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Avatar universal

Just remove it?

I have given up trying to post in the "Experts' forum, as it is closed every day.  I would appreciate any advice anyone may have.  I recently saw an ENT after an ultra sound revealed thyroid nodules.  Apparently, each lobe has been basically replaced with a 3+cm.. nodule.  My only symptoms are occasional mild hoarseness, and a stiff neck (side to side.)  My Doctor says the stiff neck is unrelated, in spite of my having read that others have complained of the same problem.

I have been Hypo for 7 years, taking 175mc of levothyroxine.  The Ent says we can do one of two things;
Biopsy,which may necessitate removal, or just remove it.  He asks if the FNA reveals that the nodules are benign, would I be content to leave them, and continue to monitor annually without worry?  Or, because my thyroid is not functioning anyway, remove it and know for certain.  I am leaning towards removal, but I am a singer and have a slight concern about vocal cord damage.  He says he performs about a hundred of these surgeries a year, and has not damaged any yet.  He does state that there are no guarantees however.  I appreciate any help that might be offered.

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Avatar universal
I am in pretty much the same boat as Lanoah, I had four nodules, three on the right and one on the left.  I am also a singer and a voice teacher, so my voice was an important factor.  I had a lobectomy first to see if I could keep the left side with one nodule in tact, and preserve thyroid function while hoping my hoarseness and swallowing issues could be solved.  The surgery was a success, I was singing after a few days, no longer getting hoarse and the swallowing issues disappeared.  The only bummer is that they found cancer, so I had to have the TT.  ALL MY HORMONES WERE NORMAL, and I still had cancer.  My surgeon knew I was a singer, so he left a thin film of thyroid tissue around my vocal nerves so I would not loose vocal function. I did not have any troubles with my voice after surgery, only when I had to undergo hypothyroidism prior to the RAI did I get hoarse again, that was temporary.  Don't fear the surgery if you have an experienced surgeon and he knows that you are a singer.  They will take extra precautions to preserve your voice.  
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168348 tn?1379357075
Hi,  I know there a few members who have come to our community with side effects from surgery .. but then again, these patients will seek info sometimes moreso than another whose surgery went w/o complication.  So don't get too worried as you read the posts here .. more have issues than not and seek help.

I would definitely have the nodule biopsied.  There's some great info at top in our Health Pages about FNA and what to expect, etc.

It's also fine to get more than one opinion regardless of the outcome

Welcome to our community and keep in touch.

Dr. Lupo's forum only takes "x" # of posts per day.

C~
partial 1/07
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Avatar universal
HELLO.  I GOT MY THYROIDS REMOVED IN NOV/08 BECAUSE AN ENT FOUND A NODULE UPON EXAMINATION.  HE REFERED ME SO I GOT A FINE ASPIRATION NEEDLE BIOBSY. THE BIOBSY WAS POSITIVE FOR PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER.  MY TSH, T3 AND T4 WERE ALWAYS NORMAL, BUT I HAD CANCER.  IT IS TRUE WHAT YOU HEARD ABOUT THE OPERATION.  YOU HAVE TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL IF YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE SUCH A PROCEDURE.  IT HAS TO BE AN EXPERT HEAD AND NECK SURGEON, ONE THAT HAS PRACTICE THIS KIND OF OPERATION LOTS AND LOTS OF TIMES.  YOU CAN GET PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE VOCAL CORD AND OTHER PARTS THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO SING.  EVEN IF THE OPERATION IS A SUCESS YOUR VOICE CAN CHANGE FOR A WHILE.  THAT HAPPENED TO ME.  THE SURGEON WHO OPERATED ME IS AN EXPERT, HE'S AND OLD DOCTOR WITH LOTS OF EXPERIENCE AND THIS TYPE OF SURGERY.  HE EXPLAINED  EVERYTHING VERY WELL.  WHEN I GOT OUT OF SURGERY I WAS ASKING MYSELF IF HE DID OPERATE ME.  I DIDN'T FEEL ANY PAIN. I KNEW I HAD THE SURGERY BECAUSE I HAD A TUBE STIKING OUT OF THE NECK SO THE BLOOD COULD DRAIN INSIDE THE RECIPIENT. I GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL THE NEXT DAY.
YOU SHOULD EVALUATE YOUR SITUATION. THE DOCTORS CAN MONITOR THE NODULES IF THE FNA BIOBSY COMES OUT NEGATIVE ORDERING SONOGRAMS OF THE THYROID, CT SCAN OF THE NECK WITH AND WITHOUT CONTRAST, MRI OF THE NECK WITH GADOLINIUM OR  THYROID SCAN. EVERY YEAR IT SHOULD BE CLOSELY MONITORED.  I KNOW AN INTERNAL MEDICINE DOCTOR THAT HAS A THYROID DISORDER AND STILL HAS HER THYROID.  GOOD LUCK. IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE WEBSITE AND LOOK FOR THYROID DISEASES.
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