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471161 tn?1317190950

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Choking feeling

For a couple of months now swelling would come and go in my neck.  The best way to describe the area is (if I had an adams apple it would right under it).  In the last 3 weeks it has been swollen and hasn't gone down and I almost constantly feel like I am going to choke or my airway is being cut off a bit.  I googled and found an article about thyroid nodules and Hashimotos Disease and it describes EXACTLY what I have been going through.  I was also dx'd last week with hypothyroidism.  Is there anyone out there that can tell me if they have this and if they feel like they are choking?  Is this dangerous?  I have lupus and have been in a flare with two hospital visits this year regarding the lupus attaking my heart.  I am wondering now if it isn't also attacking my thyroid.  Does anyone have any experience with Hashimotos or thyroiditis?
Thanks,
Joni

34 Responses
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Avatar universal
Bio freeze spray helps to calm the Choky feeling in neck.just spray some on the neck.
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2 Comments
I was just diagnosed almost 2 years ago with hashimoto's (sister and dad and cousin all have it too). I just started 65mg Armour for 1st time (i didnt wanna be on meds and tried diet change 1st), noticed very slight positive diff, ran out of it by Day 30 (pharmacy was back ordered), then choking feeling set in by Day 2 and 3. Went away went I restarted thyroid Day 4. Im a week back on it and the choking feeling is worse than ever...very alarming sensation. Never had this until taking this hormone. All my labs are normal except for thyroid anitbodies around 5000. Thinking maybe I should just stop? Anyway, I actually just got on to thank the guy who posted Bio Freeze suggestion...it's definitely making things more tolerable.
Please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  Also tell us about any symptoms you have other than the choking sensation.  
Avatar universal
I choke a lot..which is worrying me.i can't even eat.i have hoshimotos and had a partial thyroidectomy 9 years ago.i was hyper 18 years before hypo.the choking is making me panic.i have 2 younger kids and it will come on randomly and they stare because they worry when I start choking.i have to go in the kitchen to drink water quick and try to breath.i had a 4 cm mass when they removed my thyroid.non cancerous but I hope I don't have more! I'm getting so depressed over this I don't want to eat for the fear of choking again!:(
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Avatar universal
I had the lump/choking sensations, hoarseness (and weight gain). My tsh, t3 and t4 levels were all way out of proportion. The Dr had an ultrasound done on my thyroid, they found multiple nodules, one which was fairly large, I went to an ear, nose and throat specialist, who ran even more blood tests and confirmed Hashimotos. He said I had multiple options; I chose thyroid (removal) surgery, as the nodule was already bothering me, and my maternal grandmother had thyroid cancer. I will have to take Levothyroxine for the rest of my life, but my tsh, t3, and t4 levels are all in the normal ranges and I feel better than I had in years!
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Avatar universal
I just sent you a PM with some doctor info.  To access, just click on your name and then from your personal page, click on messages.
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Avatar universal
I have Hashimotos and can relate to much of what you are saying  I switched from Levothyroxine to Synthroid about 8 months ago. My nail beds were yellow while on Levothyroxine, but have turned pink on the Synthroid. I get "surges" similar to adrenaline rushes. These leave me feeling achy and tired the rest of the day, but have resolved by the next morning. This past week my throat felt tight and I was light headed, irritable, and tired. Yesterday, while feeling my throat to see if my thyroid was swollen, I squeezed the center of my throat several times. About ten minutes later the tightness, light headedness, and achy feeling disappeared!  I can only guess my thyroid was secreting hormones and when I squeezed it, the secretion stopped. I have had no success finding an endocrinologist in AZ who will listen and work with me. I had a wonderful one in IN and miss him terribly.
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Avatar universal
I have multiple nodules, on both sides of my thyroid and was diagnosed with Hashimoto. One on the right is 6 cm and a couple on the left are calcified.

