Does this sound like cancer

[GuineaPigs8]

I have had a nodule in both lobes of my thyroid for 3 months now.The right side has grown fron 1 cm to 2.5 cm X 1.5 cm in1 month the left nodule is 1 cm X 1cm. I have dropped 20 lbs., I am exhausted all th time, my neck hurts, my salivary glands under my jaw are enlarged and have lumps. My Dr. did a lot of blood work and my thyroid levels came back way low- .012. He sent me immediately to a Surgeon who did a fine nedle biopsy in the office-OUCH.I had a chest X-ray-normal, an ultrasoud, and a barium swallow.I am scheduled for a thyroid scan on Tuesday-Monday I have to go for more blood work and to take th radioactive pill for the scan on Tuesday.My Physicians Assistant - my PCM was evasive, and admitted it could be cancer.The surgeon that performed the biopsy was not much more encouraging-he said that at leastif you have to have cancewr, this is the best one to have as it is easily curable.I have no risk factors-never smoked or drank.An advice woould be appreciated as I am freaking out and need to prepare my children that I could be sick-1 is 15, the other is 8.


This discussion is related to Slightly low TSH results....What does this mean for the future?.

[redheadaussie]

Hi, I am sorry to hear you are having a hard time of it. Your TSH shows you are hyperthyroid, and that's more than likely why you lost the weight.
  It is likely that it could be a cancer as they do grow fast. If it is a cancer, then the doctor is right, it is a cancer that is normally treatable. There can be difficulties in treating it, but generally the results are very good. There are many on this forum who have had to have treatment, and are still with us. I personally had a type of pre-cancer which resulted in having the thyroid totally removed surgically.
It can be very scary to go through this, but rest assured the size of the nodule is indicative also if it is a cancer or not, Generally anything under 4cms has a higher patient survivability than over 4cms. Yours are under 4cms.
  I am pleased your doctor is very pro-active and got you to see a surgeon immediately. Many of us here have had to wait months to see anyone, so you are in a good position for treatment.
  Your children will have picked up by now you are not well, kids are very perceptive. We can't protect them 100% of the time and you need to be honest in how you tell them you are having problems. My son was nearly 15 and he saw me go to doctor's appointments, the exhaustion, etc...Yes, he was upset when I said I might have cancer, but he also said he appreciated me keeping him informed the whole time and not pretending everything was ok.
  Good luck!
  

[stella5349]

You may want to do some general reading on Papillary Carcimona. I AM NOT suggusting you DO have cancer - but it sounds like this is what your doctor and the surgeon are trying to rule out.

As Red said - many here have had this situation come there way - You WILL find in the reading about this particular situation - that this is 97.5 % treatable and many surgeons that handle thyroid issues like this are very through in their treatment plan.

A few names here you may want to talk with - if you are wanting to find some peace of mind are Utahmomma - Kipland and another Co Leader here Chitchatnine. There are many others too - but I am most familiar with them and know there situations inside out.

You keep posting as many times as you want to. This is what these boards are for. Don't worry about anything and just keep asking everything a dozens times over if you need to.

Your other post about the scan and RAI  I answered too.

Let us now what is said after Tuesday