Re: Thyroid uptake and scan

[Guest guest]

Hello Wayne,

I often wonder the same thing. I asked my doctor about stress and

a change in the TSH level and he said stress can have an effect on many

bodily functions, but TSH usually doesn't change unless there is a

deeper problem.

I'm going in for blood work tomorrow and am trying to stay as calm

as I can.

goodano-@... wrote:

original article:hyperthyroidism/?start=31

03

> ,

> Since you don't like the idea of radiation (nor I), did you have an

> uptake done when you were hyperT? What about ultra sound? I don't know

> if anyone has ask this, but can the fact that I'm very nervous days

> before a doctor's appointment change the TSH value? I only seem to

have

> the symtoms of hyperT at that time. Any comments would be

> appreciated.TIA

> Wayne

>

[Guest guest]

,

Since you don't like the idea of radiation (nor I), did you have an

uptake done when you were hyperT? What about ultra sound?

Hi Wayne and Everyone,

When I was diagnosed with hyperT, my doctor (nutritionally oriented M.D.)

recommended an ultrasound (about $200) to which I consented. The ultrasound

showed definite structural abnormalities in my thyroid so my doctor

recommended a radioiodine uptake test. Not wanting to further insult my

thyroid with even a small amount of radiation and looking down the road to

see where this was all leading (RAI or surgery), I opted out of the medical

path at that point.

My thinking about the radioiodine test was this: what was I going to

learn from the test that would alter how I would treat myself? I concluded

that it wouldn't affect my self-treatment, so why further damage my body. I

have learned nothing since that time that has made me second guess that

decision.

<<I don't know if anyone has asked this, but can the fact that I'm very

nervous days before a doctor's appointment change the TSH value? I only seem

to have the symtoms of hyperT at that time. Any comments would be

appreciated.TIA

Wayne>>

I don't think it's normal to be nervous before a doctor's appointment, at

least to the point of producing hyper symptoms. Your mind may be just trying

to protect itself by convincing you that you're not really sick. I can

completely sympathize with that. I think we all do that.

Do you get these symptoms in other stressful situations? Can you

exercise strenuously without feeling your heart beating excessively? Do you

get nighttime rapid heart beat? These are the symptoms of hyperT and if you

are only getting them rarely then you are probably just on the edge of

developing more severe symptoms. It can take several months for hyperT to

fully develop so this means that you have a good opportunity to reverse the

process now and hopefully avoid a worsening, which can get very serious.

Stress is a very important causative factor in thyroid diseases and the

stress which you're experiencing in the days before a doctor's exam can

contribute to worsening your situation and affecting your TSH. It's just

another stress which has consequences. However, if you were healthy you

wouldn't be affected by this type of stress. It's just another indication

that your health is not up to par.

[Guest guest]

I saw my endo yesterday and was told that my thyroid is still a bit enlarged.

slight goiter). The thing I guess doctors look for are " HOT nodules " which I

have heard can become cancerous. My endo said I don't have any nodules, but

years ago a doctor said he felt a " growth " on my thyroid. (that was before I

was diagnosed HyperT). Nodules are fairly common and not necesarily

dangerous, unless they are " hot " . Does anyone know what " hot " refers to?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/8/99 5:42:00 PM !!!First Boot!!!, DearEsther@...

writes:

<< I saw my endo yesterday and was told that my thyroid is still a bit

enlarged.

slight goiter). The thing I guess doctors look for are " HOT nodules " which

I

have heard can become cancerous. My endo said I don't have any nodules, but

years ago a doctor said he felt a " growth " on my thyroid. (that was before

I

was diagnosed HyperT). Nodules are fairly common and not necesarily

dangerous, unless they are " hot " . Does anyone know what " hot " refers to?

>>

Hi Esther and Everyone,

A " hot " nodule is one that shows up bright on the radioiodine scan

because a lot of radioactive iodine has gone to that spot. It's a nodule

that is producing a lot of thyroid hormone. A cold nodule is one that is no

longer making lots of thyroid hormone.

If you have hyperT then you know that your thyroid is overproducing

thyroid hormone, so it's expected that some area or areas are going to be

" hot " . Doctors tend to use these hot nodules and the threat of cancer to

scare patients. However, I don't think the danger is that great.

These hot nodules also take up other radioactive ultra trace elements,

besides iodine, during scans. My present thinking is that these hot nodules

take up these other elements because they are deficient in them and will

cease being hot once these deficiencies are corrected.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

To answer your questions, I sleep very well so I don't know if I have

night time rapid heart beat, I can exercise with some increase in heart

rate. Sitting here my heart rate is usually between 72 and 78. My bp

was high at the docs so I had an ambulatory bp test last spring with

" no intervention recommended " because of normal readings during the

night and most of the day. I guess I should find out when those times

are. Two years ago my tsh was low but I was retested and no comment was

made. Our docs only call if there's a problem. I think I'll have the

ultra sound done but still not sure about the uptake. Also, my doctor

wants me to have a bone scan because of some other tests at the same

time as the iron test. This has me a little worried which is added

stress. One added note, I quit smoking about three years ago. My wife

says that I became more " anxious " after that and I wondered what effect

quitting has had on my TSH readings. TIA

Wayne

Hi Wayne and Everyone,

> When I was diagnosed with hyperT, my doctor (nutritionally

oriented M.D.)

> recommended an ultrasound (about $200) to which I consented. The

ultrasound

> showed definite structural abnormalities in my thyroid so my doctor

> recommended a radioiodine uptake test. Not wanting to further insult

my

> thyroid with even a small amount of radiation and looking down the

road to

> see where this was all leading (RAI or surgery), I opted out of the

medical

> path at that point.

> My thinking about the radioiodine test was this: what was I going

to

> learn from the test that would alter how I would treat myself? I

concluded

> that it wouldn't affect my self-treatment, so why further damage my

body. I

> have learned nothing since that time that has made me second guess

that

> decision.

> <<I don't know if anyone has asked this, but can the fact that

I'm very

> nervous days before a doctor's appointment change the TSH value? I

only seem

> to have the symtoms of hyperT at that time. Any comments would be

> appreciated.TIA

> Wayne>>

> I don't think it's normal to be nervous before a doctor's

appointment, at

> least to the point of producing hyper symptoms. Your mind may be just

trying

> to protect itself by convincing you that you're not really sick. I

can

> completely sympathize with that. I think we all do that.

> Do you get these symptoms in other stressful situations? Can you

> exercise strenuously without feeling your heart beating excessively?

Do you

> get nighttime rapid heart beat? These are the symptoms of hyperT and

if you

> are only getting them rarely then you are probably just on the edge

of

> developing more severe symptoms. It can take several months for

hyperT to

> fully develop so this means that you have a good opportunity to

reverse the

> process now and hopefully avoid a worsening, which can get very

serious.

> Stress is a very important causative factor in thyroid diseases

and the

> stress which you're experiencing in the days before a doctor's exam

can

> contribute to worsening your situation and affecting your TSH. It's

just

> another stress which has consequences. However, if you were healthy

you

> wouldn't be affected by this type of stress. It's just another

indication

> that your health is not up to par.