Goiter

[HelenC48]

After numerous visits to GP about my increase g neck size and tiredness I eventually got an ultra sound and confirmation of my goiter. I was told initially after blood test my function was normal and the lumpy swallowing sensation just stress. I'm now told I must have a thyroidectomy due to the distortion of my windpipe. No one told me that toxicity is the cause and that there may be alternative approaches. Does anyone have any ideas about diet approaches detoxing etc and if they can shrink the goiter?

[SlowDragon Administrator]


Do you have your latest blood test results, ideally TSH and including FT4 & FT3

If they have not been done ......Suggest you ask GP to check levels of vitamin d, b12, folate and ferritin. These all need to at good (not just average) levels for thyroid hormones (our own or replacement ones) to work in our cells

Also do you know if you have had thyroid antibodies checked? There are two sorts TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both antibodies are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's the most common cause in UK of being hypo.

TPO is rarely checked and TG almost never checked. More common to have high TPO or high TPO AND high TG, but negative TPO and raised TG is possible, though rarer.

ALWAYS Make sure you get the actual figures from tests (including ranges - figures in brackets). You are entitled to copies of your own results.

If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Special offer at moment

thyroiduk.org.uk/medichecks

Usual advice on ALL thyroid tests, is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) If you are taking Levo, then don't take it in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible

If you have Hashimoto's then you may find adopting 100% gluten free diet can really help reduce symptoms, and may lower antibodies slowly over time too.

thyroidpharmacist.com

Excellent free web based document-series - re-running, starting March 1st

Masses of advice for all thyroid issues, but especially for Hashimoto's or Graves

thethyroidsecret.com/trailer/

amymyersmd.com

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

[HelenC48 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slow Dragon this is very helpful and I have not been given any results from my blood tests but will try and find out. So far I have just been told my thyroid function is normal. I have been doing gluten free for several months now and have some improvement in symptoms but don't know if this is just due to weight loss? Less breathless when led down now. I have all the hypo symptoms but GP claims not thyroid related. I asked my ENT consultant about trying Levothyroxine to shrink goiter but he said it would not help as my function normal. I have managed to see a couple of the thyroid secret documentaries and asked to delay surgery as diet helping - awaiting a response from hospital.

[Clutter]

HelenaC48,

Toxicity doesn't cause goitres and diet and detoxing won't shrink goitres. They are caused usually by hypothyroidism where the thyroid swells to attempt to produce more hormone, in which case Levothyroxine may sometimes help it to shrink. Goitres may also be caused in hyperthyroid patients by too much thyroid hormone causing the thyroid to swell. In some cases it is idiopathic ie no known reason why the goitre develops.

Thyroidectomy is the usual method to remove goitres in patients who don't need thyroid hormone.

I had a thyroidectomy because a large nodule was compressing my windpipe. Breathing and swallowing was much easier after thyroidectomy.

[HelenC48 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you for this info much appreciated. Thyroid Secret admin told me toxicity! Have had improvement with compression symptoms through diet but may be due to weight loss alone?

[Hidden]

Thyroid ablation is used in the U.S but I don't know of anyone uses this form of treatment.

For people who don't want a general anaesthetic, thyroid ablation would seem a good treatment.

Thin wires are threaded into the thyroid, electrical impulse obliterate the cells. it can be used for cancer of the thyroid as well. May be an administrator might know of a specialist who practises this form of treatment in the uk. Laser treatment with surgical removal can take minutes and you don't have to have such a large anaesthetic - again most practitioners use ordinary surgery.

The advantages of laser surgery are that bleeding is less, and it is quicker than conventional surgery.

[HelenC48]

Laser not mentioned so assume I will just get conventional surgery. I will see what registrar says when he contacts me thanks