Hi everyone - a question re: symptoms and nodules - following an ultrasound 3 nodules were found one is 1.5cm and the other two are .5cm - my GP is concerned about the bigger one as it shows vascularity I was referred 4 weeks ago for follow up with ENT possible biopsy but have yet to get an appointment.
So as you can imagine the mind is working overtime in the worry stakes - I want to ask has anyone had a symptom of sudden, aprupt head shake (feels like a tiny seizure) with dizziness - afterwards I feel very heavy head but often this shake would shift the entire body - so if I was holding a cup of tea I may spill it, for example - I have had this weird and quite disturbing thing for a few years but it is increasingly getting worse, more prolonged and I wondered would it be related to a nodule pressing on an artery? Thanks in advance.
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Thyroid nodules are very common, almost considered a normal part of ageing.
The overwhelming majority are benign. Some can have features which flag further concerns eg micro calcification, ellipse shape, peripheral vascularity but most research says nodules graded higher do not have higher % issues than any nodule selected at random. Usually nodules over 1cm are given a FNA fine needle aspiration as a precaution.
Very rarely severe thyroid swelling can cause a abnormal narrowing of an artery. Usually this would be detected by doctor listening with stethoscope. It would cause light headedness & headaches but not the episodes you describe you?
Everybody experiences a sudden unexplained shudder or shivering feeling, but if this is different or new discuss with doctor.
Has your thyroid Function been affected?
Most nodules are non functioning (cold), some function as normal thyroid, occasionally nodule can be hot / toxic / hyper functioning. This can’t be determined by a ultrasound.
Have you had blood tests?
For full thyroid function you need TSH, FT4, FT3. TPO & TG antibodies and also important to test folate, ferritin, B12 & Vitamin D.
Do you have any other symptoms?
Are you in UK? ( put your country in profile)
I have a 5cm nodule & obvious swelling. It was very concerning when the doctor kept checking my neck with a stethoscope, (they never explain why). I read later no indication of bruit.
I had a ultrasound scan and they performed FNA same appointment. 19 of 20 samples are benign. Mine was clear. I was told my function was normal at the time, but later I found out the blood test hadn’t been processed and the nodule was toxic. This is now treated with antithyroid medication.
Thanks for your detailed reply - I'm based in Ireland. I haven't had any blood tests yet so I'm definitely in the waiting category and I really appreciate your thoughts on this! It's certainly not a shudder but it is something that I have had for a few years and initially my GP thought it may be linked to hemiplegic migraine - however I have never got to the bottom of it.
It's just now I'm beginning to blame all my ills on these nodules. Hopefully I will find out more soon. Thanks for your help
I also have migraines, beginning with painless flashing lights. Then nausea & very painful head & severe eye pressure. My forehead veins would also visibly bulge.
I also wondered if there was connection to my nodule, but put it down to the high thyroid levels. I did read that some migraines can originates from neck. So there may be a connection, it is more related to trauma such as whiplash. The specific name for it Cervicogenic headache (CGH).
They were so infrequent the doctor wouldn’t offer any treatment but when I was diagnosed hyper I was put on full dose of propranolol. After 2 months specialist instructing me to stop. Propranolol shouldn’t be stopped abruptly and I was quite unwell with constant migraines. GP put me back on propranolol as migraine preventer. 3 years later I still take a very low dose.
“beginning to blame all my ills on these nodules” very natural, I think we all do this. I find my GP will categories any symptoms as related to thyroid (& therefore to take to specialist) whereas specialist frequently tells me my text book symptoms are not thyroid related. Doctors don’t like connecting things they like to deal with symptoms separately. Often limiting you to 1 issue at a time.
In UK there are private blood testing companies but I don’t know which deliver to Ireland. It’s done via post & fingerprint sample.
It might speed things up and you can have all bio markers tested in 1 go rather than fight for everything you need.
Before I was diagnosed with Graves in 2012 I used to get a weird shooting pain, it felt like an electric shock, it would start at my neck and shoot up through my head. It was a really unpleasant feeling and would leave me feeling odd. It never happened when I was holding anything but I imagine if it had done I would have spilled whatever was in my hand. It felt so strange that I spoke to a doctor about it - she looked at me as if I was some sort of total weirdo and told me ‘I was needing my holiday’. I was on my knees with Graves’ disease within three months. Years later while trawling through Google as you do and I found something on occipital headaches which made sense although I was told a very long time the headaches I was getting at the time were actually occipital headaches and they didn’t give me the horrible ‘electric shock’ feeling I was getting - funnily enough I’ve not had them since then.
So no nodules but a weird feeling that seemed to buzz right through my body and left me feeling really odd.
That's very interesting and initially I would have described these as a sort of electric shock in the head - but they are getting slightly longer now, so I shake too - (they are still only seconds long, thankfully) Anytime I mention them I get that strange look - it is an odd thing! Thanks!
I wouldn’t go to ENT for thyroid nodules or FNB I learnt this the hard way 5 years ago when I was sent to ENT for check up on some thyroid nodules that was causing some pretty crazy things and as you can guess they said my nodules were benign and I was sent on my merry way. A few months later I had my eye pop out of its socket and was immediately sent to Endo he did a FNB and said I had cancer and told me I should have never gone to ENT for thyroid nodules and the ENT should have referred me to Endocrinologist.
Im not saying you have cancer but in my opinion ENT is not the place to go for nodules and by the way my thyroid test came back normal.
This is because ENT look at physical issues from a surgical perspective & don’t do blood test, while endocrinology will deal with hormone issues & only do blood test.
Previously GPs could send someone direct to radiology to complete a ultrasound scan & FNA if necessary, but referrals are even more restrictive than they used to be. I had a new neck lump earlier this year. The initial referral for scan was rejected so GP arranged ENT consult. Now they have to assess first, referral within hospital departments get approved. Totally counter productive as I ended up having a wasted additional appointment before scan & an unnecessary one after.
Every location & hospital is different but it’s likely the current course set by the health service.
If you have a scan and it shows you have a suspicious thyroid nodules then the ENT should refer you to the Endocrinologist and not proceed with FNB assuming they even do that … My ENT did and declared me healthy even though my scans were labeled suspicious it was later discovered I actually had cancer and if it weren’t for issues that propped up after the ENTs FNB I would never have known I had cancer and to make matters worse my ENT wouldn’t scheduled me for any follow ups for a year or more.
So Im a firm NO to ENT dealing with potential thyroid issues and I realize not everyone has this option and that’s sad.
Now Batty I am actually having trouble with the referral to ENT - the ENT don't want to deal with it and would prefer it to be surgicaly dealt with - so I don't know it's a bit of a mess and leaves people like myself running to the web instead of getting at least a discussion with those who should know what they're talking about - Afterall the Thyroid is located in the neck - and I would have thought it was an ENT issue, not so, I was recently told - adding to that I have been waiting so long because of the pandemic so if it was sinister I may also have an eye popping out before anything is done - I'm really surprised by this. Thanks for your comments
We all have a crazy medical system we have to maneuver through from time to time and add a pandemic into the crazy mix and we are left feeling lost and confused. The thyroid is actually on the outside of the throat not inside.
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