# newly diagnosed with hashimotos need advice



## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi all. I posted about a year ago to get tested for hashimotos. Well, just a brief history on myself. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 25 years ago, I'm 48. Every year thereafter, seems like they would have to increase it. About a year ago I was on 200 mcg of synthroid and had my lab done and my Tsh was 16. So they up'ed my dose to 225 mcg.

I don't have insurance, but finally got the antibody test for Hashi. I forget to get a copy of my labs but the two different antibodie test's were over the charts. Both over 1000.

I guess on antibody was supposed to be in the range of 0-35. Mine was over 1000
and the other antibody range was 0-40 and that one was over 1000

What I don't understand is that when I was on 200mcg my thyroid was low. They bump it up 25 mcg and know its hyperthyoid. UGH!!!!! Thanks for your ear. love, junebug


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Junebug17 said:


> Hi all. I posted about a year ago to get tested for hashimotos. Well, just a brief history on myself. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 25 years ago, I'm 48. Every year thereafter, seems like they would have to increase it. About a year ago I was on 200 mcg of synthroid and had my lab done and my Tsh was 16. So they up'ed my dose to 225 mcg.
> 
> I don't have insurance, but finally got the antibody test for Hashi. I forget to get a copy of my labs but the two different antibodie test's were over the charts. Both over 1000.
> 
> ...


Junebug...............if your TPO and Thyroglobulin Ab (are these the 2 you had?) are both that high, it would be a very wise move for you to get an ultra-sound. Of course, w/o insurance, that could be a problem. You are not alone in that.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1699-0463.1994.tb04888.x/abstract

There is a reason you are not responding to the thyroxine replacement. Are you eating a lot of soy products or other goitrogens?


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## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

Andros said:


> Junebug...............if your TPO and Thyroglobulin Ab (are these the 2 you had?) are both that high, it would be a very wise move for you to get an ultra-sound. Of course, w/o insurance, that could be a problem. You are not alone in that.
> 
> http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1699-0463.1994.tb04888.x/abstract
> 
> There is a reason you are not responding to the thyroxine replacement. Are you eating a lot of soy products or other goitrogens?


Hi andros. Yes those are the two test that were both over 1000. On monday, I going to get the labs and I'll be able to post them, but yes again, he showed me the two. TPO and Thyroglobin were both over the charts. What do you think. I know your not a doctor. I know two ultrasound techs who are friends of mine, I can have them take a look. I work tonight. I also work in radiology. Do you think that being around radiation for 16 years could have an effect on my thyroid? I do xrays and Cat scans. I also have a friend who does MRI's. Matter of fact, before my diagnosis last week, she did a cervical spine mri on me. One more thing, do you have to have a nodule on the thyroid for possible thyroid cancer? I'm really green and naive in this area. Hope these questions make sense. Thanks again. Love, Juneyexplode

PS/ I eat a lot of popcorn and sweets too. I quit smoking again two months ago so my diet has been not great:rolleyes:


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Junebug17 said:


> Hi andros. Yes those are the two test that were both over 1000. On monday, I going to get the labs and I'll be able to post them, but yes again, he showed me the two. TPO and Thyroglobin were both over the charts. What do you think. I know your not a doctor. I know two ultrasound techs who are friends of mine, I can have them take a look. I work tonight. I also work in radiology. Do you think that being around radiation for 16 years could have an effect on my thyroid? I do xrays and Cat scans. I also have a friend who does MRI's. Matter of fact, before my diagnosis last week, she did a cervical spine mri on me. One more thing, do you have to have a nodule on the thyroid for possible thyroid cancer? I'm really green and naive in this area. Hope these questions make sense. Thanks again. Love, Juneyexplode
> 
> PS/ I eat a lot of popcorn and sweets too. I quit smoking again two months ago so my diet has been not great:rolleyes:


I don't eat the sweets but I love my popcorn popped in olive oil. A great and very healthy diet aid.

You pose a good question there. Don't you have to wear the necessary protection? Now that is something that gives me pause and you too, evidently!

No, you don't always have to have a nodule on the thyroid but sometimes there is cervicle lymph involvement.

There is not a question in the world that does not make sense! LOL!! I just hope my input does!!


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Junebug17 said:


> What I don't understand is that when I was on 200mcg my thyroid was low. They bump it up 25 mcg and know its hyperthyoid. UGH!!!!! Thanks for your ear. love, junebug


It doesn't take much to push things over the edge. Perhaps the 225 mcg is a little too much and you would do better with 12.5 mcg (half of a 25 mcg) combined with your 200 mcg for a total of 212.5 mcg of levothyroxine. I know when I made the small jump from 88 mcg to 100 mcg it put me into hyper territory.

But like Andros mentioned, there has to be a reason for all of this. Either internal (autoimmune, etc.) or external (environment, etc.). They do give you lead vests to wear while working, right? Boy, I sure hope so!


