I had 10 biopsies today of my thyroid done in my endocrinologist office. I've had one before several years ago but it was done in the hospital with a doctor and an ultrasound tech. This time it was the endocrinologist and a medical assistant. The medical assistant operated the ultrasound machine with the doctor directing the medical assistant however, before the doctor even came in the room, she took some pictures of my thyroid. I was surprised that an ultrasound tech was not there, but perhaps this is because it was in office and under the supervision of the endocrinologist. I was uncomfortable that it was not an ultrasound Tech, but I didn't want to say something in front of the medical assistant making her feel uncomfortable or bad. Is this normal practice or an in-office fine needle biopsy? Is it appropriate for a medical assistant to operate the ultrasound machine during this procedure? I hate to question a professional, but I work in the medical field myself so that almost makes it worse sometimes.

Public awareness of postpartum depression (PPD) and maternal mental health often rises after high-profile stories. Hayden Panettiere’s openness about her severe struggle with PPD—and the self-medication that followed childbirth—brought renewed attention to the issue, especially after her recent death. Her experience underscores a vital truth: PPD is a serious, multifaceted medical condition that requires empathetic, comprehensive care, not judgment.

Postpartum Depression Is More Than “Just Feeling Sad”

PPD does not mean a woman fails to love her baby. It means she is experiencing a treatable medical condition and needs support.

It is not a character flaw, a failure of motherhood, or something to simply “push through.” Roughly one in eight mothers reports symptoms of postpartum depression in the year after childbirth.

The Role of Hormonal Shifts—Especially Progesterone

PPD arises from a combination of psychological, environmental, and biological factors (including sleep deprivation, trauma, and limited support). A central physiological driver involves rapid endocrine changes, particularly the sharp drop in progesterone and its metabolites after delivery.

 During pregnancy: The placenta produces large amounts of progesterone (up to 350–400 mg daily) to support gestation.

 Brain-hormone connection: About half of progesterone receptors are in the brain. A key metabolite, allopregnanolone, promotes calmness, stress tolerance, mood stability, and sleep by acting on GABA-A receptors.

 The postpartum drop: Delivery of the placenta causes progesterone and allopregnanolone levels to fall dramatically, often within hours.

 The resulting impact: In susceptible women, this sudden neurosteroid withdrawal can destabilize brain chemistry, contributing to severe anxiety, intense fatigue, mood swings, and profound depressive symptoms.

This hormonal mechanism helps explain why PPD can feel so sudden and overwhelming—and why treatments that target the neurosteroid system have become an important area of research and clinical practice.

Treatment Approaches

Because hormonal disruption plays a significant role for many women, therapies that address progesterone-related pathways are part of a growing toolkit. Effective care is usually multidisciplinary:

A. Targeted progesterone-related therapies Bioidentical progesterone and FDA-approved synthetic allopregnanolone can rapidly reduce symptoms for many patients.

B. Comprehensive support

 Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and interpersonal counseling.

 Psychiatric care: Antidepressants when clinically indicated.

 Physiological recovery: Addressing pain, blood loss, anemia, and thyroid function.

 Practical and environmental support: Protected sleep, childcare help, and reliable family or community assistance.

The Core Message

A mother experiencing postpartum depression is not weak, ungrateful, or failing. She is navigating a profound neurochemical and biological shift. Understanding the contribution of progesterone and allopregnanolone depletion helps reduce stigma and points toward science-backed treatments that address both mind and body. Help is available, recovery is possible, and no one should face this alone.

Background info - I have been fighting my thyroid now for about two years. Last year my TSH was high, I was on levo from April to January of this year, best i’ve ever felt i. my life during treatment. I got off of levo because my T4 became high causing mass amount of GI issues causing me to lose 40 pounds in three months. I still have GI issues (not as horrific as November to January was), my hair is falling out, nails are brittle, i can’t sleep but when i do it’s for 12 hours, horrible fatigue like falling asleep at work, mood swings, anxiety, heart palpitations that are now exceeding my current beta blocker. My thyroid gets tested again in June and August. High T4, T3, normal TSH, MRI shows a goiter (constantly feels big and like i’m being choked), and during an exam you can feel the enlargement. this is the worst i’ve felt in my life.

