Posts by Brian Jones38

Karen Jackson said:maybe check your hormone levels?

It could definitely be linked to skin or hair issues if there's an underlying deficiency. I've seen a few cases like this.

p.s. have you been on any medications over these last 11 or 12 years? I've heard dry skin can be a side effect for some drugs.

I started losing my hair at 19. Now I'm 29 and completely bald, so I just shave my head every ten days or so. I'm not on any medication. Check my hormones? You know, I'd never even considered that... A dermatologist told me a few years back that my hair loss might be due to high testosterone, but I never actually went in to get tested. Besides, plenty of men on my mom's side of the family ended up going bald sooner or later anyway.

Rachel Brooks63 said:Just find some cheaper hand creams 🤷

I stick with Neutrogen because, honestly, it's the only brand that actually provides even a little bit of relief. It feels best during the summer when it's hitting 95 degrees out; my hands can finally breathe. But as soon as the temperature drops and that cold wind kicks in, the dryness and cracking start all over again. Since the beginning, I've been hearing from dermatologists that my skin is just "built this way" and that I simply have to keep moisturizing. It’s incredibly frustrating. The idea that there isn't some *hidden* underlying cause for this feels almost impossible to swallow.

In a few days, I'm heading back to the vascular surgeon for a follow-up with all my test results. During my first appointment, he mentioned there might be some kind of therapy for circulation issues—something about expanding the blood vessels...

This whole situation is just, truly, deeply frustrating.

brightgull95 said:A cytology biopsy of the thyroid, yet they’re performing a lymph node puncture? Try finding the error in that logic—it's practically preschool level.

That's the exact wording on the report. I didn't write it myself.

brightgull95 said:Moin, moin

This is where we hit the core issue, though. What exactly was being processed via cytology? What was the specific target of the biopsy? Was it the thyroid itself, or something else entirely? If the thyroid wasn't the direct target of the puncture, then what was?

It was a thyroid cytology.

"Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of a 12x7x7mm hypoechoic lymph node located near the lower pole of the left thyroid lobe."

"The smear shows high cellularity, presenting a monomorphic pattern consisting mostly of small lymphocytes, a single histiocytic cell, and blood elements."

"Monomorphic hyperplasia of lymphatic cells within the lymph node."

"Follow-up via ultrasound and cytology in 2-3 months."

Hey everyone,

I'm honestly not even sure where to start, but I'll try my best to summarize everything and explain what’s been going on with me.

My hands are causing me massive issues. The skin is incredibly dry—it cracks constantly and bleeds. I'm barely keeping it under control thanks to expensive hand creams that I'm spending a lot of money on. Recently, my rheumatologist sent me for bloodwork to check these markers View on imgur and when the results came back, she wasn't entirely sure what they meant. She ended up referring me to a clinical immunologist-rheumatologist in Cleveland.

The second thing is, about a year ago, I found out by complete accident during an abdominal ultrasound that I have Hashimoto thyroiditis. The specialist told me my thyroid looks like it's been eaten away by moths. Since then, I've had hormone tests and several thyroid ultrasounds. My ATG is elevated (289 according to my latest blood work), and the ultrasound shows an enlarged thyroid. However, it's still functioning normally, so there isn't (not yet) a need for medication. For the last few months, I was feeling this tightness and a lump in my throat, but that has cleared up. Both the ultrasound and cytological exams showed no major issues, though my report notes that I need regular monitoring of certain lymph nodes via fine-needle aspiration.

Going back to the issue with my hands... I've been struggling with them for 10, 11, maybe 12 years now. Before that, I never had any problems at all.

What I'm wondering is... what should these elevated values (in the link above) actually signify? Are they an indicator of Hashimoto or something else entirely? Furthermore, could my hand issues be linked to my thyroid disorder? A vascular surgeon mentioned that possibility during my first consultation, and I have a follow-up appointment with him soon (where I'll bring my blood work).

The specialists in nuclear medicine told me there's no need for treatment (just yet)