Uptake Scan

Hi everyone, I'm a 31.5 year old female. I've had hypothyroidism for around 2 years. Recently, I've had a lot of difficulty swallowing, feeling of pressure in my throat, getting choked on water, hoarseness, very very slight sore throat, pain in my neck, etc. I could feel externally that my thyroid was enlarged.

I went to my regular MD and he could palpate something so I had an ultrasound. That was a week ago. They called today noting a less than 1 cm nodule on my thyroid. Now they are sending me for an uptake scan.

I'm wondering at this point what I'm facing. I am so tired all the time. I just want to feel better. :(

My TSH was normal. My T3 and T4 were normal. My Vitamin D was very low and my Vit B levels were low (not sure if any of it is related).

At this point, I just want to know what's going on. If it's cancer, I just want to know and take it all out, you know?

Please share if you have a similar story.

Hello Mel,

I was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism (actually the doctor said I have both hypo and hyper, but the hyper is taking over). I had similar symptoms with difficulty swallowing, so they started sending me to complete different exams.

about two weeks ago, I completed the uptake scan. Not sure if you have completed one, but basically they have you take a radioactive iodine pill to measure how much iodine your thyroid is taking in. The scan also helps them see the size of your thyroid as well as the details in the nodule.

When I completed my ultrasound, my doctor alarmed me because they said my thyroid was slightly enlarged and had two nodules. The scan showed my thyroid was normal sized and the modules were so tiny, they couldn't even see them in the scan. So, on I went to the endocrinologist.

Initially they thought I had thyroiditis because my T3 and T4 levels started to slowly return back to normal. However, they ran a TSI test and measured the antibodies in my body. And now...I have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and Graves Disease.

I really hope your condition will not be cancer. It doesn't sand like it. But I do feel similar symptoms as you. I do feel tired and my heart rate starts picking up later in the evening. At this point, I feel like a vegetable because I cannot express emotion. If I get angry or irritated, my heart rate immediately picks up and I get headaches. If I get excited, again there goes my heart rate. I have learned I just need to be in this mellow state and not worry about anything (which is hard).

Now, I am on medication, which has slightly helped my anxiety. My doctor suggested I take beta blockers to lower my heart rate, but I have opted to take tea instead.

Keep me posted on your scan. Hope I can help out in any way (even a vent session)!