Thyroid Cancer Support Group
Thyroid cancer is cancer of the thyroid gland. There are four forms: papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic. If you or anyone you know and love is affected by thyroid cancer, join this community to lean on the support and experiences of others.
I recently went to the doctor because I had a lump on my neck. I had an ultrasound and bloodwork. The bloodwork came back normal but the ultrasound showed three masses in my thyroid. The doctor said that two of the masses are just cysts but the third and biggest one looked suspicious so next week I have to go for a biopsy. The mass is pushing on my throat so it hurts to swallow and it is effecting my breathing. I dont know if this is the right place to ask for advice or not but I was just wondering if anyone had a similar situation. I am scared I will have to have it removed or worse off that it will be cancerous.I have had many health issues and surgeries because I have crohns disease, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis. I am sure everything will be fine but I do not know much about t his so I was wondering if anyone could give me some feedback. Thanks,
I actually told my doc on the OR table that he could go ahead and just take it all. I didn't want to go again for the right side. He told me he couldn't. My first surgery was a breeze. Scar line was almost nothing after a week. My second surgery has left me with an invaginated scar line that is extremely noticeable. I really don't care about scars. My calcium is crazy. Muscle cramps and headache galore.
All I can say is get ready for this roller coaster. Once it starts it's hard to slow it down!
I had my total thyroidectomy a week and a half ago. The reason he took the whole thing for me was not due to having a positive biopsy, but rather that my thyroid was nearly non-functional anyway. My TSH was over 9 and my Free T4 was only 0.3. I was hypothyroid from Hashimoto's so if they left a part I would still need a lot of replacement hormone anyway. I was pretty ill fom the Hashi's/hypo. A lot of my hair fell out, I lost almost all my eyebrows, super fatigued, muscle aches, swollen face and freezing all the time. I had nodules on both sides and they found cancer, not in the nodules, but in the thyroid itself.
I believe the reason they are not taking your whole thyroid is because yours is still functioning fine. I think it is always better for the body to receive it's own hormones than trying to replicate that with meds. Also, a total thyroidectomy is more complicated. My surgery took 4 hours and 15 minutes. The less time they have to keep you under, the better.
Good luck on Tuesday with your surgery. Just think, you will no longer have that pressure and pain on your neck.
I had my total thyroidectomy a week and a half ago. The reason he took the whole thing for me was not due to having a positive biopsy, but rather that my thyroid was nearly non-functional anyway. My TSH was over 9 and my Free T4 was only 0.3. I was hypothyroid from Hashimoto's so if they left a part I would still need a lot of replacement hormone anyway. I was pretty ill fom the Hashi's/hypo. A lot of my hair fell out, I lost almost all my eyebrows, super fatigued, muscle aches, swollen face and freezing all the time. I had nodules on both sides and they found cancer, not in the nodules, but in the thyroid itself.
I believe the reason they are not taking your whole thyroid is because yours is still functioning fine. I think it is always better for the body to receive it's own hormones than trying to replicate that with meds. Also, a total thyroidectomy is more complicated. My surgery took 4 hours and 15 minutes. The less time they have to keep you under, the better.
Good luck on Tuesday with your surgery. Just think, you will no longer have that pressure and pain on your neck.