Question: I have been diagnosed with a goiter. I am on Synthroid, but I am exhausted and weak. At times, I have problems swallowing, like there's a knot in my throat. But not all the time. What do you suggest? I am a 76-year-old female.
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
A goiter is a visibly enlarged thyroid. Synthroid is used to supplement thyroid hormone deficiency, and also is used to suppress TSH secretion to avoid stimulating further thyroid growth. Swallowing problems may occur when the thyroid continues to enlarge.
These swallowing problems are usually continuous, so an evaluation to check for other causes of swallowing difficult is in order. You may need to have an endoscopy and imaging by ultrasound or other techniques with swallowing studies may be needed to further evaluate your swallowing problems.
Excessive thyroid size is managed by removing thyroid tissue either by radioactive iodine or by surgical thyroid gland removal
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