Hi Chelpie. Your situation is very similar to mine. In early March during a routine gyno visit, she felt the nodule on my thyroid. It's pretty big; how I didn't notice it, I don't know. Hiding in plain site! I had an ultrasound that showed the big one (about 4cm) and a smaller one on the left side. I went to an ENT specialist who did two fine and one course needle biopsy on the nodule. The tests came back inconclusive. The doc said that I could keep coming back every three months for needle biopsies, but the results would likely be the same and that the nodule would probably grow. He said because of the compact follicular nature of the nodule, the only way to know for sure is to have the left half of my thyroid removed and send the nodule to the lab to be sliced and diced. After much consideration and research, I've decided to have the surgery and scheduled it for May 11. I have to know for sure. If it is follicular cancer, it can spread to the bones and lung, so I want to catch it. Plus, I didn't realize it, but the thing is causing me hypothyroid symptoms (I thought I was experiencing peri-menopause), and I can really feel it, like you, in my throat. I'm scared, obviously, that it might be cancer. I'm also scared because up until now I've enjoyed good health (I'll be 48 this month) and never had to take medication and never have had surgery (never even had a baby!). So, that's my story. Keep us posted on your biopsy.

Chelpie,
Once you get the results of the biopsy, your doctor will tell you what the next step is. You may just have to do repete screenings. Try not to worry about it until you know the results. I know, easy to say, but hard to do. Thyroid issues tend to run with autoimmune diseases. I have RA/Lupus overlap with secondary Sjogren's Syndrome. Now I've developed anti-thyroid antibodies in my 3 month check-up bloodwork and got diagnosed with Hashimoto's. Hang in there and best of luck to you.

Weezie-
Did they test your thyroid hormones and find that you are hypothyroid or do you just have the symptoms? I would think that if you are hypo and your thyroid not functioning properly that they would just do a total thyroidectomy for you. I'm not a doctor, but there must be a good reason why they are trying to preserve your thyroid. At any rate, I think you could be experiencing a little hypo and a little perimenopause together. Hang in there and hope you are feeling well physically and emotionally!

Jo--The doc said my blood work was fine. I'm sure I'm perimeno, though! I wish I could have scheduled my surgery sooner. Worrying for a month is going to drive me crazy!

Yeah,
Wish I could have got mine done sooner, too! I had my ultrasound back in January. I had to wait 7 weeks for the Endo appt and then 3 weeks for the surgeon. Frustrating! Ever since I've had the autoimmune probs, it's been nothing BUT wait to see specialists. Then wait 12 weeks to see if medication works! You'd think I'd be used to it by now. Can't think about anything but the darn thyroid.

Jo--Thanks for the pic of your lumpy neck. I am not alone!!! Bless!

Hi Chelpie. I too had a lump on my thyroid. I felt it move when I swallowed. I never had problems swallowing though but everyone is different. I had a fine needle biopsy back in December and the results came back "suspicious." I had a total thyroidectomy on January 9th of this year. It was diagnosed with papillary cancer. I didn't have any systems at all. When I had my surgery, I had a double vocal chord paralysis which is very uncommon. I still don't have all of my voice back yet but I am hoping. I go for my RAI (radioactive iodine) treatment on April 17 and 18 to kill any thyroid cells that might be left.

It is best that you do have the biopsy just to make sure. I don't know how you are with needles. I am a freak. I made myself in kind of la-la land which helped me a great deal.

I found my tennis ball lump when putting on a windsor tie and not being able to button the shirt. My snoring had gotten so bad I had to sleep on a Murphy bed with the dog. I thought it was cyst and went to get drained. Ultrasound tech acted so strange I should of know it wasn't good.
My surgeon basically said we could biopsy or not but it has to come out. I said just take it. Well, I don't snore anymore and I feel better. Yeah it's cancer but Freakin out about isn't gonna help me get better.
Good luck. I hope it is a good prognosis for you.

