. My story started in may 2020, swollen neck and I didnt actually feel very well. Any way I couldnt even get a doctor call back, just a nurse who fobbed off me for 3 weeks.  Then I had follow up telephone consulatation with my rheumotologist (have retinal vasculitis) and I mentioned to her about my throat area and voice change, she told me to call my Gp staright away (in which I did).  I got the extremley rude nurse again who said ' I do not undertand the concept of what you are asking'.  To me didnt make sense, I said my throat is still swollen and she still refused to have me seen and said she would have to confrim with the rheumotologist that I need to be seen by a GP! I just could not get an appointment. Any way a week went by and then I get a voicemail, Ive heard back from the rheumotology dept but we still feel that you do not require to be seen but I was more than welcome to send in photos.  So I took a pictures and sent them in, again no reply so 2 weeks later (throat area worse with swelling and having problems swallowing) so I sent more photos asking ' Is this okay?'.  Then I get a text message 'Ive arrange an ultrasound'.  So I waited and waited 2months later, still nothing. By this time having real problems swallowing and felt crap. I rang the doctors and demanded a GP call back, finally I get one of the partners and he sent me straight to A and E.  Where I get admitted, the blood they took showed I had an infection, dehydrated (due struggling to swallow fluids) and high levels in my kidneys. So ended up on a drip. I was seen by the on call ENT specialist who said I need to be scanned with in the next 10 days and I wouldbe sent an appiontment, which came through for 7 weeks time!  Had ultrasound and saw a consultant who probably had more time for her haidresser.  All i got was you have 2 growths but we dont feel a biopsy needs to be done, however we cant guarantee they wont turn cancerous (her way of covering her back) and I was sent on my way.  She didnt care that I was getting repeated infections and dehydrated through swalling issues.

I ended up back n A and E 4 weeks later with sever swelling around my thyroid and glands and I truly felt  terrible with these consistent painful palpations. I saw an attentive ENT on call doctor who promised they would get me back in and investigate with biopsies etc.  This never happened, I had an ultra sound which now showed in the space of 4 weeks Id gone fron two nodules too several!  Then I get a phonecall to say my appontment had been changed to a telephone consultation.  I get this extremely rude ENT consultant who just signed me of the system.  He didnt care that I was having these swollen glands and infections (which Ive never had an infection in my life and was on my 5th course of antibiotics since July, he just said it was 'unfortunate but not his place to investigate'! I could of cried.  So I am sat here with this throbbing in my glands, even bigger swelling which I can only presume the growths are still growing and do not Know who to turn too. So I got lied to in A and E just so they could get me out under there cut off time, where they promised to investigate and I didnt even get to see the ENT consultant.  I am not in a finacial position to go private but even my GP was dismayed as to why even knowing the growths are getting bigger and the problems swollwing why I am being left.

I cant lay in bed and look down because the swelling pushes up under my Jaw and it is just so uncomfortable. I feel like I am being constantly strangled and I am always being asked do I have a sore throat because my voice has become so hoarse.  Swallowing is such an issue, more so with water, it gets stuck sometimes that I have to to tap the front of my throat for it to go down. 

Also my Jaw under my chin now hurts,  I even went and had my teeth xrayed just to make sure I had no infections coming from there (even thoug I do. ot have tooth ache or anything).  I am just so desperate to get sorted, Id happily be a guineapig for Thyroid Research if it meant I could be sorted.

Is anyone else having the same battle with the NHS?