Just a patient, just an anecdotal evidence based opinion.
In addition: Can't hurt to get a GI eval ( though to be honest I found the tests, and their after effects, unpleasant) but I would not write off your thyroid.
I also initially went into the regular doc with a feeling of something stuck in my throat and, without even palpating my throat, the PCP sent me straight off for a slew of GI testing. All perfectly normal results came back, including a biopsy the looked for eosinophils which would have been indicative of allergy/sinus problem. My ENT had just examined me and pronounced my sinuses clear but he chekced, I assume it was a rotuine part of the endoscopy.
Started taking PPI's (Prilosec) anyway and they made no difference, still felt something physically in there.
It was almost 9 months later when my cardiologist ran a routine TSH test that came up abnormal. I was sent back to that the self-same PCP who finally felt my throat and said, and I quote:"Yes, I do feel something in there, but you are so skinny maybe things just stick out on you."
My TSH has switched from hypo to hyper in the course of the last year and is currently normal where I hope, against hope, it will stay. My new endo is reluctant to give me any thyroid replacment hormone for fear of making the instability worse. Last TPO antibodies were around 1300.
The lump is still ever-present with periodic hard pain in the throat that radiates to my jaw , especially with exertion, and during two FNAs the exact same pain was reproduced when the thyroid nodule was pierced.
The first one was done by the doc who did it in his office, 9 passes with no useable sample. The second was done by a pathologist in a hospital and was done adequately with just a few passes, so be sure someone is on site who can verify that your sample is adequate for evaluation.
Oh and the undetectable reflux went away when the hyperthyroidism, which prompted increased appetite and excessive salivation, did.
Hope you feel better soon. FNA follow-up at 6 months is common practice.
Get the 1 cm nodule biopsied. The likelihood of cancer is low, but, it will put your mind at ease. I have similar symptoms and my Endo says it's the inflammation from the Hashis. Everybody gets heartburn periodically, but if you notice an ever-present difference in your throat I'd bet on the inflammation from Hashis.
Hope you feel better soon.
"(heartburn, this can sometimes be silent)"
If you want to google this, look into: Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
I've personally have dealt with this, as well as post nasal drip due to deviated septum and nasal "spur."
~Kate
It is not a large nodule and there were no suspicious nodes. The 1cm nodule may or may not be the cause of the symptoms -- other common causes would be sinus congestion w/ post-nasal drip OR gastro-esophogeal reflux (heartburn, this can sometimes be silent). An FNA is the next logical step -- if benign and you still have symptoms, then an ENT evaluation to see if the nodule/thyroid might be the cause. The overall size of the thyroid is normal, the heterogeneity consistent w/ hashi.