If it is wet or really humid outside, I have to gag up and effectively vomit mucus in the morning after sleeping (likely allergies make the amount of mucus too great). I have a lot of pressure on my neck and it is difficult to eat. My endo wants to remove my thyroid completely since a biopsy showed that the left side was abnormal but she could not confirm cancer with the organ in place. I have a surgical consult at the first of December and my guess I will surgery in January (I am not giving up Christmas).
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Avatar universal
Because of the neglect of your doctor involving your studies you had done, I would not trust a report on the telephone.  I would go to the imaging place where you had the studies done and get a copy for myself.  I was given access to all my studies over the past several years, and you would not believe all the findings in them that were never passed on to me.  Also, I had an endoscopy done, and I was told I had the problem where your food is slow to go down and be digested - can't think of the name of the disorder right now.  But I was sure that's what I had.   I found out a year later after having a test that I did not have that ever at all.   You have to be a smart and savvy consumer dealing with the medical profession these days.  Do not trust a report on a telephone.  I had someone from my doctor's office call me and tell me that I had hypothyroidism.  No big news as I was the one who told him I had it and told him to test me.   He didn't even discuss it with me and put me on 75 mcg of the generic drug for Synthroid - not synthroid, the generic.   I have a syndrome of autoimmune disorders, and I respond oddly to chemicals, and I normally cannot take generics.  I was on that stuff for 3 weeks, and ended up in bed and couldn't walk across the floor let alone get out and drive the car.   I told him, and he indicated that he thought I was overreacting, and I told him I wanted to see an endocrinologist  - a specialist in these type disorders.   She was appalled, and I have been on 25 mcg ever since.  If you have autoimmune disorders of any kind, you need to start on low doses of medications to see how you tolerate it.  
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Avatar universal
i read you post and had a hallelujah moment... i have had a someone is choking me feeling for 3 weeks straight... (it was coming and going) very tired and kinda lightheaded. After a few doctors visits and tons of blood work there is no answers they even did a CT of my throat with contrast... i am so discouraged i just keep praying they figure it out.. all out of answers they are sending me to a Oncologist on this Thurs... A ONCOLOGIST!!!!    Meanwhile i am trying to raise 2 kids and work full time while being choked.. my muscles in my throat are so sore and inflamed my ears and head hurt  : (   I hate this feeling!! I am going to look up Hashimoto and demand more blood work for full panel of thyroid... they said my lymph nodes and thyroid are perfect maybe a blood test will show different?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i read you post and had a hallelujah moment... i have had a someone is choking me feeling for 3 weeks straight... (it was coming and going) very tired and kinda lightheaded. After a few doctors visits and tons of blood work there is no answers they even did a CT of my throat with contrast... i am so discouraged i just keep praying they figure it out.. all out of answers they are sending me to a Oncologist on this Thurs... A ONCOLOGIST!!!!    Meanwhile i am trying to raise 2 kids and work full time while being choked.. my muscles in my throat are so sore and inflamed my ears and head hurt  : (   I hate this feeling!! I am going to look up Hashimoto and demand more blood work for full panel of thyroid... they said my lymph nodes and thyroid are perfect maybe a blood test will show different?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
In case you don't hear from LLM2526, maybe we can make a recommendation.  Is Harrisburg the area where you are looking for a good thyroid doctor?
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Avatar universal
Can you name the dr helping you at hmc?  My friend in Harrisburg dealing with this too.
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Avatar universal
Just being anywhere within the ranges does not mean that all is okay for you.  The ranges are far too broad and hypo patients may require different levels to feel their best.  As a start, please post your thyroid related test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report.  
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Avatar universal
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS ALL OF YOU AND IT REALLY IS DRIVING ME OUT OF MY MIND, I AM SO SCARED AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ANYMORE. MY PROBLEMS BEGAN AFTER I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES, AND COPD, AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, AND A RARE FORM OF CANCER THAT IS STAGE 1 AND HAS NOT PROGRESSED IN 20 YRS SINCE I WAS DIAGNOSED, AND SINCE I LOST THE ABILITY TO LOSE EVEN A SINGLE POUND, REGARDLESS OF WHAT I DO OR HOW HARD I TRY.

