About Karen Brawner Expertise I will answer any questions you have regarding the thyroid whether it be cancer, cysts (types), hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, blood tests for thyroid problems, surgery, fine needle biopsies etc...
Experience My complex cysts on my right thyroid gland and the isthmus were found my accident when my doctor thought I was having a TIA. The ultrasound found a complex cysts the size of a golf ball (which turned out to be the size of a tennis ball when it was surgically remove). Doctors were totally surprised because for 5 years, including the day I went to surgery, all of my thyroid blood work was "within the normal range". So much for blood work being conclusive..
Question Hi Karen.
my question is regarding how much thyroxin i should take, at present im on 100mg daily and have been for 12 months, but i still felt sluggish, irritable, and depressed so i went back to my GP and told him how i was feeling and he sent me for another blood test. After a week i revisited my GP and he put my dosage up to 125mg daily, then within a week of taking this new dosage my ankles and upper legs began to swell to an enormouse size and my eyes became very blood shot so much so i looked like i had gone six rounds with Mike Tyson, i went back to my GP and he immediately dropped my dosage back to 100mg daily and didnt really explain anything to me so i just went off home. But my legs and feet were still swelling and still are to this day, my eyes flare up now and again but not too often thank goodness, as these things were still going on i trawled the web looking for explanations and one thing i kept seeing when looking for my symptoms was Graves disease so i went yet again to my GP but he was not in so i seen a locum and told him everything that had gone on and he told me he thought i might have been overdosed with the extra thyroxin but then saying he would have to have a word with my GP, since that visit which was about 5 months ago i was still confused. i went back again to see my GP but by this time i was really fed upbecause when i explained things my GP began telling me that surely i could tolerate the extra dosage and also that i was being ridiculous when i mentioned that they never call me in for routine testing as my daughter does and my aunt and also a freind of mine, they are all called every 4 to 6 months and she told me 12 months was sufficiant and made me feel really stupid and as a result i have not visited my GP when i know i should, but my symptoms arnt getting any better can you help?
yours Jo
Answer Dear Jo, Change your doctor.... You need to see an Endocrinologist.... GP's are NOT QUALIFIED to handle thyroid disorders of any type.... Also, this does sound like it may be autoimmune related and you need blood work to test you for any autoimmune diseases... Grave's Disease is an autoimmune disease and usually when a person has ONE autoimmune disease, there are often HIDDEN other autoimmune diseases present...
