What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You About Hyperthyroid and Hypothyroid
Thyroid disease is one of those illnesses that hardly anybody thinks about—until they find themselves suffering from it. You never see it being talked about on TV or in magazines. In fact, the only time I'd ever heard of it before I was diagnosed was when someone was talking about not being able to lose weight. Because of this experience, I assumed that thyroid issues were insignificant and easy to control. I thought that once medication kicked in, it could easily be forgotten.
I couldn't have been more wrong. I discovered that suffering from an overactive thyroid was hell. Not only that, but the side effects of the medication, along with the way the thyroid can swing so easily from overactive to underactive, were even worse.
Take it from me, being diagnosed with a thyroid problem is not easy. In fact, it can take over a year to get your body balanced and back to normal again—and even then, it is something you must keep your eye on every day.
Common Symptoms of a Thyroid Problem
Hyperthyroid (Overactive)
| Hypothyroid (Underactive)
|
|---|---|
weight loss
| weight gain
|
fast heartbeat
| sluggishness
|
shaky hands
| hair loss
|
poor skin elasticity
| poor skin elasticity
|
shortness of breath
| constipation
|
stomach problems
| stomach problems
|
racing thoughts
| slow throught process
|
inability to sleep
| inability to sleep
|
panic attacks
| panic attacks
|
goitre (swelling of the neck)
| swelling
|
heavy menstruation
| slow or stopped menstruation
|
joint pain and muscle aches
| depression
|
night sweats
| difficulty concentrating
|
sleep paralysis
| nightmares
|
altered vision like afterglow
| blurry vision
|
The First Signs of Hyperthyroid
An overactive thyroid can start to show up in quite a few ways. In fact, you may feel really healthy as it can speed up your motor functions and make you rush around feeling full of energy. The trouble starts when you notice that you have lost a lot of weight, your vision is off, and your hands start to shake.
This is caused by the thyroid gland in your neck producing too much of the thyroid hormone. It is a bit like the fight or flight stimulation caused by stress. And the really bad thing is that it can cause your heart to work too fast.
When I was diagnosed with Graves' disease, another word for hyperthyroidism, I was told in no uncertain terms to go home, sit down, and stay put until the prescribed tablets kick in. Why? Because if I had an accident and needed surgery, it could kill me! Not such an easygoing illness now, is it?
The Danger of Misdiagnosing Hypothyroid
On the other end of the scale, hypothyroidism is when you haven’t got enough of the hormone in your body. According to doctors, this is much easier to control and sort out than if it's too high. That’s all very well, but once again, doctors do not know how you personally feel. A low thyroid can be a very scary thing.
Why? Because bluntly speaking, it can make you feel like an idiot. Harsh? Sorry, but it’s the truth. A low thyroid is frightening because unless you have someone who knows how to recognise the state you are in, then basically you can go downhill fast. I don’t mean to frighten you, but it’s the truth.
According to the book that I've read on the subject, there was a young girl who kept going to the doctor because she said she was ill. He diagnosed her with depression and gave her tablets. The situation got worse, but the doctor still said it was depression, and never looked for anything else. The young girl ended up in a coma and nearly died because the doctor had misdiagnosed her! True story!
Why did that happen? Easy—the symptoms are very similar to depression. And the worse thing about it is, when your thyroid hormone is too low, you cannot think! Your brain feels woolly and numb. Even looking at something will take you ages to figure out, purely because your mind is working too slowly. Your eyes see, but your mind does not connect.
How the hell are you going to look after yourself if the doctors misdiagnosis you?! Trust me on this, it happened to me! The reason why it happened in my case was that the stupid doctors knew it was too high, so they gave me tablets and the radiation tablet, and sent me home. Not one of them said to come back in a month.
So, without thinking, I carried on taking them. My face filled with water pockets, I couldn’t recognise myself as my face was so swollen, and my mind felt as though it was full of wool. Eventually, and luckily for me, I looked in a mirror and realised that something was wrong. Just that one little voice in my head saved me.
I went back to the doctors, and he said, your thyroid is dangerously low! And quickly changed my tablets! The stupid doctors, the specialist and all of them put together never said anything about this! The fact is, they didn’t know! They presumed that I would figure it out! How the hell could I figure it out when I couldn’t think?
So please, please get a book, read all about the symptoms, what happens when you are too high, and check to make sure you are not too low and so on.
Do it before your mind decides to pack up on you. Trust me; nobody else will help. And before you say, well, my friends will tell me. Or my partner will see. NO! Two points on this one. First, friends are too polite to say, hey, you look ill, anorexic, shaky, etc. And secondly, your partner simply will not notice! It's true. It's such a subtle thing; it's very hard to spot.
Thyroid Complications
Menstruation
One of the most distressing side effects of thyroid disease has to be the slowing or stopping of menstruation. Even after medication, some women take months or even years to experience a normal cycle—and sadly, a few never see another period. Doctors have been known to blame this on early menopause, but that is debatable. If this has happened to you, make sure you get a second opinion and keep talking to your GP to find out exactly what is happening.
Hyperthyroid can make your periods much heavier, but strangely enough, it may also stop your periods—confusing stuff! Since hyperthyroidism makes everything go faster in your body, you would think that it would make your periods heavier. This is what happened to me. I would use up to two boxes of menstrual products a day when my thyroid was high. However, there are women who have commented on this article that have had hyperthyroidism stop their periods.
Additionally, both hypo and hyperthyroid can cause something called precocious puberty. This appears in children younger than ten years old who start their periods way before the right time.
I think the main point to be learned here is that both over and underactive thyroid disease have overlapping symptoms, and I think this is where the confusion stems from. If you are diagnosed with Graves' disease, it literally means that you have both hypo and hyperthyroid problems. I always like it to a seesaw—it goes up and down until you can balance it in the middle.
If you are experiencing menstrual complications, make sure your GP schedules you an appointment with a thyroid specialist. This is really important. Do not let the doctor fob you off with their opinion! You must see someone who specializes in this field.
