I have been under the weather, and just last week was told I have walking pneumonia (mycoplasma). It has wiped me out.
On top of that, my thyroid is out of whack. Several months ago, I started to slowly add iodine to my protocol. It's great for thyroid health, breast health, etc. Plus I read that if you have trouble sweating (which I do), it is likely due to an iodine deficiency. Ever since then, it feels like I am on a roller coaster ride. Yes, started sweating. But I've also lost weight. And have considerable pain and swelling in my thyroid.
I had an ultrasound done that shows issues with enlargement, nodules, and lots of other words that don't sound great. It also suggests possible Thyroiditis.
For the first time I just got thyroid bloodwork back that is showing very high numbers....a hyper situation. This has me spooked. I'm waiting to hear back from my doctors, in the meantime I'm trying to gain some understanding on my own.
I've called several endocrinologist's offices to try to get an appt. First off I ask if the doc uses synthetic hormone replacement or bio-identical. Almost all say only synthetic. Oh, and to get an appt, one office said late August, the other said October. (This is starting to feel like socialized medicine, but that is another discussion.)
From everything I've read, it seems Hypo is so much easier to deal with.
Any words of wisdom (or comfort) you could share would be very much appreciated.
Thanks, Tammy
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Wow, found an interesting link that talks about thyroiditis following an upper respiratory infection (viral). Maybe my situation is more than just Mycoplasma pneumonia. Interesting....
Thanks Razzle. I was taking less than the recommended dose. And also skipping many days. But maybe it was still too much for me. Taking iodine definitely flipped a switch inside of me. Now I just need to figure out how to fix it.
Posted by betty1939 (Member # 18240) on :
Tammy N. -
I had this happen to me too. Two years after I got lyme disease I became hypothyroid, then when I started a new med ceftin - I suddenly swung the other way and became hyperthyroid.
It was very scary, and I wasn't sure what was happening to me. I lost a ton of weight even though I didn't need to and I could eat and eat but not gain even a lb.
At this same time, I went from sleeping 12 hours to barely sleeping at all and had to start sleep meds, which I am still on right now.
I felt like I was shaking inside and my thoughts were like all over the place. I went to an endocrinologist who told me it sounded like I had manic depression.
I was so angry! I had to wait it out and it did get better. It's manageable now, but some things did not go back to normal. I have mycoplasma pnuemonia too.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Thanks Betty. It is so weird. I have that inside shaking feeling also. The only difference is I am sleeping excessively....which is completely out of the norm for me. I am exhausted and am having a hard time functioning.
I see my ART doc tomorrow. I hope he has some helpful insights.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
About 6 months ago I went to my endo for hyperthyroid. He told me that a virus can cause temporary hyperthyroid. Fortunately for me, that must have been what I had because my numbers came back to normal over time and my hyper symptoms went away.
I did lose a lot of weight quickly when I was hyper.
If the hyperthyroid doesn't go away, he said they kill the thyroid with radioactive iodine and then put you on thyroid hormone for the rest of your life. That doesn't sound good to me at all.
This endo is one of the top ones in the country.
I called around for other endos, and they all had long wait lists like you described. My gyn said that the medical profession limits how many endos there can be, so that is why they are difficult to get in with and can command high fees.
I certainly hope your hyperthyroid was set off by the myco. I remember the jittery feeling, couldn't relax, waking up so many times through the night, rapid pulse, mind was not calm, etc. etc. So glad it is gone. I would say I had it for about 4 months.
It then affected my eyelids. It gave me blepharitis, I believe that is the term. It clogged up the oil glands in my eyelids. My eye doctor said hyperthyroid can cause this.
If it happens to you, get to the eye doctor right away. They will teach you how to scrub and massage the eyelids to clear out the gunk and get them back to normal.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Thanks TF. It helps to hear stories like this....where things go back to normal on their own.
The idea of killing the thyroid with radioactive iodine sounds wrong on so many levels. (And wouldn't Lyme just love to hang out there when the gland is dead??)
I'm hoping it will all balance itself out once the infection is under control. You are now the third story I've heard where this happened. I hope I'm next.
Sad how the medical profession limits endos. No wonder every one had long waiting lists. And just about every one I called only used synthetic hormone replacement anyway. How seemingly unhelpful can entire profession be? Yikes.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
I just remembered that the first thing this excellent endo did was have me fax him the labels of every supplement I was taking.
I believe he wanted to see if any of them contained iodine because, if they did, that could explain my hyperthyroid condition suddenly coming on me.
So, if my memory is right that he was looking for iodine, then you could have very well caused this hyper condition by taking iodine supplements.
Here is a website that says that taking iodine can cause hyperthyroid:
I believe that by stopping the iodine, you will return to normal.
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
Hi Tammy,
Just saw this thread. I agree with TF, and that stopping the iodine will return your thyroid back to normal.
I was dx with Hashimotos Thyroiditis back in the mid 70s when no one could figure out why I was so sick. I really feel the thyroid is under seige from all the infections.
Look into coconut oil for the thyroid. I haven't had my thyroid checked in yrs, but I am pretty sure it's okay.
Once I realized I was loaded with parasites, I decided to only take antiparasitics and salt/c and some digestive enzymes, cloves, coconut oil and coconut water.
The enzymes help get rid of the mycoplasma. I do believe I read that on Dr. Garth Nichelson's info.
Keep it simple has been my motto, and just go after the parasites that keeps all of the other infections thriving. Hope you feel better.
Gael
Posted by kgg (Member # 5867) on :
Before I knew I had Lyme I had an episode of Thyroiditis. I discovered it when my heart went up to 140. They ran a thyroid scan and then sent me to an endocrinologist.
Basically while my thyroid levels were elevated they put me on a beta blocker to slow my heart rate down. That was all.
He told me that I would have three months of hyperthyroid and then I would go hypo for three months. Which was exactly what I did. When I went hypo, he put me on Synthroid which did absolutely nothing for me.
I was tired during both phases. When I was hyper I tended to be weepy. I lost weight and then put it back on.
They never discussed irradiating. It could be a virus causing this. But in my case I believe it was the Lyme. It loves the thyroid gland.
Hope you feel better soon.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Thanks guys. Yes, I stopped the iodine about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Hoping things return back to normal (whatever that is...haha).
kgg - my heart rate is up also. On the doctor's table yesterday it was 135. Other times I feel much more hyper, so I know it has to be going higher at times. Ugh.
I saw my ART doc yesterday. He said I need to be closely monitored. He wants me to see a specialist also (will try harder to get a sooner appt). He said he will also help to get me in.
My husband and I had planned to go away in 2 weeks. Doc said no way, I am in lockdown mode for now until things get under control. There is no way I could have gone feeling the way I do anyway. But was hoping to feel better.
He said there are very few things that raise his concern, hyperthyroidism is one of them.
Thanks.
Posted by koo (Member # 30462) on :
Tammy, you say your blood work is showing a high number...what test is that?
My story is similar to TF and kgg. I had 3 solid weeks of hyperthyroid symptoms. I felt like I was vibrating, elevated heart rate, mind going in circles, tired yet couldn't sit still, ate and ate yet still lost weight.
It ran its course without intervention. I think this episode though is what unleashed what was a latent Lyme situation.......hmmmm, or was the Lyme not so latent and it unleashed the thyroiditis. I think it's the former.
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Hi Koo,
My Reverse T3, T4 Free and T3 Free were all very high. TSH was very low.
I am glad to hear another story where your hyper situation returned to normal. I am hoping and praying that will happen to me....I am really setting my mind to it.