Hypothyroidism (4 Months And Still Have Issues)

[eek]

Desperately hoping for advice on this thread (see post #10): http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=124529&hl=

The old title was for Subacute Thyroditis so I thought it best to create a new thread title in the hope for further advice on Hypothyroidism.

If you have information or experience to offer please post on the other thread.

Much much appreciated.

Ty.

(Post 10 on thread)

Update: 4 months since i posted this and still have problems. If anyone can offer advice I would be most grateful. Ty.

Sheryl..you were right. For at least the last 3 months my medication changed to medication for hypothyroidism. ..and im fed up sad.gif

I have constant pain in my throat from a slightly swollen thyroid gland. Other symptoms include fever, dizziness, palpitations, confusion, trouble sleeping but yet have fatigue, eye pain etc. I was also around 112 pounds and ran regularly before the diagnosis, but have since put on a quite bit of weight and my energy levels for running are not the same anymore. To be honest im getting really very depressed about it all.

Im being treated at CM Ram and the doctor i spoke to last week told me that the cause and treatment for Thyroid problems is not easy to work out. He suspects could be Graves Disease, but says only time will tell.

Thing is..im wondering if anyone has experienced this and/or knows of a another specialist i can speak to in CM. Heck, i will even go to Bangkok if necessary.

I hope to travel around s.e.asia in a couple of months for a few weeks and wish to try get this problem under control.

At the moment i just feel in limbo getting blood tests and various drug cocktails, with (even with google researching) little understanding of what it is all doing to my body. Not to mention how much its all costing me because of course the silly moose that i am i didnt get round to sorting out private health insurance.

I appreciate ANY advice people can offer in this!!

Thank you.

Edited September 23, 2007 by eek

[Jingthing]

Which do you have hyperthyroidism. or hypothyroidism? It sounds like hyperthyroidism. which is associated with Graves disease. Sounds like you need to find a good endocrinoligist. My immune system attacked and destroyed my thyroid so I have to take hormones for life, but that is easy and cheap to treat. Your problem does sound tricky. Keep trying until you get some real help.

[eek]

Ow drat im getting so confused about what i have! I just checked over my medical notes but just says "follow up care for Subacute Thyroiditis"

I DO think you are correct and it is in fact hypErthyroidism. I have another check up at CM Ram tomorrow so will get clarification.

I dont suppose you can recommend a good endocrinoligist? Esp if you know of one in Chiang Mai.

Thanks for the feedback.

edit: atm im on ETORICOXIE for the swelling and PROPYLTHIOURACIL if that means anything to anyone. My medicine has changed this last week from before when i was on THYROXIN.

Edited September 23, 2007 by eek

[mamanoodle]

Hypothyroidism(underactive thyroid gland) usually causes weight gain, hyperthyroidism(overactive thyroid) weight loss, one speeds up metabolism and the other slows it down, but acute can cause both in cycle of illness, also look up goitre and viral as symptoms vary vastly and quite hard to diagnose specific cause sometimes. Usual treatment for hypothyroid is thyroxine(UK name) but need regular blood checks to ascertain correct dosage, but it is vitalto recieve correct diagnosis at outset to get appropriate treatment, and every case differs anyway.

[eek]

ty mamanoodle.

Ill ask for clarification tomorrow. ..as well as requesting yet another blood test. Its one thing having lots of medication..but another if im being misdiagnosed in some way. Thats the part that concerns me most really. I dont wish to be taking the wrong kind of/dose of medication.

Again..if anyone knows of a good doc in CM I can go to for a second opinion that would be great.

Cheers all.

[zzdocxx]

Eeky,

I feel for you, that is a tough break.

No I don't know any physicians in CM, but I did find an interesting summarization of what you have diagnosed with. As you can see, it is not unusual to go from hyper- to hypo-thyroid.

Good luck in any case, I hope someone can give you a referral.

