Hoarse voice

[Cherr]

Hello everyone. I had very much pain in my throat last year and almost 2 months I was suffering very badly specially in the night time feel like I m dying pain can't be bearable I took lots and lots of pain killer e.g morphine, cocodomal, paracetamol and lot more and I went to my GP and gp gave me toncilites antibiotic but didn't help getting more pain. One night I went to A&E they admitted to the hospital that night and ENT Specialist gave me laryngitis antibiotics but when course finished my pain became more intense. I went to Gp thousand times and I asked what happened to me why I m waiting to get right treatment? Apparently I have to wait for my appointment but my every night was like I m dying. My pain started around end of the January I was poorly suffering around 2 and half month. But I have to wait till July to get the appointment. I was so panic I can't wait that long I lost my 12kg I looked horrible. My parents called me to my country(Nepal).but before treatment started I was fine it was like miracle. Even I went to see Specialist. He prescribed me steroid for viral hyperthyroid. I finished medicine.i returned back to United Kingdom. My voice became hoarse and went to gp and prescribed lansoprazol gastro resistant capsule. After my course my voice became fine.after few months I had hoarse voice again I went to gp gave me lansoprazol again but its not making me good. Unfortunately I have no voice left at all. I m waiting to check with my specialist. I m mentally feeling not well, very depressed and anxious. I m feeling like I m dying without treatment. Thank you for reading this very long.take care all of you🙏🙏🙏

[NWA6]

Hey Cherr. I’m so sorry you haven’t been able to get any answers. Has your GP talked to you about thyriod blood tests?

[Cherr in reply to NWA6]

Hello Paula yes I did checked my blood test and it's slightly on the boarder line of hypothyroid but not to take any medication. Thank you for the answer.

[shaws Administrator]

Cherr

Try not to worry too much as I 'm sure there are many people who have voice problems.

I'm one but was fortunate to be referred to a Specialist who sent me to get exercises through one of the speech therapists.

I also had my throat looked at by a special type of x-ray which was being trialled at the time (hospital hasn't yet purchased it). I think it is more common than we think (not only for those with hypo but those who use voices a lot, like singers or speakers who can strain their voices).

I think as you're having pain it will be causing you anxiety. I didn't have pain just no voice.

I was not prescribed any medication except voice assistance.

[Cherr in reply to shaws]

Thank you so much for your answer Shaws. But sorry to hear that u had same problem as me. How u feeling now? Have your voice came back? What kind of treatment u had? Is it helpful? I m so panic now coz its been quiet a long now with no voice.

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Cherr]

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges

[Cherr in reply to SlowDragon]

I m going today to ask for print. Thank you

[Cherr in reply to SlowDragon]

I asked my GP to print the test copy but receptionist said that she has to ask doctor.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Cherr]

That's standard practice. A GP has to see blood tests first. But once they have seen them you are legally entitled to copies of test results and ranges

Just say you will pop back in a couple of days and pick up results

Alternatively, if blood test results are available online, register for online access to your medical record. Many GP practices don't have results online yet

[Cherr in reply to SlowDragon]

OK I didn't know about that. I will try

[shaws Administrator in reply to Cherr]

I was referred to the ENT dept and the consultant then referred me to the local hospital's Speech Therapy Dept. I had six appointments and exercises to do at home and had an appointment every six weeks for a few months.

I still do some of these exercises. At times, my voice will croak but it does pass and you have to keep your throat from drying out. I did have a very scary experience i.e. I bought a bag of crisps and halfway through couldn't swallow at all and I had no water or shops nearby. Anyway I did manage to get home without choking. Now I always carry a small bottle of water although my throat doesn't dry out so much now.

My voice is, more or less, back to normal now but occassionally am hoarse but not for long.

[Cherr in reply to shaws]

I have appointment with ENT today luckily. I don't know what kind of question I can make.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Cherr]

Just say you are concerned that your voice suddenly disappears (or has disappeared). They probably see lots of patients like us, especially singers or those who use their voice a excessively.

[Cherr in reply to shaws]

Thank you. I will say that very nervous

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Being hypothyroid can affect voice

Sounds like you should be started on Levothyroxine

What are your most recent Thyroid and vitamin results

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 if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

If in UK

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

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.

Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

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

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

List of hypothyroid symptoms

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

[Cherr in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank u Slowdragon I just recently had my blood test done but I don't know exactly the number. I will ask my GP for print out. But my GP said everything is normal only hypothyroid is on the boarder line. I don't need to start medication yet doctor said.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Cherr]

Never accept 'normal' from GPs with regard to thyroid hormones. The fact is that they've been told not to diagnose a person as hypothyroid until the TSH reaches 10. In other countries the cut-off is after 3+.

When you had the blood test did you have the earliest possible appointment, fasting (you can drink water)?

[Cherr in reply to shaws]

No, on the test it was afternoon time. I asked them do i have to be in empty stomach but they said no. It wasn't fasting test.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Cherr]

They are assuming that a 'fasting test' is to check our cholesterol level alone. It will probably be higher too if we're hypo but they are unaware of this.

In fact, if we are hypothyroid, we need our blood test to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levo and the test. The main reason is that doctors only look at our TSH result and decide upon it alone whether or not we get an increase or reduction in the thyroid hormone replacements. If it is low, they'll reduce our dose which we don't want (they also assume that if it is low that we've become hyPERthyroid and reduce dose).

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Cherr]

See what existing results say when you pick them up next week

If GP is suggesting already they are borderline, Would strongly recommend gett FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing privately or getting bloods retested via GP in 6-8 weeks.....making sure to get blood draw as early as possible in morning and fasting

This can significantly increase TSH

[Cherr in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much I will do as u said.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Cherr]

There are almost 100,000 members on here. Thousands of people had to fight hard to get their hypothyroidism recognised.

There is an over reliance on just testing TSH or TSH and FT4. Completely ignoring symptoms. This is completely inadequate

All four vitamins need testing, both thyroid antibodies and TSH, FT4 and FT3.

Testing early in morning and only water before testing can give higher TSH so that you can start on Levothyroxine

If vitamins are low, improving these by supplementing to bring to optimal frequently also then increases TSH.