Results of Pathology Report from Surgery...
 

Try Hashimoto's Thyroiditis... Aaahhhh. Another autoimmune diagnosis to deal with. Well, at least it was not cancer... I am thankful for that...

Someone should just come up with a special name for this stuff where you get autoimmune everything...

Oops... Not supposed to sign name... OK... I wonder how long I will remember that... :) :) :)

Scarlett

Well
 

My sweet darling it's not cancer,and boy,i mean girl i'm thrilled..My son
bless his spoiled young heart (12) sure went through a lot..Honest
I think the treatment took 7 yrs of his life....But d-m sugar your right
you still got something stinking...I think Shelley has that,the cutey pie
in L.A. Listen let's be glad no cancer,you would be sleeping,24 hrs.
a day,now only 23. heh heh!!!:hug::hug: Sue

I am so glad for you that its not that awful rotten word, that must be a big relief for you, i am sorry you have another issue to deal with but i take it that it can be treated ok with what ever hormone replacement they do ?
take care
Brian :)

Yup--
 

--makes sense; autoantibody positive hypothyroid conditions can cause irregular tissue formations (i.e, lumps, goiters) that might be taken for malignancy until there's a more detailed and up-close tissue examination.

My wife had recently been diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis--I called it early on, as nobody who is always cold, has dry skin/hair, a slowly rising TSH number, and who has gained 15 pounds in 18 months despite running 55-60 miles a week should go without a metabolic check-up. Antibodies were found in serum testing; fortunately a thyroid ultrasound appears "normal". She's now on 25mcg Synthroid each day and will be checked frequently for horomone levels and to see if said dose needs adjusting.

Autoimmune hypothyroidism is a pain--but much better than having a malignancy, of course, and it is treatable. What are they doing for you in that regard?

Thanks all!!! I don't know what they are going to do yet. I made an appointment with ANOTHER new Endocrinologist and have to see her next week. The one at our school probably would not be too happy with me, since I went outside the school for surgery. I really liked her though.

Meanwhile, the new doc's nurse mentioned thyroid storm... Now I have a name for what started right after surgery. Sweats, flushing, irritability, heart palpitations etc. It is much better now, but felt like menopause X2...

This new doc... A female and in her first practice. Anyone care to comment on this? More time with patient perhaps? too new? give her a try??? The third Endo I saw was a guy who could have used Patient Communication 101... He also said I did NOT have Hashimoto's...

Scarlett (?)

By the way, I was once diagnosed with Hashimoto's 15 years ago. It has taken until now to have this confirmed and only by reason of surgery results, despite having elevated thyroid autoantibodies... No one seemed swayed by the various symptoms I had developed over the years....

Whew! And thank goodness someone who has gone through this has done lots of work for you. Mary Shomon thyroid in Google search engine will get you loads of information.

rose

Scarlett
 

The doctor who did the surgery should be able to recommend an endocrinologist. I'm sure it's not the first case of Hashi's he's seen.

Glad you missed the big C. and we are glad to have you back.

Silverlady

Scarlett
 

most excellent news re: cancer - glad you don't have that to deal with. I know the Hashi's is another issue that can complicate matters but it's manageable - I've kept mine under wraps for >11yrs w/ 50ug of Synthroid daily. Billye's right the surgeon should certainly know of good endo's to recommend - after mine, the surgeon recommended the same endo I'd been seeing for several years so it worked out very well for me.
Again, I'm glad you don't have to deal w/ the big C and welcome back to the boards.

alkymst

Hi Cathie (Scarlett?) which is it? I wasnt aware we cant use personal names unless requested.

Anyway, I am so glad you dont have the worst diagnosis but find it incredible if you have had Hashimotos for 15 years and no one hooked on to it :eek:

I do hope you get some helpful treatment now so you can at last relax a lttle.

Best wishes

Tony (its much nicer at the end of a post than Adastra!!)

Thanks for the suggestion Billye. I did ask the surgeon, who in fact referred me to someone with a really excellent reputation for being good and extremely thorough. I tried to make an appointment before with this referral, begging even to the point where the doctor herself got on the phone and still said no, no, no-she only takes people up to a certain age and I have managed to pass that...

Don't ask... I have had to quit telling people how ancient I am... :) It is really hard to remember when I could hardly wait to hit 21... :)
Cathie

P.S. to Tony:

Curious PM'd me that we can use our own names, it is up to the individual, so I will go back to posting using my own name...

I was just told about 3-4 months ago, that I did not have Hashimoto's... How is one supposed to know what to believe? It is a little hard though to argue with a pathology report...

Cathie

Cathie I am really very relieved and not surprised. pm'ing you the rest.

Cathie, having gone up and down
 

the 'thyroid' scale, and now finding that I've the Hashi's, I find myself really relieved! I just kick myself that my docs didn't catch it sooner, as I think they should have. I don't think it changes my meds, suppelements and what all much other than the calciums and D's and magnesiums [Thank you Mrs D and Rose!] But once you get on the right meds for YOU, I expect to see some bits of your life better!
That you don't have Cancers as well is, in my book, an absolute BONUS!
As for finding a good endo? That's a hard one...sometimes it's luck, other times deliberate accident....I simply called all my docs that I'd had at the time [about 8-9?] about my cancer stuff, then did a repeat for the endo. I'd always get 3-5 names and I'd zero in on the ones that had lots of overlap. All the creds were good on all these docs, mind you, but it was the docs who said THEY would 'probably go to' that were the selling points.
Go, and celebrate? Have a barbeque this weekend and laugh with friends and all that stuff. You deserve it! - j

Let me see if I understand this--
 

--you've had elevated antibodies on testing before, and the endos did not think, despite the symptomology, that you had some variety of hypothyroidism? (What DID they think?)

From what I know, even if symptoms are minor, the autoantiboides are a gold standard, and an indication for treatment under present thinking even if TSH is (in the high end of) normal and T3/T4 are still within range--the thinking is this will help revent full-blown hypothyroid in the future.

The Internist said my testing was normal, but I don't think I have copies of the latest testing that was done early this year, I will look. I need to put these in order of testing date, so that the new Endo can get a better handle on what has transpired...

Also, I wonder what effect the Prednisone may have had on all of this, considering Hashimoto's is an inflammatory problem. Originally, back in the 90's, I remember the thyroid antibodies were elevated, but not nearly as much as they were when I was tested earlier this year, probably when I was in the middle of reducing steroid dosage... (Decrease in Prednisone probably means increase in autoantibodies.)

I had to laugh when I saw your mood today, Glenn. I don't have my glasses on and I thought it said "darling." :) :) :)

Cathie

That's wonderful news! Anything has to be better than cancer! :hug:

I'm so glad its not cancer but sorry you have another issue. As for the newer doc. I have had issues with this too. I guess what I chose was for certain things a newer doc was ok but if I had a surgery I would want one who preformed many and was nown for thir success. I'm sure its hard for new docs. I actually went to a doc that was highly regarded and in his practice he had a good doc and when he was gone I saw him. I really liked the newer one. He spent time and explained where is the other one is in and out in a minute but still if I had something major I would see in the in and out one that is known for his surgery. I could be wrong. Sending hugs and I hope this turns out to be something easy to deal with. You deserve a break.