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Large Thyroid Nodule Benign Should I Go Foward with Surgery
I have a 3.2 cm thyroid nodule on the left side that is compressing in my throat causing me difficuly in breathe. I have been hoarse and loosing my voice periodically (majority of time) for 3 weeks. When I speak I loose my voice quickly. The CT scan showed the tumor and then we had an US and biospy. The tumor is both mass and cystic. The FNA said benign. The thyroid doctor said that it is not causing the symptoms that I have, because the thyroid is working properly, but we can remove it if it makes me feel better. She said it would be elective. I have had the symptoms for a month. I am concerned that the FNA is a false negative and they may find something if I proceed with surgery. I am having trouble sleeping, because I wake weasing and choking on flem. Activity makes breathing and hoarseness worse. I am tired and no appetite. What should I do? Do I need a second opinion? They are sending me to an ENT next. P.S. I had HPV cancer cells removed in 208 elsewhere, not in throat. Could the HPV manifest here too?
ENT confirmed no cancer on vocal chords Monday. ENT reccommends the tumor being removed The surgeon did not hesitate. I will have it removed the first week in November. We will then determine if it is still benign. I still have no voice, trouble breathing, pain in left side of neck, letf ear and back of neck on the left side. Not feeling very hopeful on the benign.
Sounds good. The CT with contrast was only for the throat region. I had asked if it looked at the lungs and they said specifically only the throat this time round.
Normally the chect CT scan with contrast should be able to indicate blood vessel wall defect but it also depends upon who revews it.
No. We did an ekg, because originally I thought they were early signs of a heart attack. Was fine against my baseline from 2010. Then we proceeded with the CT scan, found the nodule and did the biopsy.
Did the doctor take an image of your aorta to make sure there is no aneurism in the upper section of it??
I haven't been hungry, but eat because I know I should. If I eat a larger meal then yes, it is very uncomfortable and harder to breathe. The wheezing will worsen and squeezing is still there. I felt like I ate too much one night and tried to get sick to alleviate the pressure. I couldn't. The passage way seemed closed off on the left sde. Before I sneeze it feels very closed off on that side too, very restricted. I have a pro air inhaler that helps open the airway so I can breathe better at times. I doesn't last long. The squeezing is felt throughout the back of my neck, shoulder and whole left side of neck and head up past ear. I do know when the seatbelt was on it pressed it good and it now hurts much worse after an hour.
There is a “something” in upper chest between the trachea and sternum based on the symptoms you described. Do such problems getting worse after meal??
If pressure on the nodule does not cause voice change it is likely not pushing on the nerve that controls voice and breathing.
The x-ray does not show nodule unless it has egg – shell like calcifications.
A small nodule can enlarge rapidly (like overnight) if blood vessel ruptures nearby.
If pressure on the nodule does not cause voice change it is likely not pushing on the nerve that controls voice and breathing.
The x-ray does not show nodule unless it has egg – shell like calcifications.
A small nodule can enlarge rapidly (like overnight) if blood vessel ruptures nearby.
Correction... was in the car and I noticed the seatbelt made the squeezing much worse and loss of voice. : ( I appreciate the responses - thank you
Reread your comment and no previous imaging for the nodule. In 2008 I had a liver resection from Hemangioma tumors on my liver and they did some exploratory insight and did not find the nodule then. I have had MRI and CT scan back then and it was not there. Chest X rays too showed nothing. Would the recent CT scan show anything in the throat or larynx, like it did on the Thyroid or do they have to do it again?
Hello, I do not have any additional data from the imaging studies. What would I ask for or need to know? The nodule came to my attention 3 weeks ago, so no data on growth either. If it was there before, then it posed no symptoms. When I felt a squeezing feeling on the left side of neck, jaw and ear, and it was difficult to breathe, I then went to the doctor. I smoked on and off for 10 months, so we thought it might be an asthma attack, but still not smoking after a month and it is still prevelant. I have discomfort in the back of my neck too, left side and shoulder. Hoarse voice after 3 weeks and mucus in throat. I can swallow just fine. But I did get sick the other night,and that seem blocked on the way up... did not expel. Scared me. All seems to be on the left side. Raising arms makes it a bit more compressed on the airway. If I press on the nodule, voice seems unchanged. Sometimes I can talk for short periods of time without the hoarseness.
Do you have any dynamic data for this nodule from prior imaging studies?
How fast the nodule is growing?
Do you feel short of breath when you lifting bot arms up?
If your voice getting worse when you put your finger on your nodule, that later presses on the voice nerve.
Check if the material from biopsy can be tested for same mutations found in clusters of cancerous cells found elsewhere in your body
Not sure if HPV poses increased risk for thyroid cancer, but cystic portion of the nodule can be reduced in size by PEI treatment
How fast the nodule is growing?
Do you feel short of breath when you lifting bot arms up?
If your voice getting worse when you put your finger on your nodule, that later presses on the voice nerve.
Check if the material from biopsy can be tested for same mutations found in clusters of cancerous cells found elsewhere in your body
Not sure if HPV poses increased risk for thyroid cancer, but cystic portion of the nodule can be reduced in size by PEI treatment
Totie, Thank you for your response. I agree that it is not elective. I am not sure why she would say that considering the size and make up of the nodule and the symptoms. She said the CT scan, while I was flat on back, would have shown a breathing obstruction. Ok... but I still have problems breathing at night and upon exertion. She will not be my thyroid doctor as we move forward. Monday I see the ENT and Wednesday the surgeon. If I do not need surgery, then great, but it worries me to leave it in there. The symptoms came on sudden.
It's obvious that this is not elective if it is giving you breathing problems.
You could get a second opinion, however, it is something you really need to consider if you want to go ahead with a TT.
List the pros/cons. If it were me and I was having trouble breathing with it, then there really would not be much of a choice but to remove it.
You could get a second opinion, however, it is something you really need to consider if you want to go ahead with a TT.
List the pros/cons. If it were me and I was having trouble breathing with it, then there really would not be much of a choice but to remove it.
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