Difficulty swallowing?

I've been having real trouble swallowing when eating and there is no visible goitre. Does this sound weird at all? I feel like I'm imagining this.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[yorkshiregirl44]

I had difficulty swallowing for over 2 years...i could swallow once and my difficulty came on the second swallow. I also had no visible goitre. I had tests for lots of things all negative and then i was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and Hahimotos, once i had started taking Levo my swallowing started to get back to normal.

Have you been diagnosed with thyroid?

[Hidden in reply to yorkshiregirl44]

Hi Yorkshiregirl, I'm on Levothyroxine at 150mcg but bloods in December have shown my TSH at 4.6 (0.2-4.2) and my FT4 at 15.6 (12-22). Anti-TPO antibodies are 41,000 (<34).

I had bloods done Wednesday just gone but I have not heard about them. I'm wondering if the endo now has these since I'll be seeing him Monday?

Thanks

Jo xxx

[yorkshiregirl44 in reply to Hidden]

Maybe becaue your TSH level is above range..there could be some swelling..i dont know about you but fo me difficulty swallowing was one of the worse symptoms..maybe your endo can get to the cause of it.

[Hidden in reply to yorkshiregirl44]

I hope so. Thanks for your help. Yes, for me swallowing is one of the worst symptoms - especially since I used to love my food.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

If your GP took the blood tests, I would get a copy for the Endo. If it was done at the hospital, your Endo will have them.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws, I was told by the nurse that the results would not be available for 3-5 working days. They were done on Wednesday but when I spoke to the endo's receptionist about this, she said the endo may get in touch with the hospital that has my sample about the results.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[Clutter]

Could be:

1) Swollen thyroid, not externally visible.

2) Nodule on thyroid pressing on gullet.

3) Anxiety

Endo will manually examine for the first two and order ultrasound scan if necessary.

Hopefully, your anxiety will be allayed after Monday's consultation. Not long now. Hang in there

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Yes, I'm now thinking that the thyroid itself is swelling posteriorly, as in it's swelling backwards. I've heard this can happen.

I just hope that since I have high Anti-TPO antibodies the endo won't thinking I'm imagining it if he can't feel one!!

Thanks Clutter - you're right, not long now. I'm just feeling the nerves I guess.

Jo xxx

[Rose2408]

Hi have you had ultrasound??

[Hidden in reply to Rose2408]

Hi, I had an ultrasound on my thyroid/neck 2 years ago and the sonographer noted it looked bulky on one side. She then decided to do an endoscopy on me even though she made this observation! To make matters worse the practice I was with had lost the ultrasound report and all they kept talking about was the MRI report on my head/neck which was fine.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[Fed_up]

Hi karisma

I used to have trouble swallowing

& sometime I would be shirt of breath

Before my diagnoses I was told I had asthma but the medication didn't do anything at all to fix it

I later had ct scan with contrast. & found my thyroid was growing around the back & sides of my wind pipe!

Needless to say had TT 7 mths ago & no more problems swallowing tho still get a bit breathless but I put that down to levels not right yet

You are not crazy at all just hang in there

X kitty

[Hidden in reply to Fed_up]

Hi Fed_Up

I'm glad you had the TT. I don't get breathless myself, but sometimes I feel the airflow get a little restricted when I breathe in.

I really hope that my endo listens to me tomorrow.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[Hidden]

I am hyper with no visible sign of goitre. I get this occasionally and sometimes wake up choking... Scary...thank s for your post and the replies as I will definitely mention it to gp again!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Lindsey!!

Yes, I have no visible goitre at all, like yourself and I was under the impression I was hyper. It would've made sense as I'm petite and find it so hard to gain any weight whatsoever. So it came as a shock to me to find that I was hypo!

Take care and thanks for your reply.

Jo xxx

[CarolineC57]

Hi Jo - yes, I get this too. It feels to me like my thyroid gland itself must be swelling, but I've had two ultrasound scans which have only found tiny nodules - and they tell me these are too small to be causing this problem (difficultly swallowing and difficulty breathing when my neck is in certain positions - especially in bed at night). So, the docs are making me feel like I'm making it all up.

Off to the GP again tomorrow - still trying to get a referral to an endo, despite the fact that my bloods so far have come back "within normal range". All my symptoms seem to point to Hashimoto's though. We'll keep on fighting till they find out what's wrong with us, won't we? Good luck with your endo appointment. Here's hoping I can persuade my doc to refer me too.

[Hidden in reply to CarolineC57]

Hi Caroline!!

