Who are you with THYROID???

[stella5349]

As a refresher for members and an invitation to ALL -

How did you come to the thyroid board here at Med Help?  Let us know what conditions you have and what you went through so far.

Do you have a parathyroid disorder? Do you - or did you - have cancer and have had your thyroid removed? Are you autoimmune and struggling?

So many - visit here and a thread like this is so important to know what's up.

We as Leaders and members would like to know what has brought you to this board so we and others can direct you to the best resources available.

Thanks and Happy Health!

NikkiP/Stella

[skeeterknitwit]

I stumbled on this board while looking for answers.  A random blood test showed I was severly hyperthyroid, but I had no symptoms.  Is there any other part of the body that Drs. feel the need to kill because it is working too well?  Several months later, I began having symptoms of T3 toxicosis.  I was finally diagnosed with toxic adenoma by a process of elimination.  Not Hashi's, not Graves', not multinodular goiter, so it must be a big hot nodule.  I had RAI 12/08, finally went hypo 3/09.  I'm doing well on low dose Levoxyl.  So I guess the RAI killed the nodule, but not the suppressed thyroid tissue and it has started working again.
To all members  - Thank you!  You have been a lifeline for me to hang onto!

[pep88]

I guess now I'll always be described as "hypothroid".  But I don't like that term... not even one little bit!  I have NO thyroid and it's very different (at least in my estimation).  My thyroid happened to have cancer and I had to let go of it.  I let a surgeon cut it out.  It was an accidental dx and a quick thyroidectomy with little complication.  

I barely even have a scar.  And it's easier to forget that way.  I choose not to dwell on the cancer or its treatment.  I'm clean and that's that.  A speed bump at best.  I don't even like to acknowledge that it truely is a reality on a medical form...  And if pressed, (in real life...) I'm uncomfortable with it, but I'll talk about it... Especially if I like you.

But don't call me hypothroid, because I'm not.  I'm thyroid-less.  And I think there's a major difference.  I'd finally call me "stable" on meds now, but it was a long journey.  And there's no book about living without a thyroid.  I know of several here on the board and others in my life that have gotten on meds and "hopped" (pardon the Easter pun) away very happily with little or no adjustment to those meds...  Regretfully, I was not one of those.  I spent over a year switching from dosage to dosage, med to med, looking for the correct one for me.  I've been to H-E-double toothpicks and back, and have come out on the other side.  FINALLY!

I check in here once in a while to see if I can help someone else, give a few words of comfort, and maybe remember, in even just a small way, how lucky I am.

Because here I found real help and answers to questions I found too silly or scary for me to write (out loud) about.  But others did.  And it really helped me when I really needed it.

I thank all of you for that.

[bhoysbabe]

I found this site after doing a search on symptoms I had been having for ages
and very very glad I did as truly thought I was losing it!
Docs had told me it was basically depression that was the problem though
now been told have T3 toxicosis? (am I right that this is hyper?) I have hypo
symptoms and last test came back with antibodies elevated, I see endo next
week and am hoping to be put on some form of meds as still not had anything
despite being hospitalised 2wks ago thinking I was having a heart attack.

This site has been great and everyone friendly.

Thanks again

[BB8911]

I came to this site by accident when trying to find information on thyroid nodules.  I was told I had to have a FNA on one of 2 nodules I have. Which scared the heck out of me. Just reading some of the post from others that had already gone through the process helped calm me down and to know what questions I should ask at the time.  I don't do a lot of postings, but I come on here everyday to learn!!  Thanks to all of you!

BB8911

[KB1205]

This site has been a wonderful source of information, thank you!
I came across the site when trying to find information about the link between adrenals and thyroid. I have had symptoms of Hypothyroidism from childhood and have a family history of both Hashimotos and Graves. Even with the family history of thyroid disease
(of the 5 female children of both my grans all five have thyroid disease, and of their children 3 of us have been tested and have thyroid disease) I have been battling to get treatment by doctors. I live in South Africa and the laboratories have only recently revised the reference ranges to 0.4 - 4.0 uIU/ml. My biggest frustration is with doctors,
my doctor barely even glanced at my tests, only looked at reference ranges - if the lab said its high or low he discussed it with me. He didn't look at what was in the high limit or low limit, didn't ask how far I was in my cycle ... O.K enough ranting. The strange thing about the reference ranges is that if you are hyper you get treatment straight away but if you are hypo you have to be over 5 for them to treat, another interesting tidbit is that Hypothyroidism is considered as a chronic disease and has to be treated as such according to our medical aids... yet here I sit can't see an endocrinologist without a doctor referral and the doctor won't treat even though I have High Thyroid Antimicrosomal Antibodies because my reference range has dropped to 2.76 (which I think is because of my adrenals) ... All I can do is sit and wait for that sunny day when a doctor takes my problems seriously.

[mtgoat911]

diagnoses with hypo after chemo, i thought i would get better after i stopped the meds, but i am still having to take eletroxin and i feel horrible and tired all the time, i was on another medhelp forum for another problem, i will read threads over here, but i never post, i am still learning about this illness, i do not have much experience to share