# Newbie with anxiety over enlarged thyroid



## carolinala (Dec 17, 2014)

Hi all, I am feeling really concerned over my enlarged thyroid and am new to thyroid issues in general.

A few months ago I asked my doctor to check my thyroid levels since hypo and hashi's run in my family. Mother, aunts, and grandmother all have it. I only had the TSH done which I now realize doesn't tell you anything. A few weeks later my chiropractor noticed my thyroid is enlarged. I went back to my doctor and he checked it and confirmed that yes, it is enlarged. He couldn't feel any palpable lumps, but ordered me an ultrasound. My ultrasound is a few weeks away but I can't stop thinking about cancer. Silly anxiety!

My doctor isn't taking my hypo or hashi concerns seriously since I am thin as a rail and don't have issues around weight. My main symptoms are terrible anxiety, depression, brain fog, low energy, and very low ferritin levels.

The rational part of me knows I shouldn't panic and that my enlarged thyroid is most likely due to my family history of thyroid issues, but the anxious part of me can't stop worrying about it.

How common are enlarged thyroids?

Any tips on getting my doctor to order more tests? He insists that TSH is enough. Mine is apparently on the low end of normal.


----------



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Honestly, I would ditch the doctor and find a new one. Any doctor who relies only on TSH and thinks you don't have thyroid problems because you're thin doesn't know what he's doing. I would keep the ultrasound appointment but start looking for a new doc right now.


----------



## carolinala (Dec 17, 2014)

I wish it was that easy to find a new doc. I live in Canada and waited years to finally get a doctor. It is so hard to get a new doctor as all of them have massive waiting lists. If I want to see an endo I have to get a referral from my gp.

We will be getting a better insurance plan through my husbands work at the first of the year so I am planning on working with a naturopath who will order all the necessary tests for me.


----------



## Vogel (Nov 2, 2014)

I am like you - hypo/hashi but not overweight. This occurs because your thyroid controls metabolism - the ability to digest food into usable energy for your cells. You can be thin with thyroid problems because your body isn't digesting properly, not absorbing nutrients. Even for those of us who gain weight, they are usually malnourished.

In any case, it sounds like he needs to run more tests. Vitamin D, B12, Free T3, Free T4, etc. and check for the antibodies. Be honest with him. Tell him he is the worst doctor in existence to ignore a clear family history of autoimmune thyroid disorders and you don't appreciate him brushing off your symptoms.

My thyroid is currently enlarged and I have a nodule that is too small to biopsy. I am like you, worried about cancer, but my thyroid is very hard and just about equally enlarged on both sides. This is typical with Hashimoto's as well as developing nodules. Try not to worry. I know it is hard and I was absolutely freaking out a month ago. Thyroid cancer is highly treatable... so just take a big deep breath and accept the things you can't change, but always stand up for yourself because it's your life, not anyone else's.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

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://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid-antibodies/tab/test
(Copy and paste into your browser)

SUGGESTED TESTS
TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin and 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/
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583
(Copy and paste into your browser)

And add in an ultra-sound of your thyroid. Having a "baseline" is good and ruling out cancer is good!

Well; you could be hyperthyroid also. Only further tests will tell. You could have a high TSH due to binding and blocking antibodies to the stimulating antibodies. It's a full out war.

Listed above are some tests and I am glad you are getting an ultra-sound. Be sure you get a copy of the read out so you can tell us what they found.

Welcome to the board.


----------



## Redcattoo (Dec 16, 2014)

carolinala said:


> Hi all, I am feeling really concerned over my enlarged thyroid and am new to thyroid issues in general.
> 
> A few months ago I asked my doctor to check my thyroid levels since hypo and hashi's run in my family. Mother, aunts, and grandmother all have it. I only had the TSH done which I now realize doesn't tell you anything. A few weeks later my chiropractor noticed my thyroid is enlarged. I went back to my doctor and he checked it and confirmed that yes, it is enlarged. He couldn't feel any palpable lumps, but ordered me an ultrasound. My ultrasound is a few weeks away but I can't stop thinking about cancer. Silly anxiety!
> 
> ...


Just want to say hello. I have no sound advice to give as I am still on my journey for answers on my hypo/Hashi issue. I know I have had 2-3 ultrasounds and that the issues noted didn't raise concerns from a cancer standpoint. I think it is common to have nodules with Hashis? I don't remember why Dr wasn't concerned about the various spots noted in my ultrasounds. I also remember being told along the way it is common at early Hashi stages to go from hypo to hyper as your immune system kills off parts of your thyroid. Something about the process of attack sending large quantities of thyroid into your system as the immune system is killing the thyroid? This is all vague memory items from my journey though because looking back there was a period of time I thought I might be manic depressive as I would swing from wonderful energetic highs to non-energetic dull lows, now I am just more a dull low. Dr thinks for the most part Hashis has basically killed my whole thyroid at this point in my early 40's.

Good luck on your journey may you find answers that make you feel healthy. I would insist though on more than just TSH tests and I would keep your records (I have been bad in the past 15+ years keeping a record) so you have data points to look at. Even if your current Dr chooses not to use them, it can help with future Drs if your journey goes further and your current Dr doesn't get you feeling better.


----------



## b1791 (Dec 3, 2014)

m also in Canada so I know how slow the medical system can be. I was on a waitlist for an ultrasound and then found out that I could visit a private ultrasound lab and have it billed to the provincial medical system. I got my appointment in a week instead of waiting months to get it at the hospital. Also, I'm not sure which province you're in but even if your doctor orders more than just a tsh test the provincial medical might deny it. Happened to me twice this month.


----------

