Dry rough throat when eating or talking

[Foxie1234]

I had a TT in June 2016 after quite a traumatic thyroid storm.....I have been up and down on T4 ever since.....at the moment I take 100mcg on four days a week and 75mcg on three days a week. I am due a blood test in a couple of weeks.....I have noticed for some time now that when I swallow certain foods I have to have a drink handy as it feels as if it gets stuck in my throat. My voice gets very croaky if I am talking a lot, and I seems to always have a throaty cough (according to my husband I am always coughing) I think it is when I need to clear my throat. Does anyone else have these problems after their TT?

I will mention it to th Dr at my next appointment and see what she thinks.

Thank you for all your continued support.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

That's not a high dose for someone with no thyroid function

What's your most recent TSH, FT3 and FT4 results. Presumably you had Graves. Have you had antibodies tested since ?

You also need vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

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

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

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

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. When on Levothyroxine, don't take in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

 please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many. Note especially his comments on current inadequate treatment following thyroidectomy

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

[MrsGraves]

Hi

Yes - big style. Not TT but RAI for Graves and thyroid storm - I get exactly the same symptoms when I need an increase in Levo. Experienced the constant throat clearing / almost choking / voice thing just a few weeks ago - had bloods done and got an increase of another 25mcg and hey presto - symptoms have gone again.

If my FT3 falls below 5.5 ( 3.1 - 6.8) I get these throaty problems.

Absolutely echo everything SlowDragon has said. Take the Prof Toft material to next GP appointment and put your foot down - you need FT3 and antibody levels tested in addition to the usual TSH and FT4.

I do hope you get the issue resolved soon - my constant coughing / choking drives my husband up the wall. Even the husky voice doesn’t compensate!

Good luck.