# I have Hashimoto's ugh



## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hello I am a 38 year old, professional female. I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in December 2011 by my GP.

I really started to notice deterioration in health about five to ten years ago. The past five years being the worst.

Every doctor I went to said I was depressed and prescribed me antidepressants.

Up until the summer of 2011, doctors were still prescribing me antidepressants, not sending me for any blood tests, or any further investigations.

Over the years, these are the slew of symptoms I have developed, which have only gotten worse, not better:
• Huge weight gain (approx. 50/60 pounds). Especially in my upper body and mid section. My legs, arms and buttocks are normal looking.
• Fatigue. I feel like I have been drugged with a sedative a lot of the time.
• Body aches. I feel like I have the flu most days. Currently my legs have really been aching and my left arm.
• Numbness in my hands.
• Body weakness. I feel like my legs will give out on me.
• Neck swelling. This started as intermittent over the past five years. My neck swells up like a band under my head. Now it intermittently gets worse, but a lot of the swelling is staying.
• My face is puffy.
• "Buffalo hump".
• Subclavicular fat deposits.
• Irritable/moodiness/anxiety.
• Skin tags.
• Cold and hot intolerance. I am either really hot or really cold.
• Headaches.
• Hair growth on my chin. Hair loss of some eyelashes and top of head hair.
• Reddish cheeks.
• Inability to concentrate. Have trouble reading. My brain seems slow to function.
• Memory loss and forgetfulness.
• Intermittent blurry vision.
• High blood pressure (yesterday it was 161/115 and I am on medication).
• Increased thirst and frequent urination. I wake up to void usually 2 to 3 times per night.
• Chronic sinus problems. Chronic illness&#8230;I keep getting sick! I get whatever bug is going around and it won't go away. Most recent CT revealed pansinusitus.
• Zero libido

In the summer of 2011, I had had enough. I drank a whole lot of wine and swallowed a bunch of Tylenol. I was diagnosed as bipolar and put on lithium. They also found I was hypothyroid (TSH 13), so I was started on Synthroid.

The bi-polar diagnosis never fit right for me, or to the people who know me best. The lithium made me feel so sick. Through July 2011 to December 2011 I wasn't feeling any better. In fact I was feeling worse. I was sent for more blood tests for my thyroid and they came back as positive for Hashimoto's disease.

I stopped taking lithium immediately as I knew that wasn't what I needed. The bipolar diagnosis was just a bandaid as the doctor didn't know what to do with me. I have since 'fired' this doctor and am seeing someone new.

I saw the endocrinologist for the first time February 16, 2012. He confirmed the Hashimoto's disease and increased my Synthroid, as my TSH levels were still too high (6.3). He discovered I had high blood pressure (at the visit it was 160/120). He prescribed Norvasc 5mg.

I brought in pictures of myself, as I have been documenting my neck swelling. He brushed off the pictures, wasn't interested in seeing them. I had written down a list of symptoms and he told me he can really only concentrate on the worst few. He mentioned Cushing's to me during the physical exam, but I don't have the large stretch marks so he said he didn't think it could be Cushing's but we'll test for it. He ordered a dexamethasone suppression test.
************************************************** ***
Early January/12
Thyroid ultrasound - nothing abnormal found.

February 16/12
Saw Dr. K. Endocrinologist. Hashimoto's confirmed. Increased Synthroid. Very high blood pressure. Prescribed Norvasc. He said he thinks there is something else going on besides the Hashimoto's. Possibly Cushings or something else?

February 23/12
Admitted to emergency due to hypertension emergency. My BP was 183/130. I had such a bad headache I thought it would blow up. I was nauseous, vision problems and had 'brain fog'. Emergency doctor got my BP done enough for me to go home. Sent me with an outpatient CT scan requisition for my head.

