Completely Confused

[Deedah]

Had thyroid, 1/2 para, & 6 nodes removed about a month ago - papillary carcinoma. Been waiting for RAI... on low iodine diet. Had bloodwork done last week. Was told today that my TSH is very high (not given any numbers -it's Friday, got to wait till Monday to ask), as are my antibodies. Now being sent (asap) for I 131 total body scan. Scheduled for Tuesday the 13th. I'm definitely going to call the endo's office 1st thing Monday for exact numbers... not that I know what they mean, but I'm about to learn. This is so new to me... I have no idea what's going on with my health. Feel more drained every day. Anxiety, fatigue, and depression are overwhelming. I don't even know what questions to ask regarding my overall condition. Any suggestions??? I really want to be on top of things, but I know nothing.

[prayingtogetbetter]

I need help. It won't let me post a new thread on here. Everytime i click on post a new thread it redirects me to log in and then won't let me. Any ideas? Im new here, and clicked on the first message i could get to.
Thank you.

[Deedah]

Hi Praying,
I too am new at this. As a matter of fact I'm kind of computer illiterate. I'm learning by trial and error - mostly error. Sometimes I get to places that I want to go back to, then I forget how I got there in the first place. I don't even know how I found these message boards. I saved "Thyroid Stuff" in my "Favorites". That's how I keep coming back. Sounds dumb, but it works for me.
I think I've figured out how to post. Try this, and let me know how it goes. Go to any forum, click on "New Thread"..... directly above "Threads on Forum", type in your title, hit tab then type your message. When finished click on "Submit New Thread" ... bottom of page.
Good Luck, Deedah

[Deedah]

Hi all,
Perhaps somebody can help me figure out what's going on. I picked up my labs yesterday... all they gave me is my Thyroglobulin Panel. - Spoke to Endo's nurse practitioner today... she'll give me the rest of the labs tomorrow. Anyway, I'm concerned about: Thyroglobulin antibodies is 1486 very high... reference range < 20 IU/mL.
Thyroglobulin is < 0.2 very low... reference range 2.0 - 35.0.
Was supposed to go for an I 131 total body scan yesterday, but lab didn't have enough of the dose my Dr ordered... went today instead. The radiology lab gave me a pill today (Wed.), I have to go back on Friday for scan. I have no idea what this is all about. Nurse said they want to check for "abnormalities". I'm terrified!!! Beginning to think... I really don't know what to think. So very tired of this thyroid crap. I thought having a complete thyroidectomy last month was the hard part. I'm now realizing that I've got a long road ahead of me... if I'm lucky.
I've never been so sad, tired, frightened, in my life. It takes all of my energy to try to think positively, then something elso comes up, and I'm shot down again. Feels like I'm a helpless case. I know that depression comes along with thyroid probems, but I'm sinking deeper with each day. Don't know if I'll ever get out of this one. Has anyone out there had a similar experience??? Is there a glimmer of hope for me???

[GD Women]

Hey

Thyroglobulin is the protein precursor of thyroid hormone and is made by normal well differentiated benign thyroid cells or thyroid cancer cells. Although thyroglobulin levels may be elevated in patients with thyroid cancer, a large number of benign thyroid conditions may also be associated with elevated levels of thyroglobulin, hence an increased thyroglobulin alone in a patient not known to have thyroid cancer is not a sensitive or specific test for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. Simply examining the thyroid or carrying out a thyroid biopsy can produce significant elevations in the circulating blood level of thyroglobulin. Similarly, patients with thyroid inflammation can have very high levels of thyroglobulin. Patients without a known diagnosis of thyroid cancer do not generally benefit from having the levels of thyroglobulin measured.
Since thyroglobulin is normally only made by thyroid cells, it serves a useful readout for the presence or absence of thyroid cells, particularly in patients with thyroid cancer where it serves as a "tumor marker". In patients with a known diagnosis of well differentiated thyroid cancer (most types of papillary and follicular disease), the serum thyroglobulin (Tg) is a useful ancillary marker of disease activity and provides information about the state and extent of residual functioning thyroid tissue in patients both on and off L-thyroxine suppression or after stimulation with recombinant TSH. Ideally, the thyroglobulin levels will be low or undetectable after treatment (usually surgery followed by radioactive iodine).


Good luck with the results of your Fridays test.

[Deedah]

Hi GD,

I'm writing because Deedah is in the hospital having RAI 131 as we speak. I promised to check the thyroid boards for her. So far she's been too emotionally involved in her circumstance to understand it all. However, your explanation is very enlightening. I don't completely get it yet, but it's starting to sink in. I think her condition will be quite a learning experience for me.

Thanks again,
Val