=================================

De Quervain's Thyroiditis. De Quervain's Thyroiditis (also called subacute or granulomatous thyroiditis) was first described in 1904 and is much less common than Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. The thyroid gland generally swells rapidly and is very painful and tender. The gland discharges thyroid hormone into the blood and the patients become hyperthyroid; however the gland quits taking up iodine (radioactive iodine uptake is very low) and the hyperthyroidism generally resolves over the next several weeks.

Patients frequently become ill with fever and prefer to be in bed.

Thyroid antibodies are not present in the blood, but the sedimentation rate, which measures inflammation, is very high.

Although this type of thyroiditis resembles an infection within the thyroid gland, no infectious agent has ever been identified and antibiotics are of no use.

Treatment is usually bed rest and aspirin to reduce inflammation.

Occasionally cortisone (steroids) (to reduce inflammation) and thyroid hormone (to "rest" the thyroid gland) may be used in prolonged cases.

Nearly all patients recover and the thyroid gland returns to normal after several weeks or months.

A few patients will become hypothyroid once the inflammation settles down and therefore will need to stay on thyroid hormone replacement indefinitely.

Recurrences are uncommon.

=======================

ty mamanoodle.

Ill ask for clarification tomorrow. ..as well as requesting yet another blood test. Its one thing having lots of medication..but another if im being misdiagnosed in some way. Thats the part that concerns me most really. I dont wish to be taking the wrong kind of/dose of medication.

Again..if anyone knows of a good doc in CM I can go to for a second opinion that would be great.

Cheers all.

[strawberry]

I have had a thyroid problem for about 20 years. About then I was given a drug to slow it down, (it was enlarged) I was still taking this drug about 94 and at that time living in CM. I became very sick went to the Ram where the doctor recomended tranquilisers. refused to take them. Got sicker and my wife and landlady wrapped me in a blanket and took me to the public hospital just up the road from the Ram where I was admitted. Turns out the drug I was on was killing off the white blood cells

I was sent to see a doctor there that speciallises in thyroid problems.

You might just be going to the wrong hospital or the wrong doctor.

Good luck its a bmmer of a sickness but can be fixed

Regards Joe

[Sheryl]

Desperately hoping for advice on this thread (see post #10): http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=124529&hl=

The old title was for Subacute Thyroditis so I thought it best to create a new thread title in the hope for further advice on Hypothyroidism.

If you have information or experience to offer please post on the other thread.

Much much appreciated.

Ty.

Eek, I recommend you consult either of the following doctors who are both English speaking, US trained specialists in thyroid disorders at Bumrungrad in Bangkok. I brought someone to see Dr. Jun once and was favorably impressed. Haven't met Dr. Rosanee but her qualifications are outstanding. If it were me and given that your case appears to be a complex one I think I'd try Dr. Rosanee first, if not satisifed then Dr. Jun. Bring copies of all test results and medical summary with you. This will not only help her but also save costs on lab work.

Dr. Jun Srimanunthiphol

Medical School: - M.D. Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, 1994

Board Certifications:

- Diplomate of The American Board of Internal Medicine 2000

Fellowships:

- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, George Washington University, USA, 2002

Special Clinical Trainings (with Document) :

Thyroid Ultrasound and Osteoporosis

Special Clinical Interests: Thyroid Diseases, Diabetes, Osteoporosis and Calcium Disorder,

General Endocrinology

Day Time Location

Mon 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Mon 13:00 PM - 16:30 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Tue 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Tue 13:00 PM - 16:30 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Wed 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Wed 13:00 PM - 16:30 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Thu 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Thu 13:00 PM - 17:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Thu 18:00 PM - 20:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Sun 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Sun 12:30 PM - 16:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Dr. Rosanee Valyasevi

Medical School : - M.D. Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University (First Degree Honor), Thailand, 1988 Board Certifications :

- Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, 2003

- Diplomate of the American Board of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism,2004

- Diplomate of Thai Board of Internal Medicine, 1992

Fellowships :

- Endocrinology, Howard University Hospital, USA, 1995

- Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, USA, 2000

Special Clinical Interestss : - Thyroid Diseases, Parathyroid and Calcium

Day Time Location

Tue 09:00 AM - 15:00 PM Med/Surg NS 7

Fri 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Sun 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM Med/Surg NS 6

Good luck!