ALL THOSE DIAGNOSIS'S WERE DIAGNOSED 2008 AND 2009, THEN IN 2011 MY WEIGHT SPIRELED OUT OF CONTROLL, I HAD BEEN HOLDING AT AROUND 220 LB TO 240 LB FOR THE OAST 10 YRS, I AM ONLY 5 FT TALL. BUT BEGINING 2011 I JUMPED TO 280 AND 290, I WAS ABOLE TO LOSE SOME OF IT WHEN I WENT ON BYETTA FOR DIABETES FOR 2 MONTHS I LOST AND WENT BACK TO 260, THEM IN 2011, THE OTHER STUFF STARTED ,BESIDES WEIGHT GAIN, THERE WAS IRRATABILITY, TIREDNESS, DRY SKIN DRY HAIR, SLEEPING PROBLEMS, BODY ACHES, LEGS ACHING, ALL FINGERS ON BOTH HANDS(BUT RA TEST IS NEGATIVE) CONSTAPATION AND DIAHRREA ETC, I CALLED MY DOCTOR WHO IS AN ENDOCTRONOLOGIST AND ASKED HIM TO CHECK MY THYROID, FOR HYPOTHROIDISM, HE SAID IT HAD BEEM CHECKED AND WAS FINE AND I ASKED HIM WHEN, HE SAID THE YEAR BEFORE , AS IT TURNED OUT IT WAS 2 YRS BEFORE.  HE DID THE TESTS AND CALLED TO TELL ME THAT I INDEED HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY THYROID HOWEVER IT WASNT WHAT I THOUGHT, IT WAS IN FACT HYPERTHYROIDISM, HE AT THAT POINT DID AN ULTRASOUND OF MY THYROID IN HIS OFFICE, THERE WERE NODULES, HE DID NOT FEEL A BIOPSY WAS NECESSARY PER THE RESULTS OF THE BLOOD WORK AND THE ULTRASOUND, HE DID A IODINE SWEEP/SCAN AND GAVE ME AN OPTION OF IODINE ABLATION OR SURGERY, I WAS SCARED OF THE SURGERY SO WE DID THE IODINE ABLATION, FOR A WEEK I GLOWED AND THEN WE DID BLOODWORK A MONTH LATER AT MY INSISTANCE, MY TEST CAME BACK NORMAL, THAT WAS SHORT LIVED WHEN WE RETESTED 3 MONTHS LATER IT CAME BACK HYPOTHYROID, (HE SAID JUST SLIGHTLY HYPO) WHICH WAS TO BE EXPECTED WITH THE IODINE ABLATION, HE PUT ME ON LEVOXITRIN WHICH WAS A TABLET AND I RESEARCHED AND FOUND TIROSINT, SAME STUFF BUT A JELL CAP, NEW ON THE MARKET, AFTER PLAYING WITH THE DOSES I GOT HIM TO DO THE DOSE OF 100MIC, HE DIDNT THINK I NEEDED IT THAT STRONG BUT GAVE ME WHAT I WANTED ANYWAY, WE RETEST A MONTH LATER AND THYROID RESULTS WERE NORMAL, I STILL FELT ALL THE SYMPTOMS AND MY BREATH, WELL EFFECT OF LIKE HAVING A HARD TIME BREATHING OR CATCHING MY BREATH OR NECK PRESSURE HAD STARTED AND NOW 6 MONTHS LATER I STARTED HAVINGACHY PAIN IN AND AROUND THE RIGHT SIDE AND CENTER OF NECK, THIS WEEK I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACH AND RAN TO THE ER, EKG, NORMAL, OXYGON LEVEL FOR THE MOST PART 96, 97, AND SOMETIMES 98, HEART ENZIME TEST NORMAL, AND ALL BLOOD WORK NORMAL I HAD THE DOCTOR FEEL MY NECK, SHE SAID MY THYROID FEELS SWOLLEN, GEE WHAT A SHOCKER,WHEN I HAD CALLED MY DR BEFORE I WENT TO THE ER, HE SIAD HE DOUBTED IT WAS MY THYROID OR THAT IT WAS SWOLLEN, AGAIN HE WAS WRONG. IM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS. AND I JUST NOTICED THAT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BREATHING PROBLEM WHEN I WALK OR STAND UP, MAY BE RELATED, IN FACT THE PRESSURE I FEEL THE ACHY FEELING I FEEL SEEMS TO ALL BUILD UP FROM THE NECT AREA AND THE AREA RIGHT AT THE UPPER EDGE OF THE FRONT OF MY CLAVICLE/CHEST AREA. WHE I SIT IT PRETTY MUCH GOES AWAY. ALSO, MY GERD HAS BEEN ACTING UP ALOT AND SUPPOSEDLY I HAVE A HIATAL HERNIA, THE DR SAYS HE FEELS IT BUT NO TEST FOR IT YET...OH YEAH I ALSO SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE WHEN I GO TO SWOLLOW FOOD , CERTAIN KINDS OFD FOOD IT APPEARS IT MIGHT GET STUCK SO I CHOKE IT OUT, AND ALSO I HAVE ALOT OF MUCUS AT BACK OF THROAT AND ITS DIFFICULT TO CLEAR AT TIMES... I JUST GET THIS FEELING IF THE THYROID WAS REMOVED ALOT OF MY EXISTING PROBLEMS WOULD GO AWAY . ANY THOUGHTS?
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Avatar universal
Glad to have you on the Forum.  We do our best to provide good info and support to members.  I'm sure you have read many times here about the importance of testing Free T3 and Free T4, along with Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, and a full iron test panel.  You should also be aware of what a good thyroid doctor will do for you.

