Possible thyroid issue?

[Chris334]

For the last 5 or so years, I’ve definitely had something wrong with me. My symptoms include severe fatigue, lack of endurance, muscle soreness, lack of circulation in extremities, yellowish feet, low heart rate despite high BP and cholesterol, mild depression, anxiety that didn’t exist as a child, low to no sex drive (despite having one in the past), extremely dry skin, hoarse voice, and brain fog. I have felt a bump in my throat on the left side right below the Adam’s apple for the past year or so. It sometimes pinches when I swallow—resulting in a sharp, but manageable pain. Recently, that bump has started hurting just by looking right and is tender to the touch. The pain starts right under my Adam’s apple and goes left until it reaches an apparent bump. It feels like this is physically restricting my breathing (even when I’m relaxing, deep breaths hurt). When I exercise or play sports, I start to feel panicky like I’m desperately grasping for air that I can’t physically bring in. I do not smoke. I’ve heard this could be attributed to GERD, anxiety, or sometimes swollen lymph nodes or thyroid nodules. Given the location and lack of apparent stomach acidity, my search has led me here. It’s very hard to get a doctor to listen to me because i’m a 25 year old male who is 6’1—205 lbs. I was 160 lbs as an 18 year old. It’s very frustrating to hear a doctor claim I’m “healthy as an ox” when I’m clearly struggling to do my daily tasks. I did one of those breathing tests that resembles a breathalyzer and my results couldn’t even be read because I couldn’t exhale hard enough. Had an x-ray of my lungs and an EKG done; came back with normal results and was given an inhaler for sports-induced athsma (which doesn’t work).

[greygoose]

Hi Chris334, welcome to the forum.

Have you asked your doctor to test your thyroid? If not, it would be a good idea. If he refuses, you could always take a private test. Details of private tests, here :

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/p...

For a full work-up you need :

TSH

FT4

FT3

TPO antibodies

Tg antibodies

vit D

vit B12

folate

ferritin

If you then post your results - with ranges - on here, people will be better able to help you.

[shaws Administrator]

I am sorry you are unwell and doctors don't seem to know what's causing your illness.

This is not unusual as many doctors fail to test for thyroid hormone deficiencies. Our body cannot function without optimum.

As greygoose suggests, get all of the tests and for thyroid hormones the test has to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water). If you were diagnosed and taking thyroid hormones, you'd allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. This gives us the best result and may stop doctor reducing dose.

In the UK, they will not prescribe until the TSH reaches 10. In other countries we are diagnosed when it goes above 3. Doctors used to diagnose upon clinical symptoms now it is a blood test - if your given one as many are prescribed different medications rather than getting a blood test for hypothyroidism or hashimoto's (confirmed if you have antibodies present).

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

We have a few males on our forum. The majority are female.

[Chris334]

Thank you for your replies. I think I’ll have more info this time. Last time, the doctor said the bump was probably stress-related. Especially since it didn’t hurt. Now that it does, it makes sense for them to order tests.

[penny]

It might make sense, Chris334, but it doesn’t mean that the GP will order the tests. You may need to insist that they are done, all of them.