Feeling Stuck in My Thyroid Journey — Advice Appreciated
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for your opinions, experiences, and tips regarding my situation, because I’m feeling a bit stuck about what the best next step is.
I’ve made several posts before with more background information, so some of you may already know parts of my story.
This morning I had new blood tests done for TSH and T4. My TSH is now 1.8 and my T4 is 12.3. The T4 (the active thyroid hormone) has stayed almost exactly the same. Even though my Strumazol dose was lowered, the T4 still hasn’t increased. I was hoping it would go up a little, because I really don’t feel well with such a low active hormone level.
My TSH has gone up slightly, which means my body is starting to notice that there’s less thyroid hormone in my blood. That’s good to see, but it doesn’t change how I feel. Since the active hormone level hasn’t changed, my symptoms haven’t changed either.
For context:
– I’ve had subclinical hyperthyroidism for a long time without a clear cause.
– I’m currently taking 5 mg Strumazol.
– I have a large goiter with multiple nodules, one of them almost 5 cm.
– The nodules are benign, but they do cause discomfort and get in the way.
– My thyroid reacts extremely sensitively to any change.
I’m currently considering two possible steps (of course in consultation with my doctor, not on my own):
- Stopping Strumazol completely to see if my thyroid will start producing more hormone again and whether that might help me feel better.
- Asking for a referral to a surgeon for a possible operation.
For me, this could be two birds with one stone: the nodules that bother me would be removed, and it might also help resolve the ongoing hormonal instability I’ve been dealing with for so long.
I also don’t know if RFA (radiofrequency ablation) would be suitable for me. My thyroid is extremely sensitive, RFA wouldn’t shrink the thyroid itself, and it wouldn’t address the hormonal imbalance I’ve been struggling with — so I’m unsure if it would actually solve anything in my case.
I’m really curious if anyone recognises this and how you approached it.
My questions:
– Has anyone chosen surgery because of nodule-related symptoms or ongoing hormonal instability?
– Do you have any tips for navigating this kind of situation?
Any experiences or insights are very welcome.
Thanks,
Wendy