Do I have Hypothyroidism?

kennethlegrand
kennethlegrand Member Posts: 1
edited June 2012 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Hi all,

I just discovered this site. I was diagnosed with Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage IIA at the age of 23 in 2002. I underwent 8 sessions of chemo in 2 week intervals (ABVD regimen) and was zapped 24 times on a linear accelerator.

After 9 years of nothing (hoorayyy) I am starting to experience cycles of noticeable fatigue / low energy (dohhh), unusual mood swings, disconcerting pain and moderate swelling in the area surrounding my trachea. Has anybody else experienced this? It comes and goes every 4 weeks or so ... this is my third episode. I would go to the doctor but I am uninsured. I am in the process of applying to Blue Cross Blue Shield but fear if they find something and it's reported I'll get denied again :-( I am self-employed and don't know what to do.

Any suggestions?

Ken

Comments

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #2
    Welcome, Ken
    Hi Ken and welcome to the site - I'm sure others will chime in soon here.
    Congratulations on 9 years also!

    I think you should get this checked out medically as soon as possible
    regardless of the insurance situation. I don't know where you live
    or what you have access to but many hospitals and cancer facilities
    will not turn away patients due to inability to pay or lack of insurance.

    If you have a partner who has insurance, maybe you can be added to theirs?
    Hopefully you'll get some more informative responses here soon.

    I'm sorry you are having to go through this.
    Please keep us updated.

    Hugs and positive thoughts,

    Jim
    DX: DLBL 4/2011, Chemo completed 10/2011, currently in remission. :)
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #3
    Welcome....
    Hi Ken,
    Welcome to the group. My cancer clinic doesn't turn anyone away for lack of insurance and has a big sign at the reception desk stating so. I don't know how they do it, but it makes me happy knowing everybody gets treated equally. Call your local hospitals and ask them what they have to offer. As Jim said...get to the doctor and check things out. You have some concerning "red flags" that need to be investigated. I know nothing about hypothyroidismn so I can't help you there. Maybe someone in the group has more info and will share. Take care and best wishes. let us know what you find out. Sue
    (Follicular NHL-stage3-grade2-typeA-DX 6/10-age 61) considered stable.
  • forme
    forme Member Posts: 1,161 Member
    #4
    Thyroid
    Hi Ken

    Welcome to the group.
    I have a couple of questions and thoughts for you.

    When will you be approved for your insurance ( Days,weeks,months?). If your insurance will be starting shortly, if there is no waiting period to use the benefits, then I would wait a little bit. If your insurance will take a long time to become active, but you are approved, then you should try waiting. If you have not been approved yet, you could look into other options.You are right to be concerned about denial. If you are self employed they (BC/BS)can and will deny most of the time. Appeals will not work if you are not already in their group. I would work fast to get BC/BS going. Once you are in the group, you should be okay.

    Did you have Rads to your chest, neck and or head area? I have followed the Head & Neck Boards and see many many folks who had Rads to one or more of those areas. they developed Thyroid failure. Some have been treated with meds only others needed the thyroid removed and then meds. You might visit that board and ask the question to them. The thyroid failure seems to take a few years at least to develope. So this sounds about right for you. You mentioned that your pain and swelling comes and goes. That sounds reassuring that it most likely is not a tumor. If you did have a tumor on your thyroid the good part of that is most are very very slow growing. Which would give you time to get your insurance in place. Hopefully all you will need is some thyroid meds.

    Keep us posted to how you are doing. And get your insurance in place ASAP.

    Lisha

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