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## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi all. I going today to get my lab work up and I'll post it later. I did however get an ultrasound. The tech (very experienced) said that my thyroid had abnormal cells and advised me to get a biopsy. I ask him if it was cancer, he said just to get it look at as soon as possible. He did take my images and compared it with a diseased thyroid (hashimotos). I wondering if he was just not telling me more? Anyways, I'm in the process of finding an insurance that will take me. Have to buy into it now. Thank god that they accept pre-exsisting conditions. Love, Juney:hugs:


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Well, I presume he saw a nodule. And, if that is the case, you simply cannot determine is a nodule is "just" a nodule (often found with Hashi's) or a cancerous nodule. You need a FNA to determine the difference.

You should, however, get a full u/s report, which might describe characteristics of the nodule. Again, it won't give you answers, but it could provide some pieces to the puzzle.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Junebug17 said:


> Hi all. I going today to get my lab work up and I'll post it later. I did however get an ultrasound. The tech (very experienced) said that my thyroid had abnormal cells and advised me to get a biopsy. I ask him if it was cancer, he said just to get it look at as soon as possible. He did take my images and compared it with a diseased thyroid (hashimotos). I wondering if he was just not telling me more? Anyways, I'm in the process of finding an insurance that will take me. Have to buy into it now. Thank god that they accept pre-exsisting conditions. Love, Juney:hugs:


Well; dang...................................thank God for friends in high places. Yes; you need to get FNA. That is the only way to know for sure.

I hate this for you but you know what? Early intervention is very very successful and at most you will be a little inconvienced for a time. Then you will get completely well.

We have a lot of folks here who have been through all this and I know they will be standing by to offer you support, information and share experiences.


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## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

i thought my labs were both over 1000

My labs

t4-1.9. normal .8-1.8 ng/dL
Thyroglobulin antibodies- 121. normal range under 20 iu/ml
thyroid peroxidase - over 1000 normal range under 35 iu/ml

love, juney.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yup, get that u/s report so we know what the nodules look like (specifically size) and then expect a FNA will follow.

(For reference, my TPO was over 700 and my cancer was in both lobes and metastized to three lymph nodes...said not to worry you but to make sure this issue is fully followed up upon.)


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## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

joplin1975 said:


> Yup, get that u/s report so we know what the nodules look like (specifically size) and then expect a FNA will follow.
> 
> (For reference, my TPO was over 700 and my cancer was in both lobes and metastized to three lymph nodes...said not to worry you but to make sure this issue is fully followed up upon.)


Sorry, but what is an FNA? love, juney:hugs:


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh, apologies!

FNA = fine needle aspiration. Essentially, it is a biopsy of the thyroid -- usually of the irregularities (nodules) of the thyroid.


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## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

I have another question. Do you have to have a nodule to have thyroid cancer? I don't think there was any nodules. Unsure? Hope that was not a stupid question. lol.hugs1


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Junebug17 said:


> I have another question. Do you have to have a nodule to have thyroid cancer? I don't think there was any nodules. Unsure? Hope that was not a stupid question. lol.hugs1


Not a stupid question at all! While some cancers are so small/new that they don't yet appear as a nodule, I would say that the vast majority of us post-cancer people had noticeable and/or pain-causing or discomfort-causing nodules that ended up being cancer. I guess one way to look at it is that if you don't have nodules, you most likely do not have cancer. If thyroid cancer is there for someone, it will eventually show up as a nodule/tumor.

But here's something interesting to think about...I wonder if any studies have been done to see if the cancer leads to (or becomes) a nodule more often, or if a nodule leads to cancer more often... hhhmmmm????? Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Right, I think most thyroid cancer shows up as nodules, but I don't know if *all* cancers have nodules.

Going back to square one, get a copy of the u/s report *as read by a radiologist* -- I have a great deal of respect for the various technicians that helps us out, but there are in no position to be doling out diagnostic information and "abnormal cells" is so vague...I would sincerely be surprised if you did not have a nodule.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Junebug17 said:


> i thought my labs were both over 1000
> 
> My labs
> 
> ...


Given the fact that you should have none of the above; it's still quite notable and should be of a concern.

T4 over the top. Interesting since this is Total 4 which is bound and unbound hormone.


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## Junebug17 (Apr 6, 2011)

Andros said:


> Given the fact that you should have none of the above; it's still quite notable and should be of a concern.
> 
> T4 over the top. Interesting since this is Total 4 which is bound and unbound hormone.


Hi Andros. I feel soooo naive about all of this. I was reading someones post about being so tired all the time. I'm just dragging constantly. I don't think I'll be getting insurance anytime soon
. So, I'm going to ask my friends at work for some help. I forgot to add one more lab test to the list

Tsh, 3rd generation with reflex to FT4 0.16 low (have no clue what this is)
normal 0.40-4.50

Andros I appreciate your help and will probably need a lot more in the future. Love, Junebug:hugs: :hugs:


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