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neck pressure and thyroid symptoms but labs normal

Posted , 23 users are following.

sezzp
sezzp

I visited the doctors 4 weeks ago with neck pressure, at the time only left sided. It feels like someone is pushing on the side of my neck. This is now happening to both sides of my neck. If i press on the area of discomfortt it makes the pressure worse. My GP ordered bloods for thyroid function which all came back normal. He also requested a scan which I am still awaiting an appointment for.

I have also had an almost constant headache in my forehead for nearly 5 weeks that is controllable with painkillers.

Over the last 2 or 3 years I have visited my GP surgery for: 

palpitations - bloods, ecg, echo all came back normal

nail ridges - tested for anameia, normal but odd results, one at top range, other bottom, GP requested more tests, all came back normal

Stomach bloating and weight gain - all tests normal

The weight gain could be that I quit smoking (<5 a day) 4 years ago. the bloating i put down to ibs in the end. the nail ridges still there. both my big toe nails actually broke in half last year. only things i could think to blame were my vegetarian diet and nail dryness.

all the above, i read, fits with hypothyroidism. feeling frustrated that all my results always come back normal and feel like i'm constantly wasting both mine and the nhs's time.

has anyone else experienced this, or does anyone else have any idea of other causes? 

my gp has said if the neck pressure continues (this comes and goes btw) to go back in a week or 2 and he will refer me to a specialist but i can't help but think that again everything will be normal and i may as well just accept that i'm 40 in a couple of weeks and perhaps this is just how it feels to be middle aged. neutral a="" day)="" 4="" years="" ago.="" the="" bloating="" i="" put="" down="" to="" ibs="" in="" the="" end.="" the="" nail="" ridges="" still="" there.="" both="" my="" big="" toe="" nails="" actually="" broke="" in="" half="" last="" year.="" only="" things="" i="" could="" think="" to="" blame="" were="" my="" vegetarian="" diet="" and="" nail="" dryness.="" all="" the="" above,="" i="" read,="" fits="" with="" hypothyroidism.="" feeling="" frustrated="" that="" all="" my="" results="" always="" come="" back="" normal="" and="" feel="" like="" i'm="" constantly="" wasting="" both="" mine="" and="" the="" nhs's="" time.="" has="" anyone="" else="" experienced="" this,="" or="" does="" anyone="" else="" have="" any="" idea="" of="" other="" causes? ="" my="" gp="" has="" said="" if="" the="" neck="" pressure="" continues="" (this="" comes="" and="" goes="" btw)="" to="" go="" back="" in="" a="" week="" or="" 2="" and="" he="" will="" refer="" me="" to="" a="" specialist="" but="" i="" can't="" help="" but="" think="" that="" again="" everything="" will="" be="" normal="" and="" i="" may="" as="" well="" just="" accept="" that="" i'm="" 40="" in="" a="" couple="" of="" weeks="" and="" perhaps="" this="" is="" just="" how="" it="" feels="" to="" be="" middle="">

all the above, i read, fits with hypothyroidism. feeling frustrated that all my results always come back normal and feel like i'm constantly wasting both mine and the nhs's time.

has anyone else experienced this, or does anyone else have any idea of other causes? 

my gp has said if the neck pressure continues (this comes and goes btw) to go back in a week or 2 and he will refer me to a specialist but i can't help but think that again everything will be normal and i may as well just accept that i'm 40 in a couple of weeks and perhaps this is just how it feels to be middle aged. neutral>

0 likes, 31 replies

31 Replies

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  • marieC
    marieC sezzp

    Posted

    Hi sezzp, Have you read the posts on here, as I think you will find that you are not alone in having hypothyroid symptoms with normal test results.  I believe that some people are using all sorts of things for this, from diet to T3, etc, etc, but it would be a good idea to take a look.

    I don't know about you, but what is "normal"?  It's probably an average of all tests taken.  Anyway, what is normal for one person may not be normal for you.

    At least your GP is trying to find out what is wrong, that is something in his favour.  OK, these tests may come back normal, but they may not and they could have the answer at long last, so don't think you are wasting the doctor's or the NHS' time.  No-one else knows how your body felt before you

  • marieC
    marieC sezzp

    Posted

    ..Sorry I should have used Touch Freeze as my keypad does silly things when I'm typing, but to continue:  before you started to feel ill.  What a pity we all can't have regular tests from an early age on all our hormones, it would probably cost a fortune, but at least then, doctors could look at all the results and then they could probably say, with certainty, whether or not the results are normal for us.
  • sezzp
    sezzp

    Posted

    Thanks, it's great to hear from people who don't think I'm a hypocondriac!

    Currently feeling as if I'm being strangled, everything I have done today has made me out of breath and I feel so exhausted. I know I'm not imagining this!

