Apologies, I realized I posted this question twice, since I couldn't find the original post, and I was sure I most have forgotten to post it... The later post was with lab results...
ok, so i've had thyroid symptoms most of my life, and my tsh has only been tested since i turned 22. i'm 26 now. it's come back borderline once, and off twice until this fall. this fall, it came back off repeatedly so my practice sent me to their endo. endo said i had pneumonia and hashimoto's with hypo levels.
i'm trying to get my labs today, but when i've been off, i've never had dramatically off numbers. i'm on 50 mcg of synthroid since jan 10, 2012.
since this fall, i've had worse symptoms than ever before--sitting next to the fireplace with blankets, two sweaters, multiple layers of clothing and still shivering in 70+ degree house, etc. this comes and goes of course, depending on the day, which fits with my understanding of hashi's, but my md seems to think it shouldn't change that much.
almost 2 years before the hashi's diagnosis i had sudden intermittent facial swelling accompanied by neurological tingling symptoms and headaches (seemed to appear after the swelling came back). spent 3 months trying to "fix" that, finally stopped being able to turn my neck, ended up at the chiropractor's, who treated facial swelling/neuro symptoms with lymphatic drainage massage. Life was great, if the swelling came back I went for a massage and things were good! this summer, the swelling started to come back, and remain more frequently, not going away. This time there seem to be very few neurological symptoms, mostly just swelling, and headaches only when the swelling is shifting from one part of my face to another. very rarely any tingling anymore. I can move the swelling between my face and my neck/lymph nodes with lymphatic massage, but i can't finish draining it, and the swelling keeps coming back immediately (like next few hours/next day).
endo claims because the swelling will go away (never fully gone, but it moves and the levels of swelling change, sometimes throughout the day, mostly from day to day) or move around this can't be caused by thyroid. however, my other thyroid symptoms like the fuzzy brain feeling and the fatigue are more present when this is an issue.
best improvement in months came after thyroid biopsy to check the nodule. also feel like drainage improves (along with other symptoms) for brief periods when i massage my thyroid (from yoga teacher).
i think there's also some parallel to a little bit of bloating at my abdomen, but i'm less sure there. no other swelling like hands/feet. lots of pins and needles that come on too quickly (like 30 seconds kneeling, etc.).
does this sound like a thyroid thing to anyone else? or is it likely this is caused by something entirely different? i still have fatigue symptoms, and i feel like all my symptoms come and go which my doc seems to think is "odd" and "shouldn't be" since she says my blood is back to normal. (will post labs when i get them)
has anyone experienced anything similar? does hashi's face swelling ever change at all?
Last edited by thefourthmairi; 02-16-2012 at 07:11 AM.
Reason: accidentally posted twice
Thanks Sammy! I appreciate the reassurance and the reminder to be patient. I am worried about the infamous range, and the reluctance to acknowledge symptoms that emerged prior to my TSH levels.
I realize I probably have a lot longer to wait, but it's reassuring to think there might finally be some explanation, and to hear that someone actually has had improvement with this symptom once the dose is correct, and there might finally be an explanation for this.
Happy to help - we're all in this together. I've found that most doctors don't recognize thyroid symptoms and they also don't explain (or know) that we can have symptoms until our levels are optimized.
In fact, it's not uncommon for symptoms to worsen or new ones develop. Treating thyroid disease really requires a patient patient.
Sammy, these are good warnings.
I actually read something produced by the American Thyroid Assoc. last night (I think it was one of their brochures) claiming symptoms shouldn't be considered prior to diagnosis...I'm planning to address that with my endo next visit, and indicate that I know I felt the same as I do now four years ago, and I'd like to include things in that range. I'm really hoping I don't need to find a new doc over this kind of nonsense.