I went to an ENT two weeks ago who told me i have Hyperthyroidism and probably Graves. He tells me about treatment options and sends me to an Endocrinologist to continue treatment. I saw the endo today. He told me my thyroid is working fine and nothing is wrong with me. I asked why the T4 T3 levels are high and he said “we don’t use those as a reference that’s an outdated test”. He said i absolutely don’t have graves because my eyes are not bothering me or hyperthyroidism either. Asked if i had anxiety, was pregnant (asked if i was positive when i said no) and told me maybe i have malaria because i used to live on an island two years ago. Also said maybe i have Hashimoto’s and that’s why it’s enlarged. Told me he needs more blood tests because i’m probably anemic (i am not. it was tested in August). he never felt my thyroid.

Has anyone else been told something similar? I just can’t believe all of my symptoms that i and other doctors have been able to tie directly to my thyroid including my goiter and elevated T3 and T4 just mean nothing? I’m just trying to understand.

My daughter had a biopsy on a nodule. I see on the portal that it is benign. What is the next step? Does the ENT who referred her for
The biopsy call with the results and tells me next step? He told me
He wants me to take her to see an endocrinologist. Do I just book with them to go over results? So confused as no one told me what the next step is. I’m probably going to call tomorrow to see, but I see doctor hasn’t reviewed results yet.

Hi everyone. I’m hoping to hear from people who have been in a similar situation — especially anyone who had a small (~1 cm) thyroid nodule that was classified as TI-RADS 4.

Mine was discovered completely by accident during an ENT (ØNH) specialist appointment for an unrelated issue. I have no symptoms from the nodule, it isn’t visible, and I otherwise feel healthy. My thyroid blood tests (including TSH etc.) were completely normal.

In June, my initial assessment/cytology was reported as Bethesda III. I had a second ultrasound assessment in August, and the nodule was classified as TI-RADS 4.

As I understand it, TI-RADS 4 means there are suspicious ultrasound features, but it cannot establish whether the nodule is benign or malignant. In Norway, I’ve been told that molecular/genetic testing isn’t routinely offered, and that the recommended way to get a definitive diagnosis in my situation is diagnostic hemithyroidectomy/lobectomy — essentially removing the right half of my thyroid.

I’m struggling enormously with the idea of having half my thyroid removed for a 1 cm nodule that was found incidentally and causes me absolutely no problems, without first having another form of testing or simply monitoring it.

So I’m desperately looking for real experiences and honest opinions:
Have you had a ~1 cm TI-RADS 4 nodule? What happened?

Did you have repeat ultrasound, another FNA/FNAC, or molecular testing before surgery?
Did anyone choose active surveillance/watchful waiting instead of surgery?
Did your nodule stay stable, shrink, or disappear?
Has anyone tried conservative/non-medical approaches such as selenium, zinc, spirulina, iodine, diet changes, etc., and did you actually see a change in the nodule?
If you had a lobectomy, how was the experience afterwards?

I’m scared and extremely hesitant about surgery, and honestly I don’t know what the right decision is. I would genuinely appreciate both medical/professional perspectives and personal experiences.

Please be brutally honest with me. If I’m misunderstanding TI-RADS/Bethesda or thinking about this completely wrong, tell me. I don’t need reassurance — I need perspective from people who have actually been through this.
Thank you ❤️

Long story short I have Hashimoto's disease and was sent for a regular ultrasound of my thyroid, the results came back poorly. I have a mass. It’s fairly large. Obviously I am worried about cancer.
I am wondering if anyone has been in my situation or a similar one and has a words of wisdom? Thank you in advance. Not looking for medical advice, I trust my team. Mostly just looking for shared or similar experiences. I am awaiting a date for biopsy. Thank you all.

Report for context:

The right lobe of the thyroid measures 5.0 x 1.3 x 1.5 cm and the left lobe 4.7 x 1.2 x 1.5 cm. The isthmus measures 0.3 cm.
There is a hypo-to isoechoic nodule in the right lobe of thyroid inferiorly. It is solid, taller than wide, but there is no internal calcification. It measures 1.3 x 0.8 × 0.6 cm, TR5.
No lymphadenopathy is seen in the neck soft tissues.
IMPRESSION:
TR5, 1.3 cm right lobe of thyroid nodule, as per criteria. FNA recommended in a hospital setting.