February 27/12
Did the overnight 1mg dexamethasone suppression test. These are my results:
AM Cortisol <30 nmol/L
(Reference interval 140-160 nmol/L
If dexamethasone has been given: <140 nmol/L)
**I spoke to Dr. K via the phone yesterday (March 14/12) so I could question my results. He said these were the results we were looking for, that I didn't have Cushing's.

February 28/12
CT scan of my head that the ER doctor ordered. Result: Pansinusitis. No intracranial abnormality. Prescribed Amoxicillan for pansinusitis. I wasn't even having any sinus issues at the time. Weird.

February 29/12
I saw my GP. She agreed with the suspicion of Cushing's. She has ordered an abdominal/adrenal ultrasound (it is on April 11/12). She didn't want to send me for another CT scan as she said it would be too much radiation given I just had a CT scan of my head.

************************************************** ******
My work has supported me through all this. I have missed A LOT of work through the years and they always paid me my salary. Come January 12/12, they said they could no longer pay for me. We don't have a disability plan. So I am now on medical employment insurance through the government. My work has given me this time to figure out what is going on and get recovered so I can return fit and health again. It seems like this all takes SO LONG!! I am scared I am going to be forced to go back to work and not be well. I will end up losing my job in the end.

I am so tired of people thinking I am just lazy, depressed and a hypochondriac. I am not depressed in my head, I want to do things, I try to do things, but my body lets me down.

Maybe this is all due to 'just' Hashimoto's. What a struggle. I work in a medical office and all the doctors think I should be better. They all say "Hashimoto's is common and easy to treat, you'll be back to normal very soon." Really? REALLY?

Some other tests I have had done as well:
Fasting glucose - high
Cholesterol - high
LDL cholesterol - high
White blood cell count - high
EKG - normal
RA test - negative
AHA test - negative
Celiac test- negative
Diabetes - not *yet*

At this time my current definitive diagnosis is Hashimoto's, hypertension and depression.

The medications I am taking are:
125mg Synthroid for hypothyroid
10mg Cipralex for depression
5mg Norvac for hypertension

Any advice, help, assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Nicole


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

My most recent thyroid numbers are from December 23, 2011. Endo won't retest until I see him May 17, 2012 and have been on increased Synthroid. I have gone from .25 to 1.25 Synthroid from July 2011 to present.
Free T4 16.0 (10.5-20.0) pmol/L
Free T3 4.8 (3.5 - 6.5) pmol?l
Thyroperoxidase antibodies 1988 (<35) lU/ml
TSH 6.3 (0.38 - 5.5) mU/L

Below is a collage of pictures. 
http://s1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii561/NicoleKristine1973/?action=view&current=July2007-1.jpg


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## desrtbloom (May 23, 2010)

Hi Nicole:

First - :hugs:

I don't think you are crazy, but I do think uncontrolled thyroid issues and other health issues can drive one to feel crazy. I'm sorry you felt so desperate that you would want to harm yourself. There is hope, so please ALWAYS keep that in mind.

You need to have a doctor that will work with you and if your doctor doesn't then find one that will.

Most people feel better when their TSH is at 1 or a little below. Everyone is different though. It sounds like you need to get that TSH down, but Andros (she's wonderful and she has good ideas and suggestions) can give you more insight. I know for me and my issues, being at 1 or below is best otherwise I start having issues.

Hang in there! You WILL get all of this sorted and have a better life.

Patti


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Totally agree about getting the TSH way down. I, too, feel my best with the TSH below 1. Looks like the Synthroid is working for you, as the TSH is dropping.l

Who diagnosed you as bipolar? Please don't tell me it was anything other than a psychiatrist. And what kind of doctors diagnosed depression?

Sinus issues: You can have them without pain or discomfort.

I am a diabetic and have a number of autoimmune diseases and I really can say that the easiest one to treat is the Hashimoto's.

I hope you'll start with an exercise program. Start small and add to it every few days. You'll be surprised at how much better you'll feel when you've lost weight. I lost 49 pounds since I rescued my little dog a year ago. She loves to walk and drags me everywhere. Since then I'm off diabetic meds and anti-hypertensive meds.

