i would love to know what my thyroid numbers were when they tested them back then. from talking with people on the sal free board many say there may be a link between sal sensitivity and thyroid problems. who knows i'm not gonna say one is related to the other...maybe i'm not sal sensitive and it's been a thyroid problem all along!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

nyer_at_hrt said:


> well in the past i have been tested for a lot of diseases like lupus...this was back in 2004 when the doctors couldn't figure out why i was breaking out in hives head to foot on a regular basis. a dermatologist finally told me i had salicylate sensitivity. i'm basically allergic to the world. once i figured out my main triggers they hives are for the most part under control. i would love to know what my thyroid numbers were when they tested them back then. from talking with people on the sal free board many say there may be a link between sal sensitivity and thyroid problems. who knows i'm not gonna say one is related to the other...maybe i'm not sal sensitive and it's been a thyroid problem all along!


I do know that consumption of salicylates interferre w/ the efficacy of thyroxine; that would be natural production of thyroxine or medically supplied (both.)

Interesting.

Wonder what tests you had for Lupus? Anti-DNA, C3, C4?


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