What could cause an enlarged thyroid?

Question

I had a thyroid panel, and that was normal. I also had a thyroid us and there were no nodules or tumors or anything....

So what else could cause this, and how serious is it?

The Thyroid panel included, tsh, t3, t4. ptt(something like that) and 2 other test... dont remember what they were. not hyper- or hypothyroidism... i went to my general practitioner doctor, should i go see an endocrinologist, even if he doesn't recommend it?

I do not have a goiter, the thyroid itself is enlarged, no growths on it or anything...

I'm allergic to iodine.. could that cause an enlarged thyroid?

Answer 1

It's possible you may not be getting enough iodine in your diet. You may need to supplement it. Sea kelp has a lot of iodine in it. You can buy Sea kelp capsules. Get your thyroid checked every 3 months because sometimes there could be something going wrong, but it doesn't show up on the tests until later.


IN RESPONSE TO THE INFO YOU PUT UP LATER: The allergy, itself, to iodine doesn't cause the enlargement. But, if you are allergic to iodine and don't get any in your diet, then the lack of iodine will cause an enlargement of your thyroid.

Answer 2

An enlarged thyroid is caused by hypothyroidism, or hyperthyroidism, which are in turn caused by several different diseases.

I would question the value of your thyroid "panel". Exactly what tests were in the panel, and what were the results? If it was just a TSH test, it was useless. You can't make a diagnosis off of a TSH test for a person with symptoms. (Although doctors will try to do so.) And your goiter is a major symptom that something is going wrong with your thyroid.

Answer 3

This is a question for your endocronologist! The endocrine system, which includes the hypothalamus, pituitary gland,
thyroid, parathyroids, adrenal glands, pineal body, and ovaries, is too complex a system for nonhealthcare professionals to attempt to diagnose you.

There are many possible causes of an enlarged thyroid gland, from Graves disease to Hashimoto's Disease to thyroid cancer to lack of iodine to inflammation of the thyroid. It can even be caused by medications and diet!

Since you have had an extensive workup to rule out thyroid disease, if your endocrinologist says "I don't know what's causing this", ask him/her how often you should return for evaluation to monitor your condition. You may need occasional bloodwork to assure your thyroid remains healthy.

Answer 4

An enlarged thyroid IS a goiter.