# Does surgery help with Hashi's



## darlisar (Aug 1, 2010)

My daughter is 14 now, and was diagnosed with hashi's at age 10. At a sports physical the dr found a goiter during examination. At that point it had effected her growth(only sign/symptom at time). It was suggested that she had had the condition for at least 2 years based on bone age xray. she has been able to "catch up" growth since starting meds. However, since starting meds, she is having all the hypo symptoms. She is extremly active, but is now struggling with her weight. She does competitive cheer, school colorguard team etc., but continues to gain and can't lose the lbs. She has experienced a burning rash that was said to be due to hashi's. Anyway, for the past 4 years at every visit her goiter(right side) has seemed to remain the same size, but in April at her visit, the dr had stated it had grown a little bigger, and also her lymph nodes on left side of neck were inflammed, but she had not been sick. Since then she has experienced this 2 other times, as well as saying it was difficult to swallow(like it was getting stuck). I took her to dr this week and dr said was prob infected lymph nodes and prescribed antibiotics. And to follow up with endo since she had appt in 2 weeks. For the past year I'd say her TSH levels seem to keep increasing and she is now taking 125 of levothroid. My husband keeps asking me if having it removed would help her with all this. Curious if anyone has any knowledge or suggestions. Thanks


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Saying this with the qualifications that 1) I had cancer along with the Hashi's; 2) my surgeon said it was likely growing for a decade (read: I suspect if it had "only" been going on for a few years, I wouldn't notice the difference as much) and 3) it wasn't a weight loss quick-fix and I still need to follow WW closely...

YES. The biggest difference for me is that for the first time in a long, long, long time, I'm not in pain. My joints don't hurt, my muscles get sore in proportion to what I do...I'm as close to pain free as a 37 year woman who has put a lot of miles on her body can be.

Now that my medication has been regulated (took onwards of 6 months), I have normal amounts of energy, better looking skin, and shiny hair.

So, yes. But it seems a lot of surgeons don't seem inclined to remove b/c of Hashi's *and* I'm not sure to what extent it would help with things like growth and weight loss.


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## darlisar (Aug 1, 2010)

When she was first diagnosed at 10 they did do an ultrasound which I was told was fine. But concerns me that her goiter had increased a little,when it hadn't any over the past 4 years, and then lymph nodes were swollen now 3 different times(with not being sick or no signs of coming down with anything) since mid April. You mentioned joint pain, she also has started complaining of periodic hip pain which i've attributed to her condition too. I'm not really sure about asking about thyroid surgery with her dr because I don't want to freak my daughter out.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

darlisar said:


> My daughter is 14 now, and was diagnosed with hashi's at age 10. At a sports physical the dr found a goiter during examination. At that point it had effected her growth(only sign/symptom at time). It was suggested that she had had the condition for at least 2 years based on bone age xray. she has been able to "catch up" growth since starting meds. However, since starting meds, she is having all the hypo symptoms. She is extremly active, but is now struggling with her weight. She does competitive cheer, school colorguard team etc., but continues to gain and can't lose the lbs. She has experienced a burning rash that was said to be due to hashi's. Anyway, for the past 4 years at every visit her goiter(right side) has seemed to remain the same size, but in April at her visit, the dr had stated it had grown a little bigger, and also her lymph nodes on left side of neck were inflammed, but she had not been sick. Since then she has experienced this 2 other times, as well as saying it was difficult to swallow(like it was getting stuck). I took her to dr this week and dr said was prob infected lymph nodes and prescribed antibiotics. And to follow up with endo since she had appt in 2 weeks. For the past year I'd say her TSH levels seem to keep increasing and she is now taking 125 of levothroid. My husband keeps asking me if having it removed would help her with all this. Curious if anyone has any knowledge or suggestions. Thanks


Has your daughter had an ultra-sound of her thyroid? If not, that would be a good step to take and the answer to your question is, "Removing the thyroid gland is removing the object of the attack so yes, it would stop all this mess."

Has your daughter had Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Antibodies' tests done? Cancer should always be a consideration even in young people. I feel it would be wise to address this issue.

You may wish to read this......

cancer TPO and thyroglobulin
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1699-0463.1994.tb04888.x/abstract
http://www.wikigenes.org/e/gene/e/7173.html

Understanding Thyroglobulin Ab.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroglobulin/test.html


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## darlisar (Aug 1, 2010)

She had the ultra sound done when she was first diagnosed with hashi's which was 4 years ago when she was 10 years old. At that point her TSH was >100(greater than 100). I was told her hypothyroidism was due to hashi's and tested positive for the antibodies, but wasn't told the results of that. I know she is still so young and don't want to just be throwing out there the questions of surgery and worry her or it be something that wouldn't even be of help. My husband keeps throwing that out there asking if it is something that could help and had got me to thinking after our last visit. As a mother I hate seeing her go thru these things. I myself had the TPO Ab test and it was positive with the results something like 948 and normal was 40. But my TSH was in normal range so was just told to monitor it like yearly. I did find out this week my cousin on my dads side was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in her early teens(my aunt wasn't sure if due to hashi's/auto immune or not) and about 8 years ago thyroid cancer. She is around 38 now.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

darlisar said:


> She had the ultra sound done when she was first diagnosed with hashi's which was 4 years ago when she was 10 years old. At that point her TSH was >100(greater than 100). I was told her hypothyroidism was due to hashi's and tested positive for the antibodies, but wasn't told the results of that. I know she is still so young and don't want to just be throwing out there the questions of surgery and worry her or it be something that wouldn't even be of help. My husband keeps throwing that out there asking if it is something that could help and had got me to thinking after our last visit. As a mother I hate seeing her go thru these things. I myself had the TPO Ab test and it was positive with the results something like 948 and normal was 40. But my TSH was in normal range so was just told to monitor it like yearly. I did find out this week my cousin on my dads side was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in her early teens(my aunt wasn't sure if due to hashi's/auto immune or not) and about 8 years ago thyroid cancer. She is around 38 now.


No one likes to see young people struggle w/health issues; especially the parents.

RAIU (radioactive uptake) could be useful here. Ultra-sounds do have their limitations.

Ultra-sound limitations http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=us-thyroid


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## darlisar (Aug 1, 2010)

I received a letter in the mail stating that my daughters TSH lab result were normal. This was ran this week when I took her for her swollen lymph nodes. So maybe not her thyroid that keeps causing her lymph nodes in neck area to swell???


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

darlisar said:


> I received a letter in the mail stating that my daughters TSH lab result were normal. This was ran this week when I took her for her swollen lymph nodes. So maybe not her thyroid that keeps causing her lymph nodes in neck area to swell???


What was her TSH?

Antibodies are what usually cause the lymph involvement. What antibodies' tests has your daughter had?

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/


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## darlisar (Aug 1, 2010)

The letter didn't state what the results actually were, just stated it was in the normal range. As far as which antibodies test, I'm assuming the TPOaB. But this was done 4 years ago. I wasn't told the name of the antibodies test,or the results, just that she tested positive for Hashi's. At this time, this was the first that I had heard anything about hashi's and thyroid problems.


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