feel like I'm being strangled

[Peroxideblader]

hi I haven't posted for a long time the last time was regarding my suspicions and blood tests pointing to secondary hypothyroidism. sadly both with my useless doctors who won't refer me to see and endocrinologist then covid shutting all medical referrals down I've got no further. I suffer frequently from the sensation of being strangled like I'm wearing a tight polo neck and my throat is sore feels like I've swallowed a marble and my lymph nodes are swollen under my jaw. I get feverish and weak like a mild flu. it happens a lot and not covid related. is any of this connected to secondary hypothyroidism? it's not globus as I wake up with it and it gets worse as the day goes on and even when I'm relaxed not stressed and although both globus and GERD were mentiomed a few years ago it seems odd I ties in with my bloods showing secondary hypo. my doctor 18 months ago ish said she'd check my thyroid every year but of course no chance right now. I may try medichecks again but I don't know if they are still doing the blood draws due yo cut backs even privately paying ( couldn't get enough blood with finger prick test) thanks

[Boon79]

With those symptoms I would make an appointment with your GP. They should still be doing blood tests. Being as our thyroid is in our neck, it could well be that, or it could be something else, but you will only find out by seeing your GP.Good luck 🤞🏻

[Gingernut44]

Hi, yes I get this feeling in my neck and glands, it’s one of the symptoms of under medication in my case. You definitely need to have a blood test now, don’t let them fob you off because of COVID-19, my Surgery is still doing blood tests. Best of luck

[annnsandell]

I have no experience of other thyroid problems which I understand can cause some unusual symptoms but about 15 years or so ago I experienced similar symptoms to you and my GP managed to misdiagnose this and ignore it for a couple of years until I had an obvious goiter. Thyroid blood tests were always ok, I was never hypothyroid but it turned out to be Thyroid cancer. Full blood tests (not just thyroid) and scan required. GPs are not supposed to be hiding and this needs investigating even if you start with a telephone appointment, blood tests and a scan which are all taking place. I can't see how any GP can ignore these symptoms if you tell them the way you have written this here.

[helen_m]

I had this happen to me last year and I was quite at a loss how to explain it. I ended up researching and found out about silent reflux, which seemed to explain the symptoms better, but I was also slightly undermedicated. I had a hell of a cough at the same time and was fighting off a virus. What seemed to work for me was adopting a silent reflux diet - I came off citrus, strong coffee and fizzy drinks. This had an effect, the globus sensation feeling in my neck went away, then came back weaker. I should say it took months to fix. It's now gone completely. I was sure that it was related to thyroid but my GP examined me and said it wasn't. He was also at a loss to explain it though when I mentioned silent reflux, he suggested giving me PPIs. I didn't want to take these, as silent reflux is best addressed through diet (from research). I think, as others have suggested, you need to rule out any inflammation in your thyroid first, and if it's not that, then there are other explanations. Best of luck xxx

[misschris]

Hi,I thought I would send this link as it maybe of use, not a lot of people know about the Pemberton Sign.

I had this in 2009 and had to have a total thyroidectomy, I had a retrosternal goitre that was growing into my chest cavity.

casereports.bmj.com/content...

[Peroxideblader]

Thank you everyone I've called my doctors since Monday from first opening but after an hour of waiting all appointments have gone and you can't prebook so heaven knows when I'll get through. I'll only get a phone consultation and I know I'll be dismissed but I hope to at least get my full thyroid bloods done again. my mother in law had thyroid cancer and her symptoms were like mine she had no obvious front throat lump either. I have no support at home as he's as dismissive as the doctors because I continue with life functioning getting on and unless I'm in bed crying then I'm obviously not ill. everything is put down to stress or perimenopause or run down...yes a lot of the symptoms match perimenopause but to struggle to swallow to feel choked and on and off for years it can't be right...thank you again I don't hold out hope of even speaking to a doctor for a few weeks

[thyr01d]

Hi, I experience this, exactly as you've described, a feeling as if being strangled, almost from within rather than hands round your neck, and a lump in the throat and intermittent fever symptoms and feverish dreams even during the day. Does that sound the same to you? I have had this horrid feeling for about 40 years. I have Hashimoto's and am now treated with T3 only (though looking at reintroducing Levothyroxine). Since being in lockdown which greatly reduced physical demands on my body, I have rarely had that feeling and when I have it has been much 'lighter' and eased away after a day or so.

So, I'm hoping this will ease any anxiety caused by any of the other posts, I think it is just the way some of us react to thyroid problems. (I have to increase T3 on days when I am most active). Do you get bad sore throats as well? I mean really bad. When I do I don't want to speak at all to anyone, I'd rather be lonely and isolated than have the pain of saying a few words?

