Does anyone have that choking feeling?

[sunshine]

I went to the doctor 3 months ago because my throat tightened up and it felt like someone was choking me. It has been a long roller coaster ride since.
I have been on a liquid diet for three months and counting because if I try to eat my throat tightens up worse after. My antibodies are 803 (normal is 40 or below) I have multinodular goiters on my thyroid. The doctors were not convinced that my thyroid would be causing these problems so they put me through other tests and actually got off the thyroid issue. Just about a month ago I had to convince the doctor to continue about the thyroid. He ordered a needle biopsy and that revealed hashimotos disease. The symptoms I am going through are fatigue, depression, the period issue, forgetfulness and some memory loss, puffiness under my chin, compression on my trachea and pain in the salivary glands. Two weeks ago I complained of the things interfering with my life to my doctor. He had me do those tests to see where my function level was at and it is still normal. Are these symptoms going to be worse when I go underactive? Before this started I was an energetic and happy go lucky person, but now I am a completely differant person. Does anyone else feel like this? Today my doctor told me there was even more symptoms. I can't handle anymore. I am supposed to go to a bigger city to a team of endocrinologists to see if they would do surgery to relieve the pressure off my trachea. I am hoping they will so that I can eat again. I am in the pre-diabetic stage and my blood sugar level is going crazy - up and down - all the time. Both my parents have diabetes and the doctor told me it was unavoidable, but that I can prolong the onset as much as possible. This came about last year. I am so worried that with all this going on now that it may bring on the diabetes, without a stable diet.
Let me just say how encouraging it was to me to find this site and to see how everyone is encouraging one another. It really boosted my spirit. Thank you all for sharing your experiences.

[Teresa]

Hi, I am also glad to have found this website. I don't have a choking feeling but can see the goiter (nodule) in the right front side of my throat. I am very depressed and ready to give up as I am only able to work part-time and sleep so much it isn't even funny. I used to lift weights and walk every day and now don't have the energy to barely move. I am lucky not to have gained a bunch of weight from lack of exercise. I am on my third doctor with no help so far, they just blow me off saying there's nothing I can take. Good luck to you, Teresa

[Deda-girl]

I went to the doctor 3 months ago because my throat tightened up and it felt like someone was choking me. It has been a long roller coaster ride since.


Sunshine--

Honey, I think you ALREADY ARE "underactive". Do you mean to tell me that you aren't on any meds for hypo yet??? If not I think you should be....that swelling of your thyroid could very well go down after being on thyroid replacement for a while. You need to be treated!! Please don't give up until you find a Dr. who is willing to help you. Your levels [probably only the TSH, right?] are probably still falling within the range, [on the high side], so they don't think you need them yet. This is coomon with most Dr.'s out there....the same thing happened to me.... 3and 1/2 years before I was diagnosed with Hashi's-hypothyroid, [which btw, I diagnosed MYSELF, and took that to my Dr.] but when they tested me that time, my TSH was 4.4....which they considered normal. For most of us that IS NOT NORMAL. Most of us need our TSH to be between a 1 and a 2. Mine is 0.9 right now.....but more important than that is WHAT are your real thyroid levels....that being your Free T 4 and your Free T3???

If you have copies, please send us your results, [with the ranges], and let us help you evaluate them. If those Dr's you've seen have only tested your TSH, [which is common too], you need to ask them, [insist if you can] that they test your other hormone levels that I mentioned above. [those T levels]

Hope to hear back from you.

Deda-girl

[Stacy]

Sunshine,

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto disease 10 years ago. Recently I started having the choking feeling you are describing. It began only in the evening and it gives me difficulty swallowing. Last night again i had it and have had it all day today. I have yet to see the dr. as I am scared, and tired of having people look at me like I'm nuts. I do know from researching that few insurance co will cover the cost of thyroid removal if the diagnosis is hashimoto disease. I hope things get better for you. Stacy

[thimbleisland]

I was diagnosed two years ago and ive only started getting the choaking feeling in the past few months.
The meds really do help you with that, if your doctor is still convincd its something else, perhaps try to get a second opinion?

