# Tiny thyroid nodules, high TSH/BUN/Creatinine levels, and low testosterone.



## Eighto (Feb 4, 2015)

Hi everyone, I'm looking to see if I can gain any insight to my health problem from you all.

I'm a 30 year old white male, 6'3 175 pounds. Muscular, slender build. Never smoked tobacco. Drink alcohol rarely. Vaporize marijuana occasionally. Never done any steroids. I have used creatine in the past.

I recently had my blood checked for the first time as far as I can remember. I got most everything checked. Vitamin levels were fine.

BUN levels were above high normal at 25 mg/dL (reference: 6-20)

Creatinine was above high normal at 1.43 mg/dL (reference: 0.76-1.27)

BUN/Creatinine Ratio was at 17 (reference: 8-19)

TSH was above high normal at 7.97 uIU/mL (reference: 0.45-4.5)

T4, Free(Direct) was 1.4 ng/dL (reference: 0.82-1.77)

Testosterone was below low normal at 225 ng/dL (reference: 348-1197)

Systolic blood pressure was also high at 142, and 141 a week later.

The walk-in doc told me to get ultrasound done on my kidneys and thyroid, and prescribed me to Synthroid to help lower the TSH levels.

*Kidney ultrasound findings:*



> The bladder morphology is unremarkable. Bilateral ureteral jets are seen. The prevoid bladder volume is 655 cc and postvoiding volume was 222 cc.
> 
> The right kidney measure 10.4 cm and the left kidney 9.9 cm in length. There is mild pyelocalyectasis of the right kidney on postvoid images. The left kidney is unremarkable. The renal cortical thickness and echogenicity are within normal limits, and no obvious renal mass or calculus is seen.
> 
> ...


(the large bladder volume I think was just due to how much water I drank beforehand)

*Thyroid ultrasound findings:*



> The right lobe of the thyroid gland is 4.5 x 1.5 x 1.8 cm and the left lobe 5.1 x 2.1 x 1.5 cm. The thyroid isthmus measures 2 mm AP. There is a mild diffuse heterogeneity through the thyroid gland and an appearance compatible with multiple tiny nodules. No discrete nodules were measured by the ultrasound technologist. Followup should be considered.
> 
> Impression: Enlarged thyroid gland with heterogeneous appearance and suggestion of multiple small nodules, although no discrete dominant nodules were clearly identified. Followup ultrasound would be of value.


After seeing these findings the doc told me to see an endocrinologist. She said they're going to say that I have Hashimoto's disease. She said if she had to bet, she would bet that I have a gluten intolerance, and that you can become intolerant to gluten after lots of exposure to it. I do not want to see the endo or do any further ultrasound tests if possible.

I bought generic Levothyroxine, it's a small dose at 25 mcg a tablet. I took it day 1 and day 2 and it gave me a little diarrhea. Holding off on taking anymore.

I and the doc also believe I have exercise-induced asthma since I cough and wheeze after heavy cardio exercise. I haven't tried the inhaler she gave me yet. It's possible I also have a light pollen allergy but I've never had that checked.

Should I continue taking the Levothyroxine, go see an endo, or just stay away from gluten? If you have any advice or have had similar symptoms, please let me know. Thanks!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Uh. When will you see the endocrinologist?

Because your free t4 is at a decent place, it makes sense that you wouldn't agree with the levo. I just don't understand why you TSH would be that high.

You've got a lot of things in the mix and I suspect it will take a while to sort out. For your thyroid, you should have TSH, free t4, free t3, TPO and TSI run.

Did your doctor suggest anything to treat the low testosterone? Thyroid hormones and sex hormones can be linked, with one effecting the other. Because of the low testosterone number, you should be screen by a urologist, too.

Regarding your kidneys, I don't know a whole lot about BUN and Creatinine, but did they not run your eGFR?


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I have to say, looking at your results, I'm a lot more concerned about your kidney function than your thyroid function. What did the doc say about those kidney test results?


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## Eighto (Feb 4, 2015)

Thanks for the replies. My eGFR is 66 mL/min/1.73 (reference: >59)

Doc said this might all be related, said any testosterone treatment would be a bad idea because my kidneys aren't in good shape right now. That's all she said about kidneys. Was just a walk-in clinic so I don't expect much.

But yeah I guess I need to go see the endo.


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