# I'm new, but have Hashi's and I'm hyperthyroid?



## tgc06 (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi Everyone!

I'm new here and I just had an appointment with my endocrinologist and I'm trying to get some questions answered. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's about 16 years ago and I had been slightly hypothyroid for the past 12 years. I was on a small dose of leothyroxine for most of those years but stopped about 3 years ago because the levels looked good (and were good for about 2 years).

However, about a year ago, I was sick with something else and so my doctors did all sorts of blood tests and found that my levels (TSH, FreeT4, FreeT3) were hyperthyroid. My endocrinologist said that it was just a bout of Ha****oxicosis (_I promise that there isn't a random curse word under there!_) and that it will pass.

However, it's a year later and my TSH levels are consistently at <.005 (My doctor's reference range of 0.340 - 5.600) and my free T4 levels are at 6.21 (ref. range of .58 - 1.64). I recently started atenolol to lower my pulse and to reduce the shakiness of my hands but I'm not sure that taking only this is the right course of action.

I was wondering if anyone's had experience with Hashi's that was hyperthyroid for a long period of time. All the websites I could find said that the periods of hyperthyroidism during Hashi's should only be a sort time (is a year a short time?).

I would really appreciate and help/advice you guys could offer.

Thanks so much!


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

Yours truly. 8 or 9 years of dealing with Hashi's and hyper and hypo and craziness. It's not much fun.

By the way, you had an underlying curse word - ha*-s-h-i-t-*oxicosis. :anim_63:

I don't have much advice casue I myself am still not fixed. My TSH fluctuates wildly and usually my T3 is on the high side and my T4 is on the low side and all 3 antibodies, TPO, TG and TSI are all through the roof normall but do fluctuate.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

tgc06 said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> I'm new here and I just had an appointment with my endocrinologist and I'm trying to get some questions answered. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's about 16 years ago and I had been slightly hypothyroid for the past 12 years. I was on a small dose of leothyroxine for most of those years but stopped about 3 years ago because the levels looked good (and were good for about 2 years).
> 
> ...


Well, I was hyperthyroid for a long period of time and hypo many years before that took place. I don't know what I had because "it was all in my head."

That said, I think if I were you, I would request a radioactive uptake scan to see what is what. Truth be told, cancer can also cause hyperthyroid symptoms.

I also am not sure that taking Atenol is the right course of action. Untreated hyper is awfully hard on the heart and other bodily organs.

Have you had any antibodies' test done?

I personally recommend the following.....

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies), ANA (antinuclear antibodies), TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin) and Thyroglobulin Ab as well as thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII.)

You can look all of the above up here so you know what they are for........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/


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## soladeo (Jan 5, 2010)

I was diagnosed with a goiter and minor hyperthyroidism five years ago. I was "symptomless" (looking back I think that was incorrect, I see a pattern of increased blood pressure, anxiety, etc) and I wasn't losing weight (I struggled with edema, bloating and gaining weight), so the docs kept in an eye on the nodule, with subsequent FNAs, uptake scans and ultrasounds. Finally, after incredibly high blood pressure and anxiety, docs really started looking. Found another nodule, and the 1st nodule was growing. My diagnosis from the beginning was "goiter." Not Graves, or Hashis, and I didn't push for another diagnosis. After having my thyroid taken out, it was discovered I have Hashi's and thyroid cancer, so I definitely recommend pushing for answers into what's going on. I do think going on a beta blocker was very helpful for me-though it didn't lower my pressure to normal, it did help the tremors and heart palps. Xanax helped me sleep and kept my anxiety down. I went from very emotional, sleeping 2 hours a day to being able to sleep and was relatively mellow--which I think is important when you're dealing with docs and advocating for your health. Most docs are more receptive if you stay calm and "rational." (my issue wasn't with my current docs, it was with one nurse).  Good luck!!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

soladeo said:


> I was diagnosed with a goiter and minor hyperthyroidism five years ago. I was "symptomless" (looking back I think that was incorrect, I see a pattern of increased blood pressure, anxiety, etc) and I wasn't losing weight (I struggled with edema, bloating and gaining weight), so the docs kept in an eye on the nodule, with subsequent FNAs, uptake scans and ultrasounds. Finally, after incredibly high blood pressure and anxiety, docs really started looking. Found another nodule, and the 1st nodule was growing. My diagnosis from the beginning was "goiter." Not Graves, or Hashis, and I didn't push for another diagnosis. After having my thyroid taken out, it was discovered I have Hashi's and thyroid cancer, so I definitely recommend pushing for answers into what's going on. I do think going on a beta blocker was very helpful for me-though it didn't lower my pressure to normal, it did help the tremors and heart palps. Xanax helped me sleep and kept my anxiety down. I went from very emotional, sleeping 2 hours a day to being able to sleep and was relatively mellow--which I think is important when you're dealing with docs and advocating for your health. Most docs are more receptive if you stay calm and "rational." (my issue wasn't with my current docs, it was with one nurse).  Good luck!!!


Thank you so very much for sharing your story. As you can tell; I am big on the cancer thing. So many have been fluffed off only to find out later that they indeed do have thyroid cancer. Scary.

Hope you are doing well now?


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