swollen thyroid gland of late

[hodgey2019]

yes today I have been to the doctor as my thyroid gland is swollen and doctor said keep an eye on it for now. However, I have just joined the dots up on what could be the issue, for sometime now I have been drinking almond milk and eating a lot of nuts as I believed this was all good for me. According to the internet (safe websites) on the contrary these products are not the best to be consuming, so as from tonight I am now stopping them and hopefully my gland will go down. I am also going to look into a better plan for eating, so any ideas please let me have them, or if you have come across the same problem as stated above, your comments would really be appreciated. Dawn

[greygoose]

Hi hodgey, welcome to the forum.

As you've been hypo for 10 years, I presume you are taking levo? If so, how much?

What you are talking about, here, with almonds, etc. is the goitrogen myth, which is still alive and well on many sites despite being debunked some time ago. Almonds and walnuts to have goitrogenic properties, it's true - other nuts don't - but you would have to eat an enormous amount of them for them to have an effect on your thyroid.

Goitrogens impede the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland, when eaten in vaste quantities. Lack of iodine means less thyroid hormone, so the thyroid swells up in order to absorb more iodine - what we call a goitre - hence the name, goitrogen. But, if you are taking thyroid hormone replacement - levo or other - not only does your thyroid not have to make much hormone (if any), but you are also getting extra iodine through the levo, etc. So, unlikely that nuts and almond milk would be making your thyroid swell.

Do you have Hashi's? That could make your thyroid swell.

[hodgey2019 in reply to greygoose]

Hi grey goose thank you for getting back to me. I have really been doing the milk and walnuts to excess recently and this problem has only just been bothering me of late. I take 125mg of Levo doctor had a good feel tonight said it just needed to be monitored, I asked if it was goitre he said no so will see how it goes in the next week or so. Got my thyroid book out tonight by Mary J Shomom to read again. Thanks again Dawn

[greygoose in reply to hodgey2019]

You're welcome.

[HashiFedUp]

soy or soya is the one for me that makes my throat swell and I feel unwell. High amounts of Goitrogens that seem to make me ill.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

It's common for conversion of FT4 to FT3 to get worse the longer we are on Levothyroxine

Do you always get same brand of Levothyroxine?

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

Do you have Hashimoto's?

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

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 .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood 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)

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

Cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

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

For thyroid including antibodies and 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

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

"It's common for conversion of FT4 to FT3 to get worse the longer we are on Levothyroxine "

Thanks for mentioning that, SD, I have been wondering why two increases in Levo over the last several months (now on 125mcg) has caused so little improvement - in fact almost none. Either that or my thyroid is deteriorating at the same rate Levl increased. Or...?

Still waiting for last blood test results though, which should give a better idea.

[Myro]

Read about goitrogen food ( mostly vegetable of Brassicaceae genus) and chemicals.

Find out symptoms of iodine lack and consequences of lack of iodine.

Iodine protocols can help in some cases of troubles. But every thyroid affecting stuff has to be started with low dose and increased every few days. 1/20 of goal change.