Lump

[Jodiedebs55]

Can anyone else see the lump in my neck ? It's rather large and I can actually feel it between my fingers yet gp says he cant see anything and no need for ultra sound my voice is husky and I cough I have extreme difficulty swallowing and it hurts when I eat food like something pressing on my wind pipe the pain goes up to my ears and it's not going away been there over 2 months , anyone else have this ?

[MaisieGray]

I can see a difference/bulge to the left side of the photo that doesn't match the right. Additionally it seems like there's a central bulge, but obviously I don't know what your throat area was like before you developed symptoms to know if it's unusual for you, or not. However that said, it does "look" swollen.

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to MaisieGray]

Thankyou that's exactly where it is and before the bulges there was nothing and it didn't hurt when I ate or swallowed, I don't have a cold or throat infection I'm fine in myself but these lumps are worrying me , my last ultrasound 12 months ago showed a shrivelled thyroid the gp said it's just a shrivelled up thyroid no need to do anything it will just stop working I asked what will happen then and he said just take your levo that's all you need 😳

[Marz]

A good GP should stand behind you and palpate the throat to check your thyroid. This is the correct procedure and there are videos on YouTube I believe. This was done to me when I was diagnosed here in Crete in 2005. Docs seem so scared of touching patients these days ... yes I can see a swelling and this should be checked. Your symptoms certainly support a scan. Have you had any bloodtests done for the thyroid ?

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to Marz]

Yes he did that he stood behind me and still said he couldn't feel anything untoward , it's the 2nd time iv had to push for a scan I tried last year but to be honest it went down by the time I got an appointment I'm hoping its nodules I cant even think about the C word il try again next Tuesday my gp only opens twice a week it's a nightmare

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to Marz]

What sort of blood test ? I know I'm hypo and I have hashis is that what you meant ?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Jodiedebs55]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with Hashimoto's

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw). This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

If/when also on T3, or NDT make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test

Is this how you do your tests?

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

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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

What supplements do you currently take?

What are your most recent Thyroid and vitamin results and ranges?

If under medicated, then Thyroid is likely to try to swell to increase output

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks slowdragon yes I have regular thyroid blood test but not T3 or Ft3 as labs refuse so I use medichecks my labs are fine except last test showed T3 raised but iv adjusted meds now ,I supplement with D3 , B complex, selenium , magnesium, L glutamine,Korean red ginseng, pregnenolone, pro biotics, vit C , zinc and omega 3 , coconut capsules and turmeric capsules the list is endless I feel better than I have in years to be honest

[Marz in reply to Jodiedebs55]

Sorry - when I replied I did not have time to check back at your previous posts - hence asking about your tests. Sounds as if you are doing lots of good things so now for the scan 😊

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to Marz]

Ahh , thankyou roll on Tuesday 😁

[YuliK]

Hi Jodie, I'm really serious Dear...get yourself along asap to an Ears, Nose and throat Consultant. (Possibly someone who has also trained in neck surgery).

Your GP should be sending you for Ultra Sound. He/she is an idiot.

[Hidden]

Get an immediate referral to a hospital consultant. What you have looks and sounds very similar to what I had in 1989 and could prove dangerous if left to its own devices. Your inward growing goitre could easily pop shut your trachea given enough time.

In my case the consultant wanted me into hospital the very same day causing me to miss a show at the local theatre (Russ Abbott). A subsequent scan proved the need for an immediate semithyroidectomy from which it took me 3 months to recover, the remainder of my thyroid working perfectly without any medication for the next 14 years.

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to Hidden]

Omg now I'm scared to death , I cant get an appointment until Tuesday I live in a tiny sea side village and gp surgery only open tuesdsy and Friday I cant just walk into a hospital iv got a seriously disabled child I cant get respite for him until Tuesday? Omg I hope its not that serious ?

[YuliK in reply to Jodiedebs55]

You have nothing to be scared of. Firstly you have to find the reason for the swelling.

It was not my intention to get you worrying, but you should take care of yourself and get the correct diagnoses from the proper people.

There is a huge difference in a GP to an ENT consultant.

I hope you will let us know how you will get on on Tuesday.

Relax and know that we are here for you.

Yulik

[RockyPath]

Calm yourself, jodiedeb55. You'll be fine until Tuesday. People just don't want you waiting seven months to have it looked at.

Your actual thyroid gland is down there closer to your necklace, where that lock of hair has fallen across your throat. Recall that when the physician who knows where you thyroid is actually feels it, you have to tilt your head down and then they put the fingers in that little notch near your collarbones. The swelling you're describing seems to be several kilometers north of that.

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to RockyPath]

Oh sorry I'm a bit of a worry wart anyway mainly due to gp never listening when I tell him what I need , ok il see what he says I can only ask him for a referral if I push I'm sure he will thankyou

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to RockyPath]

Do you think it's a goiter ?

[RockyPath in reply to Jodiedebs55]

You'd have to draw a circle on the photograph for me to be able to know where the lump is, because I cannot see it, but a goiter is definitely a common sign of a autoimmune thyroid disease, which is a common cause of the symptoms you're describing.

[RockyPath]

🤗🤗🤗🤗 Worry are normal reactions to finding something unfamiliar and we're feeling unwell.

That said, the symptoms you're describing can be due to untreated hypothyroidism. Failure of treatment is easily overlooked by clinicians, and that is why you have this forum here, and people who will help you to advocate for yourself. If you don't, you're doctor certainly isn't.

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to RockyPath]

Thanks I was diagnosed hypo about 5 years ago I source my own NDT I take armour my symptoms are much better than they ever were when I was on levo only I couldn't walk or get out of bed I'm much better just not quite there the bulge is at the front and hurts to swallow or eat or drink and there is another large lump too the left of the pic , it effects the whole side right up to my ear iv had swelling before but not for this length of time and not so severe as this

[RockyPath]

It sounds like you are still undersupplied with the hormone needed to get everything working effectively. If you're still hypothyroid, you have hypo metabolism, and it's going to cause all sorts of malfunctions, many of which develop quite slowly until they are a surprise.

When did you last increase your NDT dose?

You might want to consider raising your intake, since you seem to be self medicating.

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to RockyPath]

I'm thinking of changing my NDT and swapping over to T3 I have 3 boxes of cytomel and I have a prescription for Levo in 25mcg packs so I can get a better suited dose that way but with NDT all you can do is cut them into quarters so it's more difficult to achieve the right dose iv only just increased to 3 x 1 grain but will run out in 5 days and really want to change to the T3 and T4 option , my gp is aware I dont ask or need his permission he doesn't bother much unless my TSH levels change but last one was fine I posted results here and grey goose responded but I'm due another blood test next week so I will have a better idea except actually I wont cos no T3 or FT3 test until i get a medichecks test , nightmare

[Beverleyb]

I had a large goitre that grew slowly for ten years ,all the horrible symptoms of hypothyroidism, GP's checked it a few times said it was fat, it wasn't until I saw an ENT consultant that he immediately did a biopsy and an scan which confirmed it was a goitre ...

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to Beverleyb]

Really ? What did they do ?

[Beverleyb]

The biopsies came back inconclusive, so I had a TT within two weeks, they said after they removed my thyroid that it was very big.....By the way , I saw the ENT consultant for snoring , that was never discussed , soon as he saw the lump on my neck he did a biopsy..

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to Beverleyb]

Thanks so much I will tell my gp my concerns hopefully he will refer me to an ENT specialist thanks for your advice

[Beverleyb]

You are welcome.