Swollen neck & pain swallowing

[Limbolass]

Hello all.

I've been hypo for over a decade and currently on a T4/T3 combo (I buy the T3 from abroad.)

This last month I have had a swollen neck & discomfort swallowing, on the left side. It's a new symptom for me so am rather worried. Anyone else have this?

I have cysts & an adenoma in my thyroid which was drained a few years back but have had no follow up scans since. I have chronic sinusitis too so one side of my nose is always blocked.

My GP surgery is rubbish, I hate speaking to them so try not to unless it's absolutely necessary but I have a GP phone call next week.

I don't know what my latest blood labs are as my GP just told me they are, "normal".

Any ideas what it could be? I'm thinking the big C or lymph nodes....

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Which brand of T3?

If it’s timorel there’s been some issues with some batches of tablets

SeasideSusie is collecting info on possible batch numbers

Suggest you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done privately

And perhaps a private ultrasound scan of thyroid £150

When taking levothyroxine plus T3 you would expect TSH to be EXTREMELY low or suppressed

A GP would likely flag this low TSH up as abnormal

So the fact last test was “normal “ suggests you need to test

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

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

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)

When on T3, day before test, split dose into three smaller doses roughly equal 8 hour intervals. Taking last dose T3 at roughly 8-12 hours before test

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Limbolass in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks but I can't afford private tests. I am on Tiromel, I did email seasidesusie but she didn't seem too concerned so am still taking the same ones.

[Churchie]

I think that however difficult the doctor is you should go back and ask for an urgent referral. I have exactly the same issue and doctor referred me for urgent scan which should be in next two weeks. (Fingers crossed)