You're too young for all these things to be happening, and I wonder how many problems can be allieviated due to your weight.

Ask the doctor to order an A1C test with your next set of labs. You need to see what your glucose is really doing. If it's above 6.0, and historically it's been below this [as in when you weighed less], then odds are you can resolve that by exercise.

Good luck to you.


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

First of all, given your over all symptom profile, I am glad that your GP is continuing to investigate Cushing's. 24 hour urine testing is approved and might give another set of results. The stretch marks are the only symptom you DONT have--you have almost all of the others.

BTW, your blood pressure should be treated with titrating the medication in the same way as thyroid medication is titrated. Medication is added, and the patient is rechecked at short intervals--2 weeks--and the dose adjusted until the blood pressure comes into range. If this is secondary hypertension--ie part of your overall syndrome--this may be quite resistant unless the underlying condition is treated.

Your weight gain pattern, skin tags and high fasting glucose leave me wondering if they have done more in depth testing for PCOS and further a glucose challenge for diabetes/insulin resistance.

I'm sorry about the lithium. One of the side effects is hypothyroidism, so prescribing it to someone with a new hypothyroid diagnosis is a poor medication choice. Because psychological issues are so closely connected to thyroid disfunction, correcting thyroid levels is a factor in treating them.

Yes, your TSH is still high. Hopefully the recent dose increase will have some impact on that. Titrating replacement meds can be tedious, because of the necessary 8 week wait between dose adjustments, so try to have some patience with that.


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your feedback. It's late and I need my beauty sleep lol. I will write more tomorrow.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Nicole1973 said:


> My most recent thyroid numbers are from December 23, 2011. Endo won't retest until I see him May 17, 2012 and have been on increased Synthroid. I have gone from .25 to 1.25 Synthroid from July 2011 to present.
> Free T4 16.0 (10.5-20.0) pmol/L
> Free T3 4.8 (3.5 - 6.5) pmol?l
> Thyroperoxidase antibodies 1988 (<35) lU/ml
> ...


Bless your little heart. By the way, I had steroid induced Cushing's so do know that I am completely empathetic to what is going on w/you. The good news is that I returned to my normal self including the Dowager's hump. All gone. It took 18 months but the truth is, I had nothing better to do. LOL!!

I tell you this also to say that once you are treated for this autoimmune disease, you too will heal. We are here to travel the pathway with you in the bad times and the good times.

Your TPO is really high! I wonder if anyone has ever run Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab and also have you ever had an ultra-sound of the thyroid?

I can't believe (I do believe it) that you work for a group of doctors and not one has had a light bulb flick on in their head? Kind of scary!


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## Marathon Man (Aug 31, 2011)

Your biggest problem is the parade of bonehead doctors you've had looking at you. Autoimmune seems an easy diagnosis just from reading about your symptoms. I would suggest seeing as many different doctors as you can. (Can you do that in Canada?) If not book a trip down here. I can tell you from experience, I ran up some big bills having several doctors lookiong at me but feeling yourself again is priceless.

Hang in there. There is a lot of good information available on this forum.


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your replies and advice.

I thought about something. I was told my thyroid ultrasound was 'normal', but do remember it was diffusely heterogeneous. Normal size at the time of the ultrasound though. Doesn't heterogeneous mean not normal?? Or at least not uniform?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Nicole1973 said:


> Thank you everyone for your replies and advice.
> 
> I thought about something. I was told my thyroid ultrasound was 'normal', but do remember it was diffusely heterogeneous. Normal size at the time of the ultrasound though. Doesn't heterogeneous mean not normal?? Or at least not uniform?


That is quite correct. Homgenous on the other hand means a healthy and smooth gland.

Somethings up; that is for sure!

How have you been doing? Making any headway w/the doctors?


