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New and terrified! Cancer? Auto-immune thyroid issues?

Hello, I am new here.  I have had hypothyroid issues for years.  I am a registered dietitian - exercise regularly and eat well but can only lose weight by extreme calorie restriction.  I have pretty much given up on weight loss and have to just work really hard to maintain my weight.  Have issues with edema (have for years).  I am always tired.  I am moody.  High anxiety and depression.  The last year or so I started suffering from night sweats (I thought it was menopause).  TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 have always been in normal range.  

Four days ago I went to the doctor for a basic exam.  She checked my thyroid and it felt fine.  Saturday evening I noticed a lump on my neck.  I thought it was the muscle at first.  Sunday I checked again and the lump was about twice the size it was on Saturday.  Monday I went to the doctor - lump even larger.  Doctor said it feels like it is on my thyroid.  She stated she felt nothing on Friday (and neither did I - I have a habit of rubbing my neck out of nervousness and didn't feel anything until Saturday.)  The "growth" is on the left side of my thyroid, not my right.  We have an u/s scheduled for next Monday (6 days away - because Thanksgiving is this week no place could get me in sooner.)

With that, she ran some thyroid tests.  Again - TSH, Free T3 and T4 are in the normal range, but Thyroid Microsomal antibody was over 800 (normal range listed is <5.61),  Thyroglobulin is 49.93 (normal range 1.5-50) and thyroglobulin antibody 25.8 (normal range <4).

Family hx of eight year old daughter with Graves' disease and grandmother with benign thyroid mass requiring thyroid removal.

I do know there really aren't going to be answers until after the u/s on Monday to see what this "lump" is on my thyroid - enlarged thyroid or mass/cyst, but I am just going crazy thinking I have this fast growing aggressive thyroid cancer.  

Can you have autoimmune hypothyroidism with normal regular thyroid labs?  Can "lump" on the once side of the thyroid be something benign?  The labs make me think Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but the fast growing "lump" makes me worry about it being cancer.  I swear neither I nor my doctor felt anything on Friday, but Saturday evening it was there and I swear it is getting bigger by the day (but I could be paranoid and just thinking it is getting bigger.)  Would love any advice/ideas/stories from others who had something similar.  
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231441 tn?1333892766
Most thyroid nodules are benign.  

The fact that your lump has come up so quickly could possibly point to an inflammatory process or even a lymph node infection.   Cancer can not grow that fast.
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Avatar universal
Your TPO ab and Tg ab tests indicate primary hypothyroidism from Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  With Hashi's the autoimmune system erroneously identifies the thyroid gland as foreign to the body and produces antibodies to attack and eventually destroy the gland.  As this proceeds, the output from the gland is diminished and serum Free T4 and Free T3 levels decrease, which TSH rises as the pituitary gland tries to stimulate more thyroid hormone output.  

Obviously your other lab results don't seem consistent with that scenario, especially the TSH result.  It may be that your Hashi's has proceeded to the point that a nodule has formed on your thyroid gland. due to inflammation from over stimulation.  Such nodules can leak thyroid hormone faster than would normally occur, resulting in increased levels of thyroid hormone.  With Hashi's and nodules, this can cause a cycle of hypo to hyper and back.  I think that a nodule is the likely cause of your current lab test results, and nodules are frequently felt as a lump in the gland, but as you said you really won't know for sure until you get the ultrasound.    

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Thank you Gimel.  Like I said - I am just thinking worse case scenario at this moment.  What you said made me feel better.  I nodules can be benign. . .
Avatar universal
TSH ( normal0.35 - 4.94 UIU/ML) Mine: 0.52
Free T4 (normal 0.70 - 1.48 NG/DL)  Mine:1.07
T3 TOTAL (normal 0.58 - 1.59 NG/ML)  Mine:1.41

And again:  Thyroid Microsomal antibody was over 800 (normal range listed is <5.61),  Thyroglobulin is 49.93 (normal range 1.5-50) and thyroglobulin antibody 25.8 (normal range <4).
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Avatar universal
There is much to be discussed, but first please post your thyroid test results and reference ranges for Free T3 and Free T4.  
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