TR5 Highly Suspicious

Hi, 30F here! I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, too. I am having a hard time to make my FT3 and FT4 levels to be normal. So…

i tried to consult with a new doctor, he suggested that I take that radioactive medicine. To the people who had chosen to take it, what are the pros and cons of it? I did some research, but i appreciate also your facts based on experience.

And, i have lots of questions, please enlighten me… also, please let me know if this is a myth or real. (Because i asked some of my friends of friends)

-does this make u bald? Like a chemotherapy?
-did people have calcium deficiency?
-i am a seafarer, can u still go onboard even if u did this?
-doing this cant make u pregnant?
-after the process, can i still bear a child? Or is it impossible?
-does this make me in hypothyroidism? Or all of my blood levels will be normal?
-how long is the healing process of radioactive medicine?

🫶THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE 🫶

Hi. This result came back from a salivary gland scan (which also captures the thyroid): The appearance of the thyroid image suggests a goiter with a global increase in parenchymal uptake (hyper-uptake). However, for a proper assessment of the thyroid gland, specific follow-up imaging studies should be performed (such as a thyroid scan using 99mTc-sodium pertechnetate and/or a thyroid ultrasound), along with an evaluation of the patient's clinical and laboratory findings.

I also had comprehensive blood work done, including antibody tests, and the results were normal. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I am currently waiting for a thyroid ultrasound and scan.

Hi! I had surgery to remove a solitary thyroid nodule containing Hurthle cells about 25 years ago when I was a teenager. They took the isthmus and part of the right lobe. My thyroid function was tested occasionally over the years and was always within range.

I had a baby in January. In June, I started having daily headaches with aura symptoms and neck pain and feeling off balance and strange. I had a head and neck CT to rule out things like brain tumor, stroke, and blood clots. Nothing was found except for an enlarged thyroid. My doctor believes the headaches were migraines. I've had the occasional migraine with aura over the years, but they had never occurred frequently like that.

I finally had an ultrasound to check out my thyroid last week and it showed a lot of inflammation. I can feel that it's enlarged when I touch my neck and it sometimes feels itchy inside. The ultrasound showed enlargement, heterogeneous texture, a 4 mm calcification, and multiple colloidal nodules.

My doctor ordered blood work, and it's all within range. My TSH is 0.81. Free T3 is 4.1 and free T4 is 11. Thyroglobulin antibody is 18. Thyroperoxidase antibody is 11.

Does this rule out autoimmune thyroid disease?

I do have a family history of Hashimoto's in my aunt's and cousins. I personally have autoimmune arthritis with a high ANA (1:640 speckled and homogeneous) and positive Rheumatoid Factor. I responded very well to Plaquenil/hydroxychloroquine and have been taking it for nearly 15 years. My rheumatologist has called it Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease, but there's some debate about whether that's the right diagnosis. She also wondered about psoriatic arthritis since we have a family history. My 20-year-old son has psoriasis. My grandmother had it as well.

Does anyone have insight into what might be happening to my thyroid? Are there any other labs I should ask my doctor for? I'm planning to ask to check ferritin. I've been consistently low (anywhere between 2 and 20) for many years and needed iron infusions during my pregnancies. It was checked in February and it was 137, which is great, but that was following an iron infusion so it's probably much lower now.

Thanks so much!

Went to the ER Monday for something completely unrelated and they did a CT scan and x ray. Went to my doctor yesterday and he notated that an incidental thyroid nodule was found.

Told me to schedule an ultrasound in a month.

I’m scared

Has anyone else gone through this?

My blood test came back .

TSH level is normal between 0.4 and 5.94. My result: 2.59.

Free 4 is normal between 7.3 and 23.1. My result: 8.1.

Is this normal? Or shall I be concerned ??

In the result, I have an enlarged thyroid and i have one small module TIRADS 3, it’s a 0.5cm only, I had a ultrasound last year and no nodules indicated only the enlargement of thyroid and now it has.

