I'm hoping someone may be able to help or put my mind at rest!!
I've spent the last 18 months suffering symptoms on & off... Fatigue, weight gain, thirsty (not all the time but when it happens its severe), aching joints when fatigued, awful skin, nausea everyday which started about 2 weeks ago & for about 2 years dreadful monthly cycle.
Some days I'm not too bad but then others like Saturday I was dreadful, my face was grey/yellow & my eyes really black. When I'm like that I feel dreadful and my partner actually said 'u look like your dying'!!
I've had a laparoscopy due to the monthly cycle issue/other symptoms as consultant worried but everything clear. About 3 months ago I was driving at work & moved my head to look out of window and it hurt just under my Adam's apple on the right hand side, when I touched it I got a shock, I felt a lump which seemed pretty big at the time and it was painful. I had no illness or throat infection etc at the time. It was like this for a few days and went to my gp, he said he couldn't feel anything although i could still feel it but it felt as though it had reduced slightly in size. Was told to monitor it and my blood work was fine. Quite a few times since its been noticeable to touch & sometimes I feel a pea sized lump but other times like now the bottom right hand corner seems swollen or the pea sized lump is slightly bigger(I really don't know)
Certain ways I tilt my neck the right side is swollen but the left size there's nothing to feel.
I feel like the few visits I've had at my go recently have been a waste of time, I previously told the gp that I know something is wrong, I've ran all my life and now I've got zero energy and I'm really struggling, I know my body.. He was really rude and said 'what do u mean u know something is wrong' in a patronising voice!
Since finding the lump I've researched thyroid issues and my symptoms are bang on but my bloods are showing no issues although I don't know if both T3/T4 have been tested!
I'm really looking for answers to my situation now.
Just wondered if anyone has experienced similar hurdles & are there any short cuts or clinics out there to have someone check your neck which will bypasses your gp so you won't be belittled coz of your concerns?
Thank you x
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Pamm73
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It took decades for me to realize I had Hashimotos Disease which is where the anti-bodies attack the manufacture of your thyroid. I had an excellent doctor who pin-pointed the problem and put me on levothyroxine. As the body is missing thyroid production I know need this thyroid replacement for life as my own body is missing it. Hypothyrodism alone is not the same, but not that different either, to suffers with all of the accompanying symptoms.
Find a good and sympathetic (and knowledgeable GP).
Keep asking questions do your research, you will get there in the end, this site is of enormous help. :))
Keep informed and keep asking questions...As for a lump in the Thyroid site of the neck, my GP took away a small piece to do a biopsy. It was fine in my case, but I was glad he took the step to check it out.
Good luck and try to get to the bottom of it.
Hello Pamm,
Welcome to our forum and sorry to hear that you are not feeling well.
Without thyroid hormone blood test results it is difficult to see what is happening but a neck lump, fatigue, weight gain, thirst, etc, could all easily be attributed to a thyroid problem.
If your GP is uncooperative, you could ask for a second opinion as tuppence has suggested and then request a referral to an endocrinologist as a lump in your neck should definately warrant further investigation. An endo would hopefully test all thyroid hormones and investigate your neck lump. The majority of neck lumps are nothing to worry about and can be checked by examination, ultra sound scan or fine needle asperation. (FNA).
Ask your doctor to test Vit D, Vit B12, folate and ferritin as deficiencies in these are common in people with thyroid issues & post results complete with ranges ( numbers in brackets) for members to comment.
Many members who experience resistance from their GP's, get all thyroid hormones tested privately...details in link below.
Also get thyroid antibodies TPOAb & TGAb tested to ascertain Hashimotos Autoimmune Disease...prevalent in people with thyroid issues.
Hi Pamm, sorry to hear you're feeling so bad and that your doctor is... unco-operative. What you describe does sound very much like hypo.
I would say your first step would be to ask for a print-out of your blood test results, so that you know exactly what he tested, and what the results were (there's no guarantee he knows how to read them!) and so that you can compare them to future blood tests. It's very important to keep your own records. Once you have the results, post them here, and we'll be able to advise you further.
If you go for further testing for your thyroid, make sure it's as early in the morning as possible - after 9.0 is too late - and Don't have anything to eat first, just water. You can have a slap-up breakfast afterwards!
In the meantime, try not to worry and stress yourself, because that will make you feel worse. Make sure you nourish yourself well, and drink plenty of water. And, above all, Don't over-do things. Get plenty of rest. And read. Read all you can on here, and follow the links, and check out Mary Shomon, and Stopthethyroidmadness site (but take it with a pinch of salt!), and be ready to fend off stupid doctors on your next visit. Yes, they are rude when they Don't know what they're talking about, it's a defence mechenism. Make the patient feel stupid, and then they won't notice how stupid you are!
I called the doctors this morning & ive booked in to see a female doctor. I don't know if that will make any difference but she may understand a bit more due to my onthly cycle be so distrusted & may listen to ALL my symptoms. The lump does worry me so ideally I'd like her to refer me for further testing.
I'm seeing her tomorrow, I explained I want an early morning appt so they've asked me to call at 8am and they should get me for her 1st appt.
I wish I'd taken a photo of myself on Saturday so she could see how ill I looked, right now I look tired but nothing like Saturday
Thanks again for your advice, I'll try and get all my previous thyroid blood results to keep for my own record & if I'm unsuccessful moving forward tomorrow I'll look at private tests.
I saw a gp today, I covered all the previous visits etc & even asked her to compare my last few thyroid results...
All she did was look if they were in red or black on her screen (red means an issue) but I didn't get the readings & didn't compare the readings from previous results so she didn't do what I asked
She asked at least 4 times if id been tested for std's and twice if I was of sound mind or was depressed each time I answered her question with I have no std's and no I'm not depressed.
They took bloods but only appt was at 3pm or was going to have to wait until middle of next week.
A referral for a scan on my neck will only be sent to a specialist if the other doctors at the practice agree it's necessary and also depending on my blood test results...
She said often bloods are fine in long term issues and lots of things go undiagnosed!!
So I feel I'm no further forward.
I did make it pretty obvious that I want my neck investigated
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