Before my TT I had a constant feeling of something stuck in my throat which was due to my enlarged thyroid pressing on something. I had a cold about 6 weeks ago which has caused a lot of phlegm, and now I have the feeling of something constantly stuck in my throat again.
Is it possible that this could be caused by something other than a cold? I always worry about the cancer returning and as this was a symptom the first time it worries me more. I dont know what the symptoms of thyroid cancer recurring are without a thyroid.
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starbuckslover
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Could you tell us some more? How long ago did you have your thyroidectomy? Do you now take levo or something else? What are you currently taking? Do you supplement with vitamins and minerals, have you got anything else going on health wise? Have you got a recent blood results? Did you follow the protocol advised here to get consistent and comparable results? I know so many questions- sorry 😬👍
A doctor won’t be too bothered about the background. In fact, fairly significant health events can be forgotten if not on the top line of the computer screen. We have to remind them so they can take this into consideration. In the same way if we want to give lived experience advice we need a little more to go on.
Perhaps it might be a good idea to summarise your journey in your bio? When someone comes on the forum to ask an opinion we often go directly to the bio to get a picture of what has been going on.
I’ve written a bio as a case study so others can read. Now and again I update as required. Many of us experience the same treatment even if our route to that treatment varies.
There are many things that can give that lump in the throat feeling but it is easier to discuss in relation to you with more info.
You can go to a bio by clicking on a person’s ‘badge’ or icon (mine is grey haired at top of reply). This goes to my profile with bio, posts and replies.
I had low folate last year and took folic acid for 6 months but my folate levels are ok now, this is the only illness I have had since my TT and treat meant for thyroid cancer.
Looking at the ranges they look to be the ‘frees’, FT3 and FT4 is that right? How long ago were you tested?
Wow you actually got a FT3 result? So often people do not get that tested (despite asking) and yet it is just as relevant as FT4.
TSH no range but I’m guessing low, but you don’t want an active TSH in any case. From reading lived experience on here it’s preferable to keep it low after cancer.
Are they still keeping an eye on you? When we become hypothyroid we often end up with vitamin deficiencies so if you get a chance , ask the doctor to run a vitamin panel for you. Keep as regular eye. It’s not enough to be scraping in at the bottom of the range. SlowDragon has lots of information about vitamin and mineral supplements and also blood tests.
Your FT4 is high in range (good)
FT3 at 43% through the range. Do you feel ok generally? If you are feeling well on this, other than having had that cold 6 weeks ago all I would say is check your vitamins and minerals and try to optimise to keep well. Anecdotally, I actually can’t quite believe how well I have felt this year even though I am just getting over a cold and I put this down to supplementing and getting thyroid hormones all working together.
So this cold you had could have caused an RSI and left you with Globus Pharyngeus, also known as Globus sensation. If you have been coughing quite a lot this could be a possible. However, significantly this is the first illness since your thyroidectomy. How could you distinguish? Or be expected to for that matter? You are essentially in a different state post op. Something is missing (thyroid) you have had radical surgery. This surgery will likely have left a bit of scar tissue that may not have been noticeable up until now, but our throats get put through the wringer when we have an infection. For no other reason than this even if they have ‘signed you off’ I would want it checked out at the very least by a doctor. You have to calibrate what you are experiencing in your altered body.
I came across this paper, apparently changes in swallowing are not unusual. But that said you absolutely SHOULD get checked out and should not let anyone try to make you feel uncomfortable for doing so.
Do you feel otherwise in good health? Thing is bloods can ‘look’ great, but how you actually feel is the most important factor. Patients should never be treated to make the blood work look good. They should be treated with a view to getting them well.
Well you definitely need to get that swallow globus sensation looked at but you could probably do with a vitamin panel doing as well. If you can get the doctor to do one, which by all accounts us getting more difficult in some areas that is an option but I find it easier to get a private finger prick test done from Blue Horizon - thyroid and vitamins (which includes magnesium) many others use Medichecks. There are often money off offers on the website (there are quite a few different offerings)
From my results I worked out I needed to supplement.
I have B complex (morning), D3 with co factor K2-MK7 (dinner), take Magnesium citrate as it helps with my very typical hypo constipation 😬(evening) there are different forms that have different properties some are good for calming, focus and such. Hubby take magnesium glycinate.
If folate is low I add that into the mix with aim of getting over halfway through the range (at breakfast).
When I started this journey I was so susceptible to colds and viruses. I actually feel like I have some resilience now.
It is never really seriously discussed until a patient is anaemic or seriously deficient. A bit like closing the old stable door. Then if you do get supplemented by doctor it is invariably just to get you in range not necessarily where you need to be to thrive. I would definitely suggest getting your levels checked out and if you find you are low in any just introduce a good quality preparation (not mult vitamins) and introduce them one at a time - give a few weeks then introduce the next. Change one variable at a time then you can be clear about what is doing what. If something doesn’t agree it is easier to determine what it is. 😉👍
I had full thyroidectomy in May 2019 for graves thyrotoxicosis, no cancer found, had my recovery, did the voice exercise ect and by Nov my voice was back, but I was struggling with the T4.
