# Pain in front of neck? Thyroid?



## charliehorse (Oct 29, 2011)

When I saw my endo last time in December, she asked me if I had pain in my throat. I really didn't think about it and said no. I'm sure I'd have it a few times and forgot about it...thinking it was nothing. A few weeks after this apt I started noticing more and more some pain in my throat around the thyroid area. The pain also goes into my ears sometimes. I just ignored it and didn't call them bc I felt maybe it's because my mind is tricking me now that they've mentioned it...and I'm being paranoid or whatever. The past 2 or 3 weeks though I have had almost constant pain in that area with pain going into my ears. I wake up with it and I go to sleep with it. I'll wake up in the middle of the night with it. It almost feels like tonsilitis but in my thyroid. It is hurting now. I had an ultrasound in late october from my previous endo who said everything was normal and the only thing she noted was " several reactive lymph nodes bilaterally". on my thyroid uptake it was modestly elevated and the entire glad was lit up..no hot spots like thyroiditis would show. my levels have gone hyper then hypo and i just had them checked again and not sure what they are going to show. none of the endos are concerned about the antibody levels. Just curious...Why do I have this pain and why won't it go away? What test should I have done or ask to be done? Another ultrasound or mri? help...I'm so concerned.explode


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

charliehorse said:


> When I saw my endo last time in December, she asked me if I had pain in my throat. I really didn't think about it and said no. I'm sure I'd have it a few times and forgot about it...thinking it was nothing. A few weeks after this apt I started noticing more and more some pain in my throat around the thyroid area. The pain also goes into my ears sometimes. I just ignored it and didn't call them bc I felt maybe it's because my mind is tricking me now that they've mentioned it...and I'm being paranoid or whatever. The past 2 or 3 weeks though I have had almost constant pain in that area with pain going into my ears. I wake up with it and I go to sleep with it. I'll wake up in the middle of the night with it. It almost feels like tonsilitis but in my thyroid. It is hurting now. I had an ultrasound in late october from my previous endo who said everything was normal and the only thing she noted was " several reactive lymph nodes bilaterally". on my thyroid uptake it was modestly elevated and the entire glad was lit up..no hot spots like thyroiditis would show. my levels have gone hyper then hypo and i just had them checked again and not sure what they are going to show. none of the endos are concerned about the antibody levels. Just curious...Why do I have this pain and why won't it go away? What test should I have done or ask to be done? Another ultrasound or mri? help...I'm so concerned.explode


As well you should be. Glad to hear from you again but not happy about the circumstances.

Ultra-sounds do have their limitations. And some types of cancer nodules do not uptake iodine too well if at all and for that reason, I don't suggest RAIU. So, maybe MRI?

In any case, with the lymph node involvement and the pain this definitely has to be explored and I am thinking you may do best if you go straight on to an ENT? (ear, nose and throat surgeon) What do you think?

Also, have you had Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab lab tests?

Thyroglobulin Ab and cancer
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/59/2/429.full.pdf

Another Thyroglobulin and cancer
http://www.mdlinx.com/endocrinology...963/?news_id=811&newsdt=092010&subspec_id=419

Thyroid cancer symptoms
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53303

Please don't allow yourself to be shuffled around. This is concerning and I as well as others hear would like to hear of your progress.

Thyroid cancer in patients with hyperthyroidism.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12876418

Are you on any medication for thyroid problems? If so what?


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## charliehorse (Oct 29, 2011)

I've left a message for my endo to call. My ent told me to go to the endo because he didn't know what to do. I did have my antibodies checked in october/november and my antithyroglobulin was >600. no one seemed concerned about it. neither endos ive seen. the endo im seeing now seems to think that it was just some bout of thyroiditis and thats what caused the increase in that antibody and me to be hyper...but there weren't hotspots on my uptake to indicate thyroiditis. i havent heard yet what my levels where last week. she only checked tsh and free t4. not sure why. im really thinking im gonna ask for an mri. something is wrong. just ready to feel better.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

charliehorse said:


> I've left a message for my endo to call. My ent told me to go to the endo because he didn't know what to do. I did have my antibodies checked in october/november and my antithyroglobulin was >600. no one seemed concerned about it. neither endos ive seen. the endo im seeing now seems to think that it was just some bout of thyroiditis and thats what caused the increase in that antibody and me to be hyper...but there weren't hotspots on my uptake to indicate thyroiditis. i havent heard yet what my levels where last week. she only checked tsh and free t4. not sure why. im really thinking im gonna ask for an mri. something is wrong. just ready to feel better.