I'm sure my thyroid is swelling but it must be swelling towards the back. After all, it would explain why I have a small swollen area at the back of my neck which sometimes hurts. GP remarked that it could be just overdeveloped muscle.

Keep trying with an endo referral - you will get there I'm sure. I never ever imagined I would be seen so soon and I dreaded the time between I had the first letter about it being in March up to the actual date. And now it's tomorrow! I'm still in shock about that!

We will keep on fighting till they find out what's wrong with us. It took me 18 months to be diagnosed with Hashimoto's and I really wish my previous practice did more for me.

Jo xxx

[Heloise]

Hi Jo, I remember sitting in the dentist's chair and realizing I couldn't swallow (no food involved) when I had my head turned to the side. That was ages ago. Everyone else could so I felt something was wrong. Now, many years later, I think it's more or less a spasm that occurs once in a while. I know that thyroid issues create muscle issues and even with treatment are not easily resolved. I think all the ideas already mentioned are involved.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Hi Heloise!

With my neck issues I get no muscle spasm like yourself but I get a sensation that it's tender. I don't even have to touch my neck - it just aches - but when I do touch it the pain goes away. I'm not sure if it's a swollen lymph gland but the side of my neck towards the back is a little enlarged.

It's so good to know that I'm not the only one with all of this going on and I really hope my endo takes my symptoms on board. I've put together a list of questions and symptoms for tomorrow.

Thanks for your reply.

Jo xxx

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Sometimes doctors put you off with the old throw back diagnosis for us poor females. Google globus hystericus. But they are never going to listen. I hope yours is different.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Thanks Heloise. Endo has not suggested I have an ultrasound and didn't examine my neck. But I'll google globus hystericus so thank you for the tip.

Jo xxx

[Jenzy]

Hello,

I have struggled with the same thing and have had quite a few investigations for it. However nothing physically wrong has ever showed up. My GP then told me how he thought it was all down to anxiety ( do you struggle with anxiety or have you been through a stressful patch recently?). I have also noticed that the more I focus on the feeling that there is a lump in my throat and that I cannot swallow, the worse it gets. I hope you feel better soon and find out what's causing this horrid feeling?

[Hidden in reply to Jenzy]

Hi, I really hope I find out what's causing it too. Like yourself my previous GP was putting me on anti-depressants and sending me to a counsellor without doing the thyroid antibody profile. I still have not forgiven them for this mistake and I can't praise my current GP practice for what they've done. They've been amazing.

I hope you get this problem sorted out Jenzy. It's so unpleasant especially when you like to eat (like me! )

Jo xxx

[summer01]

Hi Jo, I had this over the last year, I found dense foods much worse. My voice was also very hoarse and I really started to struggle with work phone calls. I haven't had an ultra sound but I had a CT scan and gastrescopy which were fine. At the same time I asked for copies of my blood results and noticed that my ferritin was only a few points above the minimum range. My GP and gasterenterologist said this was fine but I started taking spa tone and its stopped the problem! My throat was also starting to bleed and I don't have that anymore. I did google it and found an article saying that low ferritin can cause difficulty swallowing but I can't find it now. It may be something diffent but I thought it worth mentioning.

[Hidden in reply to summer01]

Hi Summer01 thanks for your reply.

Yes, I find dense foods quite bad too. Things like soup, mashed potato, sauces and gravy are fine but things like breaded meat/fish, fruit, vegetables, pasta, basically everything else I have to really break down in my mouth and swallow in itty bitty pieces. That's why it takes so long for me to finish a meal and everyone else can finish theirs in half the time it takes me. It's embarrassing for me and really upsetting as I used to be a really big eater, eating everything in sight.

The front of my neck swelled up a couple of years ago and my voice was very, very hoarse. I didn't know it was a goitre at the time and so I didn't seek medical advice at the time. Instead I thought it was a bad throat infection and dosed up on Lemsip and Beechams cold and flu medicine. I guess I should have suspected something else since the swelling did not go down for a month. I was wrapping scarves around my neck and wearing high-neck tops so people wouldn't notice the swelling.

I take Spatone too!! Snap!! It's great stuff and it bumped my iron levels from 15 to 22.

I'm sure I've seen articles too about low ferritin and difficulty swallowing but my ferritin levels have never been very high even before I was diagnosed hypothyroid. I think the highest my ferritin has ever been is 29 and I wasn't put on any iron medication at that time as I was declared "borderline".