In 2020 I started with a hores voice again but we're told it was due to surgery (thyroidectomy) I had bloods done and to cut a very long story short turned out to be primary hyperparathyroidism.
Anyway I've had to have certain scans in 2022 to detect the rouge gland, I first had the US scan which picked up a nodule on my left side 6/7mm (parathyroid?) but nothing in the right side... I had the F18 pet scan in Oct this year, which showed an uptake just above my right thyroid bed and thyroglossal tract, the mass measured (14x7x21) I had the FNA which identified the mass as thyroid tissue 😲 I was gobsmacked as I was told due to my thyroid being thyrotoxicosis all thyroid tissue would be removed.
It appears this mass as grown since the US scan in 2022, the report said looks bening 🤷♀️ whatever that means, I've been told by the surgeon there is no need to remove this mass🤷♀️ but like yourself I feel like I have a bit of trouble swollowing, feels like there's a nut that I just can't swollow🤷♀️I'm also getting sharp dull pains like I did when my thyroid was still in my neck.
I to like Charlie-Farley suggested you get it checked out by your gp, can't hurt, after having cancer in that area you should be taken seriously don't be fobbed off, it may be your chough and cold that's caused it, but better safe than sorry❤️
As I say again I was gobsmacked my thyroid had grown back😲
Birkie if regrowth causes discomfort I would definitely want it resolved. Your surgeon wouldn’t want to live with sharp dull pain. ☹️ Amazing what they expect us to live with…..
I'm more bothered about it being graves again, if thyroid grows back in a graves patience does it become graves again 🤷♀️ no help from surgeon on that subject, as I said she doesn't want to remove it... Eventho there might be a parathyroid hiding in the mass🤦♀️which would account for the raised calcium and parathyroid hormone 🤷♀️
That's a great question starbuckslover👍 and one I'd like someone to answer.After my TT the surgeon put me on T4 125micrograms, after 2 wks I had an appointment with the surgeon he noted I looked hyper.. I felt hyper and still do!! He said its probably because I'm on to high a dose of T4 causing me to be over medicated.
But my bloods didn't show this, but he decrease me to 100 micro and told me because I had graves the thyroid antibodies can take around 3/6months to leave the body.
I saw him again 3 weeks later and again he noted hyper symptoms and decreased me to 75micro and put me back in to gp care.
I asked if the thyroid antibodies can remain in the body after thyroidectomy he said no!
I also asked my gp if it was possible to have a thyroid antibody test along with my bloods on my next 7wk blood draw he laughed and asked why I needed that test because you don't have graves anymore so you definitely can't have thyroid antibodies 🤷♀️.
Every endo I've asked have laughed and told me it's impossible to have thyroid antibodies after full thyroidectomy.
I'm hoping to see a gp after the new year and with the mass 14x7x21 being thyroid tissue I'm sure I will have the right to see if I'm producing thyroid antibodies 👍.
Can I ask why did they do your thyroid antibodies? Or did you go private? ❤️
I see,.. obviously you had cancer so I know they are more vigilant with bloods, but I can't understand my surgeon, endo and gp saying I can't have any thyroid antibodies, when you clearly do and thank you for telling me👍I was in server thyroid storm( T4 100) (T3 39.5) TSH undetectable I had the uptake scan and got the diagnosis of graves thyrotoxicosis no saving the thyroid, I had around 4/5wks on oral iodine before the TT and were informed all my thyroid would be removed because of the thyrotoxicosis .
Either he left some cells which have regenerate or my thyroid as grown from scratch 😂 which I'm sure would be a miracle 😂 think he must have left some cells in the thyroid bed🤷♀️
I always worry that some cells have been left behind as my surgery was for graves not for cancer, that was found after surgery. However I have had RAI too so the chances of any thyroid tissue been left are pretty slim. My tsh is suppressed too so lowering the chances even more.
I hope your doing OK now, ❤️You mentioned RAI (radioactive iodine) I was given the choice for RAI, but the endo changed his mind because my uptake scan was in both lobs and that RAI would not be recommended, it would be safer to remove the whole thyroid, but as I said the surgeon told me he would not operate on me as my levels were to high.
He told me the oral iodine would shrivel and kill the thyroid from making the T4, T3 hormones and make it saver for removal so no thyroid would be left. 🤷♀️ Seems weird this mass as suddenly grown within a year 🤷♀️ it been eye opening talking to you, and I feel more stronger to put my case across, and that it is possible to have thyroid antibodies after full thyroidectomy 👍
Could be silent reflux, which causes no symptoms whatsoever - besides a feeling of something sitting there. It does not need to be found by a gastroscopy. An ENT can see it with a super quick camera up your nasal passage into your throat. Mine was found as my surgeon was checking my vocal cords, preparing for my TT.
Low Ft3 linked to high cholesterol and poor vitamin levels
For good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 we need to maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin at least annually
Many (most?) patients on Levo need to supplement vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin B complex daily to maintain good vitamin D, folate and B12
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
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