Thyroid Eye Disease
Thyroid eye disease is another complication. Your eyes will look puffy or strange, and your eyesight will start to suffer. You may also have watery eyes and some pain. Not everybody will get this, but it is very common. Any thyroid problem is an autoimmune disease. This means that your body is attacking itself. That's why it's better to have a low thyroid than a high one.
What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You About Medication
Now we get to the part that is really important. When you have been diagnosed, there are a number of different options for you to take such as tablets, radioactive tablets, and surgery. Your doctor will recommend the best one for you depending on how bad your symptoms are.
You may think that the doctor will always give you the right medication. You have to remember that they probably have never had a thyroid problem themselves, so they are just doing it by the book. But, everybody reacts to medication differently.
I was given a set of tablets called Carbimazole. To start with, they were fine, and my hyperthyroidism started to go down nicely. What I didn’t realise was the effect that they would have on me. I started to feel pain in my arms. In fact, it got so bad that I couldn’t move them without yelling in agony.
Then it spread to my legs and back. The only way I can describe it is like laying down on the road and letting a car run you over, then being left to walk home. Yes, it was that bad. Every time I moved my arms, legs, and back, it was excruciating. The strange and very disturbing thing was when I called the doctor, and they gave me painkillers not knowing why I was suffering like this.
I was admitted to the hospital twice, and the doctor thought I had arthritis! In other words, nobody knew what was wrong. So, I did the only thing that I could think of. I bought a book about my illness. That was the best thing I could have done.
It turned out that I was allergic to Carbimazole, and when I told the doctor, he sat there, looked through his medical book, and finally decided to change my tablets! I actually told him the ones that I wanted, and after that, the pain went away!
What to Do When You Are Diagnosed with Thyroid Disease
Learn About the Disease
The second that you are diagnosed with thyroid disease, make sure you get a good book about your illness. Do not assume that your doctor knows about thyroid illness. They may have training, but they may not know how it actually feels. Apart from that, a thyroid illness has many symptoms—some very subtle and others more obvious. A doctor will learn the basics and know what to look out for, but everybody is different. It's one of those illnesses that has so many different side effects, aches, and pains. Unless you suffer from it, you will not truly know. It's not something that can be fully understood if not experienced. I discovered that hyperthyroidism is a very different illness. I was literally in the dark, and the annoying thing about it was that the doctors had no idea. You have to keep an eye on it yourself. Simple as that.
That’s where a good book comes in handy. The internet is good for information, but the trouble is that you have to keep clicking on different sites to find exactly what you are looking for. If you buy a book, then it's all right there for you. All you have to do is flick through the chapters.
Take Charge
Take this illness into your own hands. It's not only good for your health but mentally, you will feel a whole lot better if you know exactly how you are going to feel. If you are told that you may have to take a radiation tablet, make sure that you ask as many questions as you need to know. It's your body. Don’t just go in there, take the tablet, and go home. You choose. If you would rather carry on with the tablets or have surgery, let them know. Taking a radioactive iodine tablet can make some people sick, and you must keep away from babies and small children for at least two weeks. That said, it's not strong enough to cause you any problems. It has been used for years. But you must be careful hugging people and refraining from close contact for a few days.
Write Down This Thyroid Checklist
Take note of the list below and stick it on your wall. Make sure you:
- See a doctor.
- Buy a book on subject.
- Change your tablets the second you feel ill or in pain.
- Keep nagging and phoning the specialist—they are the only one who can help. GPs are useless!
- Keep looking in the mirror. If your face gets skinny, fat or filled with watery sacks, get down to the doctor fast.
- Check your hands for the shakes—its one of the best signs of overactivity.
- Check your heartbeat sitting down, running, and then sitting again, to see if it beats too fast, or changes normally.
- If you suddenly find that you are staring into space a lot, or sitting around without thinking, take more thyroxin and get to the doctor. Your thyroid is too low.
- If you start to get wobbly vision, get checked out again. Some of the symptoms can either be too high or too low since they do overlap. Symptoms can feel scarily similar, so you may not know if you are too high or too low. Do not diagnose yourself.
- And last but not least, whenever you go to the doctor with any of the above symptoms, make sure you have a blood test. Never, ever let the doctor give you medication for depression without first checking to see if it's your thyroid that is causing your symptoms. A mistake like that can kill you!
You're Not Alone
Even celebrities suffer from thyroid problems such as Rod Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Osbourne, Kim Cattrall, Linda Ronstadt, and Missy Elliott—just to name a few!
References
- Rosenthal, M. Sara (2009). The Thyroid Sourcebook.
- The American Thyroid Association
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and does not substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, and/or dietary advice from a licensed health professional. Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. If pregnant or nursing, consult with a qualified provider on an individual basis. Seek immediate help if you are experiencing a medical emergency.
Questions & Answers
I've had my bone density test and prior blood tests and I've had my gynecologist run more blood tests. They told me that I have a hyperactive thyroid and to see an endocrinologist. My appointment isn't until 8/9, the first available. Should I call UPMC concierge to get in sooner or is waiting until August ok?
I don't know what UPMC is as I am in England, but yes you need to get it seen to a soon as possible. A hyperactive thyroid or hyperthyroid can be dangerous. As I said in the article, it makes your heart beat much quicker, you can get the shakes and if it gets too high then your body will start to 'eat' itself. as my doctor put it. In other words, you will lose weight, and your body will turn on itself and cause all sorts of problems. And if you have an accident and need surgery it can kill! Of course, if you are only a little bit high then waiting is an option, but I personally wouldn't take the risk.
Helpful 3
© 2012 Nell Rose
Related
Comments
AUTHORHi Doris, good luck, I hope Mary answers you.
Mary, yes we do. Mine was removed in 2010. I tried to answer you privately, but apparently you are not a member or you aren't signed in the Hubpages. If you will register or sign in and email me through HP, I will discuss it with you. We both might learn something from each other.
- AUTHOR
Hi Mary I am so sorry to hear that. I think you need to go back to your GP? Hopefully they can help you.
