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Swollen Thyroid
I attached two pictures on my profile of my neck. I'm seeing an endocrinologist soon, I just wanted some of your guys' opinions if you have experience seeing swollen thyroid glands before.
I feel because I'm 19, my neck should be skinner than it is, usually you can see the trachea or whatnot...
Please post opinions!
Thanks!!
I feel because I'm 19, my neck should be skinner than it is, usually you can see the trachea or whatnot...
Please post opinions!
Thanks!!
Well, the thyroid gland is below and outside of thyroid cartilage and below the voice box.
However, if thyroid lobes are swollen and the person has thin neck the neck will expand sideways stretching the tissue around the voice box making laryngeal prominence more noticeable.
However, if thyroid lobes are swollen and the person has thin neck the neck will expand sideways stretching the tissue around the voice box making laryngeal prominence more noticeable.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Flightlessbird83 did not come back to post any thyroid test results or give any further information.
I would ask the same questions of you... if you have thyroid test results, please post them, along with reference ranges... not all results that are "in range" are "fine" for you.
I would ask the same questions of you... if you have thyroid test results, please post them, along with reference ranges... not all results that are "in range" are "fine" for you.
An ENT diagnosed with hyoid bone syndrome because my thyroid cartilage is rubbing against the hyoid and all other major things have been excluded via multiple docs, tests, etc.
Your post caught my eye as you said the enlarged thyroid cartilage was evidence of an enlarged thyroid. Is that the only thing that could enlarge the cartilage there? I'm told my thyroid is fine but I'm struggling to come up with another answer for why I'm so swollen in this area.
Your post caught my eye as you said the enlarged thyroid cartilage was evidence of an enlarged thyroid. Is that the only thing that could enlarge the cartilage there? I'm told my thyroid is fine but I'm struggling to come up with another answer for why I'm so swollen in this area.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Typically, if one is still tired and/or gaining weight, while on Synthroid, it's because the dosage isn't high enough.
With Hashimoto's, you're not really on a "full" dose until your thyroid has completely stopped producing hormones and all hypo symptoms have been alleviated.
While not everyone loses weight when they get on thyroid hormones, they should, at least, stop gaining, unless there is something else wrong, such as insulin resistance, PCOS, etc.
If you'll post your thyroid related labs, maybe we can help you.
With Hashimoto's, you're not really on a "full" dose until your thyroid has completely stopped producing hormones and all hypo symptoms have been alleviated.
While not everyone loses weight when they get on thyroid hormones, they should, at least, stop gaining, unless there is something else wrong, such as insulin resistance, PCOS, etc.
If you'll post your thyroid related labs, maybe we can help you.
I had an enlarged thyroid gland as evidenced by a large thyroid cartilage. Cartilage covers the thyroid gland and expands as the gland enlarges when you are young.
I have Hashimoto's autoimmune disease of the thyroid since I was a teen but was not diagnosed until I was 33. By then, my blood levels of thyroid hormone were so low that the Dr. wondered how I was functioning.
My 22 yr old daughter was diagnosed not by her blood levels of thyroid hormone but by an ultrasound which showed complex nodules on the gland. She, too, has Hashimotos and was diagnosed before her blood levels of the thyroid hormone were abnormal. She was started on 50 mcg (or .05 mg) of Synthroid & became too tired to do her job as a front end grocery store clerk. She stopped taking it due to this fatigue & now has a goiter but still won't go back on Synthroid since she said she would be too tired.
The endocrinologist treating her said her fatigue was not due to the low dose of Synthroid but I've come to believe that this is incorrect.
I had no weight issues until I went on full dose (full replacement) Synthroid. I had more energy for most of my life than I have had with Synthroid. I was given the full dose from the start. For some reason, the thyroid hormones your body produce seem to do so in a manner where my metabolism was more optimal, and my energy stronger than it is using Synthroid. If you look at the photos of me through the years, you can see the weight balloon with me taking Synthroid.
