I've recently been diagnosed with a multinodular goiter affecting both sides of my gland. The ultrasound results said "There are no worrying focal features. There is slight right sided tracheal deviation but no narrowing or intrathoracic extension. No lymphadenopathy." I also had a blood test and the doctor said that my thyroid function is normal (but didn't show me the results unfortunately). I've been discharged back to my GP.
I'm thankful that it's nothing worse wrong but I still have the same symptoms - I have a constant mild sore throat feeling and a feeling like there is something stuck in my throat, and wanting to clear it all the time. I was hoping people may have some tips for dealing with this. Thanks
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Sparklegrrl
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You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
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
Frequently GP will only test TSH and FT4, this is completely inadequate
Ask GP to test vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies
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 .
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 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
If you can get vitamins and BOTH antibodies tested by GP ....Cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )
I admit to knowing nothing whatsoever about any medicine you could take to alleviate the symptoms or have any effects upon the goitre itself.
My first operation for a simple benign goitre was necessary because it was growing inwards and constricting my swollen neck giving me several bouts of pneumonia. No bother to me at the time as simply took some antibiotics, but this really could be dangerous to any elderly person with frail health. Took several months to recover, finally taking some Orovite tablets, concentrated B and C vitamins, recovering quite miraculously within 2-3 days of starting on them. I highly recommend these tablets for anybody who can't quite work out what is wrong with them.
Any operation to the neck is considered to be quite dangerous and no surgeon would consider this unless there were no other option, so better o live with a few insignificant symptoms like you have until things turn a lot worse, which undoubtedly they will, but could take months or even years to happen. Things tend to develop rather slowly with the thyroid gland. Be sure to get regular checks at GP or with endocrinologist.
Then, some years later, things got a lot worse for me over the course of about 18 months. I gradually deteriorated until I could hardly move without feeling exhausted and horrendously horrible. Eventually admitted for a TT due to the multinodular goitre. The marvellous surgeon told me it had been the most complicated and difficult thyroid operation he had undertaken in 13 years of surgery. I felt instantly as fit as Usain Bolt, going home still with the stitches in my neck. Unfortunately this lasted only a week or two until I came back down to earth. Initially on Levothyroxine and felt unwell for next 8 years, trusting doctors completely, just as I had done all my life.
What a mistake that was!
Now take NDT, trust all doctor (except surgeons) only as far as I can throw them and am being treated atrociously by everybody I complain to in the NHS as they refuse to give me NDT for utterly ridiculous reasons and I must therefore buy it from Thailand.
Best advice I could give you therefore is to seek help from the NHS at regular intervals but do not believe anything they tell you until you can check it out for yourself, perhaps on this or other patient-led forum from those who understand the subject better than the doctors.
Also be fully aware that the longer you leave a goitre alone, the more difficult it becomes for any action to succeed.
Michael Gove's wife Sarah Vine takes NDT and I have asked my local conservative MP about it when we were out campaigning .... I will be contacting her again about this because it is so unfair imho.
Hi Lora7, how did you find out about Sarah Vine taking NDT. I wonder where she gets hers from - I doubt it's from some dubious Thai seller. I think we should all lobby our new MPs in the new year (even if they have been returned) to 1. stop the NHS from being ripped off by Big Pharma for T3 and 2. Get NDT reinstated from the NHS. If all the UK forum members did that they would surely have to listen.
I bet she gets a private prescription for it. When I had hair extensions at Lucinda Ellery (which was complete rip-off btw) the lady who did mine did her hair replacement. She has suffered with hair loss for a long time and I wonder if she had undiagnosed thyroid disease but never knew it.
Fortunately, the clinic puts together a treatment plan. I have a comprehensive set of instructions to follow, including new medication (Dr Donnai switched me from levothyroxine to armour thyroid, making me much less lethargic), a raft of supplements and detailed nutritional advice. I’ll be returning over the next few months to monitor improvements.
I sometimes choke on my food because of my multinodular goitre ... a wise woman in the US told me to put a cold compress on it when it feels swollen and it has helped.
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