Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Choking feeling

[Joni686]

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

[Joni686]

OK, I got a call today from my Internest today that just reminded me of how ridiculous doctors can be.  They evidently didn't find anything in the ultrasound on my neck.  YES, IT TOOK THIS LONG FOR THE DOCTOR TO GET BACK TO ME SINCE THIS ORIGINAL POST.  And I had to call them and they didn't even have the results, they had to call the hospital and get them rather than be on top of things and have them in my file.  If I hadn't have bugged them about the results I wouldn't even have them yet.  But besides all that.  The doctor had the nurse tell me that they found nothing in the ultrasound and that I can take, if I want, Ibuprophen or Tylenol for it.  I said, "You mean I should take Ibuprophen for the swollen neck and lump sticking out of my throat?".  "First of all she should know I can't take Ibuprphen because I am on 400mg. of Celebrex a day and secondly, how is that going to help the KNOT I HAVE STICKING OUT OF MY NECK AND THE SWELLING OF MY ENTIRE NECK?"  If I didn't know that I can't take ibuprphen with celebrex that doctor would have me frying my liver right now.  And how in the world she thinks that Tylenol would make a knot in my neck (THAT IS STICKING OUT THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE EXCEPT HER I GUESS) go away and stop choking me, I just can't comprehend.  I have liked this Internest, she is nice and talks with me but I have wondered about her experience since she mentioned being in that practice for four years.  I believe now that she is inexperienced.  I spend all day trying to ignore my neck swollen and I toss and turn at night trying to get in a position where I can fall asleep and not be choking.  I wake up and it;s the first thing I notice.  I FEEL LIKE I AM BACK IN THE BEGINNING WHERE I HAD TO CONVINCE A DOCTOR SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME.  Doesn't having lupus attack your heart count for some attention to the rest of your body?????  I feel like I am back to square one at finding a good doctor.  I am going to see my PCP on Thursday.  She is awesome but there is just so much that she can do.  Once again, I am so let down by these so called specialist !

[redheadaussie]

You really need to insist on having a thyroid anti-bodies test done...If the ultrasound shows no nodules, then you are probably more likely to be suffering from Hashimoto's disease....It took me 15 years to get my doctors to listen to me....you can do it tomorrow!
  I ended up having my thyroid out coz it had a cancer in it, but besides that, it would have had to come out anyway as the Hashi's had been left untreated for  so long had totally made mine swollen to the point I could no longer breath without taking huge gulps of air like an emphysema patient.
   Don't be shy in asking for the test.....it proved my doctors wrong and pretty much saved my life.
  Lupus and Hashimotos are both auto immune diseases and there is nothing to say you can't have more than one auto-immune disease at the same time...in fact some people get more than 3!
  Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Joni686]

Thanks.  I am going to my PCP tomorrow.  She drew bloodwork last week for the usual CBC, ANA and she also too some for T3, T4 and TSH.  I wonder if she will know what blood test to run for Thyroid anti-bodies.  Do you remember the name of it?  I wish she was a Rheumy or Internest because she is awesome but her knowledge is limited.  Let me ask you.  They said my ultrasound showed my thyroid to be "normal size" would it be enlarged if I had something wrong with it?  I can't figure out why my neck has this bulge coming out of it and why my whole neck is swollen but they couldn't find anything.
Thanks,
Joni

[Jules77733]

I have had this same choking feeling for a year now, and I've come to realize that it's more of a discomfort than anything truly harmful. It does making swallowing a little more difficult than it normally is, but I haven't had any problems with it and I'm hoping I can get rid of it with thyroid hormone treatment. I had a thyroid ultrasound done and no discrete nodules were identified, so I don't think the "lump" is a result of anything worrisome, besides thyroid swelling. I was just diagnosed with Hashimoto's today and will be starting on levothyroxine soon, so I'll let you know if this helps!

[comedydiva]

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.

[beva32]

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.