[kim_johnson]

anyone have this?

i saw the doc after i got another test with low TSH and normal T4. she said that basically it is just a matter of monitoring to keep an eye on my T4 so we notice early if it becomes abnormally elevated.

she said that i should get another blood test sometime to check whether i'm having an autoimmune problem. apparently that is the most likely cause of hyperthyroidism (which i might develop down the track since my thyroid seems to be working independently from my pituitary).

she said that even if it was autoimmune it would still be a matter of monitoring so no rush, really.

guess i'm probably in the very early stages of developing hyperthyroidism. most likely cause is graves disease. anybody have that?

treatment is kinda extreme... usually results in needing to take thyroid medication forever to prevent hypothyroidism. this is kinda bizarre... don't think anyone in my family has thyroid problems... and i only got the initial blood tests taken cause of fatigue / lethargy / catching every cold and flu that came my way.

[purple_fins]

One of my sister's has graves disease(she had to have emergency surgery to remove thyroid-- she was VERY ill at 20 years old-- that was years ago-- she turned into a skeleton in a matter of weeks) and now her daughter has it too. I have another autoimmune thyroid disease-- hashimotos disease.... which is the polar opposite of graves-- but the treatment is often the same... been on thyroid meds almost my whole adult life.(will have to the rest of my life) I never had the weight gain like most get with hypothyroid... but I do get cold VERY easy and I often am depleted of energy.

My sister and niece both had racing heart beat, would get VERY hot and lost so so much weight.... the common symptoms of graves.

Good luck with this-- keep us posted!

fins

[ECHOES]

I also have Hashimotos and am the only one in my family with it or with any thyroid disorder.

[kim_johnson]

wow. it is like the opposite problem. are things managed okay with the medication? it is annoying to take?

[ECHOES]

Thyroid replacement is inexpensive, taken daily, no side effects.
If I don't take it then there are 'side effects', which really are the symptoms of low thyroid and slow metabolism: depression, slowed thinking, slowed digestion, constipation.

I am confused about the autoimmune issue because I thought thyroid disorders were autoimmune disorders, or the cause rather than the result.

[purple_fins]

Originally Posted by kim_johnson

wow. it is like the opposite problem. are things managed okay with the medication? it is annoying to take?

Things are managed OK as long as meds are taken every day. It becomes just another one of those things you have to do every day-- like brush your teeth. I get up, take a pill- and then start my day. (over and over for the past 20 years and.... the next 20 years... maybe...)

It's like Echoes said-- the side effects are if you DON'T take the meds. No matter if you are hyper or hypo thyroid-- one will get effects if they don't take the medication.

and Echoes-- I think it's like you said--thyroid disorders are an autoimmune disorder-- I don't believe they are a result of an autoimmune problem -- they ARE the autoimmune problem.

fins

[kim_johnson]

i might be talking out of my butt hole (it really wouldn't surprise me)...

but there are different reasons why someone can have a thyroid problem. but then... depends on how you define 'thyroid problem' in particular. if T3 and T4 being either too high (hyperthyroidism) or too low (hypothyroidism) IS having a thyroid problem then there are other causes of that than an autoimmune problem.

For instance... Pituitary tumors can result in excess or insufficient TSH which in turn results in the thyroid producing high T3/T4 (hyperthyroidism) or low T3/T4 (hypothyroidism). But pituitary tumors aren't autoimmune. Or hypothalamic tumors can result in excess or insufficient whatever it is that tells the pituitary how much or little TSH to produce which in turn affects the T3/T4 production of the thyroid (resulting in hyper or hypothyroidism). Hypothalamic tumors aren't autoimmune either.

So I guess I thought that an autoimmune disorder (e.g., Graves disease) is one cause of hyperthyroidism (or early detection can be the cause of low TSH and a thyroid that produces T3/T4 independently of TSH levels). But that hyper and hypothyroidism weren't themselves autoimmune disorders because one can't infer from high or low T3/T4 that the cause is autoimmune. Though... The MOST LIKELY cause is autoimmune.

[purple_fins]

Yes, Kim (feels strange calling you that--) anyway-- I think you're right, that malfunctioning thyroid doesn't necessarily mean an autoimmune disorder. What I meant was that Graves Disease and Hashimotos are autoimmune disorders.

I read that many women have to go on meds when they enter menopause because their thyroid slows down..... but.... I also read (think Oprah had something on it too) that with diligent attention the thyroid can -- after menopause-- resume it's original function and not need any medication. just most doctors don't care to work that hard with a patient, so it's likely that most women, once they start on thyroid meds durring menopause will continue to take them the rest of their lives. I don't see how they can say this -- caused by hormones out of balance due to menopause thus resulting in low thyroid-- is an autoimmune disorder......... it's confusing to me.....

I imagine there are all sorts of medical conditions that can cause the thyroid to be too low or too high.

let us know how you're doing and any updates.

fins