Thanks everyone. I had the biopsy done and I called for the results last week and they told me that they got what they needed but they had to send it away to a pathologist for further evaluation which I guess could take up to a week. I'm not really sure what this means but I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to discuss the results and what the next step will be. I am hoping that I have my results back by then because I just want to know. After thinking about it I think I may suggest getting the lump removed even if my biopsy comes back good because the lump is causing so much discomfort. I will keep you updated when I get my results back. Hope you are all doing well. Thanks again!

Hi Chelpie. Good luck with your results. It took awhile to get my results back also. Mine came back "suspicious" for papillary cancer. It did turn out to be cancer so I did have my whole thyroid taken out. I am glad I did it because it is now gone. I don't mind taking a synthyroid the rest of my life. I would rather swallow a little pill than having to worry about the cancer. Keep us posted on your results!!!

Well I went in for my results of my biopsy today and the doctor told me the cells came back abnormal and it was inconclusive. The doctor took one look at my neck along with the results and said I needed to meet with a surgeon immediately because of how much the mass had grown since he last saw me and because it was obstructing my breathing and swallowing. It hurts everytime i move and swallow and makes it impossible to sleep because it is so uncomfortable. He kept repeating that this was not good and that I needed to have it removed as soon as possible. He explained to the surgeons that I needed an appointment tomorrow because this was urgent. His reaction and the urgency of what was happening really scared me. It is also stressful not knowing for sure if it is cancer or not. He said they will be able to tell once I have it removed and test it that way but how long before I get those results back...waiting is no fun. I'm trying not to worry but today came as a little bit of a shock. I did not think things would happen this fast and it couldn't have came at a worse time...i have finals this week.

I know exactly how you feel. At the time of surgery the removed section will have a cold culture exam. This is by NO means accurate. I was told I hadn't a bit of cancer only to be told three days later the full pathology report came by with cancer. Then onto an additional surgery to remove the rest of the thyroid.
My advice to get rid of the darn thing. It's a fairly simple surgery for experienced surgeons. Make sure that the DR doing the surgery does them on a regular basis. Don't won't to wake up with no voice ans severed nerves. Good luck.

Thanks, i have an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow. I am a little worried because all of the experienced surgeons couldn't get me in until the end of May just for the consultation and I can't wait that long as it is causing me so much pain and discomfort. I havent slept in three days because it hurts so bad so threre is no way I would make it that long, plus doc said this was urgent. I just hope everything comes out ok. Is it common to wake up with no voice and damaged nerves? espically with a surgeon who is not experienced in this sort of surgery?

I was told that if a Dr performed less than 500 thyroid surgeries a year he would be considered mildly experienced. Basically what that is saying is the only way for large numbers would be a university setting hospital.
As far as common problems, they should be using an endotracheal tube with nerve monitoring systems to make sure they don't snip anything. Anything can happen I guess. As far as surgery goes this an easy surgery to perform. I woke up just fine. I have a unique problem where pain meds don't work on me. I have to live through the pain. It subsided after two days. The worst for me is the weight gain and fatigue. Keep your mind and thoughts positive!!!Good luck!

Hi Chelpie! Not to worry you about the surgery but I did have both vocal chords paralyzed after the surgery. My surgeon does alot of surgeries and never had this happen before. I was a case that just happened. My ENT doctor was also baffled. I do have one vocal chord working now. I have to see my ENT on May 7th for a scope to see about the other chord. Nothing was snipped during the surgery. I now sound like "Minnie Mouse" which is an improvement from not speaking at all unless I took a deep breath to make sound but then I would get dizzy. Right now I am playing it day-to-day. I hope to have my voice back sooner than later. Don't worry about it during surgery. You might be a little hoarse.

Well my surgery is tuesday. He is only removing the left side of my thyroid because he said the nodules on the right side are small. He said if it comes back cancerous he will then remove the right side. If i am only having a left thyroid lobectomy does that mean I will need to take medicine or is that only when the whole thyroid is removed? will i have to see an Endo doctor after this? I know nothing about thiss and the surgery I am about to have. I am getting this done at a small hospital and I don't think my surgeon is very experienced but I have no choice so i'm being positive that everything will come out good. I wish he would just take the whole thing out so I don't have to worry about having an issue with the nodules on that side in the furture, or if it is cancer it has to come out anyways. is there a reason they leave half of the thyroid if its possible?