I had both my thyroid glands removed no cancer it has been almost a year and my blood work is still no level. My last TSH was 17,5 so my dose if synthroid was upped to 100 mcg and i cant sleep and my joints ache and my vision is also affected. Does anyone gave this problem?
- AUTHOR
Thanks Erika, I am so sorry you have Hyperthyroidism its a real pain and can be so scary. just make sure you take the meds and keep watching your face. sounds weird I know but it does show up on your face as it did mine good luck.
This was very helpful I just got diagnosed with hyperthyroidism with a nodule on right side its scary and the symptoms I have are so scary! I also came down with guillian barre 20 wks preg another auto immune disorder and believe I developed hyperthyroidism after my baby its terrible but thanks good article
- AUTHOR
Hi Sherri, its a nightmare isn't it? I am glad you figured it out. It totally annoys me that the thyroid and thyroid disease is completely ignored by the media, medical papers, and even doctors who only have half hour training! When are they going to realise that its a killer? take care.
My symptoms started with shaking hands could not sleep then I started getting severe hives all over. The Dr’s could not figure it out so I started researching everything that caused hives. I was on steroids for over a year until I read that hyperthyroidism could be the cause. I went to see a specislist and sure enough I was off the charts. I told her to remove it. After 3 days after surgery the hives were gone. I had total thyroid removal as I also had 4 large lumps.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Miz, yes they can be a real pain, luckily most can be balanced after a while on the medication, thanks for reading.
I think I may have read this article before, but I went back and read it again. Thyroid problems can't be stressed too strongly.
Hello Nell,
Thank you for posting this, it was extremely helpful to find someone who is describing symptoms above and beyond of what other websites tell you for hyperthyroidism. My partner was diagnosed with hyperthyroid a week ago and has been so ill from medication, he is also really suffering from not being able to move at night, as soon at 8pm comes around his ability to move around goes out the door. He suffers alot from body pain and is just fed up with not being able to move around much, especially at night. He also experienced the same treatment of "heres your pills, now go home".
What book did you purchase to read up on thyroid disease, I would love to buy him the same book.
Thank you
Vi
- AUTHOR
CC, this is what you told me two months ago.
'One of your symptoms needs to be switched over. When you have hyperthyroid menstryation slows or stops. You have it as increasing. Every medical site and dictums will tell you that it stops or slows'
As its not Hyper that causes it to slow down, but Graves which is hyper and hypo I never changed it!
Yes low thyroid which is part of Graves will do that and I will add that to the article. to be honest I forgot! I have written over 400 articles, and two books. also work full time, so it was a mistake. one question? why so angry? I didn't do it deliberately? I will change it now.
So, you won't change facts about something that is a Graves disease symptom? How so? How about making a note that your symptom of no periods is very rare.
Graves DOES slow down or stop menstruation. I know this for a fact because it's stopped mine. My endo tells me so as does my GP and every other legitimate site out there. The Mayo Clinic says so as well. Perhaps it did the opposite for you, but it's common knowledge that it stops or slows your periods. I have had Graves since December and have not had one period since November. I also have a few friends who have Graves and their periods stopped.
HYPO causes longer and more frequent periods. Very rarely is it hyper. So while it has happened for you, it's very rare that it happens for others as the majority of women with Graves have less frequent periods, lighter periods, or none at all. You are passing it off as a common symptom not uncommon, which is what it is. Perhaps a side note to it as it is mis-infromation to provide it as a regular symptom.
http://thyroid-info.com/articles/menstruation.htm
Also, Graves isn't another name for hyperthyroidism. Graves causes hyperthyroidism.
I appreciate your article and it's mostly informative, save for that glitch. I hope all who encounter Graves can get relief and get back to being themselves. We know it can take one down pretty hard.
- AUTHOR
Thanks for reading Linda, good luck to you both and I am glad you found this helpful.
My youngest Daughter just diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer.
So.....I started googling thyroid....
I found out good info to help her, and info for me, as I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism
- AUTHOR
Thanks James, I am so sorry you are going through this. I would get a book and find out the alternatives to the medication. then go and tell your Doc that you won't take that other one purely because its hurting your body. I changed mine from Carbamazole to propotheracile and it worked! good luck!
I agree with what you said to CC, i have never had problems with hair growth, thats for sure and have also had very extreme shoulder socket pains for months on end. I have also always had problems with zoning out. Not to sound horrible but i have never trusted doctors. So i quit taking the synthroid i was issued and my shoulder pain went away but that was about two months ago and my recent blood work says my level is low Again, he has increased my dose and im scared to take it due to my shoulder socket pain returning. What to do? YOUR AWSOME!
- AUTHOR
Thanks Marcie, that is awful! Doctors get on my nerves with their misdiagnosis of Graves disease or hyper thyroid! I know how you feel. and how scary it must be. buy a book about it, it tells you more than a doctor will ever know. as I said in the article they only learn for a short time.trust yourself. and look in the mirror. your thyroid will show on your face. If you look normal then your thyroid is 'probably' normal, obviously get blood tests to make sure. If you look thin and your eyes poppy and sore then its too high, but and here's the danger, happened to me..., DON'T GO TOO LOW! its easy to take too much for too long meds. if your face looks puffy and water under the skin in pouches, yep me! then stop the tabs and get to the docs fast! the stupid docs HADN'T made me an appointment or told me about overdose too low! good luck!
Thank you for sharing your story! I was just diagnosed hyper about three weeks ago and have been trying to read as much as possible. It's been confusing and scary. The beta blocker has curbed the heart symptoms and helped bring back my appetite, but make me tired and a little woozy at times. My doctor too has told me to stay cool and no exercise for sure. I know it will get better with time after the best treatment source is figured out. I have a scan scheduled for next week. By the way, I think this has been going on some time to a lesser degree - started with heart palpitations and a lump in the throat feeling four years ago! Had two doctors try to convince me over multiple visits that it was anxiety even though I insisted it wasn't. It's only recently that the tremors and palpitations developed and I went to a new doc who caught it! Anyway, I ramble, thank you again for sharing! It's helped me a lot.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Sarah, yes exactly! I am sorry to hear you suffered so much, its awful how doctors are useless where this is concerned! That's why I wrote about it, I think its terrible! thanks for reading.
