HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Newbie and results from Thyroid test

Support Forums
>
Thyroid Disorders
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/1/2015 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

Well I have been miserable for a while now, I had neck surgery in 2013 C4/5 fusion, looking like I was on the road to recovering until all kinds of crazy stuff started.  I have 4 doctors trying to figure it all out, Neurologist, Rheumatologist, Oncologist and of course my PMC.  In a course of a year and a half, I have MGUS (Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), Small  Fiber Neuropathy, my inflammation test are always high, symptons are, fatigue, weak muscles or legs, numbness, tingling, dizzy or vertigo,headaches, front of neck hurts, horse when I talk, hard to swallow, brain fog, hot all the time, dry skin, constipation, inflammtion,  joint pain, it starting to mess with work to where I can't function days with out sleeping hours and hours.    So with that said I have had every blood test under the sun, but last monday I ask for a TSH, which was normal last year, but ask for a T3 and T4.

 

  TSH 1.90 - Normal

  T3  2.07 - a little low

  T4 all they told me was normal 

 

Primary care doctor is saying no big deal  because my TSH is normal, I'm trying to get them to do a referral for a specialist.  I feel everyone thinks I'm crazy, am I?

 

Thanks!

Posted 7/2/2015 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
Are those Free T3/4 or Total ?
You should ask for Frees !
Have you been tested for thyroid antibodies ? those are TGab and TPOab .
Posted 7/3/2015 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, I didn't have test in front of me when I typed this, so here are my results:

T3 Free Triiodothyronine   2.07               Range  2.91 - 4.53 

T4 Free                           .080               Range  0.78 - 1.33

TSH                                 1.90               Range   0463-3.98

I have not been tested for Thyroid Antibodies, it was like pulling teeth to get the test I had now trying to get to a specialist.  Does my test possible mean anything?

Thanks!  Dana

Posted 7/3/2015 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there,

I've also had cervical fusion and now have a thyroid issue but mine has no symptoms yet. A nodule on my thyroid was discovered when I had an MRI for my neck. A year later lab work was finally done that led me here and now I've been on medication for a few weeks. Still no symptoms so quite opposite of your situation.

Did all your neck issues resolve before this new mass of symptoms started?

The information in the first topics here and the people answering my questions have been very helpful to me. I'm sure it will be for you too.
Hope you get answers soon.

I'm usually on the Chronic Pain forum here at Healing Well so drop in over there too anytime.
Posted 7/4/2015 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
My symptoms for my neck started with my arms tingling and hurting so bad, plus headaches and neck hurting all the time, had shots first then surgery, I went to physical therapy for 16 weeks and started doing good. I was cleared to start exercising and running, with me being in the Military I had to get ready to take a PT test, but with no situps, but when I started running I noticed my feet going numb. The more I ran the worse it got, my legs hurt so bad and then my neck started hurt again. My doctor said that my neck is just fine that it must be something else so here I am still looking. I see all the forums and I could read probably 5 or 6 to try to figure it out what is wrong with me. They have me on these meds Mirapex 25MG, Duloxetine 60MG, Mexloxicam 15mg, Iron, Vitamin D.
Posted 7/4/2015 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
As you can see the FT3 is below range, I think you need to keep testing for the TSH every six weeks until it shows an abnormality and to test for the thyroid antibodies, those are TPOab and TGab .

Good luck,
Posted 7/4/2015 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your Military Service!! Are you still in? Medical discharge?

You probably have more than one condition bothering you right now. I spend more time on the other forum, so just let me say that increased activity, at the level at which you had to, can create problems where you seemed to have healed. Also we are told that after a fusion, the area above and below has extra stress. How was it determined your neck was just fine? If you have not already, I would get an MRI on that neck. Hope your Neuro or some doctor will work with you on that. You just have too many symptoms that point back to the neck.
Posted 7/4/2015 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you! Yes, I'm still in the Military, I have 27 years in but 21 active duty, I'm going through a Fit for Duty, but I have 4 doctors confused because I have too many things all going on at the same time. I'm used to my legs hurting all the time, but what is really driving me crazy is I'm so tired, I usually have to sleep on the weekend, all day on Sunday so I can get through the week, and that usually doesn't work. My brain fog and my neck hurting on the side and front with trouble swallowing. My PMC requested MRI in May 2014 and my neck doctor did xrays and said everything is good. When I sleep or not sleep, I feel like a fish in the bottom of a boat flopping around, my muscles twitch and it feels like my insides are shaking. It is so weird!
Posted 7/5/2015 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
I still would say that MRI is needed. There are people on the chronic pain forum who have more knowledge than me, if you want to ask for another opinion from them. I really hope you will. You need to find out what's wrong now!!
Posted 7/6/2015 6:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Dana was your C4/5 fusion an ACDF (Anterior Cervical Disc Fusion)? Was your surgery done by military doctors? and is that who is caring for you now? Your swallowing difficulties could be a result from your surgery? Have they checked your vocal cords to see if they are all functioning properly? and have they done any swallowing studies on you since you started having these problems? The reason I ask is back when I was in the military I have to have a C6/7 ACDF done, after the surgery I lost my voice for around four months and had major swallowing difficulties and 25 Years later I found that my vocal cords on my right side (the same side they went in and did the surgery) the vocal cords are still partial paralyzed! Also what they often ddon't tell you is, after this type of fusion often the disc above or below the fusion will go bad!

Reading about your symptoms have you ever had a sleep study done to check you for sleep apnea? Being tired all the time and having "brain fog" are classic symptoms of sleep apnea! One other thing I will ask have they ever checked you for MS? or Lyme's disease or any other neurological disorders?

I know how difficult it is dealing with military medicine! Been there! Done that! ( I found just getting getting them to do the proper test to get a diagnosis was one of the most difficult tasks! ) I honestly don't envy you at all! My advice would be to keep a good journal of everything you have had done and all your symptoms and when they occur and what you were doing at the time. Also get copies of all your military medical records, especially after you see one of your doctors! Sometimes what your told isn't always what they will actually write in your record and reports and page can on occasion come up missing! Also when you retire make sure you go to your VA office and give them copies of all your medical records! I don't know how it is now,as I retired from the AF back in 1991, but they did not want to give me any disability with retirement , but after going to the VA I was given 20% which several years later was increased to 60%!

So many of your symptoms I have had myself and so of them I still have, so with that said, if I can be of any assistance to you, please just let me know!

I do Welcome you to Healing Well, I think you will find we have a really Great group of people here on these forums!

Good Luck to you!

White Beard
Posted 7/13/2015 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Surgery was not by Military Doctors, Vocal Cords have not been checked, I have really good records, I keep everything.

Went to the thyroid specialist today and he is puting me on Cytomel 5mg to see if that will bring my T3 up and see if that makes me feel any better. Wouldn't that be awesome if one little pill could fix me.

They took blood and to check for Antibodies and if I'm starting Menopause, so we will see what those test say in the next 7-10 days.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply