Thyroid Question

[arussell87]

Hi all, Im pulling my hair out about what to do with a recent diagnosis.

I am an anxiety sufferer and for months I had a lump feeling in my throat and found sometimes loose food such as rice would get caught.

I eventually had an ultrasound and was told my thyroid is large.

I had blood tests for hormone levels and a scan of the thyroid after having an injection with a special machine.

The levels were apparently normal even though I fall asleep all day and have no motivation or energy untill late at night. And my thyroid was indeed quite large.They said it was goitre. I was told its non nodular and non toxic. There was no cancer either. I was offered Radio iodine or surgery but got told surgery is too aggresive at this stage. Im laid back so said yeah whatever order it and Ill take it.

After some thought and research I have decided I really dont want this poison in my body and in my opinion it seems very aggresive to obliterate my thyroid because its larger ghan normal. As I suffer with Anxiety anyway im kinda lost on what to do now.

Any advice or experiances from anyone?

Many thanks

[arussell87]

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Ive had the feeling for around 6 months at a rough guess.

I did alot of research which stated alot of people with anxiety get this lump like feeling in the throat which is how I got to where I am now. I dont actually habe the results but I will be going to the doctors monday as I want a second opinion at a different hospital about the whole thing. The consultant did not go into detail about the size of goiter etc just that I needed to take Radioiodine to get rid of it and that surgery is too aggresive. I think if I had to Id rather surgery. Can I just ask the doctors to give me a printout of the results?

[Barb135]

I agree that RAI is a pretty aggressive for just a goiter, that doesn't even have nodules or anything.

What were the actual results of the blood tests you had done?  Please post them with the reference ranges, which vary lab to lab, and we can help interpret them.  Doctors often say everything is fine, if labs are in range, even though a patient can have symptoms if certain levels are low enough in the ranges.

Anxiety can cause this "lump in the throat" feeling, so even though your thyroid is larger than normal, it's possible that's not even causing your difficulty.   The ultrasound and/or scan would have shown if your thyroid were putting pressure dangerous pressure on your throat or airways in anyway, so you'd know.  

If your thyroid is swollen and/or inflamed, it's very possible that you're merely have a bout of thyroiditis and it will clear on its own.  If you have hypothyroidism, and could get started on replacement hormones, this could also help reduce any swelling that might be present.

Once you post your lab results, we'll have a much idea of what might be going on.