# Hashimoto Symptoms Getting Worse!



## Omiller1018 (May 27, 2012)

Hi!

I am new to this board so bear with me as I learn my way around! I hope this is the right place to ask my question.....

First of all, I was diagnosed with Hashimotos disease in early January. My antibodies were very high and my symptoms seemed pretty bad. The reason I went to the doctor was because I had severe exhaustion and anxiety. When I was diagnosed with Hashimotos my doctor put me on Armour Thyroid and a gluten free diet. Once I had been put on medication I though I would be fine but about a month in my anxiety level went way up and I also began to have more symptoms - nausea, stomach aches, fogginess, severe joint pain, mildly sore throat (almost like i am on the verge of a flu all the time) and I also began having compression symptoms - Choking sensation and difficulty swallowing/breathing. These symptoms were gradual and are continuing to get worse, but I cannot see any enlargement in my Thyroid. My Doctor had mentioned scar tissue could cause issues but only once and didn't seem too worrind about it.

So my question is: has anyone been treated for Hashimotos but still gotten progressively worse? And if so what did you do to try and solve it? my doctor just ingnores me or brushes it off when I tell her my symptoms are much worse.

Also has anyone had issues with compression symptoms because of scar tissue on their thyroid?


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

Do you have your latest labs with ranges? If you could post those, it would be most helpful.

How often has your doc checked your TSH, etc...?

My husband, who has Hashi's, was prescribed Armour at one time, but his anxiety was much worse. His doc never checked his T3. He does much better on Synthroid.

Renee


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## Omiller1018 (May 27, 2012)

Yes! I have them: My Most recent Lab was May 18th 2012

T3 was 3.5 the range was 2.3-4.2 pg/mL
T4 was 12.8 the range was 4.5-10.9 ug/dL
TSH was 3.669 the range was 0.300-5.00 mU/I

They seem pretty normal to me which is why I am afraid the medication is what is giving me the flu-like symptoms but I am not sure because i can't find many people who started on Armour.

Have you heard anything about scare tissue with Hashimotos?


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Why not run a complete metabolic panel and include ANA and ESR.

The symptoms are not restricted to Hashimoto's. Could be another problem in the background.


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## Omiller1018 (May 27, 2012)

I believe that is what she did because she was worried i might have another autoimmune disease like rhuematoid arthritis but so far she has not found any other autoimmune disease. So far i have had no results with blood tests. Any ideas as to what else could cause the symptoms?


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## susieintexas (Mar 4, 2012)

Have you had a sono?

I was being treated with 50mcg of synthroid pre-surgery for hashi. I continued to feel worse until after my thyroid was removed. I feel SO much better now although my choking sensation is worse now with it removed but I will take that if it means I have energy!


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

Everyone's different, but some people feel better with a lower TSH. Would your doc consider letting you try a little bit bigger dose?

Renee


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Omiller1018 said:


> Hi!
> 
> I am new to this board so bear with me as I learn my way around! I hope this is the right place to ask my question.....
> 
> ...


How did your doc arrive at the Hashimoto's diagnosis? What tests have you had run and can you post the results with the ranges here, please?

Have you had an ultra-sound of the thyroid?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Omiller1018 said:


> Yes! I have them: My Most recent Lab was May 18th 2012
> 
> T3 was 3.5 the range was 2.3-4.2 pg/mL
> T4 was 12.8 the range was 4.5-10.9 ug/dL
> ...


Were you on thyroid medication when you had these labs? Your Total 4 is very very high. This is unusual w/ hypothyroid. We usually see high TSH and low T3 and T4 and by the way, the Total 3 is comprised of bound, unbound and rT3 hormone so it is questionable as to where the unbound hormone which is available for cellular uptake is at.

It would be much better to get FREE T3 and FREE T4 labs run. This is your unbound hormone available for cellular uptake.

And these tests would be good because I think that you could be hyper, not hypo.

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

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/

I have seen your kind of labs for 3 reasons; either hyper, cancer or both.

Ultra-sound is very important and here is some interesting reading material.

http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/thyroid_hormones1.php

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.

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/Article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm

It is my humble opinion that certain antibodies are at play here. There are binding, blocking and stimulating antibodies which can result in labs similar to yours.

Scar tissue? Have not personally heard of a thyroid gland having scar tissue unless there was a previous injury (cutting) of the gland it's self or the gland is dying? Another very good reason for an ultra-sound.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

susieintexas said:


> Have you had a sono?
> 
> I was being treated with 50mcg of synthroid pre-surgery for hashi. I continued to feel worse until after my thyroid was removed. I feel SO much better now although my choking sensation is worse now with it removed but I will take that if it means I have energy!


It is too soon; I am confident your choking sensation will clear up!!


