Throat swelling

[Murphysmum]

My thyroid has always swollen for a few days and gone down again.

I realise this is part of Hashis, but no one has ever told me the physiology behind it, ie, is it trying to work harder, (it seems worse when I’m more active) is it in response to meds or something else?

Anyway, this time it isn’t going down. My meds were increased about 6 weeks ago and generally I feel a bit better, but behind my wind pipe, around where my Adam’s apple is, there’s a real pressure. If I push my windpipe from side to side (Gently!) i can feel it crunching across what ever it’s pressing on. I’ve told the gp but because it’s not painful they want to check bloods in 6 weeks again.

I’m worried as it’s not going away and also I’m going on holiday in 5 weeks, so I know any appointments for a scan or x ray won’t happen before then. Any ideas?

Edit: I don’t have a goiter, from the front my neck is probably a lot less swollen than it has been, the swelling feels as if it is from behind my windpipe. It feels like it pushes my jaw forward 🤔

[shaws Administrator]

Swelling is a clinical symptom (I am not medically qualified) but believe it is caused by the antibodies which attack the thyroid gland until you are hypothyroid. They wax and wane and this is a link which explains more fully.

nhs.uk/conditions/thyroiditis/

[Murphysmum in reply to shaws]

Shaws - Thank you.

This was what I thought and I expected it to pass but it’s unusual for it to be so prolonged for me.

I’ve been recovering since last year when I suspect my levels dropped really low, and now my dose is the highest it’s ever been. Is this an antibody response to the changes?

I really should be able to think this through myself - I did immunology as part of my degree!! My brain fog just won’t allow me to compute things anymore though!!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Murphysmum]

If we have a thyroid hormone deficiency, we can have a myriad of symptoms and GP knows few.

If we have hashimoto's (which is diagnosed through antibodies) going gluten-free it can help reduce them and some members have been quite successful. Ideally, if you've not had a Full Thyroid Function Test for a while I'd suggest a fresh one which should be:-

TSH, T4, T3, Fre T4, Free T3 and antibodies.

GP or lab may not do all of these but you can have those not tested through a private test or get all of them privately. We have two labs. Blue Horizon or Medichecks. I'll give you a link, just in case. NHS usually only test TSH and T4:-

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

All blood tests have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards.

GP should test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Everything has to be optimal.

Get a print-out with the ranges and put on a new post for comments. I should imagine you will tick off more than a few symptoms:-

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

Our dose doesn't always dictate how well we are. The aim is a TSH of 1 or below (GPs panic and think we'll have a heart disease and many keep TSH somewhere in the range but we don't feel well). But Free T3 and Free T4 are important and the following link will explain why. NHS usually only test TSH and T4.

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

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

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

[Murphysmum in reply to shaws]

Thanks you. I have a complete thyroid check from medichecks and it’s getting done tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll know more after I get those results.

Going to see if gp will allow the nurse to do a vit B etc at the same time as all they have done so far is ferritin. Gp said it was fine but as usual when I checked it was in the v low part of the range. Why don’t they just tell you to take a few supplements to increase these things? Grrr.

I was just kind of hoping there would be something I could do in the meantime to help the swelling. It’s really annoying and uncomfortable this time. Used to be it got worse as the day went on but it seems to be bad for a few hours after I take my meds for the rest of the day now. Humph... just another symptom!

[Murphysmum in reply to Murphysmum]

Just as an aside - if my bloods come back and all is well (which I strongly believe won’t be the case!), if my TSH is below 1 already, an I increase my levo dose at all? I know gp would say no but in reality??