Just wanted to alert some of you to the possibility of an under active thyroid, a few years after radiation treatment for the head and neck. I have had a difficult couple of months with various 'odd' symptoms, some too personal too mention here. But this came to a head when about 3 weeks ago when I realised that for sometime I had been feeling as if I was choking.

In October my blood had been taken to check if it was deficient in some vitamin/mineral because for most of this year the corners of mouth have been cracked, then heal, then crack again. This test revealed a borderline white blood cell count and an appointment was made for me to see the hospital dietician in case I was missing a specific vitamin.

In the meantime I developed a very nasty one sided throat and ulcer at the side back of my tongue and one on the front side of the tongue itself. I felt as if there was not so much a lump in my throat, but more something like a hair stuck and catching. I also had a 9mm blood blister appear inside my cheek and had a thick feeling to my tongue.

This throat seemed different than the usual sore throat so what with this borderline white blood count and the throat and tongue all preying on my mind (terrified again – you know how it is) after waiting a few days I rang for an appointment with my ENT consultant for a week later for the first available clinic.

In the interim I went to the GP who prescribed some antibiotics. I also had a blood test for my thyroid function the same day. I always bring this up as a possibility as I was told to watch this by the oncology consultant 4 years ago. She said the thyroid often fails about 3 years after radiotherapy treatment.

I felt slightly better after the antibiotics and they ended the day before I visited the consultant. I was very worried though and felt quite unwell. I still had the choking catch feeling and then saw the consultant who after using the scope and doing a physical exam of the tongue said he felt things were fine. But he checked out my blood test on the computer and noted my TSH was elevated and suggested some thyroxine. So the following day the GP prescribed some and lo and behold in the space of just about 3 days the choking feeling subsided. Now a week later things feel normal again. I was also prescribed strong Vitamin B tablets at the suggestion of the dietician after supplying a weekly food diary. Folks I rarely eat bread or cereal and this may be where I missed the Vitamin B. The combination of lack of Vitamin B has tipped me over. Yes I have taken multi vits and zinc but obviously needed some neat vit B.

This hypothyroid change has obviously happened since the spring when I was last tested for TSH etc. It’s amazing how fast time flies. Now having checked the internet I can relate to various under active thyroid symptoms that have gradually happened in the past few months. Now it all makes sense again and I am convinced that the odd red rash I have been having on one side of my neck this past 2 months has all been due to an underactive thyroid. I have a follow up appointment in Jan with the ENT to see how it all is. Some of you may like me be several years post radiotherapy and need alerting to underactive thyroid symptoms.

Thanks, Pauline.

For those interested, here is a link to a previous threads on hypothyroidism.