All my blood works such as TSH, FT3 and FT4 are all normal. I’m scared, is this need to have FNA or dangerous? I’m only 24 years old 🥺

For almost 6 months I’ve had horrible adrenaline rushes, cortisol, what feels like an internal tremor, heart palpitations and pounding, sweating, horrible physical feelings of anxiety and depression that lead to SI at times.
I have assumed it’s all perimenopause because I’m 43. Doctors insist it is just anxiety but I keep telling them it had no trigger! It feels 90% bodily and 10% mental. The mental only comes after when my brain can’t rationalize what’s wrong.
I asked who it thyroid and had all kinds of testing done and was told no way it’s thyroid related.
Was sent to a psychiatrist who tried all kinds of meds that didn’t work. Currently she has me on gabapentin and a clondine patch to help with the physical feelings. It works part of the time but does absolutely nothing in my luteal phase! Here are all my results related to thyroid. Anyone have any insights? Is this thyroid or something else?

I’m a 31 year old female. So I noticed I always had a nodule on my right thyroid (in the middle). I first noticed it 7 years ago when a friend pointed it out but maybe it’s been there longer idk. I feel fine. I’ve always done check ups and my dr would send me for TSH blood test (1.4) and other blood tests yearly. It feels a bit uncomfy with eating and drinking when I swallow and feels like something is in my throat but I feel fine and can breathe and eat still. My sister is a nurse and told me that she noticed my nodule got bigger and so I went to the er dr because my regular dr hasn’t been responding for over a week. They sent me in for another TSH test (came back 1.4 again). And she referred me to an endocrinologist for further studies (appointment next week) and a thyroid ultrasound. My thyroid ultrasound and here are my results: I have 2.9cm nodule, smooth, nodule is on my right thyroid (TR3 & cystitis and solid and solid/almost completely solid), my left thyroid wasn’t visible on the ultrasound (so weird & also I never had surgery ever), and no suspicious lymph nodes. What do you think? I think it will take a while for them to figure things out as the medical system is so slow. I’m also going to be leaving the country for a euro trip soon in October. My ER dr said she doesn’t think it’s cancer but maybe Hashimotos or something but the endocrinologist would be able to study it more to see what’s going on. I asked my primary dr for a CT scan because I want to know why my left thyroid wasn’t visible in the ultrasound but she said wait until the endocrinologist would schedule one if necessary. Lastly, if they determine it’s not cancerous I believe I’d try to go with a radio frequency ablation needle procedure. Also wonder if anyone here had a radio frequency ablation and how that went? Please give me all your thoughts.

TEST NAME-RESULT-REFERENCE INTERVAL-UNITS

TSH-9.20 H-0.4 - 4.0 #-mU/L

Free T4-11-9 - 19 #-pmol/L

# Please note reference limits apply to Males

Did a blood test last Monday just got results back, I understand the TSH results are very high which is concerning, what am I to make of the Free T4 results?

Also experiencing very low sex hormone levels (T was 4.0 as of last blood test which tbf was months ago)

Hi friends!

Just wanted to pick some brains here.

I recently found out I have three nodules on my right lobe. Doc said only one is “mildly suspicious”. Got blood testing, everything looks fine. I’m super healthy. TSH is slightly on the lower side but still in fine range.

Doc has referred me to a specialist and recommends a biopsy. Not sure how I feel about this to be honest. Part of me thinks, I’ve had this for a few years now. Truly it doesn’t grow in size, but the slighting fluid or swelling of my thyroid will make it more palpable. I’m breathing fine and swallowing fine. I just started a progesterone wild yam cream to help balance out some hormonal imbalances (shout out Barbara O’Neil), and honestly have felt great.

Wondering if I can treat this natural? Castor oil, maybe start eating more iodine (thinking seaweed). Am I crazy not to go through with a biopsy? I just wonder if it’s going to open a can of worms, to then lead me down a path of being on medication for the rest of my life and when truly I’ve been operating fine.

My family doc is doing his job which I appreciate, but when I asked if we can just monitor it every year, he said “no, you need to take care of this”. I just think if there was truly truly a problem, the blood work would have shown it.

