Q: Is there hope for me? I have a large goiter in my thyroid gland. It's very visible on my throat. Synthroid made me sick, and I was taken off this medication. I haven't had any treatment since. There haven’t been any attempts to shrink the goiter prior to its rapid growth; now the only solution offered to me by the specialist is to remove the entire thyroid. I also have high blood pressure, borderline diabetic, arthritis, depression and increasing health issues. What can I do about the symptoms and weight gain from the thyroid? What can save my thyroid? I'm currently 340 pounds.
A:Before considering thyroid removal, I would suggest that you consider taking a different type of thyroid medication containing T3. Synthroid contains only T4, which is inactive unless converted to T3. For further information, I would recommend speaking to individuals at the Broda Barnes Foundation. The telephone number is 203-261-2101.