After a few months of being quiet due to on-going and worsening health problems, I would be grateful of the wise and wonderful forum members answer(s) to the above question, please.
Most of my relevant history is available on my Bio but, due to on-going system problems (both desk-top and phone with different ISPs), I'm unable to update this at the moment. However, I'll give following as brief an outline of [what I feel are] relevant symptoms and findings - the latter from finally going private (first to an ENT Consultant and, earlier this month, to the knee orthopaedic surgeon at my local Spire, both whom I've seen previously on the NHS, though the former only very briefly in 2021 as, whilst waiting to see him, I'd been referred to a different ENT Consultant under the 2 week wait with a ? Cancer Dx) and both of whom have transferred me to their respective NHS services following the initial consultations.
Update on Symptoms
Mid-End July 2024 - Mid July, whilst eating I felt as if I'd swallowed too hard/quickly and some food had stuck in the upper part of the oesophagus, with the end result that I had periodic quite violent hiccups for a short time. When they stopped, I was left with a sensation of soreness around my throat which spread down towards my sternum and was made worse again by eating and swallowing so, over the following couple of weeks, my food intake suffered.
End of July, I was woken late one night after going to bed uncharacteristically early feeling rough, by an awful pain in my throat and upper oesophagus that made it difficult to breathe - It was like a a heavy weight/someone was sitting on the top part of my chest. Over the following couple of hrs, I tried everything to ease this and calm myself down (meditation to relax, breathing into a paper bag, slowly drinking cooled down boiled water, taking pain killers/paracetamol) until, in tears, I activated my Lifeline (the service couldn't promise anything quicker than I could activate myself) and, on their advice, called 111. After the initial ?s, I was very rapidly triaged and called back within about 15 mins by a lovely male nurse, Gavin, who I was on the phone to for over an hour. Towards the end of this the symptoms eased and following ending the call, I was able to get some sleep.
During this phone call, I'd given him details of my thyroid disease and 'treatment' (or lack of), including the fact that when initially Dx (1993) I'd had a Goitre and had never had an ultrasound nor even had my neck examined properly since until 2021, though I had had noticeable swelling on different occasions since the 2021 examination, as I felt this was connected. As a result of this, he wanted me to attend hospital under the 12 hour/same day wait (SE??) to be seen by an Endocrinologist, as he agreed I would probably benefit from a Thyroid US. I declined that, as my 2 sisters were due to visit, when it would be easier to go to hospital with them due to parking/mobility issues (white lie!), when truth was I have no confidence left in the NHS and wanted to see if I could have the US done privately.
1st Aug - After trying unsuccessfully to self-refer for a private Thyroid US, found the only way to get one was via a GP referral, I finally had a consultation (she insisted on seeing me and examining me before she'd do it) with my GP, to which I took one of my two sisters in with me (witness and note taker!) and she *immediately did the private referral - again under the 2 week ? Cancer protocol* (*There's much more to this, which I'll possibly expand on in the comments*).
Thyroid & Neck US - Showed large colloid, multinodular Goitre with U2 (non-cancerous) nodules; no compression of or invasion into the trachea or oesophagus; and no signs of parathyroid, parotid gland or lymph gland involvement. (Copy of report will be put in comments when I can)
It was whilst waiting to get the US appt sorted out that I decided to self-refer privately back to the ENT Consultant I'd seen briefly back in 2021, as I've been left with worsening sensorineural hearing loss since then: 1st test/found through Boots Hearing Care Service April '21; subsequently confirmed at 2nd test by NHS ENT Consultant I saw under 2 week wait protocol 2nd Sept '21; &, since having an MRI of ears ordered by him in Oct '21, which found No Abnormality, zilch...😬😥
It's one of the best moves I've made, as he's taken everything in hand, including ordering full range of blood tests that included TFT's, as well as a further hearing test (will put these results in comments when I can, again). I was due to see him on Thursday gone (21st) but, due to not being well, had to cancel/rearrange to 28th.
Worsening Bone/Skeletal Problems - End of July I finally started on the BetterYou D3000+K2 Spray, as I've long been unable to maintain 'normal' levels D3, let alone optimum and, as many find from this forum, those my GP prescribes (mine supposedly for life) are inadequate (mine prior to this had been: 1 20,000 Unit Hux D3 capsule bolus maintenance dose per month after an equally inadequate 2 week starter amount via GP! 🙄 and, for about 4 yrs/since during the pandemic, I'd also been topping this up with a [usually] daily Pharma Nord Bio-Vitamin D3 Pearl, 1,000 IU/25pg). At first, felt fine on the spray but, by late Sept, the pain in my right knee was getting worse. (I've known since 2011 after pushing for a Consultation, that I had bone-on-bone arthritis in that knee, following 2 injuries over 20 years apart - fall onto knee cap late '80s/early '90s, Cruciate Ligament tear 2004/5 - and needed a knee replacement...once I could lose at least some weight!) I struggled on, then when the pain not only in my knee didn't improve but, my spinal pain started up again (I was Dx with a "crumbling spine" following X-Ray when I was reviewed in clinic over my knee by the Registrar mid-2014, who recommended both a full spinal MRI scan + a Dexa scan: following an MRI of the Lumbar Spine only I was found to have a prolapsed disc and degenerative disc changes/arthritis, with some narrowing of the foramen + nerve root irritation/damage; and Dexa scan showed Osteopenia, which on a 2nd Dexa scan about 4/5 years later was shown to have improved...Both were 2014 so, 2nd Dexa scan would be approx 2019...but, since then, I've basically been left/dismissed/gaslit despite pushing to be referred back to MCAS as recently as end of 2023 and, in fact, on v. recently finally being given more access to my GP records, I've found they've written all 'these Dx's off', as well as others, with an "end date"...🤔), I linked the taking of the spray D3+K2 and possibility(?) of metabolic syndrome/some sort of malabsorption problem and stopped taking the spray in mid-October. Wise or not?
The latter (mid-Oct) was also when I decided to take matters back into my own control re my knee/skeleton and succeeded in getting a private referral back to the Orthopaedic Knee Surgeon: I saw him on 7th Nov and will see him again on 5th Dec as an NHS patient (once again, I'll post the letters from him, as soon as I can).
Apologies for the length and TIA if you managed to read this far and for any and all responses (am really not doing too good at all 😢...Just don't want to be here anymore without my DD after 17.5 long 💔 years...).
Medication adjustments following surgery - advice please. 
Are My Vit D Levels Low Due to Parathyroid?
Just in case anyone doesn't know already... ;) Why Is Vitamin D So Important to Thyroid Patients?By Mary Shomon 
Supplements and levothyroxine
