BECAUSE they mite, just mite, be all related. As for related to which/what? A big empty space is there as hindsight is a wonderful but useless tool.
In my case: Hypothyroid at menopause early on...ten years later on the osteo 'watch' with Fozamax-oids+ calcium and good diet [eating was never a problem]...ten years on disgustingly healthy [w/occasional hi cholesterol, but very very active-HEY! I craved red meat and carbs...I balance it but I'm not a wimp here]; occasional colds [always susceptable here and occasional UTI and fractures from falling off or around horses] . Almost 5 years ago get one doozy of a pneumonia, two months of anti-b's before an all clear, 2 months after that, starting numbness, one month after that HOSPITAL and 'neuropathy' diagnosis. Two docs, heaps of your recommended tests and a year after hospital-got a CIDP diagnosis. IVIG got me moving again, neurontin and I did not get along[the hallucinations were just part of that nitemare?] switching to other meds and PT got me moving almost normally. BUT last year early the 'lump' was found. This year early Hypto-t was changed to Hashi's... BASIC auto-I tests had been run...but...I have a clear history of varied family cancers and some thyroid issues in siblings and their kids. Now, IF any cancer tests had been run during my auto-i testing for blood and spinal and same for thyroid, at the time my CIDP had been determined..well, maybe, just maybe, some issues and personal deterioration could have been reduced. Just as, when my first neuro determined the 'ideopathic' PN...and had not persued testing further I might have gotten either prednisone short-term or IVIG at onset and be in total remission? I was the one to persue further testing. I sometimes feel, that as we begin, all of us, as a population, show more and more multiple things going wrong and that we are being treated in PARTS that the integration/interdisciplinary approach of us as WHOLE beings is/has gotten lost. It is going to be needed soon and we are proof of that.
Tho I cannot expect any specialist to KNOW the whole of other fields..I would like and have occasionally found professionals who are at least aware of these 'outside' issues and their impact on their specialties.
Thing is, for you and for me, each extra added 'problem' might be part of one basic problem.
In my case, the cancer as it could have started the whole immune-cascade reaction while dormant [I believe a 5-7 years before diagnosing the cancer?]
As the 'complications' or conditions start adding up... I'm well, learning more about blood tests for 'these other issues' than I really ever expected in my lifetime to know of! So, I ask you, the thyroid Plus kind of basic testing for antibodies and a similar cancer one at this point certainly couldn't hurt - as you are one to say [and, also one of my favorite docs]-just to get it off the list!
But what percentage of the populations have the combos we have? Probably not known, as it's all fractionalized. Scary thoughts tho.
As for all your issues, honestly it's good you put it out there, I've got to think on all that too. Wish me a stupidly lucky Ah-Ha! Moment for YOU? I sure hope so, good person!
My pneumonia came on after the almost total wettest year here ever [and my house has mold, tho not deemed deadly it's THERE]. Connections? Possible, provable? Likely not.
Gee, logic and sensibilities say one set of things...proof always is the perverse part, isn't it?
Pain free moments - truly! - j

dahlek--are you referring to antibodies like anti-Hu, Ro, etc? I had those in the early days of diagnosis. Also, I just had my colonoscopy, and always have my yearly mammo and PAP.

If there's something i was missing, please let me knw.