Hello everyone, since second week of March, I felt a bit of restriction on the band of my neck.. sometimes difficulty in swallowing but, on and off. Now, my voice gets a bit tired even if I talk only half amount of what I am used to. With these symptoms, my GP was kept on telling me that it must be due to anxiety. The GP didn’t think anything else perhaps, as my thyroid is functioning well. However, I have this round, 2cm lump at the centre of my neck- and I thought it was my Adam’s apple.. only to be told by my Physio that it wasn’t. So, I sent a picture of my neck to my GP and he referred me to have the ultrasound.. didn’t get a call from the hospital yet. Although the thyroid cancer probability is rather low.. as I have these symptoms.. I am so worried that I can’t breathe. I guess the location of my nodule is such that as it is at the centre.. it is pressurising my trachea.. and perhaps near to my voice box... How can I hold my anxiety in place? I am usually a person who never even get cold.. once NHS deleted me thinking I no longer live nearby as I never visited them for 6 years...what’s happening to me? And lastly, if I am sooo lucky and it turns out to be a benign nodule.. does anyone know who can do it well in UK? If they could reduce tiny bit to reduce my annoying symptom.. it would be so wonderful...!
A small lump in the centre of thyroid - Thyroid UK
A small lump in the centre of thyroid
Sorry- I meant to ask, does anyone know who can do RFA treatment in UK?
What is RFA treatment?
Radio frequency ablation
Firstly you need to find out if it’s a thyroid nodule at all. Then only certain ones meet the criteria for treatment with radiofrequency ablation. The status, size and type is taken into account. Its used for hyper function nodules to preserve the function of the remaining thyroid, There are a few NHS hospital which carry out the procedure, but in most areas a referral is not offered. But I do know of some members who have fought for a referral and are pleased with the outcome.
Link about RFA at uclh
You need to know what’s been tested as GPs do not always do a full thyroid function or test key nutrients or thyroid antibodies. Then post results on here.
obtain a copy of any previous results you have had. (ask for an actual print out as you need the ranges which differ depending on the lab).
These are the test results you need
TSH
FT4
FT3
Ferritin
Folate
Vitamin D
B12
TPO
Trab or TSI
I just got a call from the head and neck clinic.. in fact, I called them after having to wait in an one hour queue- arrangement made for Next Monday.. I thought it was for a Ultra scan.. but due to corona.. they want a phone consultation first.. I don’t think I can wait..
My Serum free T4 :15.9
TSH: 0.89
TPO test done last Friday.. don’t know the results yet.. that’s all I did...😭
Did GP do these test? They are likely in range & look good, but you need the ranges which differ depending on the lab to be sure. Shame FT3 wasn’t done.
Thank you for your attention and your wisdom. I was diagnosed with iron deficiency last year which was due to heavy period.. started supplements for 4 months.. and requested for blood test to check iron level. Shame I didn’t check my ferritin and T3 level.. my iron level was 22umol! Regards
You need an immediate referral to a consultant. As you say it might not be cancerous but the lump is interfering and should probably be removed but it might be shrinkable. Normal thyroid results is no guarantee of there not being something wrong like cancer but it is more likely to rule out other thyroid problems. Check you have had all the necessary thryroid tests and not just some and get your results from the surgery in writing. You might have to get assertive with this or another GP.
My experience was a GP that didn't diagnose an enlarged thryroid with lump when presented with your symptoms for two years until I had a goitre when it took a nurse practitioner to diagonose it and send me to a consultant. Thyroid function was always normal.
My surgeon was Mr. Williams at Carlisle, brilliant and very skilled.
That is similar to my experience and mine turned out to be thyroid cancer. The biopsy was a-typical cells but when had surgery all nodules were cancerous. So total thyroidectomy followed by RAI treatment and of course on Thyroxine and calcium tablets.
I was recently diagnosed with a multi nodule goiter, my GP advised as it's not affecting my breathing and swallowing, it wouldn't be removed. I too have a gravelly voice and the feeling of just being on the edge of gagging or that something is stuck in my throat. Being investigated for thyroid levels again today, previously all tests have been "normal"
Hello, thank you for sharing. Can you actually see the multi nodule goiter? Or just from the ultra scan? Good luck with your thyroid test results!!