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

Did you see "the" dr. K - the one that wrote the book that everyone reads ilke the second coming, or did your endo just have the name "dr. k"

you tsh is high, your labs make you look hypo. Have you had your tsi tested as well?


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

IM not used to those labs in that format but looks like you can use a small increase. Or add a drop of ft3 in?


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

desrtbloom said:


> Hi Nicole:
> 
> First - :hugs:
> 
> ...


Thank you Patti for the hug! The doctor I am seeing now is great. She just thinks I am a mystery patient. I've been working at getting my TSH down to below 1 since June 2011 ahhh. That being said, I only saw the endo for the first time on Feb 16, 2012. He doesn't want/need to see me until May 17, 2012 (three months after our 1st visit). He raised my Synthroid from 100mg to 125mg. What a waiting game.

Thank you for the kind message 

Nicole


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

CA-Lynn said:


> Totally agree about getting the TSH way down. I, too, feel my best with the TSH below 1. Looks like the Synthroid is working for you, as the TSH is dropping.l
> 
> Who diagnosed you as bipolar? Please don't tell me it was anything other than a psychiatrist. And what kind of doctors diagnosed depression?
> 
> ...


The doctor that prescribed me as bipolar was a new GP I was seeing...I 'fired' her in the beginning of December after I started seeing someone new and was diagnosed with Hashi's.

I've definitely had sinus problems for many, many years. Hopefully the antibiotics killed my pansinusitus...but I don't think it did. After the round of antibiotics (21 days of Amoxicillan) I got really stuffed up, had blood and yucky stuff coming out of my nose. This has since gone away. But it will come back...it always does 

It's crazy that I am 38 and all this is happening. I have always been very active, active job, exercise etc. It's only been in the past few years where it's been extremely difficult for me. Even now I try to exercise, I have an at home elliptical trainer and live in a lovely area, so I try to walk everyday. Doesn't do anything for my weight. My legs, bum and arms shrink but not my midsection and boobs LOL! My partner and I eat quite healthy and we don't drink alcohol.

My BP is skyrocketing! I will update what it's at later today. I have been on Norvasc 5mg for one month now and on Sat my BP was 161/115 on Tues it was 175/110. I have had a bad headache for days now. So bad I dream I am having a headache.

:sad0049:


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

lainey said:


> First of all, given your over all symptom profile, I am glad that your GP is continuing to investigate Cushing's. 24 hour urine testing is approved and might give another set of results. The stretch marks are the only symptom you DONT have--you have almost all of the others.
> 
> BTW, your blood pressure should be treated with titrating the medication in the same way as thyroid medication is titrated. Medication is added, and the patient is rechecked at short intervals--2 weeks--and the dose adjusted until the blood pressure comes into range. If this is secondary hypertension--ie part of your overall syndrome--this may be quite resistant unless the underlying condition is treated.
> 
> ...


As much as I don't want it to...Cushing's fits. Now to 'make' my endo further test even if I did suppress on the overnight dexamethasone test. I do want the 24 hour urine test. I see my GP tomorrow and will discuss further ideas with her. Then wait again! AHHH

Yah, my BP is crazy right now. Sat 161/115 and Tues 175/110. I am sure my GP will add something tomorrow or increase what I am taking. But you're right if it's secondary hypertension, they need to treat the underlying cause.

The lithium was silly on that doctors part. She just wanted to shut me up and get me out of her office. I secretly want to get better and go back to her with what was actually wrong and hope she feels bad. She also has HORRIBLE ratings on Rate your MD.

I hope my next TSH levels are lower...fingers crossed.


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Andros said:


> Bless your little heart. By the way, I had steroid induced Cushing's so do know that I am completely empathetic to what is going on w/you. The good news is that I returned to my normal self including the Dowager's hump. All gone. It took 18 months but the truth is, I had nothing better to do. LOL!!
> 
> I tell you this also to say that once you are treated for this autoimmune disease, you too will heal. We are here to travel the pathway with you in the bad times and the good times.
> 
> ...


