Swollen neck???

[wallygirl75]

I posted this in another forum, but there doesn't seem to be anyone there, and I'd really like someone to give me their opinion.  Not that I would take it as written in stone absolute truth, I'm just scared and need someone to talk to and let me know this is not all in my head...it's really there.

I have been being treated for hypothyroid for about a year now. 100MCG a day. The fatigue had subsided slightly as well as the difficulty in concentration, but, Thursday I began to realize that some old symptoms (as well as some new ones) have been going on for a while. I wake up in the middle of the night panting heavily as if someone is sitting on me. My hands go tingly like the circulation has been cut off (for no reason). I have extreme difficulty concentrating for more than five or ten minutes at a time. However, the thing that is most disturbing to me is that as of Thursday I all of a sudden have a lump in my neck. It is actually (slightly) visibly swollen on the lower right side of my neck. If you put any kind of pressure on it it hurts, bad. When I look down I can feel there is something pushing on my throat, and same when I turn my head to the right. It hurts to swallow, but not like when you have a sore throat, it's more next to my throat that is painful. I am going to the doctor on Tuesday, but since my maternal grandmother had a goiter, is it probable that this is just that or do I really need testing to make sure it is not cancer? I had a hysterectomy in early April of this year and am on coumadin for another two months. Will the coumadin limit the testing? I will be 32 in November and am worried that this may end up being more serious than goiter. Ideas???

[wallygirl75]

Thank you for your reply.  I'll try not to worry until after the doc takes a look see.  You're probably right, could just be temporary.

[devushka]

Try not to worry too much until you see your doctor; the swelling could very well be temporary. I can describe one scenario: The doctor might first schedule an ultrasound on your neck if s/he thinks it's necessary--this is a painless procedure. If they detect a nodule on the ultrasound, you might not need a biopsy until the nodule has been monitored over time (in my case, every 6 months by ultrasound). If the nodule seems to be growing rapidly, this is when they advise a FNA, or fine needle aspiration. They use very thin needles, and it doesn't take long. Nodules are very common, found in almost half of the population (based on autopsy studies), and 95% of the time thyroid nodules are benign, according to my doctor.