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation.  The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment.  In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate
criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

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Avatar universal
I have the nodulars  I mean 10 on one side and 6 on the other. I went to a doctor who was a THYROID doctor at the Cleveland clinic in Florida. I had moved to Pa and tried to get my records for 2 years meanwhile the "Doctor"
I began to see in Pa said to me You have a problem with your thyroids. I said how do you know I can tell by your eyes and throat. I told him I was told I had only 2 nodulars He was suppose to refer me to another thyroid doctor but forget and every time I reminded him he said yea yeah. I switched doctors to Hershey Medical in Central Pa. 2 days after I saw her I was schelduled for a Ultrasound they found the goiter with nodulars all over my enlarged thyroid, I am choking on my food which I was blaming the MS I have I was tired all the time which I blamed my heart problems I had high cholesterol  low vitamin D I had high normal TSH and T4 I have high sugar one day and low the next. I just found this link and you have no idea how excited I am t know it's not my imagination. It took Neurologist 15 year to diagnose me with MS I have lesions in brain they are there but they were only looking at my spine not my brain and they told me it was in my head my imagination. Well it was, Now I finally know what is going on and we need this type of communications because Doctors dont know everything and they wont think about checking into this. Thank you for being here
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Avatar universal
How are you sure that the 125 mcg of T4 is the right med and dose for you?  Please post your thyroid related test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report.
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Avatar universal
I understand completely.  I don't even like to where a t-shirt unless it is v-neck now and no more necklaces.  I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in 2004.  I have been taking synthroid every morning religiously since then and I have been at 125 micrograms for the last 6 years (even with a pregnancy in there, my daughter is 3).  I have recently started the choking thing again, I feel like my throat is swollen but not from allergies or a cold.  My wonderful endo, no longer practicing :0( unfortunately, told me that flare-ups of swelling of the intestinal track often occurs with hashimoto's causing especially during stress or adjusting to new med dosage.  This causes choking, acid reflux, gall bladder flare-up and in liver swelling.  I have had the liver swelling, reflux, and choking due to throat swelling.  Silly as it may sound Benadryl helps greatly for me.  I have awakened in the night twice in the last two weeks and I took a benadryl and with in 30 minutes I was able to breath and sleep, I didn't have flem (sp?) just swelling.
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Avatar universal
someone please tell me that if you find a good doctor who will treat you, the choking feeling will go away.

