Goitre in the chest.

[Benadrove5]

Hi, I don’t have a Goitre in my neck so my consultant is doing a CT scan on my chest to see if I have one there as I have had a cough for 16mths and he said this could be why..has anyone else on here ever heard about this? I also have antibodies 1155 and can’t stand the cold it’s a real problem my body temp is alover the place but no temp one minute I feel as if I have a cold the next minute it’s gone this is driving me crazy, am boiling hot in the night with no covers on then all of a sudden I shake with cold don’t know whether I should be going to the doc or not..i’ve always suffered with bad constipation now this week it’s gone the other way..my arms feel shaky..HELP!!!!

[MaisieGray]

Yes it's not terribly common but not unknown that a thyroid will grow downward rather than up and out within the neck; and when this happens, the thyroid will grow down the trachea into the chest. This can become a problem with the rigid bone structure of the chest cavity - when the thyroid enlarges there, it can compress the soft parts like the trachea, lungs etc because the bones won't give way. Hence presumably the cough. Although much more more routinely, a cough can be a hypo symptom in any case.

[SmallBlueThing]

Use the terms substernal goitre or retrosternal goitre, if you wish to search for more information. But don't scare yourself!

When my condition was swinging before treatment I didn't receive reassurance and was no doubt irrational when hyper. Being at this time of year, and before the surgery had upgraded its call handling, didn't help at all. Please don't ignore or evade your condition. Best wishes!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full thyroid test you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG Thyroid antibodies

Also essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

High antibodies is Hashimoto’s

Low vitamins are extremely common with Hashimoto’s

Gluten intolerance is very common too

Ask GP for vitamin testing and coeliac blood test before trying a strictly gluten free diet

Read up as much as possible about Hashimoto’s

What are your most recent TSH, FT4 and FT3 test results

Thyroid tests ideally should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and no levothyroxine in 24 hours prior to test

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Persistent cough can be due low stomach acid or diary intolerance

Both are very common with Hashimoto’s

Gluten free diet can improve low stomach acid

Masses of posts on here about low stomach acid

Many with Hashimoto’s find it necessary to be dairy and gluten free

See Thyroid Pharmacist website about dairy & gluten intolerance

Gluten intolerance info on

Amy Myers

Chris Kresser

Dr K news

And many others

[Cazza83]

Hi there. How did you get on in regards to the ct scan? I've had a bulge in my neck when I cough which I've had for afew years, it's only obvious when I cough. I put it down to a swollen gland when poorly. I had a chest xray because of the cough, and mentioned the bulge. I've now been referred for a ultrasound as the chest xray suggests a mediastinal goitre. From what I've read online they can sometimes grow downwards and you wouldn't necessarily see it in the neck. Hope your scan went okay