[Peroxideblader in reply to thyr01d]

Thank you for your reply and yes that's exactly me. I get sore throats at least every week and the tight choking sensation about every 6 weeks I looked in my diary. I ache feel fluey and just run down and off it usually lasts 5 days or so. you mention your thyroid as have the others but I'm not diagnosed yet despite 6 years of this. that's why I've asked if this could be my thyroid as to me it seems to be and when i eventually do see my doctor I'm going to mention it yet again but they keep saying my test results are normal despite me posting my results on here over the last 3 years and all agreeing it's far from normal. I was just getting somewhere pre covid when they agreed to 're test me annually as they did agree my tsh t4 and t3 were either low or under range. now in back to square one. so do you think it's secondary hypothyroidism that can cause this ? thank you

[thyr01d in reply to Peroxideblader]

I am sorry but I don't know about secondary hypothyroidism but someone else will. Yes, though, I do get the feverish symptoms, feverish dreams and I still do now even on medication, but far less of the chokey feeling and much milder when it occurs. I've always assumed the chokey feeling is thyroid and the fever something different but perhaps the fever and choking-feeling are both symptoms of another condition? I've been on here for years and you are the only person whose described the same as I feel, like a very, very tight polo neck. Sorry I can't help more but there are others who know a lot about secondary hypothyroidism. Good luck

[Peroxideblader in reply to thyr01d]

Thank you...i hear about the lump sensation a lot but that's anxiety driven and common in menopause as I am but not with the choking feeling and swollen lymph nodes. I think it's just my untreated thyroid is causing more issues 5 years untreated. my cousin went 15 years undiagnosed despite trying and she was very poorly..thanks again though

[Olsbird]

Sorry for the late reply... I actually get the feeling of being strangled exactly as you describe - like wearing a tight polo neck and anything that touches my neck drives me crazy as it just seems to exacerbate the feeling i already have there. However, for me this happens when Im taking higher doses of Levo - so its really driven by over rather than under medication. That said, 25mcg levo can send me whizzing up the side effects scale...

[Peroxideblader in reply to Olsbird]

hi please see my reply to the previous post as my problem is I've not had secondary hypothyroidism diagnosed as my useless doctors keep fobbing me off

[Gillybean1]

Hi Peroxideblader,

Same symptoms for me too a few years back, prior to diagnosis (DIO2 and Hashimotos) and treatment with thyroid medication. Sometimes it would happen with an antibody flare up, mostly i noted it related to motility of the gut function, impeded by the disease, lack of stomach acid (diagnosed achlorhydria),its most unpleasant like a fist in your throat,squeezing you round the neck. I get it occasionally when something meds or supps need adjusting.

Adding Betaine, B complex, Probiotics, magnesium and getting thyroid levels sorted helped enormously.

I agree with others to speak with your Gp to rule things out, and to give you peace of mind.

Every best wish G

[Peroxideblader in reply to Gillybean1]

Thank you..shame my gp surgery won't attribute it to my thyroid far from it despite you ladies having the same issues and having thyroid illnesses. I already take mag vit B complex vit c vit D and iron as my ferritin is below range and folate...doctors again said my ferritin at 13 was fine despite their range being 14-200 !! thanks again

[Gillybean1 in reply to Peroxideblader]

oh dear 13 is not fine, again would impact our guts. My ferritin was on the floor at 11 at one time, once this started to rise, which takes a while, go gently, we cant just stuff iron in quickly (liver once a week if you dont mind it is by far the most efficient) that was part of the strangling sensation receding, all the other factors need addressing too.

I wish you the best, keep at your Gp politely, dont give up......most of us have been there,and you will get through this and find your solution G

[klr31]

I believe this can be a common symptom. Are you medicated? What are your blood tests showing?

[Peroxideblader in reply to klr31]

my 6 blood tests over the last 5 years ( 4 private) all show low t4 low t3 and low tsh and in 4 of the tests either my t4 or t3 is below range. of course the numerous doctors I've seen have just said all normal including desperately low folate ferritin low white blood cells...i keep asking to he referred to an endocrinologist but as they say I don't have a thyroid problem they won't. all my tests point to hypopituarism/ secondary hypothyroidism

[klr31 in reply to Peroxideblader]

Can you afford to see an endocrinologist privately?

[Peroxideblader in reply to klr31]

I could probably yes but I've read just as many negative reports of private endocrinologists too . What I have being an issue with the pituitary rather than the thyroid needs someone why specialises and a lot of the feedback I hear they aren't specialised enough it's finding one thats good in my area...i need to do something

[klr31 in reply to Peroxideblader]

Good luck.

[Peroxideblader in reply to klr31]

Thank you