A desperate Wife...: im at my wits end trying to... - Thyroid UK

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A desperate Wife...

im at my wits end trying to help my husband and his current medical issue with started over 6 months ago and is getting worse.

I thought I’d found the answer to his problems when I matched his symptoms to that of a thyroid/goitre issue, his main symptoms are:

Hoarseness/little voice at all

Tiredness

Lump feeling in his throat

Breathing problems due to his throat and not his lungs

High pitched noises when breathing

The doctors finally took blood from him and his results have come back:

T34 level 15.0

TSH leave 2.2

The doctors are stating that these are good levels yet when looking through various articles on the internet there are various opinions as to what are ‘normal’ levels.

When the doctor felt the thyroid area my husband was grimacing in pain.

I’m a desperate wife trying to help her husband and hear his beautiful voice again, we really thought that his problems are to do with his thyroid and still believe this to be the case.

Your help and suggestion are more than welcome.

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TheWifey96

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20 Replies

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SlowDragonAdministrator7 years ago

For full Thyroid evaluation your husband need ps TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT4 and FT3 together, plus vitamins

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

Thyroid issues are less common in men, or possibly just less diagnosed

Perhaps a scan of thyroid may be beneficial too. Though you may have trouble persuading GP to agree, but suggest you push to get this

TheWifey96• in reply toSlowDragon7 years ago

Hi, thank you for this. We’re going back to the doctors tomorrow as I don’t believe the test completed are right especially when the doctor confirmed that the thyroid is enlarged and was causing pain/discomfort to my husband when the doctor felt the area. He’s really struggling with breathing and we know nothing is wrong with his lungs.

I’ve just started reading about Hashimoto’s too.

I’m going to really push this with his doctor as it’s now beyond a joke, he’s self employed and his customers are just able to hear what he’s saying.

Nanaedake7 years ago

Let the doctor investigate further. Thyroid levels can be normal but there may still be a thyroid problem. The doctor will need to rule out all possible causes and may have to refer him. It's unlikely you'll work it out by yourself. The good news is that thyroid conditions are very treatable in the very large majority of cases. However, it could be completely unrelated.

TheWifey96• in reply toNanaedake7 years ago

Hi, the doctors are baffled by his symptoms and it’s just got to that point of despair - he’s getting so very low due to his voice and breathing problems. We’re going back tomorrow to see what can happen next.

Nanaedake• in reply toTheWifey967 years ago

Definitely pursue it. You have to be persistent and insist on further tests. Especially if doc is not taking the initiative. Ultrasound is a good idea as already suggested.

Clutter7 years ago

Welcome to the forum, TheWifey96.

The lump your husband feels in his throat may be a thyroid nodule. Has your husband's GP referred him for an ultrasound scan to check the condition of his thyroid gland? This should be done when there have been voice changes and stridor (high pitched noise when breathing).

TSH 2.2 indicates your husband's thyroid is beginning to struggle but FT4 15 isn't usually unduly low in someone not taking Levothyroxine (I would need to see the FT4 lab ref range to be certain). NHS won't usually diagnose hypothyroidism until TSH is over range (usually >5.0) or FT4 is below range.

Your husband could supplement 100-200mcg selenium which is good thyroid support.

TheWifey96• in reply toClutter7 years ago

Hi, we had to force them into taking blood as they haven’t done so in the 6 months since his symptoms started.

His voice is is terrible and is only just audible, he has a ‘feeling’ of catarrh in his throat but nothing has ever been coughed up.

When feeling the neck area where the thyroid is situated is very painful and is enlarged. The high pitched noise especially when sleeping makes an awful noise.

I’ll try anything to help him, thank you for the advice.

Clutter• in reply toTheWifey967 years ago

TheWifey96,

Did his GP refer him for an ultrasound scan?

TheWifey96• in reply toClutter7 years ago

No, they haven’t. We’re literally banging our heads against a brick wall. They’ve referred him again to ENT but I really don’t believe that they can help, his throat isn’t sore.

He’s been for a chest X-ray, breathing test, and on Tuesday they finally did bloods.

Clutter• in reply toTheWifey967 years ago

TheWifey96,

ENT isn't just for sore throats. They will check his throat and thyroid.

If he does have a thyroid nodule it won't be affecting his thyroid levels, but a lump, tenderness/pain and stridor need investigation.

TheWifey96• in reply toClutter7 years ago

I asked the doctor if ENT would be able to help with his thyroid and they couldn’t answer me properly, so thank you for that for advising about that.

His ENT appointment is looking around July time which is a bit too long of a wait so we’ll go back tomorrow and see what can be done in the meantime.

Thank you.

Clutter• in reply toTheWifey967 years ago

TheWifey96,

Ask your husband's GP to refer him for an ultrasound scan within 2 weeks to check whether a noldule or goitre is compressing the trachea causing stridor. If trachea is compressed he should be referred to endocrinology within 2 weeks.

cks.nice.org.uk/neck-lump#!...

TheWifey96• in reply toClutter7 years ago

Thank you, I’m making notes of these ready for tomorrow as his breathing is really concerning.

TheWifey96• in reply toClutter7 years ago

My husband did have a camera investigation way back in October concerning his throat and they stated that he had a dry throat, we don’t believe that this is what’s causing the issues with his voice and breathing, or could we be wrong?...

Clutter• in reply toTheWifey967 years ago

TheWifey96,

If the hoarseness and stridor are worse since the investigation then further investigation is needed.

TheWifey96• in reply toClutter7 years ago

Thank you, I’m relaying everything (right now) to my husband. Thank you again for your help.

TheWifey967 years ago

I’ll also ask for the ultrasound check too

humanbean7 years ago

A couple of links (not thyroid related) that might be relevant and helpful :

washingtonpost.com/national...

TheWifey967 years ago

We went to see a doctor yesterday and my husband has been urgently referred for a CT scan (to rule out anything sinister like cancer) and to an ENT surgeon.

Thank you again for all your responses to my post.

Here’s hoping for a positive outcome to all of this.

TheWifey967 years ago

Hi all, I thought I’d just let you know that last Tuesday my husband was told that he has cancer of the throat.

We were told yesterday that the cancer is aggressive and that they are going to remove his voice box as the cancer is in the cartilage.

They’re operating next month to remove his voicebox and surrounding lymph nodes, then he’s got radiotherapy.

Thank you all for your help, I’m so glad that I took him to A&E two months ago to get some help.

Stay strong xxx