I had an overactive thyroid for years and didn't no until I lost my baby and the hospital did tests, my heart rate was dangerously high and I had to stay in hospital. When I had gone to the doctors previous to this the doctors asked to see my arms and accused me of taking drugs because I looked that bad its a shame they chose to judge me rather than help me. Years later I've had a the whole thyroid removed and its still stressful as I have good days and bad days, and when I ask for a blood test it takes my doctors forever. But once you no the signs of when ur feeling high or low it yes easier to manage. Also !y eyes were really swollen and coming out of my sockets they have gone back to normal now but I have to wear glasses all the time as it did affect my vision. I think people need to be more aware of the disease! I never heard of it and had to do lot of research because the doctors wouldn't or couldn't explain what it was to me. Also this disease is hereditary
- AUTHOR
Hi Anne, I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. I do think that maybe you need to higher your dose? I am on 100 every day, but got a bit to high so now on 75. it does take a while to settle down, and get the dosage right. keep on at them until they listen! its the only thing you can do. get a book read all of it, and even if it means arguing with the Docs then do it, okay? good luck.
Thanks Nell.. Had Hypothyroid. All what you was helpful. God bless you for the info. Am on Levothyroxine 50mg. Still having pains and cant stand cold environment and battling with weight gain too. Doc said its Reumatoid Arthritis before i went for thyroidectomy. Yet the crampy painful movement in my muscles (or veins) is unbearable. Had severe pains on the sole of my feet up to my hip right through my waist and back. Went for Physiotherapy (6 sessions) yet no relief on the sole. Went to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon. He gave me injection on the right sole of my foot saying everything will be alright. The pain is still there. (Called it Plantar Fasciis) Dont know if the thyroid is still at work.
- AUTHOR
Hi Marie, oh my goodness! Yes that nearly happened to me! I went up to 19 ! I am sure you know what I mean. bloods should be around 6-8 and I was 19! once step away from a thyroid storm too! and that's my point! thank goodness I had a brilliant doctor who chased me up, yelled go home! sit down and do not move etc! yes we look like its anxiety with shaking hands and body, losing weight etc, I just wish someone, anyone, friend, family or someone at work would have pointed it out, as we wouldn't notice it as its part of the illness! how long ago was this Marie? are you still on beta blockers etc?
I quite agree with Nell Rose. I ended up with only one week a month with no bleeding! Nightmare! And after having a TT I was OK for a while but became very hypothyroid, and instead of bleeding I had massive clots! Sorry if it is TMI but these are facts, actual experiences, not out of a medical book. Also, when I was overactive, I was sent by my GP to a psychiatric unit because he said I was suffering from anxiety neurosis. Missed the thyroid diagnosis completely, I ended up in hospital with Thyroid Storm, a life threatening condition requiring IV rehydration and Huge doses of antithyroid drugs plus beta blockers.
- AUTHOR
Sorry CC but you are wrong. When you are hyperthyroid everything speeds up. Heart, hair growth etc. And one of the worse side effects, I know for a fact is your periods are a nightmare! they go on and on! happened to me! maybe for some people they stop, but all the people I interviewed said the same as me. As for saying I might want to fix that, this isn't a copy, made up or read article. its about me and what happened. I won't change facts. Thanks for reading, nell
One of your symptoms needs to be switched over. When you have hyperthyroid menstryation slows or stops. You have it as increasing. Every medical site and dictums will tell you that it stops or slows.
You might want to fix that.
- AUTHOR
Hi Lindy, I am so sorry you are feeling so ill. If you are too high you will need some other tablets that will take your thyroid hormone back down, like carmazole, or propylthiouracil . the second one is by far the best. Maybe your doctor is trying to take you slowly off the levothyroxine? it really does all depend on how high you are. Go back to see him and ask how high, and when do you start taking the tablets for getting it lower? you need to keep an eye on it. as I said above, doctors are useless where thyroid is concerned. if you print of my article take it to the docs and say, this is the meds I need! you MUST keep an eye on it yourself, try to measure up your meds. if you feel dizzy cut down on the levothyroxine, make sure you keep getting blood tests, okay? good luck! and let me know how you get on!
Hi my name is Lindy and im from south Africa. I had under active thyroid for 8years. A month a go I felt very bad and my symptoms felt different and worse. So I went back to the dokter and took some blood tests. My dokter told me that I have hyperthyroidism know. So he told me to stay on the levothyroxine. I was taking 300 mg and he told me to take 200mg know. It does not seem right. I feel so bad and it is effecting my work. Please help
- AUTHOR
Hi Rukeya, sorry to hear that, maybe she is suffering from depression too? it can make you feel really ill with a high thyroid. Just talk to her and tell her that it will be okay as long as she gets her meds right she will soon feel much better.
My mom has a overactive thyroid, we only found out about two months ago. My mom do not talk at all, she will only say yes or no sometimes. Can this be related to the overactive thyroid? please help..
- AUTHOR
Thanks Gillian, glad it was helpful.
Your information is very help full as I have over active thyroid myself and I'm on neomercazole
My mother in law has a hyperthyroid and is on medication. The tsh level is 6.1 now. She is experiencing paranoid symptoms which are very scary. Can this be a result of this tsh reading?
- AUTHOR
Thanks Snakesmum, yes it does take time doesn't it? and you always have to check that it doesn't go too high or low, thanks for reading.
About two years ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid - my Dr knew something wasn't right so sent me for blood tests. Took about a year to get the dosage of meds right, but I'm stable now. Tests twice a year to confirm everything is still ok though. Learned a few things from your article, thanks!
- AUTHOR
Hi, Not sure what you mean? I think I get your point, so on that thought I would say that the thyroid is either too high or too low. best go and get a blood test to check your thyroid, okay?