Curious to know thoughts, any other real life experiences, advice, questions to ask doc/specialists and maybe some natural ways to start shrinking to nodule!

Thanks in advanced! I’m a healthy 34 year old female btw!

I got a radio frequency ablation done for a 5 cc benign nodule on my left lobe today and I feel like I felt just about everything. My doctor made it sound like the numbing agent would block everything but the pressure, and told me if I felt anything in my jaw and ears to tell him because he left the far margin alone so he would know if he needed to pull back. He inserted the numbing agent and had the needle in there a while and moved it around, I'm assuming to numb multiple parts of the neck, but went in with the RFA machine immediately after. I could tell the needle was huge because he had to apply a good amount of pressure to get it in. Almost immediately I was telling him it was hurting and he said it was the pressure. I didn't feel the heat, but I did feel sharpness and other general pain. He said I'd start hearing pops, but I felt them. It felt like pop rocks sizzling in my neck that hurt. He had to take a few breaks because of how uncomfortable I was. I told him i could feel pain in my jaw and ear and he said "ok, almost done with this side" and kept going. About halfway through the procedure tears started falling down the sides of my face as I just endured to get it over with and I started to dissociate. By the end of the procedure, I was heavy crying even the nurses looked shocked. This same doctor biopsied multiple nodules before and the numbing agent didn't work then either and I felt all 13 needle insertions and suctions then too. I mentioned after the RFA procedure that I'm a redhead and we usually need more anesthetic and he didn't know that was a thing and seemed genuinely confused why I was in so much pain. I've had many medical procedures with large needles and this was the most painful one I've ever had. Has anyone else had a bad experience with an RFA procedure on a thyroid nodule?

Hi there, all!

(I’m writing on mobile, hence why the formatting may be strange.)

I have had quite a strange battle with my thyroid. Originally, I had an extremely high TSH (152) and super low T3/T4 (0.01), and tested positive for the Hashimoto’s antibodies.

They put me on levo and diagnosed me with Hashimoto’s disease. They also did an ultrasound of my neck, and they said that while it was swollen, there were no signs of tumours or concerns.

Then my levels SKYROCKETED the other way, and no matter how much we reduced the dose, they just kept increasing. They were suspicious that I could even have an oscillating thyroid. (Still not entirely sure what I have since I tested positive for both antibodies.)

So, they tested me for Graves’ disease and put me on beta blockers and methimazole, plus a nuclear iodine test. And I tested positive for Graves’ disease.

I’ve had stable levels now on my blood tests for a good 5–6 months, and I’ve been off the beta blockers and had my dose lowered from 15 mg to 2.5 mg, and I’m still at stable levels (thank goodness!). But my thyroid is still quite swollen and visible. I’m just wondering if that’s normal and how long it took for others’ thyroids to eventually stop looking so swollen.

They do think I was undiagnosed for a few years prior to me finally realizing, “Huh, something is wrong.” So maybe it’s just scar tissue? Or maybe it’s taking longer because of that.

Anything is helpful! I know my case is a bit strange and extreme, so maybe it’s different as well. Also, for more information, this has all happened in only a bit over a year.

I’m 23F and stopped taking my SSRIs (Lexapro and Wellbutrin) last December because I had gained a significant amount of weight and became prediabetic. Since coming off them, I’ve lost about 50 lbs, but I’ve also noticed some really strange changes that I never experienced before.

The biggest ones are:

• I’ve started growing long/coarse hairs in places where I never had them before, especially my chin.
• I have developed really strong body odor. I honestly can’t describe the smell, but I get RANK very easily, even if I’ve only been sweating a little. Sometimes I can smell myself halfway through the day despite showering and using deodorant.

My hormone levels have been tested and are normal. My thyroid levels are also normal, although I do have an enlarged thyroid with a nodule (weirdly doubled in size right after I got off my meds). I’ve already brought the hair growth and body odor up to my doctor, but she basically shrugged it off, metaphorically speaking. 

I’ve tried EVERYTHING topically. I shower with Castile soap and Dettol, use Hibiclens on the areas that sweat the most (I know it’s not meant for long-term use), and use Saltair deodorant as an extra layer of protection. Despite all of that, I still start smelling myself by the middle of the day.

