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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Had Thyroid Treated With Radio Active Iodine. Why Was Voice Hoarse? Why Does Throat Hurt Now?

I had my thyroid treated with radio active iodine in 97. A few years ago I had an ultrasound done to see why my voice was hoarse, and the tech said I only have fragments of thyroid tissue left, but she did see a mass on the left side, this was only the tech, not a doctor. By the time the dr was able to connect me with a specialty dr, I lost my health coverage. Since then, my voice has become more hoarse, but most of all, I have a huge lump on the left side of my throat, and under my adams apple. It looks like a huge goiter , but it shouldn t be right? The lump on the left hurts sometimes, and the lump under my adams apple hurts when I touch it. So how do I know if it s scar tissue and would scar tissue make both side from top to bottom of my throat area large. Would could this be? I heard that the radio active iodine causes cancer of the thyroid cartiage. thank you
posted on Sun, 23 Sep 2012
Twitter Sun, 23 Sep 2012 Answered on
Twitter Mon, 24 Sep 2012 Last reviewed on
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Critical Care Specialist,  's  Response
Hi dear thanks for your question,first of all ,let me clear you that the way the radio active iodine is used for hyperthyroidism ,it doesn't cause cancer ,so relax ,sore throat is the side effect of radio active iodine therapy,Regarding enlargement of swelling in neck ,which your mentioning,there can be two reason for that No 1,it could be enlargement of he salivary gland,which is again side effect of radioactive iodine,or No2 it could be a goiter resulting from hypothyroidism caused by Radio active Iodine,which is again its side effect,The hoarseness of voice could be due paralysis or injury to recurrent laryngeal nerve ,,which supply the thyroid gland and it could be due to pressure of the swelling or again radio active iodine destroying the recurrent laryngeal nerve
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Had Thyroid Treated With Radio Active Iodine. Why Was Voice Hoarse? Why Does Throat Hurt Now?

Hi dear thanks for your question,first of all ,let me clear you that the way the radio active iodine is used for hyperthyroidism ,it doesn t cause cancer ,so relax ,sore throat is the side effect of radio active iodine therapy,Regarding enlargement of swelling in neck ,which your mentioning,there can be two reason for that No 1,it could be enlargement of he salivary gland,which is again side effect of radioactive iodine,or No2 it could be a goiter resulting from hypothyroidism caused by Radio active Iodine,which is again its side effect,The hoarseness of voice could be due paralysis or injury to recurrent laryngeal nerve ,,which supply the thyroid gland and it could be due to pressure of the swelling or again radio active iodine destroying the recurrent laryngeal nerve