A woman has shared her harrowing ordeal after having to fork out £10,000 to remove an overactive thyroid – leaving her at high-risk of losing her voice forever.
Claire Madsen, an avid member of the choir, was left with the life-changing decision to make.
But as a result of being diagnosed with graves’ disease, an immune disorder that causes an overproduction of thyroid hormones, and her condition rapidly declining, time was running out.
READ MORE: Professional cuddler charges strangers £70-per-hour to overcome stress with hugs
- Advertisement -
She also had to dip into her savings for the eye-watering cost to have the removal procedure done privately, as NHS waiting times were “too long” due to Covid.
And while the disease isn’t fatal, without treatment, life expectancy decreases significantly.
“I didn’t want my life to be over – but I also didn’t want to give up something I loved,” the retiree, from Kent, told What’s The Jam.
“I was horrified that I wouldn’t be able to talk or sing again.
“It was a terrifying outcome to face.
- Advertisement -
“But when I woke up, it was still there – just very different from what I remembered.
“I didn’t recognise it at all and I started talking in a deeper, richer voice.
“At first, I was devastated, as I just wanted to be back to normal.
- Advertisement -
“But then I realised how great my singing was.
“I had belonged to a choir for two years and thought I’d have to quit because of my husky voice – but this wasn’t the case at all.
“It was the silver lining in a stream of horror.”
Claire, 60, who received the aforementioned diagnosis in 2022, said the first hint was rapidly losing weight.
The retiree lost three stone in three months, despite still having a “hearty” appetite.
She and her husband, Mark, 70, also noticed that many of her facial features had started to “bulge out” – including her eyes – as a result of her muscles being “attacked” by her thyroid.
Claire said: “I felt like my body was betraying me.
“I thought it was due to the stress of us only just moving to a new house.
“But then my husband asked if I was giving him a dirty look – which prompted me to seek medical advice.
“While there, they told me that if I left things any longer, that I’d be at imminent risk of having a heart attack.”
Now, despite being left with an altered voice and noticeable scar since her surgery in April 2023, she’s hoping to share her story to warn others of the signs.
She added: “I’ve kept my resilience to help stay positive throughout all of this.
“It’s been a tough battle, but one that I’m proud to say I’ve come out on the other side of.
“I hope my story serves as a warning to anyone, even just one person, to never take any unexplained symptoms for nothing.
“Always get help before it’s too late.
“My body was declining rapidly and if I hadn’t got surgery when I did, my reality would be very different.
“Now I have a strong voice and an even stronger mind.”
READ MORE: ‘I thought I was allergic to the gym – but it was eczema cream withdrawal’