     

    • cheryl08915
      cheryl08915 sezzp

      Posted

      Wondering if you ever found out what the problem was, because I have all symptoms you have.
    • sezzp
      sezzp cheryl08915

      Posted

      Yes, I discovered the answer without the doctors. I went on a low carb high fat diet and all symptoms TOTALLY disappeared. If I eat gluten they come back within minutes. If I eat potatoes I am in agony but I can still breathe. Fruit causes a little pain, wind and heartburn too. The other day I drank a can of cider and spent all night waking up from the palpitations that were so bad they were stopping me breathing, an experience I haven't had for the 6 months since I channged my diet. 

      So in short, it appears that ENT were right, it is all related to reflux which for me is caused by various foods

      PS. I have been tested for celiac disease, it was negative. So presumably just food intolerances 

      Hope you find answers yourself

      Good luck!

  • jordan88827
    jordan88827 sezzp

    Posted

    hi there, i just wondered how you got on with this as iv been to the doctors about heart palps in last 2 weeks had  a ecg was fine and due another tomorrow but for last 2 days pretty much constant neck pressure and little slight pains to with a few pains in heart to really worried about this im 23 female no previose problems would be good too see how u got on 
    • megan83952
      megan83952 jordan88827

      Posted

      Did you ever figure out what the problem was?  I'm experiencing the same symptoms.

  • sezzp
    sezzp

    Posted

    Hi, still no certain answers. All tests, scans, bloods etc came back normal, just like the ECG/echo tests. The ENT consulatant said she thought it is acid reflux stuck in my voice box and gave me omeprazole for 6 weeks. The issue continued and still does but the omeprazole did help the stomach bloating I've had the lklast few years. Hence, ENT have now referred me to gastro, who I am due to see this Sunday. She thought all the other symptoms I described to her, including the chest pressure and palipations, may be connected to reflux. I have discovered recently, that the palpitations seem to be conected to wind, if I rub my chest I can manage to belch a little, which eases the chest pressure and eventually the palpiations ease. This rubbing even works on my neck a little, and brings out a belch (charming, ha) so maybe it is all connected to a gastro issue. I guess we have to be reassured that they can't find anything, although they do still freak me even so...! Hope you find you answers and if they ever do fix me I will let you know! 
    • janice76183
      janice76183 sezzp

      Posted

      I think all of our problems are thyroid and diet related. I'm trying to change mine to a more plant based. I always thought because I was think that I would always be healthy but that is not the case. I have the sensation of someone having their hands around my neck and after getting an ultrasound I have been told that there is a cyst on my thyroid, but all lab tests are coming back normal.

    • katie45324
      katie45324 janice76183

      Posted

      Hey Janice - what happened next with you? i am having same symptoms and nothing showing up yet - doctor says im imagining it and should see psychiatrist. Feel like I am being strangled 24 hours a day. So unpleasant and scary and have been to the ER 3 nights because i literally was terrified that my throat was gonna close. Did you ever get answers or treatment? Thanks
  • chris08965
    chris08965 sezzp

    Posted

    Wow, those are my symptoms as well. Also always low energy despite being active and fit.
  • chris08965
    chris08965 sezzp

    Posted

    I have read some bits actually on posture of all things...compressions on nerves/glands etc? 
  • jan09788
    jan09788 sezzp

    Posted

    Do you have throat problems such as a hoarse voice? If so they should check you out by putting a minuet camera down your throat to see if all is well. As far as meds are concerned for acid reflux Ranitidine are very good. Have they checked you out to see if you have Hashimotos? that causes a swelling in the throat. Are you autoimmune?
  • sezzp
    sezzp

    Posted

    Yes, I had the camera, all normal, at this point I considered private healthcare as I was so scared of my symptoms. Then I discovered the answer, by chance, without the doctors. I went on a low carb high fat diet and all symptoms TOTALLY disappeared. If I eat gluten they come back within minutes. If I eat potatoes I am in agony but I can still breathe. Fruit causes a little pain, wind and heartburn too. The other day I drank a can of cider and spent all night waking up from the palpitations that were so bad they were stopping me breathing, an experience I haven't had for the 6 months since I channged my diet. 

    So in short, it appears that ENT were right, it is all related to reflux which for me is caused by various foods

    PS. I have been tested for celiac disease, it was negative. So presumably just food intolerances 

    Hope you find answers yourself

    ​Good luck!

  • a58792
    a58792 sezzp

    Posted

    this has been a problem for me as well. a year ago i had a goiter removed on the left side. it was benign so i was able to keep the right side. it has now grown and i'm back to feeling like i'm being strangled. i'm in a bad position however, because if i have the right side removed as well, then I have to been on hormone replacement for the rest of my life. i'm not sure which is worse. it's an annoying problem to have. i have been refusing all exposure to radiation to hopefully spare the right side (once it shrinks). i have recently been using frankinsense oil on it. a recent ultrasound showed the right side growth is slightly smaller. it's very expensive and i recommend only using the purest form. hope this helps.
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