# Painful thyroid, trouble swallowing and other issues. Any advice?



## Leigh458 (Jul 21, 2012)

Hi all! Newbie just looking for some support. I have been feeling bad the last couple of weeks. Just not myself and I was having a lot of pain by my thyroid. Kept hearing this crackling noise. This ha been going on since maybe April. I told my ENT did a scope down my throat back then and did not see anything. Put me on some different reflux medicine. Anyway this past couple of weeks, my throat has started to hurt worse. Pain not just by my thyroid but also on the left side under jaw by lymph node. I have trouble swallowing and when I do it hurts and it has a hard time going down. Almost get reflux from it. Feels like everything is going down one side. This crackling noise continues down by thyroid or at back of throat. I hear it all the time, whether I am swallowing or not. At this point, my whole neck has started to hurt. The pain by the thyroid is constant. Feels like sores down there when I swallow. I have not lost my voice, but it actually feels like I strain to speak. Weird taste in my mouth too.

My labs have not been bad (I take Armour)

This week
T4=8.8 Reference range is 4.5-10.9
Free T3= 4.45 Reference range is 2.3-4.2
TSH-3rd Gen=.11 Reference range is .35-5.5

Before that (back in February it was the following)
T4=8.7
Free T3=5.67
TSH=.178

Anyway, I am getting scared this could be thyroid cancer or a lymph node cancer or something. Would anything in my labs cause this? Hope to get in to see ENT this week. I have never had a ultrasound done, but that is what I am asking for. Very worried I should have asked for one long ago.


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## DonnaK (Mar 22, 2011)

Sounds a lot like how I was feeling before my TT. I had a constant sore throat, swollen and tender lymph nodes in my neck and I couldn't swallow at all. Ultrasound couldn't measure as my thyroid had grown below my clavicle so did a cat scan and found it was wrapped around my esophagus. It was time for the TT and the lymph nodes are feeling great now, no more sore throat and swallowing again is such a wonderful feeling.


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## DonnaK (Mar 22, 2011)

Oh and I had that everything was going down one side feeling and my voice was pretty hoarse, too. I can't speak to your labs as I don't know enough about that part of it as I am pretty new to the whole thing. Mine happened pretty fast.


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## Leigh458 (Jul 21, 2012)

Thanks Donna. So did you have normal labs at the time?

Also, is it best to just ask for a cat scan? I am wanting to ask up front for what covers the most bases.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

A couple of us have had normal or near-normal labs (with labs = TSH, free t3 and free t4) but also had cancer.

Ask to have your TSI and TPO tested. Get an ultrasound. If anything is found on the ultrasound, get it biopsied.

There are a number of people who have their thyroid out, even if everything is benign, because it is causing issues swallowing or breathing. If that continues to be an issues, please consider having another conversation with your doctor.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Leigh458 said:


> Hi all! Newbie just looking for some support. I have been feeling bad the last couple of weeks. Just not myself and I was having a lot of pain by my thyroid. Kept hearing this crackling noise. This ha been going on since maybe April. I told my ENT did a scope down my throat back then and did not see anything. Put me on some different reflux medicine. Anyway this past couple of weeks, my throat has started to hurt worse. Pain not just by my thyroid but also on the left side under jaw by lymph node. I have trouble swallowing and when I do it hurts and it has a hard time going down. Almost get reflux from it. Feels like everything is going down one side. This crackling noise continues down by thyroid or at back of throat. I hear it all the time, whether I am swallowing or not. At this point, my whole neck has started to hurt. The pain by the thyroid is constant. Feels like sores down there when I swallow. I have not lost my voice, but it actually feels like I strain to speak. Weird taste in my mouth too.
> 
> My labs have not been bad (I take Armour)
> 
> ...


Your labs do look good; FT3 is maybe a little over the top but since this fluctuates hourly it would be hard to say.

Have you had an ultra-sound? If not, this would be essential at this time.

Here is some info......

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

http://www.cityofhope.org/patient_care/treatments/thyroid-cancer/Pages/symptoms.aspx


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## DonnaK (Mar 22, 2011)

Yep, my labs were all in the normal range so I wasn't on any medication. I know it fluctuated though as I could tell how my body was reacting. I would go hyper for a while and then eventually hypo and then when I was hypo long enough, I guess my body would finally produce more hormone and then it would be so much I was hyper again.

I totally agree with Andros - ask for an ultrasound! I didn't have to ask as they found mine accidently when looking at my lungs for something that was actually a symptom related to my thyroid issues to begin with. I had the air hunger and chest pain/heart palps so doc ran tests on my heart lungs not thinking thyroid since my labs were normal. I'm just really glad they found the nodules when they did the lung cat scan so we could finally get to the bottom of what was going on with me.


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