i feel like a tight band in my neck

You should probably stretch more often, your neck is probably very tense right now because of the tension

I had a my thyroid gland removed in 2005 and haven't had a moments peace since. It began with tightness at the incision site, feeling like someone had a rope tied around my neck or maybe it was sewn too tight. I was prescribed muscle relaxers (Baclofen and eventually Soma) which provided enough relief for me to function and sometimes even forget about it for a few hours. In the last year it has gotten so bad that I feel like I'm going to go out of my mind! The feeling of being strangled is now almost constant and it's spread up in to the whole left side of my neck up to under my jawbone causing what feels like a knot or swollen node and down behind my collarbone feeling like something is being pulled downwards. I had many tests done in the first years after the surgery and even consulted with the associate of my surgeon who had since retired a year after the surgery who told me to do stretching exercises and that should help but it never did. I've had an ENT a few yrs after and several MRI's, one just last August, that didn't show anything and am about to have another ENT next month but doubt that will show anything either. I saw postings on this site under Pain and Tightness after thyroid removal with many other ppl experiencing the same symptoms and having had dozens of tests and seen 2 dozen doctors in some cases with no explanation ever found. Patients were either sent to shrinks or prescribed Xanax, which does help but it's very hard to get a high enough dosage from my doctor because they can become addictive and are really only meant for short term use. With the added issues of anxiety and insomnia that I've had for over 30 yrs, 1 mg per day of Xanax a day is a joke! If you ask for them and the Soma you're treated like a drug seeking piece of dirt or at least I have been and because I only have medicaid I feel like I get as little care as possible on top of everything else. I have cried myself to sleep many nights wishing I wouldn't wake up the next day because I have no quality of life anymore, I'm merly existing from day to day. Does anybody have any ideas or advice on what more I can do to get help? I'm desperate beyond belief to just feel normal again without any medications.

Okay. WOW. You really need to go to the doctor about this as soon as you can. I am surprised nothing has happened.. So far it is sounds okay, since there has been major issues with it. I would go get it check out because your neck has all the major routes of your veins O_O..... maybe it is that your sleeping on your neck wrong or something with your veins.... i don't have the answer, but you should go to the doctor since it could either be a small thing or A HUGE THING. Good Luck!

Btw that last post by the guest was me, i forgot to log in ^_^"?

That's just it, I have been to many different doctors and had lots of tests done. I had an MRI back in August that didn't show anything. I'm scheduled to have and ENT done next month but am not holding my breath that it will show anything either. Now that I understand more about what they have to do to remove the gland, cutting thru 4 layers of muscle ect..and remembering back to my endo commenting on what a "narley" (her word) mess it was getting it out, I have to wonder if damage was done to the surrounding areas when they removed it. There are also so many things I wasn't told like to do the stretching exercises and massaging the scar for instance. I'm not sure if it's scar tissue which is a possibility but something is wrong with the tendon, again maybe damaged but that seems to be the source of the pain that radiates down behind my collarbone. It's very frustrating because since they can't find any concrete reason, they treat you like it's in your head. One doctor tried to put me on anti-depressants, this is how ignorant they are. I have a good primary finally and he's trying to help but there's only so much he can do besides give me drugs. If only I could find a specialist who had ever dealt with anything like this but so far no luck. I'm also seeing my endo next month, whom I haven't seen since a few years after the surgery hoping she may be able to shed more light on how bad my surgery really was. I was without ins for a couple yrs and am basically starting all over again only now with much worse symptoms.

I think you should simply tell your doctor, who recommended or the surgeon. What has happened, when it started, how it has gotten worse, where it has gotten worse& other places, what the feelings& pain you have gotten since, other places where it has caused other places in your body to also hurt. You should probably tell them the next time you visit! Good luck (: Hope this helps& hope you get well soon! (:

Thank you very much for kind words and well wishes. I am lucky to finally have my ins back and a good primary who knows my history since I had been seeing him at a free clinic he runs for the last 3 yrs when I didn't have the ins. There was just nothing he could do for me then but make sure I had my meds. I've only had the ins back for a couple months and he's already done a full panel of blood work, had me see the surgeon and set up appts for the ENT and a new consult with my original endo, whom I greatly respect and she actually has thyroid issues herself and helped me as much as she could when I was seeing her before. There's just been so little research in this area in the last 3 decades and the blood tests aren't even accurate. My levels tested normal when I had the 11 goiters if that tells you anything. They were only discovered by Ultrasound, which is what I plan to ask for next if the ENT doesn't show anything. If damage was done to the muscles or tendon, I'm not sure there's any way to test for that but that's another route I'm going to pursue as well as physical therapy. I will go to a dozen doctors if I have to until I get some help or at least find some better way to get more relief if I end up having to live with it, which I pray doesn't happen but I have to be realistic. I will post as my appts progress to let you know if I get any answers or better help. I wasn't sure if anyone even followed this thread since many postings seemed to be older. Thanks again for your concern, it's very kind of you =)