- AUTHOR
Hi Lily, first of all don't panic! I know how stressful it is obviously because I have had high and low. first of all there are thousands of Americans and Europeans who walk around each day without knowing they have a bad thyroid! fact. so that puts it in perspective. being high is dangerous, simple as that, so if they say take the iodine then please take it. you won't feel a thing trust me. as for your lovely baby surely you have family who can help? if not, then maybe friends? its not ideal but she will need her mum so a few weeks of being uncomfortable away from her will be best in the long run. I did it, I just kept to the other side of the room from my family, or slept in a different bedroom from my partner. as for your grandmother I am sure they would have tested you by now? if not make sure you get all the blood tests etc. it does make me mad to think that such a dangerous thing as bad thyroid is totally ignored by docs.
so make sure you double check everything yourself. and if you get tablets that make your body ache and hurt go to the docs and say you need another type. I did it. carbamazole messed me up by making my arms and legs hurt so badly! I bought a book and read it through, then did it myself. its your body, double check all the time. best tablets are propothouracil.
one thing to double check is that when you have had your meds, keep an eye out for going too low! thats what happened to me! your thoughts get muffled, you put on weight and my face blew up like a puffer fish! docs are very lazy with this. blood tests all the time okay? and it will get better I promise you!
I've just been told I am hypethyroid after 7(!) Years of complaining of the symptoms. I cannot for the life of me understand why it's taken so long to diagnose. Apparently my doctor had to do a different test than usual. I am now terrified as my grandmother had thyroid cancer and my mother had all the symptoms of hyperthyroid but was never diagnosed and died in her late 40's. I have a baby and don't know how I can possibly have the radioactive iodine as there's no-one to take care of her for the two weeks I can't be near her. I am finding the whole situation frightening and overwhelming.
- AUTHOR
Hi Malissa, it sounds like your thyroid has got dangerously low! the trouble with graves is that the symptoms seem to overlap, the eyes and seeing go funny when its too high, but the tiredness and feeling strange is classic low thyroid, you really need to keep up with your blood tests. being high or low can change so quickly! good luck, and get that blood test done.
Hi everyone, firstly I would like to thank you all for your stories, I was diagnosed at the age of 35 and was told hyperthyroid and graves 3 years on was told I had to have a full tbyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer. No I am sicker than ever my doctors have never seemed to get it right. I feel funny in the head and in the front between my eyes, my vission has been weird and eyes seem to water a lot and light hurts, by memory is very bad and some times get pain in my chest. I do not feel normal at, all and find myself tired but it seems like a weird tired( hard to explain ) no one seems to understand especially my doctors, but I am getting very bad. There are other symptoms as well but mainly the weird feeling in my head. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks
Malissa
- AUTHOR
Hi Trina, anything and everything! but because you are feeling probably still ill its best to eat healthy but top up in between with high calorie drinks that you can buy in the chemist, good luck! hope you feel better soon!
What foods can you eat to gain weight after starting the medication for hyperthyroidism?
- AUTHOR
Thank you Honest Person, I hope you feel well soon. It took me quite a while too, just rest and recuperate, and thanks again.
I had radiation for severe hyperthyroidism. I did have a thyroid storm following treatment and lost 24 lbs in 22 days. You only have to be in isolation 3 days . It's not the end of the world. I will say it's been 11 months and I'm still not stable. I have headaches frequently, go days without sleep and then go days where I can't stay awake. It's a life long battle yes. But living is another way to look at. Do the treatment that's best for you . Not getting treated will make your life worse. This article is an opinion. Graves is not the same for everyone. You would never know I had it by looking at me. My eyes are normal and I'm the right weight for my height. You can't assume you will be 100% ever but you can't assume you will feel horrible all the time. Stay positive or you will never recover. Don't believe that you will have all the symptoms and problems that someone else has. Don't pity yourself over Graves disease we are living not dying.
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Thank you Jeanne I am so glad you found it helpful. Its only when we live through something like this that we know what's going on and how much the doctors know. I have to admit I was shocked at the lack of knowledge. Good luck in the future, hope you are better soon.
Thanks so much!! I have learned a lot!
Thank GOD for people like you!!
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Hi Desaray,don't worry too much, the name graves disease does sound scary doesn't it? but its literally just named after the guy who first got it. it just means that your thyroid can be a bit like a seesaw, goes up goes down etc. you just have to monitor it and make sure you take the right tablets. your body will take a while to settle but it will start to feel healthier after a few weeks. takes a while, but do not worry, and try to get enough rest if thats possible, you will feel tired, and then hyper, just try to balance yourself and drink lots of water, not caffeine and keep of mixing vitamins with your tablets okay? just make sure that you see your gp frequently to monitor your levels of thyroxine, good luck. :)
I just found out a month or so ago that I have hyperthyroid and possibly graves disease. I'm 29 and a mother of 2 little girls.
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Hi Micah, sorry to hear you think you have thyroid problems. Yes if your thyroid is too high it will make you more active, but, and this is a big but, if it gets too high your body will start to shake and you could end up in hospital with serious side effects! this is serious stuff. if its too low you will start to feel 'fuzzy' slow and maybe put on weight. just get a blood test, it can be easy controlled with just a tablet a day! easy! the reason why I had to take the iodine was that I was so high that it was dangerous, get it checked out early and you will be fine, don't worry.
Im a bit unsure if whether i would take the radio active iodine , because of the symptoms of hypothyroid , i would rather be active one than the slower one. And my body just feel normal about it. I am so afraid that after the r.a.i there are some changes in me. Im 20 and still studying what would happen if im a hypothyroid now ? Slow thinker ? I cant. I just cant. I've been crying thru nights thinking of this. Can you give me advise ? Im glad i found this site. Hope you will respond.
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Thanks Larissa, yes it does doesn't it? luckily my thyroid seems under control now, and I hope yours is too, and thanks for reading, nell
I have hyperthyroidism and possibly Graves' disease and I have the mental messed up stuff. So just keep in mind that just because you have hyper not hypo does not mean that isn't what's causing you to feel spaced out because it definitely will!
