I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 2 years ago and have been taking 150mg of thyroxine. Over the last few weeks I have gone through a period where I was extremely hyperactive and the last two weeks I have been experiencing extreme fatigue, fogginess, shortness of breath and pain on the left side of my throat which is painful to the touch and when swallowing. Is this just normal symptoms of the disease or should I see my doctor?
Hello,Has there been any change in your diet and/or the way you take your thyroid medication?Have you started any new medications?Have you had any weight loss? Fever? Diarrhea?Cough?Any swelling in the neck area?Dr Abby
Hi Dr AbbyI have had diarrhea and fever, no significant weight loss though. I have been coughing which hurts but haven't noticed any significant swelling in the neck region.I haven't changed my medication dosage for around a year and I always take it at the same time every morning.I am not on any other medication.Thank you for your help.Irene
Irene,It sounds as if you may have two separate issues.First, the period of hyperactivity could indicate that you are getting too much thyroxine. If you have not had your thyroid blood tests done in the last several months, it would be worthwhile having them now.As we get older, we do tend to require lower doses (although you are still very young, so this is unlikely to be the issue). Weight loss, giving birth and certain medications can also cause a decreased need for the hormone...You don't have any obvious reason as to why you would suddenly be hyperthyroid but it is still something that should be checked given the symptom you have or had.Second, the fever, sore throat, cough, etc. sounds like a viral illness . The concerning issue is the fact that you also feel short of breath. For this reason, you need to see your doctor. He/she may need to do a chest xray to rule out any underlying pneumonia which can cause pain in the chest, cough, fever, shortness of breath....Finally, there are also infections of the thyroid that can occur. If your thyroid itself is tender (here is a link to show you where the thyroid is located), this would need to be checked out by your doctor too. (ignore the needle part :), it is a biopsy picture) Viral infections of the thyroid typically follow an upper respiratory infection and cause mild to significant swelling of the gland.The pain can be worse with coughing.It also can cause a temporary hyperthyroid state.http://www.umm.edu/graphics/images/en/8967.jpg I hope that this information helps...If you would like any additional information or have more questions please don’t hesitate to ask! Please remember to only rate my answer when you are 100% satisfied. If you feel the need to click either "Helped a little" or "I expected more", please reply to me via the REPLY or CONTINUE CONVERSATION button instead with the issue you have. I will be happy to continue further and do everything I can to provide you with the service you seek. Thank you,Dr Abby