# Hashi's and Thyroid Removal



## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

I am fairly new to this disease and wonder if they remove your thyroid, does the Hashimotos go away? To me it is logical, but as I have learned after telling my doctor for two years that something wasn't right, the medical field is not always logical. )

Any feedback you have would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Pam


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

It's an autoimmune attack on your thyroid. By removing the target, that *should* essentially make the Hashi's "go away". But if any thyroid tissue is left behind, that could be a problem. Not my area, but others will chime in I'm sure. The real million-dollar question would be if you could even _convince_ your doc to remove it.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

bigfoot said:


> The real million-dollar question would be if you could even _convince_ your doc to remove it.


This.

I was lucky enough to have cancer, so removal was not something for which I had to fight. I also have Hashi's. I no longer have any symptoms that I associated directly with Hashi's and am very grateful that I was able to have the TT.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

They do not typically remove a thyroid for hashi's.

If you are having issues stabilizing on replacement or have alot of nodules, an inconclusive FNA, or a positive FNA they would be more inclined to remove.

My surgeon told me if a patient comes to her for thyroid removal she has never been turned down by an insurance company.

Once your thyroid is removed you are totally hypo and will take replacement medications for life - they may be easier to regulate because you have no thyroid.


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## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

Thanks you all! I have multiple nodules on both sides of my thyroid and a goiter at the bottom of my thyroid. I am not super satisfied with my current Endo., as he just put my on 50 mcg of Syntroid and wants to see me again at the end of October.

Does this sound normal? When I asked to have a needle biopsy he told me that it wasn't necessary.

Any recommendations for Endo's in the metro Detroit area?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Do you know the size of the nodules? If they aren't 1 cm or larger, they often don't biopsy. That said, you should have labs at six week intervals until you are stabilized on the levo.


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## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

I am looking at the imaging report now. The thyroid has heterogenous echogenic texture, moreso on the left than the right. There were mutliple notules on the left and 2 on the right. The largest on the left measured 1.8 x 0.6 cm in the lower pole and 1.2 x 0.9 cm in the upper pole. The largest on the right measured 3.8 mm.

Results for the uptake are as follows:
I-123 uptakes were obtained. the two hour uptake was calculated at 3.2% the normal range of 1% to 13%. The 24-hour uptake was caculated at 9.3% with a normal range of 10% to 35%.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

partyofsix said:


> I am fairly new to this disease and wonder if they remove your thyroid, does the Hashimotos go away? To me it is logical, but as I have learned after telling my doctor for two years that something wasn't right, the medical field is not always logical. )
> 
> Any feedback you have would be appreciated!
> 
> ...












I agree w/your logic. Why does the patient have to continue to suffer for the rest of their lives?

They will do the uterus, the breast, appendix, gallbladder etc.. Not the thyroid? Get out of town! That's what I say! LOL!!


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## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

I just got my TSH results from last week. I was previously at 0.88 and put on 50 mcg's of Syntroid. It's been six weeks. I am now at 0.63 TSH. Why is it going down? I thought that my TSH would go up with the Syntroid.

The doctor won't up my does. I so need someone new!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

No, it will go down with synthroid. The more thyroid hormone your body needs, the higher the TSH. With added t4, your TSH would naturally go down.

Remember, you should never dose using TSH alone. What we need to see is free t4 and free t3.


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## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

So they never checked the T3 this time. Ugh! My free T4 was 0.82 with a range of 0.58 to 1.64.


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## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

So today I met with the ENT. After she reviewed the pictures, measurements (she feels that they are off, that the nodules are much larger than what they were measured at), did the scope through my nose down through my throat, etc., she said that she recommends removal of the thyroid.

I have felt so bad for over two years that I am looking forward to not feeling like I have something stuck in my throat, choking when laying down, enlarged area of my next, etc. that I am looking forward to moving forward with the tt. The surgeon said that with the amount of nodules and goiter, she believes that it will end up as a total thyroidectomy. We will see August 1st!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Great news - congrats!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

partyofsix said:


> The surgeon said that with the amount of nodules and goiter, she believes that it will end up as a total thyroidectomy. We will see August 1st!


Excellent news! While I can't speak from personal experience, my hunch from reading others' posts here is that a total is better than a partial. If part of the thyroid is left behind, sure you might not have a goiter, but your autoimmune attack is going to continue unabated. Also, it should be easier to stabilize on thyroid meds, too.


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## partyofsix (Jun 19, 2013)

So do you know if the Hashi's will go away once the thyroid comes out? I don't know....

Thanks for you all's on-going support! This message board has been a wealth of information for me. I appreciate all of everyones feedback and hope it keeps coming!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

My limited understanding is yes; you remove the whole thyroid, and the antibodies become a moot point. Then it's supposedly easier to regulate things because you will be hypo. Of course, this is all in a perfect world. There are folks floating around here who have had a TT and still are dealing with ongoing issues. And there are folks who credit it as one of their best decisions. I think it all comes back to each of us being our own individual case.


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