Something is very wrong. Wow! that Thyroglobulin Ab is high. Keep on pushing; don't let them fluff you off. We have many here that experienced the same treatment as you are and due to their own persistence, they were indeed finally diagnosed.........................with cancer. Sad but true.

At the very least, it would be good to know that you unequivacally do not have it. Right? So you can sleep at night?

And believe me, you should not be in pain. Pain is never ever a good sign with anything in our bodies. It means something is wrong.

Saying a prayer for you.


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## charliehorse (Oct 29, 2011)

I just spoke with the endo nurse and she said my freet4 was 1.09 normal and my tsh was 1.57 normal. i asked her if i was normal for levels to fluctuate like that since decembers tsh were almost 5 both times. she said yes (im not on meds btw). i'll have them checked again next month before my apt. she said i needed to follow up with ent for throat pain.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

charliehorse said:


> I just spoke with the endo nurse and she said my freet4 was 1.09 normal and my tsh was 1.57 normal. i asked her if i was normal for levels to fluctuate like that since decembers tsh were almost 5 both times. she said yes (im not on meds btw). i'll have them checked again next month before my apt. she said i needed to follow up with ent for throat pain.


Definitely follow up w/ENT at your earliest convenience. The problem as I see it from my side of the fence is that you do not feel normal.


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## charliehorse (Oct 29, 2011)

thanks andros..


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## Travis_Ricon (Mar 17, 2014)

Charliehorse,

I just read your post from two years ago. Your case sounds so much like mine, except my neck - thyroid pain was through the roof high, sending me off to ERS. It was as if a belt was being tightened around me neck and is always worse at night, often waking me up in the very early morning hours. You stated: " I am noticing more and more some pain in my throat around the thyroid area. The pain also goes into my ears sometime". My pain also radiates seemingly from the left thyroid lobe up to the left tempormandibular area, throbbing at night. I noticed there is a small lump on the left lobe of my thyroid and when my PCP first checked it on Feb 4th he right away said "Your thyroid is enlarged". My TSH as a little high in one test on February 4, but my ultrasound I had on Feb 14th turned out normal, with no evidence of tumors or masses.

My PCP still hasn't given a definitive diagnosis, so it is most frustrating after almost 8 weeks of dealing with the worst pain of my life---and I stll don't know what's really going on. But I am sure it has to do with my thyroid. My PCP did prescribe dessicated (armour) Thyroid, which I've been on for a few weeks now; I don't know how long I'll have to take it before it helps. I am thinking if it helps to shrink the small bump it would in turn help ease the pain (even though for whatever reason the ultrasound did not show the bump---and I know I'm not psychotic YET, that there is a small bump on the left thyroid lobe. I think I know my own neck).

Anyhow, I'd be curious to know what you've been through and how you've dealt with your thyroid issue over the past two years. And hope you're doing better and have gotten the proper treatment and are now relieved of the terrible pain. Thanks much for response.

Travis


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Thyroid cancer symptoms
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53303
(Copy and paste into your browser)

http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/thyroid-cancer/Pages/symptoms.aspx
(Copy and paste into your browser)

TPO Ab
Mild to moderately elevated levels of thyroid antibodies may be found in a variety of thyroid and autoimmune disorders, such as thyroid cancer, Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pernicious anemia, and autoimmune collagen vascular diseases. Significantly increased concentrations most frequently indicate thyroid autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves disease.
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid-antibodies/tab/test
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Substances not found in normal serum (scroll down to autoantibodies)
http://www.thyroidmanager.org/chapter/evaluation-of-thyroid-function-in-health-and-disease/
(Copy and paste into your browser)

Thyroglobulin Ab and cancer
http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/59/2/429.full.pdf

Another Thyroglobulin and cancer
http://www.mdlinx.com/endocrinology/newsl-article.cfm/3305021/ZZ5052128790304906121963/?news_id=811&newsdt=092010&subspec_id=419

Thyroglobulin Ab
A negative test is normal. A negative test means no antibodies to thyroglobulin are found in your blood.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003557.htm
(The normal thyroid has Thyroglobulin in low titers but should not have Thyroglobulin Ab)

Travis; welcome to the board.

Unfortunately, ultrasounds are not the perfect tool.

I would suggest that you get the following tests listed above because pain is a big indicator of a word we do not want to hear but definitely want to know about because much can be done.

So.................; having Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab tests could be very helpful.

As well as TPO.............

It would be very wise to have all of the above checked out just to be on the safe side.

Let us know what your doctor's next step is on your behalf.


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