# Yikes! Severe Thyroiditis Symptoms



## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

On October 25, 2013 I saw my endo, and he performed the usual blood tests (results in signature). My endo lowered my Tirosint on Nov 1 from 175 to 150 mcg because I was overmedicated.

I started my first dose on November 8. And wham! Within a couple of days I started having symptoms of thyroiditis. My neck was sore and I got shooting pains from my neck into my face. I always get thyroiditis on the right side. The left side is the most common for thyroiditis. Why does my body have to be sooooo odd?

My symptoms started mild and worsened within a matter of 24 hours. I called my endo at the first sign of symptoms. When I didn't hear anything back I called again and he called me. His two lines of thought are subacute thyroiditis or a rapidly growing cyst. I had subacute thyroiditis three times already, but it was never this bad.

I finally discovered through reading about it yesterday, that subacute thyroiditis causes pericarditis in some people. It is not a given that one will get it though. I did in 2005. Although the thyroiditis which caused it was painless.

My endo has scheduled blood tests and an ultrasound. Hopefully I'll get them done tomorrow. He also told me to take Ibuprofen, up to 1200 mg a day to relieve the pain and symptoms.

I am miserable. I have never been this sick with subacute thyroiditis. I have weakness, aches and pains throughout my body, a low grade fever, nausea, flu-like symptoms, heart palpitations, hair falling out like crazy, slight swelling in my thyroid gland on the right and now some on the left, lower area.

I got my flu shot last week and wondered if there was some correlation between that and the thyroiditis. Hopefully, it is just a coincidence.


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## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

Do you regularly get an annual flu shot? Many people don't know that there is mercury and aluminum and other bad for us things in it. (You can just search "flu shot ingredients" to see this. Therefore, it would not surprise me if it is related.


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## Ginav (Jun 7, 2013)

I recently read that anyone with autoimmune disease should NOT get any kind of vaccinations as it disturbs the immune system and can make things worse for us. I did get a flu shot this year also and wish I wouldn't have because I tend to think that has made me feel out of wack.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

thumper54 said:


> Do you regularly get an annual flu shot? Many people don't know that there is mercury and aluminum and other bad for us things in it. (You can just search "flu shot ingredients" to see this. Therefore, it would not surprise me if it is related.


Yes, every year around the first week of November.

I just read something about flu shots and those with TH2 antibody immune system symptoms. Recently, I have been plagued by allergies to foods and that is one of the symptoms they mention. It states that flu shots can subtly or dramatically worsen Hashimoto's and allergies.

I'm allergic to many antibiotics and that is why I get the flu shot every year.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

HI Prolixity - question -- I notice on your signature that you start with hypothyroidism - after that the list is long of the current probs. Did something occur in your life - stress or something - some kind of exposure, a surgery w/mesh, anything -- that may have triggered the hypo, and is "ALL" the other stuff related? Like, is it because of? Has the hypo caused any weight issues? Thanks, just wondering as I am a newer hypo person.

I hope you are feeling better soon!!!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

The blood tests and ultrasound are an excellent idea. In fact, it's critical that you get a baseline, IMHO.

As far as labs, the Total T3 is going to measure the combined amount of T3 in your body. Not so great as a diagnostic or ongoing monitoring tool. It would be much, much better to see a Free T3 number, along with TSH and Free T4 labs. Also, has any doc run the antibodies tests on you? You were diagnosed with Hashi's, but I do wonder how they came to this conclusion. The end-all, final answer is a biopsy, but most of us here were probably diagnosed by testing for TPO Antibodies and Thyroglobulin Antibodies. If you get a really knowledgeable or friendly doc, you should ask for Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (aka TSI, *not* the same as TSH) to check for Graves' or Hyperthyroidism, too.

With your heart issues, I'd ask for a referral to a good cardiologist, if you haven't seen one already. If there is a hyper component to this, it really bears investigating as to the root cause. Sure, Hashi's can cause some transient hyperthyroidism as our thyroids twist and turn, slowly shutting down, but I'd want to rule out hyperthyroidism of any kind. It's absolutely possible that the heart problems, mood / anxiety, fatigue, etc. could be tied in here.

And it seems as though something is happening here to trip your immune system and cause inflammation. None of this stuff happens in a vacuum. There is always a "why" component. It's possible the flu shot didn't help, either. (I know I got one this year and it knocked me out for a day or two.) And those food allergies you mentioned -- it's a good idea to look into getting tested for Celiac disease *and* gluten sensitivity (not the same thing). I wonder if it would be worth it getting a referral to a good allergist, too. Gotta look at the whole picture.

