Thyroid problems

I went to the company clinic to have a Health Risk Assessment. This is required of all County employees once a year. If you don't comply, they will raise your insurance premiums by 15%. So I went back in December. The first step is they take a history, take your blood pressure, weight, temperature and they draw blood. My blood tests almost all came back within the normal range. No high cholesterol, no blood sugar problems...mostly good. There was a little elevation in some count involving my liver. But the real trouble was with my readings regarding my thyroid. The levels are high. After two more blood draws, just before Christmas I found out that my anti-thirogobulin count was 262. The normal level is from 0 to 40. The person who reported this to me was not allowed to "interpret" the results, only to report them. I go back to the Dr. tomorrow morning (January 8) to see what the "interpretation" of this might be. Still, I think he won't be able to tell me anything conclusive and will probably be ordering more tests.

I did some internet searches, and I really think I may be in for a long haul just from the information I learned. It is all so odd. If I had not had to go for the health risk assessment, I would not have known anything was wrong. I really don't have any of the hypothyroid (low functioning thyroid, which is what they say I have) symptoms. I should be fatigued, dry skinned and losing hair, constipated (sorry if this is too much information). I don't have these problems. Oh, and I should have unexplained weight gain. I might have heart palpitations. So, I am not experiencing any of these in a noteworthy fashion.

I am experiencing difficulty in swallowing and I seem to always be coughing. I have been attributing this to the fact that I seem to always have acid reflux. If I were concerned about anything, it would have been that. Now, I find out, this could be symptoms of thyroid cancer. Yuck. Cancer. Really don't want to go there, ya know what I mean, Vern?

I will keep you posted.