# Tg/lung nodules



## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Hi all, almost 7 years out in Feb. This forum was so helpful and supportive in the beginning of this journey. Two surgeries, two rounds of radiation. Up until this point my tg has been less than 1, but new labs now say less than 2. I know this seems minimal, but I've never had a change so I'm concerned. Here's some icing, what do you think, nodules have been found in my lungs. Working with a lung doc, they are very small and cavitated, which he says is not indicative of cancer. He says they are too small to biopsy so he will keep monitoring by ct. Through blood work he cannot find any potential cause. I have not informed endo yet, I guess there is a worry my tg has gone up slightly because the potential this is thyroid cancer spread to lungs. My head is spinning with worry. Here's some more icing, lol, my intern viewed my labs in September and thought Westhroid may be better. No clue why I agreed. She just did labs, that's how I saw tg, and tsh is 38!!! I'm so mad at her and me. I told her I was jumping back on 250 Synthroid ASAP which by the way at that dose did not make me hyper thus she thought maybe the switch could work. In 6 weeks I'm going to hit endo with new labs, no more intern! What a monumental screw up, no wonder I have felt lousy!! Any thoughts on tg slight increase/lung nodules? Or, maybe tg went up because I'm so hypo?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

So just to be clear, you were on Westhroid when you tg went up? Westhroid and other NDTs have tg in them. Some people digest it (for lack of better term) but for others, it causes tg increases. I'd be interested to see you tg after you went back on synthroid.

What kind of thyroid cancer did you have and why did you have a second radiation? Did they test tgAB, too?


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Test in 6 weeks, will be nice to see if tg drops minus the Westhroid, thank you for the information. I'll go see if they tgAB tested with last labs. Papillary, first surgery removal, second about 25 nodes, 9 cancer. Ignored tumor for years unfortunately, surgeon said it was golf ball size, so perhaps waiting didn't help the spread to nodes. Radiation after both surgeries. Thanks again for information!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Your TSH should be kept suppressed. It would be my recommendation that you take Armour instead of Synthroid.

Also, one should have a lot titer of Tg and the healthy person does not have any Tg Ab.

By this time, you should have been way out of hypo land. Does your doctor check your FREE T3?

Keep us in the loop; we care!

Hugs,


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

I've been way out of hypo land for years, however for a couple years these endos want me in the very low normal range now, and I've been complaining I'm not quite myself. Saw my internist for something different, she saw the number was not quite hyper, actually think it was 1, and she said hey want to try this instead. I drank the kool-aid, and 3 months later I'm super hypo. Tg has been been good so far, with this one point increase, and tgAB is always tested and good, as it was this last go around, I checked. I think there is a strong possibility the Westhroid caused the one point increase in tg like the other poster suggested - I sure hope so.

Can you tell me this, if tsh is high now, why is t4 direct low? Does this correlate properly? T3 was not tested, should I say test for that too always? I believe my old endo was testing that, now this newish one seems not to be. Ugh. Thanks.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yes, if you have high TSH, you would expect either low t4 or low t4 and low t3.

Free t3 should be tested to dial in any meds, but if you are doing ANY t3 meds (NDT or cytomel), you really need to test it b/c TSH will be really low, t4 will be really low so the best way to monitor is with free t3.


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Ok, got it.  I'm guessing new endo dumped T3 testing when I was taken off the Cytomel and pushed up on only Synthroid.


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Are you all kept hyper still, or low normal? There seems to be an argument where you need to be kept at so many years out from removal.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I'm kept low normal (0.3-0.8, usually aim for 0.5). There isn't much evidence to support being kept very hyper unless you have recurrence or, for someone in your case, nodules in lungs, kidneys, etc.


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

I'll keep that in mind. Of course I'm hoping nodules are completely unrelated, the wait and see continues.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I meant to ask...did they do a full body scan after the surgeries or at any time when they were monitoring you?


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Yes, a few. Last one was 9/14, teeny dose of rai first, and also was "hypo" with Thyrogen and tg remained undetectable. Scan all good too. I'm probably reaching with the nodule/thyroid connection, but hey once you have the big C, there's always a concern, then throw in the lungs, and it's unnerving. Even if no connection, given I'm thyroid free, there's no way being so hypo is remotely good for me.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Well that's really good news! I could appreciate why you'd be concerned - I think that's perfectly normal and very responsible. And, nope, being hypo is not good at all.


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Thanks again for the info on Westhroid, seems like a very likely scenario for slight tg increase, which I was unaware of prior. Glad I popped back on!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Understanding the Thyroid: Why You Should Check Your Free T3
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/understanding-thyroid-why-you-should-check-your-free-t3
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm
(Copy and paste into your browser)

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.

We are glad you did too!! Bless your heart!

Let us know how your Free T3 is. You are going to have to find a doctor who understands the importance of this test.


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## ginger3698 (Dec 19, 2015)

Getting docs to listen is the key. I've been told so much garbage over last 7 years. My old endo dropped me so far down on the Synthroid and Cytomel, I became hypo, was at 14, and so I jumped ship. She also told me she was "tired too" like me. One endo said after increasing meds "we'll see if you are just eating too much." I complained about weight gain with first endo also, and he said eat 900 calories a day. Bad advice dummy, but the point was I probably wasn't even eating that much and the lbs were flying on. New guy does seem better, but I appreciate the articles and will throw a tantrum if they don't do these tests, or find a new endo, lol. I honestly feel like some of these docs act like you are asking them to prescribe crack when you ask for a slight bump up to make you feel better, and need to close their mouths, open ears, and test more than just tsh.


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