My Story
When I was about 10 years old I had extreme weight gain, but I was highly active as I was swimming and exercising. I was extremely tired, weak, and had to use the restroom constantly. So I went to my normal Family Practitioner and told him all of my symptoms. They ran a numerous number of test on me including a blood test. The blood test discovered that my TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) levels were high. The normal range of TSH levels is 0.4 to 4.0. My readings came back at 24-26. So I was referred to a Pediatric Endocrinologist, this doctor was to show me how to regulate my TSH levels with medicine. If I recall correctly I was started on a regimen dosage of 50mcg of Synthroid (one of the main thyroid medicines available). Every 4 weeks I have to go get my blood tested and sent off to see if my medicine was regulating the TSH levels correctly. Fast forward through the years I am still seeing the same doctor and I am now 16 years old. Now on a dosage of 175 mcg. One night I went to eat hibachi with my mom. I love hibachi and what happened next was not a normal thing. I started to eat and then couldn’t swallow. Even after chewing for minutes I could not get it down. That same night we decided to go to a local children’s hospital. My thyroid was so enlarged you could feel mine. So the doctor ordered an Ultrasound (just like when your checking a baby but on my neck). They checked the right side of the gland only, no one quite understands why. They found what is called a goiter. A goiter is basically just an enlarged thyroid gland. The doctors told me to go back see my normal Endocrinologist then I needed to be referred to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) Surgeon. At the age of 16 I had my thyroid removed. My right gland was wrapped half way around my neck and my left was growing more of an outward direction. A normal thyroid gland is about 4-6cm total. My left thyroid gland was 4.6 cm and my right was 7.4 cm. A total size of about 12 cm.
This really does make you feel like your body is trying to kill you from the inside out. Trust me, get checked.
Symptoms
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck. Your thyroid lies below your Adam’s apple, along the front of the windpipe. The thyroid has two side lobes, connected by a bridge in the middle. When the thyroid is its normal size, you can’t feel it.
These are some of the common Symptoms:
¬Fatigue after sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night or needing to take a nap daily.
¬Weight gain or the inability to lose weight.
¬Mood issues such as mood swings, anxiety or depression.
¬Muscle pain, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or tendonitis.
¬Cold hands and feet, feeling cold when others are not, or having a body temperature consistently below 98.5.
¬Dry or cracking skin, brittle nails and excessive hair loss.
¬Constipation.
¬Mind issues such as brain fog, poor concentration or poor memory.
¬Neck swelling, snoring or hoarse voice.
My advice to everyone:
¬If you feel like you any of these symptoms go get checked. This is not something to just put on the back burner. Thyroid problems can be worse than what I told you about. Thyroid cancer is starting to be a high cause of death. Don’t let this go unseen. Get checked.
If you are squeamish look away
Regular thyroid compared to one with a goiter.
My thyroid that was removed
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