January is Thyroid Awareness Month

Mary,

We need a really cool symbol for thyroid cancer/disease. How about an art deco butterfly; give it an edgy shape; more thyroid shaped!

Wish I had known about this several years ago! I’ve been sick for over 5 years but had no idea what it was. It was only over the past year that I discovered I am hyperthyroid due to Graves’ Disease. The last 8+ months have been the worst of my life. It is so debilitating and my GP was useless. I finally have a good endo and am on the path to wellness but it is a very SLOW road. It is frustrating that many people have no idea what a thyroid is and can’t understand what I’m going through, even when I try to explain it.

hi, this is a great help. i have had a goiter for 20 plus yrs. no treatment. i just had a fine needle biopsy. 4 nodules, results non cancerous. tsh normal and has been normal for years. i go to an encrinoligist. i have tryed to express my ’symptoms’ and the dr. says tsh normal, positive antibodies, no treatment.
pls help. what should i be asking.

Hi Mary,
Please post more articles/information on hyperthyroidism. I know we’re in the minority, but more info would be very helpful.
Thanks!

Several cousins in my Dad’s side of the family have been positively diagnosed with Familial Amyloidosis – several more of us plan to be tested. In case you are not familiar with condition, the bone marrow makes an immature protein which is sent on to the liver which in essense transforms it into Transthyretine. Transthyretine transports the Thyroid hormones throughout the body and then dissolves back into the blood. FM mutates the protein into a thickened ‘fiber’ which bends over on itself and does not later dissolve. Eventually something in the body will get plugged up. My question is this: Do you happen to know if this mutated Transthyretine completes its job of transporting the thyroid? There seems to be a number of people in this family with hypothyroidism of some extent. Am wondering if there may be a medical relationship between the two diseases. So far, not one doctor has even known what FM is, let alone can answer this. It is extremely rare.

This is the most informative website. I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease 8 years ago. I check out this site daily.

I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in the fall of 2004. I had a partial lobe removal and 3 months later had complete thyroid removal, with rai treatment 2 months later. I have been hyperactive ever since yes hyperactive. The only time I was hypo was when I was off of medication for 2 scans. Which by the way have both been clean. 3 years later now on my 5th doctor and 3 different medications including armour I am still hyperactive. Any suggestions?

I’m sure there are thousands of scientists who would love to understand the real story behind the many variants of transthyretin. Its bad enough that some of the mutations are not benign….I wondered, also, if alterations in those transthyretin molecules would render them less able to transport thyroid hormones (T3?) as well as retinol. And if it transports amyloid proteins as well as becomes them…or what exactly. Not all types of Amyloidosis is deadly, ofcourse.
A subject , I’m sure, that is dear to the hearts and minds of people here at this forum as of late…..sadly.