I don't want it to be Cushing's, but it just fits. The problems I see from reading loads of forums and joining one is that it takes FOREVER to get a diagnosis and a lot of the endos are quite dismissive...I don't know what to do.

I haven't had my Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin run. Only TSH, free t4, free t3 and Thyroperoxidase Ab.

I had an ultrasound done on my thyroid. It was normal in size and diffusely heterogeneous. Both my GP and the endo said it was normal and nothing to worry about....uh-huh.

I do work in a medical office and I guess the docs I work directly with wouldn't want to comment on my health...I don't know. One of them told me I shouldn't be so sick having Hashimoto's. Basically shrugged it off and couldn't understand why I was feeling the way I was feeling and missing so much work. I am now on medical ei. :sad0049:


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Marathon Man said:


> Your biggest problem is the parade of bonehead doctors you've had looking at you. Autoimmune seems an easy diagnosis just from reading about your symptoms. I would suggest seeing as many different doctors as you can. (Can you do that in Canada?) If not book a trip down here. I can tell you from experience, I ran up some big bills having several doctors lookiong at me but feeling yourself again is priceless.
> 
> Hang in there. There is a lot of good information available on this forum.


Bonehead doctors is correct. Each one says something different, so on and so forth. I am at the end of my rope. I have been on medical ei since Jan 12, 2012. My employer gave me the time off to figure out what's going on with me and it's a bloody waiting game. I thought once I finally saw the endo on Feb 16, 2012 all would be fixed and I would be on the road to recovery. I don't feel any better since the day I left work...only worse.

You can see as many general practitioners you want...but starting fresh is difficult because the way the system is right now, they only have so much time with you and have a cap of 50 patients per doctor per day. They just want to get you in and out. As for specialists, you need a GP's referral first...same for MRI's, only a specialist can order an MRI. It took me 1.5 months to get into the endo in the first place. All he did was increase my synthroid and set up a follow up appt for three months later...

This forum is great and is helping me research so much.


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Brucergoldberg said:


> Did you see "the" dr. K - the one that wrote the book that everyone reads ilke the second coming, or did your endo just have the name "dr. k"
> 
> you tsh is high, your labs make you look hypo. Have you had your tsi tested as well?


LOL no Dr. K is short for Dr. Kreisman in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Yah TSH is still so high. Definitely Hypo. Before the Hashi's diagnosis, they were treating me for hypo...then I insisted my GP test for thyroperoxidase AB and it was thru the roof. I haven't had my tsi checked. I see my GP tomorrow, perhaps I should.


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## Nicole1973 (Mar 16, 2012)

Brucergoldberg said:


> IM not used to those labs in that format but looks like you can use a small increase. Or add a drop of ft3 in?


What medication would ft3 be? Not the Syntrhoid right? That's T4? It's very confusing. I need someone to create a powerpoint presentation for me LOL. Oh maybe I should do that with the time I have right now.


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

Nicole1973 said:


> As much as I don't want it to...Cushing's fits. Now to 'make' my endo further test even if I did suppress on the overnight dexamethasone test. I do want the 24 hour urine test. I see my GP tomorrow and will discuss further ideas with her. Then wait again! AHHH
> 
> Yah, my BP is crazy right now. Sat 161/115 and Tues 175/110. I am sure my GP will add something tomorrow or increase what I am taking. But you're right if it's secondary hypertension, they need to treat the underlying cause.
> 
> ...


FYI being hypo can aggravate the blood pressure too, so bringing your levels down may also help that (it resolves about 50%).

As for the antibodies, they are really for the diagnosis, which you have, not the treatment. For the most part, the replacement medication won't treat them, just the thyroid dysfunction.

Your TSH is still too high to talk about adding T3. When that comes down further in the range, you will have a better idea of how you are processing the T4 meds by looking at the free T4 and free T3 levels. If the free T3 levels stay too low while the others are good, then it is time to consider adding something like cytomel (T3).


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