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Hi Cheryl, first of all, don't worry. Hyperthyroidism is pretty scary, but now they have found out that you are so high they will give you meds to sort it out. Its pretty easy, after a couple of days you will notice you're not shaking so much, and after about a week it will settle down. it does take time to get the meds just right, and it can be a bit of a seesaw time with them, too high, too low and so on, but you will soon get used to it and know your own body.
Two things to watch out for. One, make sure you watch how low thyroid it goes, if it goes too low it can be dangerous, see above, and second, if you need to swallow a radioactive tablet don't worry, it doesn't hurt, but you will have to let someone have your children for a couple of weeks just to be careful, I know its scary, but don't worry, it will be fine, glad they found out through blood work, the worse is over. of course you may get thyroid eyes for a while, not nice, you will look a bit strange, but wearing dark glasses will help. okay? if you need more info, just come back, okay, good luck, nell
Thank you for this. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism 4 days ago. I went to see a Dr because my heart was pounding out of my chest and I was shaking terribly. My husband who is an RN came with me. The Dr prescribed Xanax and wasn't going to do blood work. My husband pushed the blood work and I'm so glad he did. I'm only 29 and a mother of 2 small children. I'm very scared of what the future holds for me.
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Thanks Linda, yes the docs never ever tell you anything about it! that's where books come in, its disgusting, thanks, nell
Kudos to you, Nell for making others aware of this disorder. I hope your info helps many others.
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Hi Colleen, that must have been awful being young and not understanding what was going on with your body because of this illness, thanks so much for coming back and I am glad it was helpful to you, nell
Nell, It was a great pleasure. I wish everyone understood our struggle. You did an excellent job explaining it.Most of all the fact that no one talks about it and Dr.are incompetent in this field. Even the specialists.Maybe we can work to change that. You sure have already started and I commend you for it. I still have not told my story because of the shame attached to it. So much family trouble and going undiagnosed as well as misdiagnosed is an awful thing for a perfect young child with a bright beautiful mind.I know you understand.Reading your story I feel I have a friend for sure. Thank you for not giving up your fight and writing your article to help others. Colleen
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Thanks Colleen, glad to help, and thanks for reading, nell
Loved this article. With my own personal experience I had to read it. Great job.
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Hiya mary, that's so true, they don't know hardly anything at all about thyroid problems its pretty scary if you ask me, thanks
Excellent information Nell! You've certainly warned people about what to look for and what to ask at the doctors. We sometimes attribute super powers to doctors and that just isn't so!
Voted up, useful, awesome, and interesting.
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Hi pmc, great to see you! thanks so much for reading, and I am glad it helped you, thanks, nell
Hey Nell: thank you for authoring this informative article. I wondered if I suffer from this malady, and after reading I don't. Excellent read. FB and Twittered.
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Thanks Kristen, yes much better these days, but it did take a while to balance up the meds, they can be really awful if you get them wrong in the first place, and the doctors were useless to be honest!
Nell, thanks for sharing your experience on this health subject with us. A lot of traffic and comments over here. This is so useful to know the symptoms and side effects for it and what to do about it. Hope you're feeling better. Voted up!
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Thank you so much Rashmi, I am so glad it helped you. Hyperthyroid and Hypothyroid can be such a strange illness, and its only when you suffer with it yourself can you know what symptoms you have, so glad to have helped you, Nell
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Hi Tiffany, it sounds like the meds you were given is making your thyroid too high, in other words you are becoming hyperthyroid. this will keep you awake. Your anxiety levels will get really bad, and have you started to get shaky? if so its best to go back to get your blood checked again, they may be able to adjust your meds. to see if you are getting to high, walk around the room quite quickly, then sit down and check your pulse. it should start to slow down. if it doesn't then yes its got too high. getting a high thyroid can be pretty dangerous too, just like low, and another symptom is losing weight and stomach problems, many little niggles will be happening to you, thats not normal either. go get your blood checked again as soon as possible, okay? good luck and let me know how you get on? thanks
Hi! Thanks for the article and tips. I recently went for a physical and my GP looked at my blood work and told me I was hypo and immediatley gave me a prescription for levothyroxine. I was on it for 7 weeks and then BOOM. Not sleeping and anxiety big time. I stopped taking the levothyroxine. I tried lots of sleep aids ect...I would lay down at 11 and not fall asleep to 3am. I began feeling very anxious about nighttime and panicky. Right now I am not on anything but still not sleeping. I am never had a sleeping issue until now. What do you suggest? I feel like the levothyroxine put my thyroid in a worse condition. I was not showing any symptoms of hypothyroidism when my doctor said I should take it. I will never do that again. It has been 1 month with so little sleep. Any feedback you have would be great! Thanks.
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Hi Ribbons, sadly thats one of the most annoying things about thyroidism. if its too low our memories go to pieces, and too high, we get so darn agitated that we forget things too. By the sound of it, you are too low, thats when it really gets bad for me, I would get another blood test just to check, it does get better I promise, good luck, and thanks
Hi. I have had issues with depression for a long time and when my doctor retired and I signed up with a new one, I decided to take some action. He did a lot of blood tests because I was a new patient. He saw that my thyroid levels were "a bit off." Unfortunately it took me a year and a half for me to get another blood test done to double check my levels. Mostly because I left for school and I am pretty insecure. The second test prompted me to do internet research for hypothyroidism. I found out an aunt in my family is taking hormone treatment for hypothyroidism. I was afraid he would say no and direct me to other depression treatments. (I started Welbutrin around this time for my depression. )
Well after presenting him with my research he gave me a big speech about how people on the internet, not me, he would point out, but other people with depression who learn about hypothyroidism and assume that it's the magic answer, and that they would go to many doctors to make sure they got that diagnosis. He did prescribe me levothyroxine and told me that the blood levels were his proving factor on why he gave me the medication. I wasn't told specifically, "You are diagnosed with hypothyroidism", just that my levels were slightly off.
