thyroid problem

[Anna_McCall]

I have been having trouble swallowing. I have a sharp pain in the center of my throat when I do swallow. I had my thyroid levels checked and my TSH is normal, but my T4 and T3 are elevated. I was on Synthroid when I was in the hospital for preterm labor. They told me my thyroid was enlarged and also it was enlarged about 3 years ago. Could this be from hypothyroidism? I am also having trouble with my weight, hair loss, and I am fatigued constantly with no energy. I also have extremely high cholesterol and polycystic ovarian disease. I can't get in to the endocrinologist until June. Also are there any other tests my Dr can do before I see the endo?

[898]

I have no information about your age, therefore my explanation will not be age-specific.
Palpation of thyroid can reveal nodules in 31%  so in theory some small nodules can escape palpation.
In your particular case the RAI uptake imaging can detect “colder” -nodular area on the thyroid. However the cases where cancer was masked by diffuse toxic goiter are EXTEMELY rare.
How the Graves’ disease was diagnosed at the first place [low TSH, elevated TSI, RAI uptake?];
The pain on one side can be sign of goiter pressing on the nerve or,
if one lobe is firmer then other the inflammation may take place in this lobe.

[hazeybabe]

Hi there i was hoping after reading your advice here that you can advise me please? i was diagnosed with graves disease about 18 months ago now and with carbimazole my levels have pretty much been right now for over a year but the last 3 months my neck seems swolen around my thyroid and my neck is painfull to move a lot of pain also around the thyroid gland my dr cannot feel any lumps at all and has refferred me to an ent dr i am due to go see one in october. im scared to death its a cancer? sometimes swallowing hurts but i can eat ok the pain is constant in my throat pain killers only take the edge off do you think i could have thyoiditis? are those the symptoms? please help hazey

[898]

You need to have TPO antibodies checked to see if you have autoimmune thyroiditis.
The symptoms you are describing are common in two cases:1) the thyroid inflammation or the 2)nodule.
If the self test exam thyroid neck check will not show any lumps but instead the uniform swelling, you may have had so called the thyroiditis attack:
In some cases, the thyroid becomes particularly inflamed, known as a thyroiditis attack. Dr. Steven Langer, author of the book Solved: The Riddle of Illness, refers to thyroiditis as like an "arthritis of the thyroid." He explains that just as arthritis attacks the joints with pain and inflammation, thyroiditis can mean pain and inflammation in the thyroid for some sufferers. And in particular, during a thyroiditis attack, common symptoms are anxiety, panic attacks, heart palpitations, swelling in the thyroid area, problems swallowing, and frequently, problems sleeping.
Dr. Langer suggests taking some calcium/magnesium, which are nutrients that have a sedative effect, along with a pain reliever to relieve inflammation -- buffered aspirin or ibuprofen -- before you go to bed, this might help. He's found that this helps about two-thirds of his patients suffering from nighttime thyroiditis symptoms.
Reducing swelling is a key aspect of dealing with thyroiditis attacks, according to Dr. Langer. "Just as with arthritis, an anti-inflammatory pain reliever doesn't cure the problem, but it temporarily ameliorates the symptoms."