I've had this since 2001 and NO DOCTOR will listen to me! I've been to TONS of endocrinologists in the Buffalo NY area to no avail. I have all symptoms and new ones are now appearing such as hair falling out worse than before and my heart racing.

I even had one endo read a blood test wrong and put me on synthroid which made the choking feeling worse.

I've had an ultrasound which showed an slightly enlarged thyroid and nodules. Don't know how many because I cannot get a copy of the ultrasound AND biopsy because the endo did both and won't release them.

I't's been almost 10 years and I would really really like to not have this feeling on my neck, be able to wear my necklaces again AND not to be preoccupied with if a shirt touches my skin around my thyroid or not.
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Avatar universal
Hi all! I too get that choking feeling off and on... - it seems to cycle too. I also can NOT STAND a turtle neck or anything tight around my throat now. I had 1/2 my thyroid removed for benign enlarged nodules. The remaining 1/2 has small diffuse nodules  the dr is watching. I had negative thyroid antibodies test, but have many symptoms of hashimotos.
Good luck!
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Avatar universal
I also suffer from Hashimotos. My symptoms began just after my son was born (he will turn 17 in a couple of weeks). A nodule was discovered and I was monitored for 3 years. Needle biopsies could not clearly rule out whether the nodule was cancerous so I had surgery in 1998 to remove the right side of my thyroid. Even post-surgery they were still unsure whether it was cancerous. My slides were sent to the top world specialist in New York who determined that it was not cancerous but was caused by Hashimotos. Ten years after my surgery I was contacted by my surgeon who had completed a 2-year research study on thyroid cancer and my slides were re-examined at that time. Some people in the study were given the news that their previous diagnosis was incorrect, but fortunately my results came back the same as originally diagnosed. This year, however, I am experiencing more symptoms of Hashimotos again - especially the choking feeling and also difficulty swallowing food occasionally. If things increase in severity, I think I will have to get it looked at again. My hope is that some day the my thyroid will die off from the disease as predicted by my surgeon. Good luck to everyone who suffers from Hashimotos - I can totally relate to everything you are feeling.
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Avatar universal
I had the burning sensation and also the choking sensation (eating was the worst!) and I have Graves and WAS hyperthyroid.

Get a full thyroid panel done.

I would often eat and choke on the food and in the end would cut my food up smaller to be able to eat.

I havent had that sensation since RAI (thank Gawd!)
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Avatar universal
can i ask if anyone feels this TERRIBLE PRESSURE in their neck too like a burning also and when i stand i get sorta like confused and dazed and i feel like im on a rocking boat and it hasnt gone away since 2 weeks and now my neck is turning red and ohh i feel like im choking so bad abd the presure is SO BAD but i finally went to the E.R. and he laughed and said its just reflux and your panicking making you have shortness of breath and tingling and i said NO its totally different  its like the burning is in the muscles on the front sides of my neck not in my throat like reflux andf the tingling comes when my neck feels swollen but they dont listen and i cried cause this is tearing up my life i cant get into my doctor for a month so ill go back to another E.R. today its terrible does anybody else have this tightening feeling sorta on those muscles in the front side of your neck and do they get so tight that it feels someone is squeezing your neck to death? and do you get this feeling of doom at times ? i will feel so much presure i get so off balance and feel like im on a boat thats in a storm on the sea and i cant stand up striaght or think striaght from this pressure and burning feeling in my neck its HORRIBLE but maybe knowing would help all of us that dont have an answer
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657357 tn?1240342642
I also have Hashimotos with nodules and I have the same feelings og tightness and choking. I have an enlarged thyroid and hurthle cells I am tired of having to chew small amounts of food for a while before attempting to swallow. I understand how you feel just see your doctor and hang in there. Keep us posted good luck.
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Avatar universal
I am dieing to know about your blood tests. I have ahd the choking feeling for a while now. I comes when I yawn or turn my head a certain way. I also cough like a smoker, kinfd of a constant tickle in my throat. I am waiting to see an endo in 6 weeks. But have my blood numbers. Would love to compare.
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