Yes I have a small swelling in my neck, but it was diagnosed as multi nodule on ultrasound.
How did they diagnose a multi nodule goitre? Was it just a scan? Have you seen a specialist? I had a needle into my thyroid to check for cancer and even then it was inconclusive so they decided to operate anyway but I had to return for another operation because the biopsy found cancer and then Radium treatment. It may well be caused by other conditions but that needs diagnosing properly. It is affecting your breathing and swallowing.
Hiya I just had an ultrasound scan at my local hospital. No needle biopsy or endoscopy. I think the consultant had x-ray vision after the ultrasound with just saying "it's not cancer" it's just a multi node goiter "bye"
I have had 3 ultrasounds and they will only do a biopsy if there is a suspicious nodule. I also have a multinodular goiter which means lots of small nodules.
Should read his NHS advice then nhs.uk/conditions/goitre/di...
It’s interesting reading everyone’s replies on here. I can’t understand why you haven’t been referred to a consultant. I had Thyroid scans and FNA on two occasions and it was decided that I needed to have a partial thyroidectomy to remove them, that eventually led to me having to have RAI as the nodules kept coming back and they couldn’t get my levels sorted with carbimazole but 2 years on and I still feel as if there’s ‘something’ in my throat and my voice is croaky most of the time with an accompanying sore throat. I’m constantly sucking lozenges or gargling salt water. I do hope you’re problem is resolved, it’s a horrible feeling .
Hello, I wasn’t referred to the consultant because at that time, I thought my lump was an Adam’s apple.. due to corona virus, I was only allowed to do E consultation with my GP.. who had to diagnose my symptoms without visible lumps.. therefore her diagnosis was anxiety related symptoms. I only got their attention only after I sent them the picture of my lump only few days ago... I hope your symptoms go away!!
Well hopefully you will get to see a consultant sooner rather than later. I’m having a bit of a battle with my GP and endo at the moment, so I’m feeling a bit neglected but as you say with this Covid it’s difficult to get a grip on things. I have a long list of questions ready for my endo when we have our telephone appointment in September, one of them being the feeling in my throat and the croak/soreness. I would love to wake up to a symptom free throat just once so I could remember how it feels, I’ve been like this for over 6/7 years now ☹️
Thank you so much everyone. #Purplerain- I didn’t know I had to go through all those tests. I have done most my tests ( which were normal)except on Vitamins. I am aware of the criteria for the ablation and praying to god that I meet this criteria... if it’s not T2... then sigh....Once again, thank you all so much for taking time to write this!
If you have results especially for TSH FT4 & FT3, do post on here. GPs only look for lab “red flagged” (out of range) results. Where in range can be informative.
Hi Limegreenpower,
The same thing happened to me,about 20 years ago. I had a lump on my throat which was pressing on my windpipe.I had a scan, and they said it wasn't cancer.I put up with it for about another year, but it was getting bigger and causing me problems swallowing.They said it was Hashimotos, which is when the antibodies attack the thyroid, causing the lump. I also lost about a stone in weight and felt, hyper, couldn't sleep, it was because it had caused me to become overactive. I was advised to have my thyroid removed,which I did,it all sounded simple but wasn't! Of course after the op I became underactive and had to have thyroxine for life.
It took me a long time to feel anything like normal.I put on a stone and a half, was so tired all the time, couldn't think straight a lot of the time. Eventually I got a referral to the Endo and he put me on T3 as well as the thyroxine, which improved things, but I was still not back to my normal self. Nowadays of course you have to fight tooth and nail to get T3, as it is so expensive, but without a thyroid you need to have it. Now my voice is quite weak and I can't sing like I used to, and can't really shout as my voice gives out. I think if I could go back I would probably not have it done so quickly,maybe I would explore other options first.
Good luck anyway!
Thank you for sharing. May I please ask how big the nodule was when it first pressed your windpipe? You are so patient to have endured for a year with pressure windpipe feeling... this awful feeling combined with wearing a mask is not very pleasant!
Hi,
I can't really remember,it was over 20 years ago.You could see there was a lump there,and I always had a sore throat.Didn't have to contend with a mask back then!
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