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## Brucergoldberg (May 23, 2011)

I had this but mine was different. WHen it started i only felt bad for a little while of the day. Then as the disease progressed i felt worse, each day progressively worse. Then i reached a point where i felt bad all the time. The choking sensation I have two even after the TT.


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## Omiller1018 (May 27, 2012)

Andros said:


> How did your doc arrive at the Hashimoto's diagnosis? What tests have you had run and can you post the results with the ranges here, please?
> 
> Have you had an ultra-sound of the thyroid?


Unfortunately I just visited a new doctor and had to give her all of my labs that i had and she has not given them back to me yet so I don't know the exact ranges but i was diagnosed with Hashimotos because my antibodies were very high. I belive she tested the TPO and the TG antibodies 
I am pretty sure the TPOab range was 0 - 60 and mine was 6500 and the TG rage was somewhere around 0 - 35 and mine was 429. I am positive of what my results are (the numbers were high enough to scare me) were but i cannot remember the exact ranges and i could be off on those. I do remember that they were very high.

On another note I have had an ultrasound but it was about 4 months ago when I had no chocking sensation of diffuculty breathing. My doctor's assistant called me (after I called them looking for my results 3 weeks later!) and told me there were "no areas of concern" but when i talked to my doctor she did not have any notes or recolection of ordering me an ultrasound. So the first ultrasound was definitely a bust! Since i have no idea if my doc even looked at it! My new Doc ordered me an esophogram w/barium but my problem isn't really with swallowing but a little bit with breathing and mostly the irritation of that darn choking sensation. Anyways that test came up perfectly normal so that was a bust too!

My new doc thinks that the choking sensation is from anxiety but I have a hard time believing it because it isn't my whole throat that feels tight but one particular spot. it feels like someone tied a string around the base of my throat and tied it too tight. Has anyone had this feeling with anxiety??

I am visiting an Ear, Nose and Throat Doc tomorrow (who I know is really good because he did my stepmoms thyroid surgery and she is very happy!) so wish me luck!


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## Omiller1018 (May 27, 2012)

Brucergoldberg said:


> I had this but mine was different. WHen it started i only felt bad for a little while of the day. Then as the disease progressed i felt worse, each day progressively worse. Then i reached a point where i felt bad all the time. The choking sensation I have two even after the TT.


I felt the same way when i was first diagnosed with Hashi's. I was exhausted all the time and I was very nervous and jumpy on the rare occasions that i had energy. now my symptoms are up and down. sometimes i get them every day on and off during the day, other times i have them most of everyday, and other times i go for 3-5 days with no symptoms. it is so hard to pin down exactly what i have going on with me. Sometimes when i go a few days with no symptoms i think they are all in my head but then they come back! what is a TT?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Omiller1018 said:


> Unfortunately I just visited a new doctor and had to give her all of my labs that i had and she has not given them back to me yet so I don't know the exact ranges but i was diagnosed with Hashimotos because my antibodies were very high. I belive she tested the TPO and the TG antibodies
> I am pretty sure the TPOab range was 0 - 60 and mine was 6500 and the TG rage was somewhere around 0 - 35 and mine was 429. I am positive of what my results are (the numbers were high enough to scare me) were but i cannot remember the exact ranges and i could be off on those. I do remember that they were very high.
> 
> On another note I have had an ultrasound but it was about 4 months ago when I had no chocking sensation of diffuculty breathing. My doctor's assistant called me (after I called them looking for my results 3 weeks later!) and told me there were "no areas of concern" but when i talked to my doctor she did not have any notes or recolection of ordering me an ultrasound. So the first ultrasound was definitely a bust! Since i have no idea if my doc even looked at it! My new Doc ordered me an esophogram w/barium but my problem isn't really with swallowing but a little bit with breathing and mostly the irritation of that darn choking sensation. Anyways that test came up perfectly normal so that was a bust too!
> ...


You are going to do better w/ the ENT today and we are all anxious to hear all about your visit.

Start getting copies of your labs and keep a folder. This is very important on the long haul.

I take a self-addressed, stamped envelope w/ me and I never have a problem getting "my" copy to which we "all" are entitled to.


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## Omiller1018 (May 27, 2012)

Andros said:


> You are going to do better w/ the ENT today and we are all anxious to hear all about your visit.
> 
> Start getting copies of your labs and keep a folder. This is very important on the long haul.
> 
> I take a self-addressed, stamped envelope w/ me and I never have a problem getting "my" copy to which we "all" are entitled to.


I really appreciate your advice and i will make sure to start saving my copies!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Omiller1018 said:


> I really appreciate your advice and i will make sure to start saving my copies!


Please let us know about your ENT visit when you can.


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