Latest Thyroid Info

I had an appointment with the NP yesterday about my thyroid. My sweet husband came with me, which was really great, because he asked all the right questions and confirmed the symptoms I've been having with my NP. David Winmill is the NP's name. He felt my thyroid and confirmed what I had already knew, my thyroid has gotten bigger. I can feel it a lot of the time now when I swallow.  I'm having a lot of the symptoms that the NP asked me about the first time and at that time I could say no to all of them.  Heart palpitations every once in a while, trouble sleeping, tiredness, dry skin, difficulty swallowing, and a few other minor complaints.  The NP is still not sure what to actually diagnose me as. He says all my symptoms were that of something called Hashimoto's disease. But when he tested for the antibodies that should have been there, it came back negative. We are all very confused.
So, what we decided on is one more blood draw, and then one of two tests. Iodine uptake and scan, or ultrasound. The latter is pretty understandable, but the uptake and scan is where I go on an iodine free diet for at least a week and then I will be given a tablet that is pretty much straight iodine, but is also slightly radioactive, so they can scan past my thyroid and see if my thyroid is absorbing the iodine and if one part of the thyroid is more active than others. The reason we are doing this is because I have at least one nodule growing on top of my thyroid.
Well, I just got the call and my levels have gotten worse. So now we are going to be doing the uptake and scan.  This means that I will have to avoid all food that has regular or sea salt in it. I will be getting a call tomorrow to schedule my appointment for the scan and then I will know just how long I do actually have to be on the diet. I hope not over Memorial Day! I don't know about the rest of you, but the food is the best part of that holiday.  In fact, I think the food is the best part of most holidays. Could be why I'm in the physical state I am. Anyway, I digress. Now we have a way to move forward.
It is good to actually have my blood work reflect the problems I have been feeling.  I don't think that the NP really believed how bad my symptoms had gotten since the one time I had a blood draw between my first appointment and yesterday's appointment my levels had actually improved. It was so nice to have Matt their to back up that I haven't been myself.
Luckily for us, we have a great family who is there to help us. I am so glad that Elaine, my awesome mother-in-law, was able to watch Keldrie while Matt and I went together. I know that everything will turn out all right. The good news for us is that this is the worse of our problems right now. Matt and Keldrie are both very healthy and my symptoms are not bad enough yet to keep me from being able to do those things I need and want to. We are overall very fortunate. I am going to miss my salt though.