Jo xxx

[summer01 in reply to Hidden]

Can you try doubling up on the spa tone Jo? I might be barking up the wrong tree but it has made a massive difference to me and that only after two months. Good luck x

[Hidden in reply to summer01]

I could try doing that. I did have some problems before.

What happened was that I was only taking 1 sachet a day and when I found out that I could take 3 a day as per recommended daily intake can allow, I took 2 more sachets together. Unfortunately I felt sick and I knew that the only thing I'd taken which would've caused the nausea was the Spatone. So then I was really put off after that and I've only been taking 1 sachet again.

I guess if I ease back into it, say by taking 1 extra one for a few days and then taking another it'd be ok but I just don't want the nausea to come back.

Thanks for the tip!

Jo xxx

[summer01 in reply to Hidden]

Maybe take the sachets apart. So obviously well away from your levo but perhaps one mid afternoon and one in the evening. Do you mix it with orange juice.

Your problem may be something completely different but I suppose anything is worth a try. Fingers crossed.

[Hidden in reply to summer01]

Hi Summer, yes I do mix it, but I mix it with squash. Orange juice might be better.

See my latest post on how my Endo appointment went.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[Hidden]

I had episodes of this for 2-4 years, I could not understand the strange feeling. This seemed to also happen along with feeling that I can't breath very well, and my throat felt tender like I was getting tonsillitis,my ears ached, I felt tired and exhausted, this would last a few days then disappear, after sleeping non stop for days. Turned out since I was diagnosed with Low Active Thyroid and on Medication these episodes have become less frequent, I too do not have a goitre, this was checked. I Think it is called Dry Throat, which is a symptom of Low Active Thyroid. Have you seen anyone or been diagnosed with a Thyroid problem? If you havent then you should see your Doctor. Sadly Blood Tests do not always show, it took 8 before it was confirmed so keep insisting on the test. I had to look at all the symptoms I was having, speaking to others about the symptoms I was having and then I kept going back to the doctor insisting I had Low Active Thyroid. It turned out I was right.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tallmiss, I had a confirmed diagnosis today of Hashimoto's by my Endo. It's funny how you mention dry throat as I've been getting that too.

I'll have to keep insisting on the test by the looks of it - or go private. I don't know how often I should be doing this though.

Thanks

Jo xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes It appears my thyroid Doctor also thinks I could have Hashimoto, as I keep getting exhaustion, I am being monitored over the next few months since increase to 50mg Thyroxine. Good Luck with the test Jo. Take care x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Tallmiss, thanks for getting back to me.

I hope your thyroid doctor gets to the bottom of why you feel so bad and have so many problems. I was undiagnosed and untreated for 18 months so I know how it feels to be anxious of the unknown.

My Endo thinks I could have Addison's disease on top of the Hashimoto's as I have dark patches of skin on my back as well as the weight loss issue. I've got a short synacthen test booked for next week so it should be interesting to see the results of that.

Last bloods have come back with my TSH in range but the GP I saw today has signed me off for 2 weeks so I can take a break from looking for work as I feel *that tired*. I don't have many hypo symptoms now - a few hyper ones are creeping in, such as sweating a lot and pain behind my eyes and I'm wondering if the low TSH has something to do with that.

It's good that your doctor is monitoring you - my one is too and wants to catch up with me next week to see how I've been feeling so I could mention the ultrasound test then. Stay strong and take care.

Jo xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Jo, I am the other side, I have weight gain, as low Active. Although the meds have stopped any more weight gain and water retention now. I get sweeps of needing to sleep, my face completely changes, my eyes puff up, pressure behind my eyes, my head feels foggy, I can't see properly, I look 20 years older and haggard and all I want to do is sleep. The feeling is like, I have just taken a sleeping tablet and i feel like i am falling, I feel sick if I get disturbed and just have to sleep it off. Real signs of exhaustion i guess. Fingers crossed my Doctor is a good one, at the Whittington in London.

I will be seeing them again in March.

Ruth

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'm really sorry to hear that Ruth. I get pressure behind my eyes too. It even happens when I'm not reading, just doing everyday stuff is enough for it to start.

I look haggard too even though I look young for my age and there've been times when I've felt so sick that I just had to sleep it off. I can easily sleep for 3-4 hours before the sick feeling disappears and I know it's not from anything I've eaten. It's so confusing and annoying.

It's good that you've got a good doctor, I have a really helpful Endo where I go.

Good luck if I don't hear from you and all the best. I have my fingers crossed for you too.

Jo xxx