Thyroid issues

Anonymous
September 28, 2011 at 10:36 am

Hello Goodney,
I had much the same question. In fact, I started a thread on this blog, see this URL:

[url]http://www.gbs-cidp.org/forums/showthread.php?t=6596&highlight=thyroid[/url]

I also had thyroid nodules, identified at about the same time as my CIDP. In reading through this forum, it struck me that a number of folks also mentioned thyroid issues. So, I raised the question in the forum. Not too many responses, but a couple of them were interesting.

I have talked to my neurologist, endocrinologist, and family doctor. The only semi-explanation I have gotten is that immune system problems can sometimes affect the thyroid. So, maybe they both have the same cause. That is, maybe CIDP does not cause thyroid problems, and vice versa. I have no way of knowing if that is the case and this is just a coincidence, or not.

Incidentally, I had half my thyroid removed, and the nodules turned out to be benign, not cancerous. As I have learned, biopsies are ‘indicative,’ not conclusive. But, the surgery has caused another significant problem, because now my vocal cords do not work properly. I have a raspy, monotone voice (pitch inflexibility, as my speech pathologist calls it). But, the worst side effect is that they do not open properly, so I have difficulty breathing. On top of the CIDP, this makes any exercise very difficult.

So, my recommendation is to think twice, or three times, before any thyroid surgery.