My other daughter also began to develop symptoms of thyroid issues & instead of taking her to the Endocrinologist, I took her to the Chiropractor who advised her to take iodine (Idomere). She took this for a year and lost a lot of weight. The midwest used to be referred to as the goiter belt because seafood (rich in iodine) used to be unavailable to people living there. That is one reason why salt began to be supplemented with iodine. I suggest you go off the Synthroid and take Idomere or Prolamine Iodine available from Standard Process at Amazon.com. It probably would be best for you to see a Chiropractor or naturalist at the same time.
I would advise any woman who is beginning to experience thyroid issues to try a year of iodine first before beginning Synthroid replacement.
I have Hashimoto's autoimmune disease of the thyroid since I was a teen but was not diagnosed until I was 33. By then, my blood levels of thyroid hormone were so low that the Dr. wondered how I was functioning.
My 22 yr old daughter was diagnosed not by her blood levels of thyroid hormone but by an ultrasound which showed complex nodules on the gland. She, too, has Hashimotos and was diagnosed before her blood levels of the thyroid hormone were abnormal. She was started on 50 mcg (or .05 mg) of Synthroid & became too tired to do her job as a front end grocery store clerk. She stopped taking it due to this fatigue & now has a goiter but still won't go back on Synthroid since she said she would be too tired.
The endocrinologist treating her said her fatigue was not due to the low dose of Synthroid but I've come to believe that this is incorrect.
I had no weight issues until I went on full dose (full replacement) Synthroid. I had more energy for most of my life than I have had with Synthroid. I was given the full dose from the start. For some reason, the thyroid hormones your body produce seem to do so in a manner where my metabolism was more optimal, and my energy stronger than it is using Synthroid. If you look at the photos of me through the years, you can see the weight balloon with me taking Synthroid.
My other daughter also began to develop symptoms of thyroid issues & instead of taking her to the Endocrinologist, I took her to the Chiropractor who advised her to take iodine (Idomere). She took this for a year and lost a lot of weight. The midwest used to be referred to as the goiter belt because seafood (rich in iodine) used to be unavailable to people living there. That is one reason why salt began to be supplemented with iodine. I suggest you go off the Synthroid and take Idomere or Prolamine Iodine available from Standard Process at Amazon.com. It probably would be best for you to see a Chiropractor or naturalist at the same time.
I would advise any woman who is beginning to experience thyroid issues to try a year of iodine first before beginning Synthroid replacement.
Take a look on the pictures found on Thyroid message boards
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/SamboraRocker/eh_zps98f7565b.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/103bfie.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/104rnnn.jpg
Note the "neck roll" on the side view.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/SamboraRocker/eh_zps98f7565b.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/103bfie.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/104rnnn.jpg
Note the "neck roll" on the side view.
The ultrasound will probably give a most definite answer; based on overall dimensions I could calculate the volume and compare it to the average size. Measuring around the neck with tape measure periodically is a good idea too.
Thank you for thoughts! I was just concerned not more along the lines of the lower part... but the sides to me looked larger than normal but that could be something else.
No it is actually a study result; some food ingredients cause early maturity (calcification) of hyaline cartilage (that makes voice box)
COMMUNITY LEADER
Are you implying that we talk too much?........LOL
Thanks for your input; I "stumble" on some of these images, sometimes... :-) But I didn't think it looked like a large thyroid either.
Thanks for your input; I "stumble" on some of these images, sometimes... :-) But I didn't think it looked like a large thyroid either.
The thyroid is at lower part of the neck so it does not look swollen (your voice box is quite prominent but that is common among modern generations of females:)
Swollen thyroid looks like a "neck roll" that moves during swallowing; fat deposits are not moving and not protruding.
Swollen thyroid looks like a "neck roll" that moves during swallowing; fat deposits are not moving and not protruding.
Sorry I meant higher not lower.
