[1969mets1986]

#1058885

I have had GD since late fall of 2008. Currently I am in remission. My thyroid is slightly enlarged.

I’ve started having difficulty swallowing; this began 3 weeks ago. As a precaution, I have made an appt with an ENT and yesterday, I had my levels tested, just to be on the safe side.

I don’t know if my thyroid is enlarging and my levels are starting to go off — 2 months ago, my levels were normal.

I also feel pressure on and off in my throat — all of this is happening in the area of the thyroid.

Does anyone here think what I’m experiencing is enlarged thyroid related or GD related, even though I’m in remission? Thanks.

[Kimberly]

#1170673

Hello – We’re just fellow patients here, so we can’t speculate on a possible diagnosis.

However, it sounds like you are taking the right steps by getting your levels tested and by scheduling an appointment with an ENT. Are you also planning to see an endocrinologist about the test results?

If you can rule out thyroid issues, you might also consult with a gastroenterologist, as difficulty swallowing can come from several potential causes.

Wishing you continued success with your remission — please let us know what you find out!

[1969mets1986]

#1170674

The endo appt is in 3 weeks. There’s no way you can get in to see him earlier.

[gatorgirly]

#1170675

I echo Kimberly’s suggestion to get an appointment with a gastroenterologist (or at the very least, a general practitioner). I had a slightly enlarged thyroid. Two months after RAI, I started having difficulty swallowing. I was even admitted to the hospital because of the accompanying chest/upper back pain. My ultrasound came back with a 7mm cyst – way too small to be palpable or the cause of my symptoms. It turns out I had developed severe gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD), which was causing that tightness in my throat and chest. I ended up needing an upper endoscopy where they inflated a balloon in my esophagus to relieve the buildup/damage caused by the acid. That was almost one year ago and I’ve had all kinds of weird GI issues pop up since, as has my good friend who also has Graves (but took the surgery route). My gastroenterologist and my endo both told me GI issues are common with Graves.

[1969mets1986]

#1170676

I bounced this off the cardiologist when i was there about a week and a half ago; he suggested an ENT and he’s also sending me for a stress test.

[1969mets1986]

#1170677

I just got back from the ENT — I have acid reflux.

(I am glad to see this board is back; I was here a couple of yearsa ago under another screenname. The board crashed somewhere around May of 2010, I think)

[gatorgirly]

#1170678

I’m not surprised – your symptoms sounded eerily similar to mine. I’m sorry you have to deal with another health challenge, but reflux is manageable compared to heart problems or thyroid tumors.

Were you prescribed something or did they refer you to a gastroenterologist? I was initially prescribed Nexium (the purple pill) because the doctors at the hospital were getting a kickback for prescribing it, but since there is no generic, my gastro switched me to generic Prilosec/omeprazole. Just a heads up in case they tell you Nexium is the best drug for reflux – omeprazole does the exact same thing, just in a different way (according to my gastro).

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