Who knew a thyroid could be such a nuisance???

I have never wanted to have surgery more....let's put it that way.  I want my thyroid OUT!  About 15 months ago, at my 6 week post partum check-up, my thyroid was enlarged.  I was having trouble forming sentences, swallowing, had a lot of fatigue, and other symptoms of an enlarged thyroid.  Lisa, my midwife, was concerned but we checked my thyroid levels and everything was normal so we let it go for a year.  May 7th of this year, I went back to my midwife for my annual physical and once again, my thyroid was severely enlarged.  This time, she did not let it go.  I was referred to a specialist within a few days.  His name was Dr. Mark Warren in the endocrinology department at Physician's East in Greenville, NC.  Dr. Warren was very nice and checked everything out.  He was initially concerned by how big my thyroid felt during my swallow test so he did a quick ultrasound on me to see if there were any nodules growing.  Thank goodness there were no nodules, just a big fat thyroid.  I was put on Synthroid 50 mcg for 4 weeks and move up to 75 mcg after wards and have been on 75 mcg ever since. 

Okay, let's fast forward.....


Early last week, my throat started swelling again.  I went almost 2 whole months with no swelling and everything was good.  I have been having trouble swallowing and difficulty breathing so I knew something was wrong.  I called the nurse last Wednesday and asked her what I needed to do and she told me to come in there immediately and get lab work done so I came Thursday morning first thing and had some blood drawn.  My TSH levels dropped from 1.35 to .03 which put me into hyperactive functions.  Was that the reason why my thyroid swelled??  Not sure but we adjusted the medicine back down to 50mcg.  The weekend passes by and Monday morning, the left side of my throat is swelling even bigger so I call the Dr again.  This time, everyone including myself is concerned because it's a rapid swell and the swallowing is a bigger issue now.  He is completely booked up so he sends me over to urgent care where they can see me quicker and Dr. Warren can still look at all the notes and what not since it's in the same network.  Physician's East is huge might I add.....so if you are ever looking for a doctor to go to, start out with a Physician's East doctor because in the end, you will be covered by all corners.  The urgent care Dr did not like what he felt in my neck immediately and wanted to rule out all possible harmful things so he sent me to the Radiology department and I had a CT done.  Nothing new was growing in my neck, just a big fat thyroid.  Ugh!  Im sick of this big fat thyroid by the way....if I havent told you that before.   So I have to continue on my medicine and check back with my Dr if nothing changes in a few weeks.

Here is a comparison of a normal thyroid and an enlarged....mine may actually be bigger than what it looks like in this picture.