Hyperthyroidism - Not Graves, no growths, just thyroiditis - Still no answer

Hi. I'm 45 years old & male. I'm otherwise fit and healthy - I eat a good, nutritious diet and take regular exercise. I have no other medical history. I was diagnosed in April this year with hyperthyroidism. Main symptoms were (uncharacteristic) anxiety, forgetfulness, a 'foggy' mind, an inability to concentrate, poor sleep, heart pounding and racing at rest & weight loss. I had very high T3 and T4 levels. TSH was naturally low in response. I was put on 40mg carbimazol per day and beta blockers. Since then I've had numerous blood tests and an antibody test. The antibody test (so I gather) ruled out Graves disease. I was moved on to 20mg per day about 7 weeks after diagnosis (it took a while to get the levels down). I have since (between blood tests) been moved down to 10mg per day and down again to 5mg per day. Most recently, two weeks ago I was moved down to 5mg per day x5 days per week. My consultant had originally said that I will need to have my thyroid removed. However, since my last appointment and now that I'm requiring less than 10mg of carbimazole per day, he has said that the benefits of having the operation would not outweigh me continuing to take the carbimazole indefinitely (or at least until such time as the levels rise again). I did briefly dip below the normal lower threshold and in to hypothyroidism as they tried to 'balance' me up. At my last test I was the hypo side of things, but inside normal tolerances. I went for an ultrasound scan this morning. I had been told to expect the sonographer to find growths in my thyroid. She found no growths. She did however say that I have thyroiditis, which I gather is a swelling of the thyroid. This, I suppose is what is causing the hyperthyroidism. But does anyone have any idea what could be causing the tyhroiditis? I've done some 'googling', but none of what I read describes me, my symptoms and my recent medical history (since just before diagnosis of hyperthyroidism). I've to wait until late January for my next blood test and appointment with my endocrinologist (who is very nice by the way).....but I'm obviously very keen to know if anyone out there with a better understanding of this condition has any idea what I might be looking at with regards to the cause of my condition. Many thanks.

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