[eek]

Thank you so much Sheryl!

I think i am best scheduling a trip to Bangkok in a few weeks then even if just to hear that the advice and medication i am on at present is the correct/best way to go.

It is definitely hypErthyroidism.

Hopefully one of those doctors can help me out.

Edit: if anyone has knowledge of cost roughly at Bumrungrad for treatment (i gen hear its an expensive hospital..but maybe not much more than Ram?) that would be helpful. I think even if i obtain medical insurance now..i would still not be covered as its a prior condition. Thus i will be paying myself.

Edited September 25, 2007 by eek

[Sheryl]

Eek, outpatient consultation will run you probably 800 - 1,000 Baht. Where it will get costly is if diagnostic tests are indicated, hence be sure to bring with you all that you have had done so far. Costs of diagnostic tests varies depending on the test; you could be looking at anywhere from 0 (if no additional tests needed) all the way up to say 10 - 20,000 baht if things like CT scan, radioactive assays etc are indicated. Discuss cost concerns frankly with the doctor if tests are recommended and ask to what extent costly tests are likely to make a difference in treatment decisions and whether there are less costly alternatives if a very costly procedure is recommended. On the other hand, of course, there is a cost in terms of both money and suffering entailed in not having an accurate diagnosis and perhaps getting the wrong treatment as a result, so keep an open mind and see what they recommend. If you have had a comprehensive work up at Ram then there may not be a need for more tests.

Where Bummers is off the charts is for inpatient care, but I much doubt you will require that.

[eek]

For those interested, or in case it may help others, here is an update:

First of all, im still a bit dazed by new information. I went to Bangkok yesterday and saw Dr.Rosanee at Bumrungrad. She looked over all my medical files i brought and listened to me then asked some questions. What i learned from her in that session, is more than i have learned this last 4 months!

She checked me over then sent me for blood tests(inc.liver due to the medication i have been on), results same day (2 hours. Except liver test results which will be sent separately by email today or tommorow)

What became apparent is she was a bit shocked by how my condition was treated. She felt that my medicine had been changed a lot. She believes from my medical records that it is most likely i was given too much medication for my initial hypOthyriodism which then dipped my thyroid to becoming HypErthyroid (sorry but my description is not too technical as i cannot recal the technical description). Thus they started treating me for HypErthroidism which then created a cycle of my thyroid trying to regulate against the medication. She was most shocked at the amount of medication I was on at present when measured up against my blood test results and informed me that i should stop taking ALL the medication for at least one month to give my thyroid time to try regulate. Then I should go see her or a colleague of hers at CM University in one month for repeat blood tests and then will be worked out if i need to be on treatment. She predicts that it is most likely if there is a thyroid problem it will be that im not producing enough and will be put on a LOW dose of thyroid medication.

Im reeling from the idea that CM Ram have probably been over medicating me, exacerbating the problem. Four months of being unwell has been no picnic, but four months of possibly being UNNECESSARILY well is a bit hard to swallow (no pun intended). Not to mention cost factor of repeated blood tests, consultations, medications and time spent. The cost of flying to Bummers + consultation and tests was not cheap but in comparison to the regular costs mounting up at Ram it IS cheaper! Plus, I am being treated CORRECTLY!.

I cannot thank Sheryl enough. And the kind TV members who offered advice. I really had no idea about what kind of specialist to see and why. I put my faith in CM Ram to place me with the correct doctor for my condition and treat me as well as any health establishment could. I dont wish this to be a CM Ram bashing post, but i feel its important for others to know this information.

I came away from Bummers, still feeling sick and lighter of pocket, but much much happier, as i feel i am now finally on a path to recovery. Thanks to all again.

Edited October 3, 2007 by eek

[Sheryl]

Glad to hear it, Eek. Ignore my PM query it was sent before I saw this post.

It does indeed make all the difference to see a doctor who is a top expert in his/her field.

Hope you are feeling better soon