Swollen Thyroid/Choking

[Ashmyr]

Hi..I am new to this site. I have had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis for several years (am 42 yrs old)...taking 0.1mg of Synthroid daily. My TSH level is 0.07. Over the past month or so, I have had a problem with choking on food and waking from sleep choking/gagging. I saw the doctor today, and he could tell by looking at my neck that my thyroid was swollen, but its not something that is noticable unless you are really looking for it. My neck is also very tender to the touch. I have an ultrasound scheduled for next week, but in the meantime I have been surfing the web finding the worst possible diagnoses! Has anyone else experienced these symptoms? If the ultrasound comes back normal, and my TSH is already normal, what can be done to make the swelling and choking go away? My other thyroid symptoms are fatigue, always cold, and mild depression.

[Jimlow]

Ashmyr, Hi, was "0.07" your reading or was it 0.70? I ask because that is a really low TSH that could actually cause you problems. The 0.07 is not too far from zero and that is hyperthroid level!

[Ashmyr]

Oops!! It is .70, not .07...Thank you for catching that!

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

There is a painful variant Hashimotos that is typically transient but may need a brief course of steroids (ie, prednisone).  

Has your synthroid dose been 100 for a while? If so, is the low TSH new, or is it always in this range?  It is possible that you developed a subacute thyroiditis on top of the hashimotos and that can cause a release of thyroid hormone and painful swelling and that would cause the TSH to drop a bit (ie, hyperthyroidism).  This also can be helped with steroids.

The ultrasound will document thyroid size and presence of nodules and is useful if interpreted correctly.....

[blakserenity]

A related discussion, Meds not working? was started.