Something else to ponder is getting checked for other, related hormones. Such as: 24-hr. cortisol / adrenals, DHEA, testosterone, estrogen, and so forth. When one thing gets out of balance, the whole system gets out of whack. I don't know how good your endo is, but sometimes they can be too focused on numbers and quick office visits, instead of the patient (like many docs). You need somebody who can think outside of the box.

Hope you are feeling a little better today and you are absolutely, positively on the right path to finding answers and pieces to the puzzle! hugs3


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks for all the info, bigfoot.

I had thorough testing for other diseases in 2007 when I was hospitalized with perimyocarditis. They checked everything they could check because it was deemed a "rule out" for other causes. I had unusual symptoms with the atrial fibrillation. Everything was negative.

My endo has ordered repeat tests and will probably order the FT3 now that I have suspicious symptoms.

Back in October 2013, I had several "attacks" of what I thought was costochondritis. And then wham, I was overmedicated and had close to thyrotoxicosis symptoms. I had it on Mother's Day 2008, so I know what it's like.

I found an interesting website on goiter which I am reading:

http://endocrine.surgery.ucsf.edu/conditions--procedures/thyroid-nodules.aspx


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

Swimmer said:


> HI Prolixity - question -- I notice on your signature that you start with hypothyroidism - after that the list is long of the current probs. Did something occur in your life - stress or something - some kind of exposure, a surgery w/mesh, anything -- that may have triggered the hypo, and is "ALL" the other stuff related? Like, is it because of? Has the hypo caused any weight issues? Thanks, just wondering as I am a newer hypo person.
> 
> I hope you are feeling better soon!!!


I have huge weight issues and my hypothyroidism is unstable.

My major stressor occurred when I was a child. I witnessed several murders and that caused the PTSD.

My endo said that I suffered with hypothyroidism for 30 plus years before being diagnosed in 2003. I slowly gained weight over the years because of my completely out of whack thyroid.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

This Thanksgiving I'll have my turkey dinner with a tall glass of Malaise on the Rocks. :a1Thyroid: And a huge helping of hairy soup.

You know you've been through a subacute thyroiditis episode if you find head hair in your navel instead of navel lint. :lol:


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## burdette2004 (Oct 29, 2013)

On the vaccine topic, I have heard that children of parents with compromised immune systems shouldn't be vaccinated. I know all 4 of my children have had environmental allergies from birth. A sign of weak immune system ready. It is so hard to know what to do sometimes.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

Oh my&#8230; worsening symptoms today with an even higher fever and feels as if I am burning up. Before that I had the shaking chills and was freezing cold. I had a difficult time swallowing today, even tiny capsules, the smallest versions. Itching all over&#8230; ugh. Thyroid swollen on my right and hurting with later switching to the left and back again.

My ESR was 45 and the range is less than 30. So definitely an inflammatory problem. My ultrasound was normal. The lab forgot to take blood for repeating my thyroid tests. Oh well, I am sure my endo will repeat again.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Have you also had your flu shot yet or been checked to see if you have the flu? With the fever and chills, it might be a good idea.


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## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

Hi Jenny,

I had the flu shot.

I found a quite a few posts on other forums and another encyclopedia on thyroid disease which helped me further understand the symptoms of Subacute Thyroiditis or SAT.

Here are the symptoms and timeline:

An acute phase of pain and thyrotoxicosis may last up to 3 to 4 months. (My phase.)

Next is a transient phase for 1 to 2 months where the patient is euthyroid

Third phase is hypothyroidism, lasting 6 to 9 months.

Final recovery phase occurs after all aspects of thyroid function return to normal.

Symptoms:

Uncomfortable with flushing

Variable temperatures up to 40 degrees C/104 degrees F

Exquisitely tender, hard, ill-defined nodular or non-nodular thyroid with whole lobe or partial lobe or switching from lobe to lobe involvement.

Overlying skin is occasionally warm and erythematous

Cervical lymphadenopathy is rarely present

Mild to moderate illness in most patients

Some patients present with marked fever, severe thyrotoxicosis, and obstructive symptoms resulting from pronounced thyroid inflammation and edema.

Definitive diagnosis is an elevated ESR during the active/acute phase

Signs:

WBC mildly increased

Normochromic/normocytic anemia

Increases in ferritin

Increases in CRP during inflammatory phase

Elevated alkaline phosphatase and other hepatic enzymes

FT4 elevated

FT3 lower than normal

TSH lower to undetectable

When I had this before all these signs were present too. I did not have much of a fever then.

Antibodies are either absent or low


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