I will do my best to get everything.
Thank you for all of the information!
I will do my best to get everything.
Thank you for all of the information!
Hi,
I'm just concerned because I haven't been treated correctly. About 6 months ago I went into my doctor complaining how tired I was all the time.
They tested a lot of things. The only thing that came back was that my TSH level was slightly lower than normal.
My fatigue never went away and other symptoms are becoming worse I feel such as sensitive to cold, brain fog, fatigue, irregular periods, achy joints. I never noticed swelling before so that's why I was concerned.
My doctor has never even touched my neck before, and I feel it's important to get to the root problem of what's causing they hypothyroidism and to treat it accordingly.
I'm still very tired every day while taking my Synthroid 4 times a week (50 mcg) Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I've been taking it since early October 2012.
I do not have test results, I'm not sure how I would even get them from my doctor. I think my best bet is to just see an endocrinologist so I can straighten this out because I feel as if I'm getting worse.
I'm just concerned because I haven't been treated correctly. About 6 months ago I went into my doctor complaining how tired I was all the time.
They tested a lot of things. The only thing that came back was that my TSH level was slightly lower than normal.
My fatigue never went away and other symptoms are becoming worse I feel such as sensitive to cold, brain fog, fatigue, irregular periods, achy joints. I never noticed swelling before so that's why I was concerned.
My doctor has never even touched my neck before, and I feel it's important to get to the root problem of what's causing they hypothyroidism and to treat it accordingly.
I'm still very tired every day while taking my Synthroid 4 times a week (50 mcg) Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. I've been taking it since early October 2012.
I do not have test results, I'm not sure how I would even get them from my doctor. I think my best bet is to just see an endocrinologist so I can straighten this out because I feel as if I'm getting worse.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your neck doesn't seem overly large to me. You have your head back so far in the photos that your skin is stretched.
Your profile says you've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, so I'm not sure what your concern is; is it simply that your neck is larger than you'd like it to be, or do you have a concern about your treatment?
What medication/dosage are you on and how long have you been on it? Have you had a thyroid ultra sound to determine whether or not you have swelling/inflammation of your thyroid, or thyroid nodules?
Do you have current blood test results, that you can post, so members can better assess your situation? Be sure to include reference ranges with any labs posted, as ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
Your profile says you've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, so I'm not sure what your concern is; is it simply that your neck is larger than you'd like it to be, or do you have a concern about your treatment?
What medication/dosage are you on and how long have you been on it? Have you had a thyroid ultra sound to determine whether or not you have swelling/inflammation of your thyroid, or thyroid nodules?
Do you have current blood test results, that you can post, so members can better assess your situation? Be sure to include reference ranges with any labs posted, as ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report.
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TSH is a pituitary hormone, produced to stimulate the thyroid to produce hormones, T3 and T4, mostly T4. When the thyroid doesn't respond adequately, the pituitary continues to pump out TSH in an effort to make the thyroid produce; therefore, the lower your thyroid levels go, the higher your TSH will go.
TSH should never be used as the sole factor when diagnosing or treating a thyroid condition, though many doctors use it as such. You also need to be getting Free T3 and Free T4, which are the actual thyroid hormones the body utilizes. Free T4 is converted to Free T3, which is then used by the individual cells. Every cell in your body needs Free T3. Free T3 and Free T4 should not be confused with Total T3 and Total T4, as they are not the same thing. Any lab report that doesn't specify "Free" or FT, is total and is obsolete and of little value.
You should always get a copy of any labs or other tests that are done, before you leave your doctor's office. Your doctor is required, by law, to provide you a copy upon request. All you should have to do is call and ask them.
It would appear that your dosage is not high enough to alleviate your hypo symptoms.
If your doctor did not, and refuses to order, Free T3 and Free T4, you should find another doctor asap, because this one will keep you ill.
First, get a copy of your labs and post them, with reference ranges, then we can comment further.