hyperthyroidism, high bp, and strange lump on my neck

[jellydunbar]

I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about a month and a half ago and don't have insurance (working on it) so I haven't been able to do anything about it. Then went to a clinic to be checked on, appt set by hospital, I usually run about 110/62 bp and I was up to 142/86 she gave me blood pressure meds but my mom said I shouldn't take them. (she's a nurse 25+yrs). So the day before yesterday after eating a potato bread roll I feel a lump swell up at the meet up of my head to neck on my right side. It worried me at how it got so big so fast and made me feel like something was compressing my windpipe from the outside. I tried not to worry and went to bed. In the morning I could still feel the lump but it was considerably smaller and only hurt if I touched it or turned my head to far. I didn't eat until that night at dinner and after two bites it was double the size again. I couldn't finish eating without alot of pain and pressure. I drank some hot tea and it went down again but still hurt. Nothing else bothers it. I am a smoker and anytime I have a cold or throat issues smoking hurts but not with this. Soda coffee cigarettes talking yelling laughing none really hurts unless I'm putting pressure on the bump. Today when I tried to eat dinner the compressing feeling moved not just to my windpipe but now my lower jaw underneath my tongue. The pressure was almost unbearable. I had a strong urge to want to pop it like a zit. I had my tonsils out in '97 so I really don't know. I've also noticed I have been getting a different cold every single week. Like my immune system just stopped working. My mother always says my problems are nothing so I'm always hesitant to see a doctor but this is the same person who let me walk around with a broken arm for seven days before she believed it was bad enough and ignored my complaints of ovarian pain for so long by the time I got checked out my doctor had to have her rush me to the hospital cuz I had a 7 sonometer cyst on my ovary so I don't know if it's nothing or if I need to go to the hospital because I can't see a doctor. Please help

[Red_Star]

I had enlarged lymph nodes in my neck when Graves antibodies showed up. I didn't notice this symptom when I was hyperthyroid (not due to Graves).  I caught everything going around when I had severe vitamin D deficiency.  I had a look online and found this article by Thyroid For Dummies, 2nd Edition: Noting the Signs and Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism...

"You may feel lymph glands all over your body, because Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease and the lymph system is a key player in autoimmunity. Your tonsils, which are part of the lymph system, are also enlarged.

There are other possible reasons for the enlargement of lymph glands that are more serious than Graves' disease, so if you experience this, see your doctor."

Check the link for another answer of mine on conventional and alternative treatments for Graves...

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/Alternative-treatment-for-Graves-disease/show/2569670

[goolarra]

Another possibility is a blocked salivary gland.  Very painful.  Try eating something like a pickle that usually makes you salivate to see if that causes the reaction.

[jellydunbar]

I had my tonsils removed in 97. And I can't go to a doctor right now. It's either the hospital or wait another 6weeks for my clinic appointment. I need to know which I should do

[jellydunbar]

Also, UPDATE. This morning I woke up and couldn't feel the bump at all and thought it went away so I ate and it flared up again and I knew what happened it has moved up and to the left towards my ear. So now I barely feel it against my windpipe and only can feel about half of it from the outside on my neck and now if I stick my finger under the right side of my tongue I can feel the top of the lump. And the pressure is now horrible under my tongue and jaw.

Also it flares up over any food. Not just salty stuff. It flared up today from just chewing gum.

[goolarra]

Since eating seems to make it flare up, I'm going with the blocked salivary gland.  Anything that makes you salivate will cause severe pain if the duct from the salivary gland is plugged.  This can happen with any food (or chewing gum).  The more a food makes you salivate (like pickles), the worse the pain.  Get it checked out...no sense being in pain for 6 weeks until your appointment.  

[Davis_Owen]

When my Graves was severe, I developed a large goiter on the front of my neck. basically in my case, it was the swelling of lymph nodes around my thyriod and it did get so swollen so quickly that it was hard to bed my head to look down, and sometimes made it hard to eat. With medication we were able to reduce the size and then altogether it seemed to disappear. This time lapse was about 5 years and eventually just by changing my routine and diet I have managed to keep it from flaring up too much, however sometimes depending on my stress levels, my activity level and my diet, it does flare up from time to time. My recommendation is to change up the routine and keep a journal of the reactions and what you did/ate during the day. It will take some time, but eventually you'll see some patterns. I also use altoids/mints instead of gum. Every case is different, such is the biology from person to person, so do some research and keep a journal, and you should find out what works best for you.