In March I spent five days in the hospital with a disease called Erythema Nodosum. It was eventually decided that it was caused by a thyroid hormone and I was discharged (I was begging for it too at the time).
A follow-up with a rheumatologist was next, and I was informed that everything can stay the way it is.
Now I've had my big blood test and my thyroid hormone levels are messed up. Well, no, that's wrong, the hormone levels are still fine, it is the TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) is way too low. It's now doing anything.
Add to that the fact that my thyroid is very small, and signs of increased antibodies in my blood and you have something called Hashimoto's thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease in which the thyroid gland is gradually destroyed by a variety of cell and antibody mediated immune processes. (Thanks Wikipedia!)
Now I'm on new meds and another blood test in three weeks. Blah! But better here than in Italy, in all honesty! I shall look forward to the doctor's bill, he took a LOT of time explaining the ins and outs of this.
