Thyroid question please...

[Suffering_sunny]

Hi everyone,

I am writing to ask if you can have a sore thyroid without significant enlargement and with 'normal' bloods?

I have had 'normal' bloods, it doesn't seem visually enlarged, though I feel like I am being strangled and have audible sounds when I swallow in my ears. When I move my head something feels like it is clicking over the edge of it (maybe the muscle bands on on neck).

This began after covid vaccine. I had long covid and had my first vaccines but the last ones I noticed new symptoms within a week of them. Dose 3, was tingling, does 4 was 'globus', tingling, and Malaise. They put me on PPI, H2, and antacids (at the same time) and then my b12 went low, so now I am under b12 treatment.

My hormones have been all over the place. Had breast tenderness after 8 months of stomach meds, and then my symptoms went into hell - neuro symptoms, cold, parasynthesia, headaches, fatigue, rashes, dryness everywhere. Tried HRT because my mum had early menopause, and that helped with my moods but not my symptoms, and my period hasn't regulated. Looking into oestrogen dominance, as low b12 can sometimes not get rid of excess oesteogen i have read yesterday. I have been told to wean off hrt, so I feel more down, and I have heigthened b12 symtpoms while undergoing the first parts of treatment. A phenomena called 'reversing out' I am told. My symptoms can feel worse at ovulation and just before my period. I don't know if that is because my body is using energy that I don't have, or their is a thyroid issue, I have no idea what is going on.

I am 35. Used to study at a high level, work and run over mountain ranges. Now debilitated within a year.

I don't have the numbers for my thyroid bloods handy. But I will request these.

I am wondering- can you have a sore thyroid? That feels like it is choking you? But it doesn't look swollen? With normal bloods...

I had an MRI of head and neck, and they found nothing. Thyroid bloods in normal range. And calcium seemed to be in normal range...

I feel like I cannot live this way.

In pain, my mouth also feels sore, mucosa has been affected in throat and lower down, as well as eyes, and other places.

Dryness, neuro symptoms, pain, muscle aches, anxiety like I've never know it before, headaches, cold extremities, tingking and numbness feelings, Malaise, fatigue, palpitations, muscle twitches, the works!

Could my thyroid be involved? And could there be a swelling that an mri could miss?

My neck is pretty thin, so any change will feel like choking for me.

Had an US early in this process, analysed by an ultrasound tech, not a Dr... she said my thyroid was "very large for my neck" but didn't rate it... I don't think she was able to analyse it like that, it wasn't like an NHS place or anything. I was desperate.

Could an MRI miss this?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I don't have the numbers for my thyroid bloods handy. But I will request these.

Welcome to the forum

Yes please add results and ranges once you get them

How long ago were these tests done

Did you test early morning

very important to also test thyroid antibodies and vitamins

Are you still on B12

Is this injection or daily supplements

Are you still on PPI?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if autoimmune

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies (thyroglobulin)

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and 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

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Suffering_sunny in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you.

I am on eod si injections for b12 (only 3 weeks in) feel very ill after starting, neuro, anxiety, some intermittent palpitations, and nausea.

Off PPI etc since the big crash of September last year.

Folate 5mg with injection, d3 and k2, iron infusion 3 weeks ago for borderline ferritin.

Almost off HRT... very hard adjusting.

I've asked the surgery for thyroid numbers.

And I'm going to ask my gp tomorrow for a thyroid ultrasound on NHS, and say about the last who did the one before saying it looked "enlarged" for the size of my neck, and to "investigate further"...

They didn't. But my new surgery might.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Suffering_sunny]

Time to retest thyroid too

Low vitamin levels, especially low iron/ferritin tends to lower TSH

Insist on thyroid antibodies tested too