Swollen thyroid gland

[Moomin2]

Had numerous bloods by drs for thyroid all normal. Had ultrasound on my neck for something else and they picked up the left hand side of my thyroid is swollen. Have put on a lot of weight etc. what does this mean? Been waiting to go back and see ENT specialist.

[Hidden]

Define 'Normal'..!? *sigh* That word should be banned from Docs!

Please get a copy of your latest thyroid blood results, including the ranges and post them on here. This will help people to offer support.

Also, other than weight gain, what type of symptoms are you having, if any..?

This might help:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Louise

xx

[Jackie]

Hi Make sur they covered the whole of the thyroid, as possible, quite common to be swollen and have nodules. They are normally benign but you need a needle biopsies if nodules, done under an ultra sound Definitely common with autoimmune thyroid disease. Make sure you have a test for TSH, T4 and Free T3, to get a proper picture of the thyroid. If bad it effects voice and swallowing.Are you on treatment, post all this and we will try to help.

Best wishes,

Jackie

In case you do not know click on "reply to this" under any one`s reply who you wish to follow up on.

[Moomin2]

My hands are really swollen, got an obvious swelling around the base of my neck. Weight gain, hair thinning and tiredness. Have also been heaving in the mornings. Xxx

[ravenhex]

Yes mine is swollen and showed up in an ultrasound scan. They also tested the flow and sounds of it, veins and lymph nodes. My Thyroids swollen and enlarged and all the lymph glands arealso reactive and grossly enlarged also. I have compression to the veins either side as all lymphs are leaning on it. Just had a chest xray to see how fat down the little darlings are reactive.

I'm hashis with underactive too. Full antibodies and my symptons read like an encyclopedia. My thyroid swells upside down and back into my throat.

Righto my fave part...but your normal............collective sigh!

You may well be. but what level of normal? There are 3 ranges, low, mid and high. You can be high and be normal, same as low and be normal. The ideal one is mid normal at the top scale.

Royal College advocates in its guidelines on the subject of primary hyothyroidism, fine tuning in the normal parameters for primary underactives. So a mid range normal may be too low or too high. Drs and Endo's are supposed to alter and see what feels best for the patient.

As many of us know here these so called guidelines are not always followed. Even the basic test TSH and FT4 are not always done either.

First ask what range and always the figures and results.

Weight, Drs say its you... If you write down what you eat, when and how much, exercise etc. Then show them it and say how do I make changes so the weight drops off. Most will ignore you or say go on a diet. The good ones will refer you to a Dietician and an exercise specialist if needed.

Now if your eating super dooper healthy and exercise and still gaining, you can they say yes Dr is it me so now what are you going to do about it as my lifestyle is healthy and this sudden onset of weight increase is a real concern.

Stress can make you gain weight. It switches the burning factor off of adrenalin, Cant remember the name of it, certain search site may help find that.

Hair loss, yep it goes with thyroids but other aiments including stress.

Tiredness..... It's your age! Thought I 'd get that in before the Dr does and they will. Yes again thyroid fits as dows stress and some other ailments.

Sweliing of hands. Your GP better be investigating that. Regardless of anything else. Odema is fluid retention. Does your feet also swell or any other part?

A simple blood test of both your TSH and Free T4 FT4 wil help find what is going on with.

Write a list of anything you feel is not right. Hand it to GP and discuss it. I emphasie DISCUSS. Stand your ground, be firm but fair. It is your body and if you feel it is not right then Dr's must investigate it.

Sweling round your neck can be the thyroid, or lymph glands, they are around it as well and as your scan showed its in some form of distress.

Gagging, do you feel actually sick, are sick or feel like somethings stuck in your throat. As mine goes back into my throat it irritates its so feels like somethings stuck and the gagging goes with it.

Important thing is to stay as calm and stress free as possible. Stress affects the thyroid as it is responding to your bodies need with help.

Final thing..... we are all inthe same boat, some better some worse but we all know how bad it can be when Drs brush your concerns aside. More importantly we know how it feels when things are out of whack, even some bizzare ones like my being haunted by a wall paper paste ghost.

We're here and will listen and help when and if we can. You are not alone.

[Moomin2 in reply to ravenhex]

Thanks for your reply. Am stressing about it as it was picked up in January and an still waiting to see the specialist as they have cancelled my appt twice due to staff shortages. I've been prescribed water tablets by my gp for my hands and yes my feet swell too. Got appt now in a months time, fat fingers crossed they don't cancel this one.!

[ravenhex]

Righto. I'm a concerned that you've not seen a specialist. Staff shortages or not. Please write a complaint to your hosptial about it. There is a link of your hosptials website that you can use to issue a complaint. It normally goes vai PALS, Patient Liason Service.

I've pm'd you a rough letter to send them. It may avert the cancellation. Itcertainly will chelp kick them into action and think twice about cancelling again.

Now your feet swelling and hands, please ask you Dr to check your heart, ecg and a chest scan. As these swellings can indicate a heart in need of some TLC.

Water tablets... I'd ask for a second opinion on them. They can tax the kidneys flushing the extra water out but ............. can set you up for kidney infection of bladder infections that also can accompany a tempremental thyroid.

Wont hurt to search up on water tablets and swellings, for one knowledge is power but also can avert issues before they decide to gatecrash your body.

[Moomin2]

Awe thank you. I don't tend to take the water tablets. I spoke to the booking centre at the hospital and they've assured me my appt won't be cancelled again.

[thegemprincess]

Repeat so no or ask for more sensitive testing

[thegemprincess]

Don't let it go. Repeat testing. Keep going to doc until you get answers. So sorry for the stress this has caused you hugs