[sunshine]

I just started seeing a rheumatologist. She is the best. She wants to be very aggressive with diagnosing me because along with Hashimoto's she believes very strongly that I have scleroderma. The news is still sinking in. The choking feeling that I've had may actually be the esophogus being damaged by the scleroderma. The other concern of hers is my lungs and heart being affected. I did have surgery on my thyroid. He removed the affected part and a recent ct-scan showed my thyroid as being normal. So maybe the Hashimoto's has slowed down. I do have to get my levels checked again, but I suspect they will be fine. As it stands right now I can't take any meds until all the testings are done because it would affect the tests. I am seriously taking it a day at a time. It is my hope that you are all doing fine and don't have to go through what I'm going through. sunshine

[DANNERM]

Ive Had The Choking Feeling For A Long Time ABOUT 2 YEARS I WENT TO SO MANY DOCTORS AND THEY JUST KEPT SAYING THEY DIDNT FEEL ENYTHING. I WAS ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CONSTIPATION AND ON PRESCREPION MEDS FOR 7 MONTHS ,MY HEART DR TOLD ME I HAD A HEART MURMUR AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL THEY PUT ME ON MEDS FOR THAT TO, UNTIL THEY FOUND OUT I HAD HYPOTHROIDISM THEN HE SAID NOT TO TAKE ANY MEDS AND HAVE MY DR RECHECK IT WHEN THEY GOT MY THYROID UNDER CONTROL I WAS SO TIRED I COULDNT MAKE IT THROUGH WORK AND LEFT EARLY SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK I TOOK 50 MCG FOR A MONTH AND MY NUMBERS WENT DOWN TO 11.11 THEY WERE 13.15 HE UPED MY MEDS TO 75 MCG AND THE NEXT MONTH THEY WENT TO .09 NOW I HAVE Hyperthryodism They Just Keep Telling Me To Hang In There But Its So Awful I Would Not Wish This On Anyone And They Said I Dont Need A Specialist THIS IS EASY TO CONTROL

[DANNERM]

I Found Out Today That The Reason I Have The Choking Feeling Is Because My Antibodies Are Attacking My Thyroid.and They Say It Can Take Up To 2 Years For It To Go Away. Now That Im On Meds It Will Take A While To Shrink The Thyroid. But They Cant Answer Why My Levels Went From 13.15 To 11.11 And Then To .09 All In Three Months. Im Trying My Best But You Cant Help To Feel Depressed At Times Its An Awful Feeling. Ive Had A Really Hard Life And Im Thinking About Wrighting A Book. So We All Just Need To Keep Fighting This And Try Our Best To Get Better.

[lola]

I have had a choking feeling for two years and the DR always want to blame it on acid reflex.

[hormonehellen]

So sorry you are going through this. I can relate to this! i've been going through this for 6 yrs now. I've been on thyroid meds for hypo turned hashimotos for 10 yrs. my antibodies are bad also. no one ever told me this could be causing my choking feeling. i have bad acid reflux that is always worse when i'm on the thyroid meds. when i'm off, it gets better. i actually think i'm having ha****oxicosis right now b/c i'm HYPERthyroid again (mine fluctuates) and have never been so sick in my life. i've lost over 30 lbs, and like some of you have had great difficulty w/ choking, and also breathing. My HR got high and BP so I'm on a beta blocker now - it does help somewhat. at least i can sleep some now. My PCP basically has given up on trying to help me, and i'm seeing another doctor that knows more about the thyroid. I've seen an Endo before but had terrible luck with him.

[crissy]

i just found this page and all i can do is cry as i read this i feel it to and for 6months i been told i was crazy and i see im not i was told i had hypo then they found no goiter just low levels now they say hashimotos and last check i was normal i been getting better with everything but this choking feeling idk what it is i got a reg dr and a thyroid dr they dont no what it could be the reg dr says its in my head im so happy i found other like this it makes me feel better that im not the only one feeling this and being told there crazy i wish everyone luck and will keep you posted im going to try my best to find out whats going on tc

[NastyHashi]

More than likely you ARE NOT crazy. A good case of Hashi's makes you feel that way though.

You MUST be insistent on obtaining the proper lab work. I have gone as far as to write in my own labs after the doc did not order a full work up. What can they do once the blood is drawn? They're not going to throw out the additional labs because they were not ordered. Of course you need to do some research first and give your doc every opportunity to diagnose you.

If you have a doc unwilling to work with you per your request, move on. There are docs out there who will do extensive lab work and will find and properly diagnose the problem.

Read through these boards and see some of the labs you should probably request.

Good luck to you. The diagnosis is the best thing for the mental aspects. Not knowing is what drives you most nuts. I've been offerred Seroquell, Xanax, Prozac and Paxil by various doctors until they finally diagnosed me with Graves' and all it took was a simple obscure test, the TSI test, to obtain my diagnosis when other doctors simply overlooked the possibility I had Graves cause I am overweight and a man.