I felt a big difference after taking the meds and my blood tests show that things are level now. I still have some issues with depression, and a more noticeable issue with anxiety. Although right before I left for school I noticed a difference in cognitive function. I have difficulty remembering things, my boyfriend gets upset because I'll ask him the same question again and again within only a few hours. I'll forget important information he tells me even if it were only twenty minutes ago. I cannot seem to focus and have big concentration problems where I never had them before. I'm even finding it hard to speak in common social situations because I will lose my words. I'll be trying to explain something simple like, the events of my day, and fail on common words. I tried telling my doctor about my memory issues because I can tell there is a difference and it's very concerning to me as an artist. He just blew it off as, "Oh I forget things too."
It feels like he is not fond of cognitive issues. On one side of the coin, I feel more in control of my depression and I am capable of actually getting out of bed in the morning and I have lost that ugly, laggy, tiresome feeling thanks to the levothyroxine. I am taking it along with my antidepressant. The memory and concentration issues still persist.
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Thanks Shyron, glad you liked it, I was appalled at how the lack of information the doc gave me made me so ill! It was purely ignorance on his part! evidently they only train for an hour about thyroid disease! what the heck? thanks again, nell
Nell, thank you for writing this, you have no idea how many people this will help. It would have helped me about 5 years ago, but that was not my problem.
Voted up, UAI and shared.
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Hi Vikash, I am so sorry to hear your mother is ill. It sounds like a really bad infection of some sort. But I am not a doctor, so I would rather not give you advice just in case its the wrong advice. I would suggest that the doctor give her 'full range' blood tests, which means they check for everything. I remember my mother had a really bad water infection, fever and was talking rubbish too, it was caused by the water infection. But don't quote me on that. I would rather not talk on skype as I don't think I can give any more medical advice, its best left to the doctors. Good luck and thanks, nell
Hello Nell Rose ,
I am Grand Requesting you i must need your help . actually My Mother is in unconscious State. We have checked So many Test but doctor did not identify any disease . what actually happend with her . she was suffering Fever. She went to hospital and doctor given some normal tablets . but after two days suddenly felt her eyes was visibility low and feeling Headaches . now at this time she have lost of memory and talking like a idiot and have no control of mind process. she can not identify anybody and not see anything . we have checked Test Hypothyriod found first time 35 and Second Time 70. Please Help us . I want to talk personally On skype Would you give my your skype id Thanks For giving your valuable time . I am from India. I got informationg about you from your Wall Posting . i am waiting your response .
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Hi pmc! Long time no see! great to see you! And thanks for reading, nell
Very informative, beautifully done and thank you for sharing this valuable information.
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Thanks for reading Deb, sorry to hear you have Graves too, it can be so confusing at the beginning, but I can say it takes quite a few months to get a balance and make you feel human again. And yes, our brains just don't want to work properly when its too high or low, I remember just staring at the tv for hours and not realising it, people would talk to me and two seconds later I would forget what they said, I forgot to meet friends, and relatives thought I was having a breakdown. our brains and eyes don't seem to connect properly either, we see, but can't quite connect with what it is, the trouble is, because we can't function, we forget to take tablets, or try to balance it, write it down when you are capable, keep the book by your bed or desk so that you remember to take your meds, and write down things like 'I need to balance my meds, take more, take less etc' good luck, it will work out soon, but it does take time, nell
I am a R.N. Endocrinology was not a specialty area for me. I was diagnosed with Graves Dz officially in March. It has affected EVERY area of my body. I have times when my cognitive function is decreased. The medication has drained my energy. Thank you for this blog.
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Hi Lora, i am so sorry to hear you have gone through such a bad time, thanks so much for reading, nell
I have been hyperthyroidism for seven years now . I went in for a simple biopsy and the sonogram machine wasn't working so the Dr. Screaming at the nurse's about it and turned to me and said she can do a total thyroid removal. Insured me all I will have to do is take 1 pill a day and never have to worry ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE IT EASY AND IT'S GOING TO BE OVER NO MORE BIOPSY. I being a idiot sad that is all I at this point all numbed up nose and throat with a medication she gave me said ok sounds good . Two weeks later I called and told the doctor my tingling was getting worse . They told me to stop all THYROID Medicine be being a idiot I did . The next thing was extremely painful abdominal. I thought I was having a gallbladder attacks . My husband just had surgery for that . I NEW it would not be a rush it took him almost two months to get it . After that it because blurry my husband got me to the car in just minutes I NEW if I closed my eyes it would have died . When he made it to the ER the trauma team seen me the took me out of the car my body still in the same position as I was sitting. My jaw was locked up and they jut grabbed me and she started running and yelling words I have NEVER heard before. It looked like I had rigamortis set in due to a full body spasm. I was in the MOST painful thin ever . I felt like some one was dragging me down a road by the HAIR of my head . By the time I had gotten in I just wanted to go to sleep the nurse's keep saying NO STAY WITH US NOW I am to tired and in to much pain at this point . I tried to close my eyes and she At a high tonnes Stay with me I mot loosening you STAY With me my heart rate dropped to 36 over 42 And I was in shock by that time and was slipping into a COMMA . I have never been the same since . I have been hyperthyroidism for 6Years now Hypothyroidism the last 6month. I was so SICK on Levothyroxin it made me feel so tired so SICK I call it a green sickness it's just no way to describe how SICK and Tired I was ,grumpy swelling gaining weight like crazy . I keep reading because one problem has caused other problems ,Hart kidney, liver on and on .. I found Armor and it's been a miracle to me .when I started it.I kept waiting to fill crazy.so I waited a couple more hours and thought I would go crazy by the next day it was so weird I felt better.my husband asked me how am i doing.I told him I'm not sure I think better the next day he asked me again.I told him I really can't tell what's going on it's making me feel better I think.it happened so fast you don't have to wait long.and just a couple of months I lost 20 pounds 4 months to be exact.I have to have not been with that sickness like I was the green sickness.I feel better than ever I thought I could never see this again now I have a lot of medical problems because I love it the rocks and cause a lot of damage.I know it was the letter thrusting it was like toys and it felt like eating poison every day the only reason my doctor gave it to me is because I was dying it was over what was the other option so she gave it a try and it became a miracle I prayed for a woman doctor and I got her I pray for a new way I got it armor.I can only say one thing about love at the Rox and poison it makes me feel like I'm eating poison it is killing me it did it messed up my kidneys liver every and anything above now I have to live with all of the what that cause but I am doing better with armor.if the doctor was to ever tell me she would not write it I would put it back on the counter and tell her to take her . to go ahead and take the 11th right them back because I will not will not ever take it again. I would die before I ever took it again. if they're having problems with love at the Rox and I would recommend trying natural armor you may find a miracle in it.what works for one does not work for the other.only armor works for me.anything with gluten no I can't take it has a tendency of making me swell God bless you all I hope you all the best I know this life I live this life it is a nightmare. plays is one thing doesn't work always try something else GOD bless you.
