I first noticed that something was wrong when my hair suddenly began falling out in large clumps leaving bald spots all over my head. I also had been feeling extremely tired to the point that it was affecting my everyday life as well as my job. I just chalked it up to being a busy mother of 5 including a set of 9 month old twins, that would wear anyone out right? I began to think that maybe the hair loss was due to stress as well, but I decided to make an appointment with my doctor to be safe. I went to the doctor and answered some questions and had some blood work done. Within a few hours of leaving the office they called me with my results. First of all, my iron was low and I was being started on iron pills, no big deal. But then she said "you're thyroid test was abnormal.......very abnormal actually". She had already set me up with an appointment to have a thyroid scan and uptake and told me to come in and have more bloodwork done. I noticed the screen at the end of my thyroid uptake read "thyroid uptake at 25 hours 1.3%". Other than that I was never told any of the results of any of my tests in numbers. When the results from all of the tests and bloodwork came in they called me for an appointment. My doctor told me that I had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. She really didn't explain much about it except that it is an autoimmune disorder and that it would result in the eventual break down of my thyroid. She also said that for some reason my thyroid is now OVERactive instead of underactive. So she wrote me a prescription for Tapazole which is a medication to treat hyperthyroidism. I was also set up with an appointment to see an Endocrinologist, but the appointment was a month away. Anytime my husband and i would ask any questions she would tell us that that is all she could say and to let her know what the Endocrinologist says. I was confused by my thyroid being overactive because I know that Hashimoto's results in underactive. It wasn't until I came home and did some research on the internet that I fould out that this does sometimes happen and why. I also found out that sometimes the thyroid is overactive and sometimes it is underactive as a way of wearing it's self out. So I had a major concern with taking the prescribed medication. If I am on medication to slow my thyroid down, wouldn't it be harmful if I take it when it is already underactive? She said she was prescribing it just so that I would be on something in the meantime before I saw the Endocrinologist. Another concern of mine was with the thyroid uptake, isn't 1.3% low?? I took the medication for a while, but I did end up stopping. Even now after stopping the medication I have symptoms of hypothyroidism. I am gainig a lot of weight in a short amount of time and eventhough I am beginning to regrow hair, I am also losing more every day. Are there any underlying conditions I should be concerned with? My doctor acted as though there could be something else wrong in connection with the Hashimoto's. As a matter of fact she said that she is curious to see what the Endocrinologist finds. Since all of that I have also developed a swollen lymph node in my neck. I noticed it while I was at work one night. My neck became sore and upon feeling it I noticed the swollen node. That has been several days ago and it is still there, but the pain has subsided. Although I found it by feeling my neck, you can also see it. I have had a cold, so that is probably the reason for it, but I can't help but wonder if it may be connected because of my other concerns. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I don't go to the Endocrinologist until June 5th so I am a nervous wreck right now. What can I expect at my appointment?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Pam

Hi there...I am sorry you are so upset by all this. It is hard to deal with a challenge to one's health. I am also Hashimoto's, and I identify with your feelings at diagnosis.

Anyway, I can't comment on all your questions, but I will try to tackle a few and hope some others will come along and help with the rest. The thyroid uptake test is a test that is used to calculate other thyroid levels, and it is inverse to what it shows--in other words, if you are hypothyroid, the test will show a high % and if you are hyperthyroid, the test will show a low %. So, that is why you have a 1.3% on that one.

About the Tapazole, I am not an expert on the hyper side of things, but I do know that there are some very serious health risks to being hyper and you might want to rely more on the blood tests than how you feel to decide whether or not you are going to take the meds as prescribed by your doctor. Some symptoms of hyper are very close to hypo symptoms. Also, you can't really be hyperthyroid and hypothyroid at the same time, biochemically. So, if your doctor thinks you need the Tapazole that means you are hyper right now, Hashimoto's notwithstanding. I hope that makes sense, I am having trouble finding the right words. :) On the other hand, it may not hurt anything to stay unmedicated until your appt. with the endo. I don't know...Hyper people, chime in!!! :)

About the other health concerns your doctor may have alluded to, he/she may have thought there was a nodule or small goiter and not trusted his/her own assessment and wanted to hear what the endo said about that. I am sure there are other things, but that is a pretty common thing.