[allegiance]

For many years I had that choking feeling. Sometimes it felt like I had a butterfly in my throat. I even tried Nexeum. I had heart pain, had stress tests completed, wore a heart monitor. [/I] I completely ignored the idea that it could be caused by my thyroid. My doctors even tried other things. It wasn't until I ended up in an ER far away from home that I took the thyroid as a possible problem to my issues. The doctor in the ER told me it was my thyroid and to have it checked out. I knew I was hypo but that was about it. Finally, my home doctor told me to go to a surgeon. He had ditched the idea of the thyroid previously become numbers were not out o whack to much.
The first surgeon told me he thought my thyroid didn't need to come out. The second surgeon said take it out (Thomas Jefferson Hosp). I questioned my decision to have it out up to the moment where I went under! It was a life changer. He diagnosed hashi and said the goiter was wrapping around my windpipe. I feel great! I am 5 months out from surgery. I felt great the moment I woke up from surgery (except for pain). I can breath...don't have those weird crazy feelings...life is once again awesome! I take .125 daily...sometimes I forget...but I feel great!

I wonder where I would be if I didn't have the thyroid out. I wonder if people who had hashimotos disease would feel better if the thyroid was out. I wish everyone the best because I have comparison to before (when I thought I wouldn't make it through some of the nights) to now - life is good!:D

[mommy04]

I was told today that I was crazy and that it's anxiety with my antibodies at 1000 and I have always had the choking feeling and I have all symptons I have a goiter with many nodules and this was my second opinion today I feel like crap all the time but no one will hear me. I feel for everyone and Thyroid cancer and Graves run's in my family and still I was told to see a psyc doc
good luck to you and to everyone out there

[Wendyr]

Hi everyone, I was dx with Hashimoto's back around '85. So I have been on Synthroid. I was told at the time that it would not turn into cancer. In 2005 it was discovered that I had cancerous nodules. All of my blood work consistantly came back "normal". I had TT and the RAI treatment in 2005.

My suggestion is that if you suspect that all is not well, TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!! Survival instincts are very strong in all species--even ours. And remember that the earlier your doctor finds harmful cells the easier and more successful treatment will be. You PAY your doctor, even though he/she has been to medical school, so they work for you. (Actually, I am very nice to my doctor, but he knows who is boss ;) I would gladly stand in line for a biopsy or two if it meant earlier treatment.

Best to you all! Wendy

PS yes, I DO have that choking feeling too...I think anxiety makes it worse, so learn to relax it.

[Jack]

Hi everyone! Thank God for the net, as I just found this group. I've recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's and am in heavy duty research mode and found this board. Hashi's was found while trying to figure out why I lost some of my hearing about 16 months ago. The ENT believes that my hearing loss is also caused by the autoimmune issue that is causing the Hashis. I'm still trying to figure out that one, but just got an injection of steroids into my inner ear (ouch), and am going back to the docs today to take another hearing test to find out if the injection helped.

Anyway, YES, I have noticed an occasional choking feeling for about 16 months. And, similar to another message board, I was eating tunafish when it occurred. Initially, I had a barium x-ray to see what was going on; negative results. The ENT did discover that my uvula was enlarged. For about 4 years, I've been treated for high BP, by the way.

Keep posting folks - this is really helpful. Just knowing that there are others out there doing this helps.

Jack

[springs]

I have just been diagnosed with hashi's but had/have(?) graves also. I'm still testing with new dr. but this morning I wake up for first time ever with a feeling of someone's hands around my neck. This is so frustrating. I have been two years of ups, downs, horrific anxiety. What next?

[laxfifi8]

so good to see other people having similar issues. (well not good that other people are having these issues- just glad to see i'm not the only one)...I have been having high antibody results for a few years and was just recently diagnosed with hashimoto's after the third endo i went to did a sonogram and saw 'honeycombing.' i never could figure out why my boyfriend wouldn't take a sip of his drink till the end of a meal and i'd already be done with 2 full (and BIG) glasses of a drink because if i don't take a sip after pretty much every bite i feel like i'm choking and can't swallow at all. i'm hoping once i'm done with finals and start levathyroxine that and other symptoms will subside somewhat. haha just glad to see other people having that "SO I'M NOT CRAZY!!?" revelation like i've had recently.