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Maybe you have a goiter sunshine? its when your throat starts to swell because of the high thyroid. I hope they give you meds pretty quickly, May seems a long way off to me to get this sorted, I would go back down and ask for them now, and see what they say. sorry to hear you have been so ill. remember, if you feel ill with the meds, get them to change them as sometimes you can be allergic to them. Good luck, and thanks for reading, nell
Very intresting iv been very ill lately over the last few years on and off iv had loads of blood tests all came back fine some doctors thought it might be ibs. I had the carmea test went back for further testing had more blood test then at last a result iv got an over active thyroid. Im waiting an appointment in may but just lately after eating i start coughing its been getting quite bad and worries me a little
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Thanks for reading, meltawayyourfat.
A very useful info. Thanks.
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Hi worried, the best thing to do is ring or see her Doctor, it may be the medication, I was allergic to my meds, it made me really ill. she must have seen a specialist in the first place, if your doc can't help, get in touch with the specialist, and most importantly get them to change her meds, good luck
my mom was diagnosed with thyroid and shes taking medication but now she cant swallow anything .does anyone know of any way to relieve her discomfort?
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Thanks tipi, yep me too! I had to diagnose myself purely because the docs had no idea what they were doing! glad to know you have got it under control now, and thanks!
Twice now I have been diagnosed with a low thyroid. I tried taking the pill the first go around, but I gained 30 pounds in one month. I went back and the doctor wanted me to continue to take the pill. I skipped it and started taking alternative forms of medication and changed my diet. It is still a bit out of whack but I feel a lot better than what I did. Great hub!
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Thanks teaches, yes Iodine is one of the great things to take, thats why I can't eat anything with kelp or seaweed in because of the high intake of iodine, amazing that the doctors didn't know, well done for discovering it!
Nell, when my doctor told me I had low thyroid last year I went to work researching for natural remedies. I took iodine for it and recovered within a few weeks. The doctor was amazed and wrote it all done for reference. Great post and warning for those who may be looking at this illness.
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Thanks for reading Reece, thats terrible, I am so fed up with doctors not knowing the symptoms of hyper thyroid! I totally understand the hyper feelings, the panic attacks and the sense of emergency, doctors should learn more about the thyroid, its ridiculous to think this is a great big gap in their learning, glad to know you are getting better now.
Hi everyone. At this stage i don’t suffer from thyroid function problems but I had thyroid cancer over 4 and half years ago. I had half of the thyroid removed with no kemo treatment needed. I was put on a low dose of 0.05mg of eltroxin to help support the thyroid function. It seemed fine for about 3 years but we moved cities and much of my information was left with the previous specialist but point being they decided to increase my dose to 0.1mg eltroxin. After taking it for 4 months I did not notice anything at first but I was rather irritable all the time and highly strung with a sense of emergency all the time. Well come to about 3 months back I suddenly started having panic attacks and went to gp who said.....yes you guessed it. Stress...he was even willing to put me on anti depressant tablets. I then decided no, this can’t be right and went to a specialized gp who immediately sent off for blood samples. I did tell him I suspect that it could be my thyroid. But just thinking it was my thyroid was the issue for me as I had no idea what was going on! I thought for sure they are gonna lock me in the mad house soon. So it turn out my levels where to high and I did not even have and TSH in my blood. This was also exposed when he got the results from the emergency room a month prior due to a Hugh panic attack. So what I have been taking for the last 2 weeks now is xanor 0.5mg twice a day just until my thyroid levels balance out again....
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Hi Shyron, thank goodness for that! glad that you are okay, and thanks so much as always, nell
Wow, I have been checked for this and I am told my thyroid is normal. But I went to the ENT for a lump on my thyroid, and had a biopsy which was benign.
This is a very informative hub. Voted up, useful, interesting and will share.
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Sorry to hear you had all those problems chefsref, I also had a goiter, its something we never ever think about until we get them and then to find out we have thyroid problems is a shock. I had the modern radiation tablet, and now take thyroxine too, I am not sure if it ran in my family as nobody else was diagnosed with it, thanks so much for reading, nell
I had a goiter while still relatively young. I'm a big guy and I thought I just had a big neck but my dentist noticed right away and sent me off to an Endocrinologist. Half my thyroid was huge and half was normal size. The huge half was removed surgically and I have been on hormone replacement therapy ever since (about 33 years)
Back in the 1950s, as a child I had thymus radiation treatment. Don't know why I had the treatment, but it was an accepted and common treatment at the time.
The long term result was that I was put in a very high risk group for thyroid cancer. The hormones I take are there to suppress my remaining thyroid so I don't develop either a goiter or thyroid cancer. Aside from the goiter I never showed any symptoms of thyroid disease.
Apparently thyroid problems run in the family, my sister and mother have both had issues that have been resolved
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Hi Crafty, thank goodness they found out about it, sorry about your face swelling, with me it was my neck, I got the goiter, it was horrible. hope it works out okay for you, and thanks for reading, nell
Thank you for posting this. It's very important for people to recognize the symptoms of a thyroid problem. I had surgery two years ago. During a hospitalization from an asthma attack the doctors discovered that I had a thyroid problem through a CT-scan. The first symptom after being diagnosed was my face swelled. I have to see a specialist every 6 months, but the surgery was worth it.
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