What can cause a swollen or enlarged thyroid?

Thyroid t-4 cells and HIV/AIDS? what do they have to do with each other?

• I know just about everything there is to know about HIV, from symptoms, to what cells it effects, to what cells it migrates to, etc. I know the thyroid is what produces the T3-T4 white blood cells. All lymph nodes are responsible for all or some part of your white blood cells, that is why enlarged is worrisome sometimes and can indicate numerous illnesses that effect your WBC. My question is, well let me say this first, for the love of humanity do not give me a lecture about "it CAN" or "the is a CHANCE it couldn't" cause I see people do this all the time when people ask a question and all it does is lead people to believe that NOTHING in this world can give them piece of mind,even if they go to a doctor. I am simply asking if the disease 'likely' effects the thyroid output of T4, so say you get thyroid testing for feeling weak and it shows a abnormality or some sort ya know? I am not talking about hiv btw, I am talking aids, when your T4 is below 200. Would it be likely that in testing your thyroid, it would have a abnormality. Please don't lecture about getting a proper test done for the disease cause I know there is only one and people here like to fuel the fire by making people think they had hiv till they get tested right, and that aint right either. It is a BIG step to take a test like that, and yes, either way, I plan on getting tested just cause.

• Answer:

  Here are a couple of articles about HIV/aids and thyroid: http://www.thyroid.org/patients/notes/nov03/03_11_47.html http://www.natap.org/2005/ias/ias_37.htm Basically they say people with HIV/aids might be more prone to thyroid disfunction. But then again, thyroid issues are pretty common all over the world, and there are few practitioners who actually know how to "properly" test for it, let alone treat it properly. Having a thyroid issue does not mean someone has HIV/aids, tho. Are you confusing T-cells with T4 (a thyroid hormone)? "All of the cells in the blood, red blood cells, all types of white blood cells, and platelets are made in the bone marrow. T-lymphocytes are called T-cells. The precursors of T cells are also produced in the bone marrow but leave the bone marrow and mature in the thymus." Having a low T4 does not mean one has HIV/aids, it means one has low T4. T4, or more specifically Free T4 (the unbound and useable T4) should ideally be around mid-range to 3/4 up in range. The t4 has no physical affect in the body, it is a "storage" thyroid hormone that waits around to be turned into the other thyroid hormones. Free T3 is the important thyroid hormone, and is the one we "feel". Free t3 should ideally be near the top or slightly above range. http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/recommended-labwork/ http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/lab-values/ The thyroid produces T4, T3, T2, T1, etc, plus calcitonin, and filters/cleans blood. It needs "enough" iodine to produce thyroid hormones, but if there isn't enough, the thyroid itself can swell up in an attempt to "capture" more body iodine - sort of like using a bigger net to catch more fish. Altho there can be other causes (like certain chemicals, goitrogens, toxic halogens, etc), iodine deficiency and/or radiation exposure are the top 2 things that can cause the thyroid to malfunction. In answer to your question, unless a virus can attack the thyroid itself, in my opinion based on my own experience and that of the members of a particular thyroid group I am listowner of, it wouldn't directly cause thyroid disfunction. It could, however, cause issues with adrenals, pituitary, etc, and those things malfunctioning could eventually affect thyroid function. But, I'm not an expert. Here is a good place to start learning a bit more about all things thyroid: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com I hope this helps somehow.