[RoseSky10]

I originally came to this site with the intention of asking for doctor recommendations, but then this thread caught my eye....one thing I've learned about auto-immune diseases is that if you have one, your chance of having another is greatly increased. There are certain auto-immunes that tend to group together also....Myasthenia Gravis is a neuro-muscular auto-immune disorder that causes all kinds of muscle weakness. One of the common symptoms is trouble swallowing. From what I've read on MG, it is one of the auto-immune disorders that likes to travel along with Hashimoto's. Some other common symptoms can be facial weakness, double vision, droopy eye, general muscle fatique. That might be something for some of you to look into, if you haven't already....

[Andros]

I originally came to this site with the intention of asking for doctor recommendations, but then this thread caught my eye....one thing I've learned about auto-immune diseases is that if you have one, your chance of having another is greatly increased. There are certain auto-immunes that tend to group together also....Myasthenia Gravis is a neuro-muscular auto-immune disorder that causes all kinds of muscle weakness. One of the common symptoms is trouble swallowing. From what I've read on MG, it is one of the auto-immune disorders that likes to travel along with Hashimoto's. Some other common symptoms can be facial weakness, double vision, droopy eye, general muscle fatique. That might be something for some of you to look into, if you haven't already....

RoseSky10...............welcome. How right you are. I had what is referred to as Pseudo Myasthenia Gravis meaning that I did not test positive for the antibodies. It was a secondary condition to the primary condition of Graves' Disease.

OMG!!! I could not breathe as the muscles supporting the lungs were kapooey, Bladder and Uterus prolapsed in addition to which I could not walk up 2 steps much less consider a flight of stairs. It was horrible and scary.

Do you have this now? Or have you had it? Did you test positive for the Acetylcholine receptor antibodies?

Andros

[RoseSky10]

Yes, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis a couple of months ago. My diagnosis was easy as my Acetylcholine receptor antibody level was over 200.I'm still trying to figure the whole MG thing out. I don't really have too much trouble with it right now. I've had sporadic double vision and one episode of some facial weakness. The double vision is what led to the diagnosis. I'm in the wait and see stage right now. I haven't been able to find anyone else with a positive diagnosis and no symptoms, but the doc said it's possible I might not get any worse. I did find one person who tells of sporadic symptoms like mine for about 2 years after diagnosis and then wham! All hell broke lose....

[Andros]

Yes, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis a couple of months ago. My diagnosis was easy as my Acetylcholine receptor antibody level was over 200.I'm still trying to figure the whole MG thing out. I don't really have too much trouble with it right now. I've had sporadic double vision and one episode of some facial weakness. The double vision is what led to the diagnosis. I'm in the wait and see stage right now. I haven't been able to find anyone else with a positive diagnosis and no symptoms, but the doc said it's possible I might not get any worse. I did find one person who tells of sporadic symptoms like mine for about 2 years after diagnosis and then wham! All hell broke lose....

Oh, my gosh. Well, I do have good news for you. "If" you can find a good doc who is willing to keep your TSH suppressed and your FT3 and FT4 @ mid-range or a bit higher, that should suppress the antibodies.

I have Lupus and that is how my doctor keeps the Lupus antibodies very very quiet.

Andros

[RoseSky10]

Great - thanks for the info! I'm supposed to speak with my neurologist in the morning to go over my chest CT. One of the things I was going to ask him then was if there is any significance to the antibody level. I've only seen him one time so far and I was too much in shock still to do more than nod and agree. I know they diagnose patients with MG even if they don't have antibodies present but I have no idea if the level means anything above and beyond getting the diagnosis....

[Andros]

Great - thanks for the info! I'm supposed to speak with my neurologist in the morning to go over my chest CT. One of the things I was going to ask him then was if there is any significance to the antibody level. I've only seen him one time so far and I was too much in shock still to do more than nod and agree. I know they diagnose patients with MG even if they don't have antibodies present but I have no idea if the level means anything above and beyond getting the diagnosis....

In most cases, the levels of antibodies can and do suggest how sick the patient might or might not be. Also, it is good to get a "baseline" and have them checked periodically to see if they are responding to medical intervention.

Our bodies are like a concert in symphony. If one note is sour, sometimes the rest of the notes crash and burn too. Often times, treating one medical problem (in this case the thyroid), can lend it's self to the body going into healing mode.

It is very very important that you get to the euthyroid state (where you feel well) and that your TSH, FT4 and FT3 are where they are good for you.

And I always recommend that the patient start their own file for lab results. This way you can track your own progress. I take a stamped, self-addressed envelope with me each time I get labs and they are sent to me in a timely fashion.

Andros