# Tight throat/choking sensation



## Chaquita (Aug 19, 2017)

Hi, I'm new here and searching for answers. I am hypo and am treated by a natural hormone Dr. He has put me on WP Thyroid, 48.75 mg, then reduced it to 32.5 mg. Then we tried time-released T3 only 7.5 mcg twice daily and lastly we tried Levo 25 mcg. These are all low doses, yet every time I begin to take them within 2-3 days my throat swells up and becomes tight and painful. I have a hard time describing the feeling, but each time I again try and take the pills, it happens again, AND it lasts for 3-5 days afterwards. For the first day or 2 that I begin to take any of these pills, I immediately perk up, am not so tired all day and have a better disposition, but sure enough the next day the throat "thing" starts up.

Has anyone else experienced this when taking thyroid meds? I even tried Dr. Wilson's ThyroCare which has no hormones in it and the same thing happens. I cannot continue to feel this lethargic and fatigued for much longer. I don't know what to do. He has tested my antibodies 3 or 4 times but they come back within range. Should I insist on an ultrasound? Sometimes I feel like if it gets any worse, I soon won't be able to breath. What's happening to me?

Julie

age 49

TSH 3.16 (range .40-4.50)

T4, free 0.9 (range 0.8-1.9)

T3, free 2.7 (range 2.3-4.2)

FSH 49.1 (range 3-17.7)

Reverse T3 14 (range 8-25)


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Hi and welcome.

Have you had a thyroid ultrasound?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Welcome to the board!

Do you choke when you eat? Or any other time?


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## Chaquita (Aug 19, 2017)

thanks so much for replying. No chocking any other time. I have been off all meds for at least 2 weeks but even today I have a slight strained feeling. When it's real bad, it feels like I been screaming or talking all day and my vocal chords are strained, or the muscles in the neck/throat area are strained.

I've read about people who during surgery it is discovered the thyroid is actually wrapped around their vocal cords. Can I have a goiter even if I can't feel or see it? Would an ultrasound be the next step...is this what I need to insist on?

thanks again.

Julie


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Yes, insist on an ultrasound. It can tel you if your thyroid is enlarged or if it has nodules that are causing your symptoms.

Your labs are quite hypo, btw.


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## Chaquita (Aug 19, 2017)

oh trust me I know they're low. I just want my life back. Thank you for your time, I certainly will insist on the ultrasound - I just wasn't sure what the correct course of action was to insist I want done. Luckily, my doctor is quite accommodating and open to listen to anything.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Ask for an ultrasound or referral to an ENT to evaluate your choking issues.

You could have a possible allergy to the medication or fillers. You might also consider allergy testing after the ultrasound if no cause is found.


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## blackngold (Oct 28, 2011)

Doesn't help to have the anxiety that comes with hypo hopefully you get feeling better!!


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## Chaquita (Aug 19, 2017)

Lovlkn, I'm not thinking its a filler allergy since I've been on so many different meds, both natural and some synthetic. Blackngold, it looks like you had your thyroid removed. Do you feel better? I secretly hope I can get mine removed, that's how tired I am of all of this. No anxiety but definitely fatigue, foggy head, weight gain, and ice cold feet...


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Have you ever tried Tirosint? I think that's one of the thyroid drugs that has the least amount of fillers and some people find works for them. Have they ever run a thyroid antibody panel on you? I'm wondering if you've got TSI floating around, which can make it extremely hard to tolerate thyroid meds, even when you're hypo.


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## blackngold (Oct 28, 2011)

No sadly I do not feel better and most of my fatigue is from such low iron levels


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## blackngold (Oct 28, 2011)

sounds like you might be allergic to it idk ...my mouth is so dry from the levo does this mean I am allergic to it??????


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## rhsigh (Aug 23, 2017)

I have the same closed up feeling. I think it is worse than not sleeping, to be all day with a closed up feeling throat!

The weird thing is, my thyroid u/s was normal! It was quite general though, no cysts or nodules, the sizes and volumes of each half, but no other details that I've seen in other thyroid u/s results. I am not on any treatment.

But I am going to an ENT tomorrow and hope he will have some ideas. I am going to be giving presentations for work, and it is painful - not sort throat/sick painful, but pressure painful - to speak. I also plan on using a portable microphone to help as well.

If the regular ENT doesn't help, I have an ENT who specifically works with voice and larynx issues.


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## Chaquita (Aug 19, 2017)

rhsigh said:


> But I am going to an ENT tomorrow and hope he will have some ideas.
> 
> If the regular ENT doesn't help, I have an ENT who specifically works with voice and larynx issues.


Please let me know how you make out!


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## rhsigh (Aug 23, 2017)

I did have an ENT look at my throat. Everything is fine so now they want me to do speech therapy - but the voice is only part of it! I want to be able to not have the constant tightness in my throat!

However, what he did say that was interesting is that it is possible I have inflammation either of the thyroid or surrounding tissues, and if the larynx is irritated, that makes it harder to speak, and stressing out the vocal cords might make the whole throat painful. So the voice box might be irritated continually, then eating or swallowing makes it worse, but the original cause could be thyroid.

I know it hurts when I swallow. It almost feels like an allergic reaction that isn't closing up my throat completely but almost.

The point of speech therapy is to learn to speak a little differently to stress the vocal cords less.

http://www.entandallergyspecialists.com/throat-speech-and-swallowing-disorders/

http://www.entnet.org/content/swallowing-trouble

I am hopeful, but I really don't want to have to go to therapy because my schedule is so annoying. I am going to post my thyroid test results when I get a chance too.


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## creepingdeath (Apr 6, 2014)

Have you eliminated everything else that might be causing your symptoms?

That tight feeling in your throat can be from taking too much hormone or hormone you do not need.

There is more than lab ranges required to diagnose thyroid issues.

I am no doctor and I am not saying you do not have thyroid issues but...............

It just seems as if anyone who can't figure out what's wrong with them goes right to thyroid disease being the cause.

If everyone has a thyroid issue what is causing this epidemic???????????


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