Hi, looking for some advice. After having a sore throat for 8 weeks and then feeling my neck one night, I found a noticeable lump at the top of my neck just off centre.
I went to the doctor. She examined inside my throat - no signs of infection. Then she felt the lump. ''Feels like a goitre, not uncommon and doesn't feel suspicious at all''. I had a full blood screen 6 months ago, and the thyroid test result was fine. So she said not to worry and that was that.
But I am a bit worried. Pretty sure I didn't have a goitre 6 months ago. Do you think I should go back and ask for bloods to be done again?
Many thanks for reading
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MrsButler
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Hmmmmm that is a pretty casual attitude to me. I have a goiter due to my Hashimoto’s (which causes approximately 90% of hypothyroidism in industrialized nations). I would ask for updated bloodwork and request they test for thyroid antibodies which will let you know if you have Hashimoto’s.
I would go back to your gp and ask for an ultrasound of your thyroid. I had a goitre with normal bloods but on fna had suspicious cells. I don’t want to frighten you but l think it needs further investigation.
You could ask for an Ultrasound scan of your Thyroid.
Also, if you have other symptoms, ask for blood tests especially Thyroid Antibodies (TPO Ab & TgAb ). Or show your doctor your list of symptoms and ask for a referal to an Endocrinologist.
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 you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Request that these vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies are tested
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
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
Come back with new post once you get results
May be this is a reaction to a throat infection when you had a sore throat for three weeks? Sometimes people might develop thyroiditis which is temporary. If you have symptoms of thyroid disease such as fatigue, weight loss or weight gain, anxiety, palpitations insomnia night sweats and hyperactive bowel then would go back and ask for more tests. Have had a goitre which has gone toxic, with hyperactive symptoms, but it went slow. It improved by changing my diet to foods high in iodine and by cutting down on carbs. I am just below normal with thyroid levels so you can get symptoms when your results look low normal. It's how you feel that counts. an ultrasound might be useful but if you have diffuse nodules this
may be a sign of a goitre which does not need removal unless you have pressure symptoms when swallowing. It is a non invasive test and with blood tests should help to reassure you.
I would ask for a referral for an ultrasound. If bloods are normal then it needs further investigation.
The doctor is not a specialist and without further blood tests for antibodies and an ultrasound the nodule cannot be definitively diagnosed.
In my case it turned out to be cancerous although the vast majority of nodules are benign so don't get worried, just pursue it for peace of mind.
That’s a very casual attitude by a GP —- it should be scanned as a precaution.
My GP practice was a pretty useless bunch but the GP did notice my goitre when I’d gone about fatigue and shortness of breath, I was sent for a scan days later. “Just a goitre” The Endo said, nothing sinister.
I’d go back to GP and say you want it scanned, it’s just a sonogram ( like a pregnancy scan) so very quick and cheap for the NHS to do.
I had the same thing and they said not to worry and they would keep an eye on it. Unfortunately it grew to such a size that it interfered with my breathing and I had to have a total thyroidectomy which has been an absolute nightmare as they cannot get my replacement meds right and I constantly feel rubbish. Make them do something! Don’t let them leave it until it’s too late, I paid to see an endocrinologist and he said if it hadn’t of got so big he could have shrunk it. Also my sister had the same thing and she pushed to have it removed and didn’t lose her thyroid so is now fine. I think it all comes down to money as per usual! What they don’t think about is that it must cost them a lot more in the lifelong medication they have to give me free of charge.
Thank you again to all for taking the time to reply.
I have ordered the full Thyroid and Vit test from Medicheck ( figured it would be faster and easier than going into battle with GP) and will follow this up with a scan request.
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