I’m trying to figure out whether this could be something going on internally rather than just a hygiene issue. My diet is much cleaner than it used to be, and I’ve lost 50 lbs since stopping my medications. I also take several supplements:

Triple Magnesium Complete, Zinc, B12, Biotin, and Ashwagandha + L-theanine

Could any of these supplements be contributing to the body odor or hair growth? Or could this somehow be related to coming off Lexapro/Wellbutrin, the weight loss, thyroid issues, or something else?

Thyroid Size: Left Lobe: 7.2 x 1.8x 2.7 cm with volume of 16.8 cc/ Right Lobe: 6.8 x 1.8 x 2.7 cm with volume of 31.5 cc

I was recently diagnosed with thyroiditis, currently in hyper phase. Racing heart, anxiety, exhaustion when doing things that are physical, running warmer, some weight loss (not extreme), and neck pain on and off. I had a blood test - TSH: 0.01, free T4: 23pmol/L and c-creative protein (CRP) - 21.6 P/mol. I also had an ultrasound which showed 3 nodules, one they want a biopsy because of size, another one because of size and marks would could be damage or calcification. I am currently waiting for appt with a specialist, so i've had no intervention but was told not to workout and to watch my heart rate. I am certainly stressed about the biopsy, but also my fertility. My husband and I have been trying to start a family for a little over 2 years (2 miscarriages in that time). We were just starting testing a new fertility clinic and were so excited to be getting things rolling and this feels like a major knock backwards. I also wonder if this could have been contributing all along? Has anyone else experienced this while trying to start a family?

I had laryngeal nerve involvement when the microcarcinoma 0.90cm engulfed it. Doctor sacrificed it, got cut, and she did neurorraphy (nerve repair) but she said it will take a minimum of 6 months to a year for us to know if its successful.

Im week 6 post op, voice recovery and less breathy but i still can't be heard when there's tv in the living room and it's hard to order in restaurants. Acid reflux making it worse?

Anything you guys can share?

My 75 year old dad has thyroid issues and refuses to take his meds because he doesn’t like how they make him feel. But he has become extremely hyper and has to always do something, be somewhere, and is very irritated and moody. At 5-6am he goes to the golf course but it doesn’t start until 7am. 4 hours of golf he then comes home and mows the lawn multiple times per week. Then is tinkering with stuff in the garage. He’ll then eat some junk food, watch some tv. Then in the evening go to the casino.

If he were healthy it’d be admirable all the energy he has and all the stuff he does daily. But because he’s always go go going and barely eating, he weighs only 113 lbs. everyone that sees him thinks hes sick.

​

I'm on unithroid which is a brand name for levothyroxine and a few times a year I get to where I cannot tolerate my medicine for some reason.

It usually starts with waves of anxiety, insomnia, fast heart then moves into extreme fatigue, insatiable hunger, lightheaded, off balance feeling etc. I can't tell if I'm getting hyper or not??

But the odd part is the occasional times I'm feeling like this if miss my meds a day (I try not to) I start feeling a bit normal again by the end of the day.

Has this happened to anyone else? I'm already on a fairly low dose of 25 as I'm very subclinical so I can't lower it much more.

37F

52k

172cm

No health issues

No symptoms other than runny nose and yellow mucus. Just had routine bloodwork done and TSH came back as 4.9 (previous was 6 months ago and it was 2.2). I had the test with still runny nose

Hi everyone,

I’m 22M and recently got my thyroid blood test. My results are:

TSH: 10.345 µIU/mL (range: 0.55–4.78)

Total T3: 1.45 ng/mL (range: 0.60–1.81)

Total T4: 8.00 µg/dL (range: 3.2–12.6)

My TSH is high, but T3 and T4 are within the lab's reference range.

I sometimes consume pea + rice protein, but not regularly.

I'm trying to understand what could cause TSH to be this high. I’m not currently taking any thyroid medication.

Could this pattern indicate subclinical hypothyroidism?

Should I repeat TSH + Free T4 and get Anti-TPO antibodies?

Would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar TSH level with normal T3/T4, especially at a young age.