NEW to this forum...Large Nodule...please help

Hello,

I frequently post in some other forums, but never in this one.  Here is my delimma:  Back in 2004, an ultrasound discovered that I had a small cold nodule on the right side of my thyroid.  FNA inconclusive, and "core sample" showed that it was benign (I want to say it was a multinodular goiter, but that cound be incorrect).  Anyway, I was told to simply have it (the nodule) looked at every year, and..no big deal...

Recently, I discovered that there is a LARGE lump on my thyroid, same size and location as the previous nodule.  It must have been there for a long time before I ever noticed it, but now that I have, I can't stop looking at it! I went to the Dr a few weeks ago, and they did a blood test and scheduled me for an ultrasound.  The blood test came back all within normal ranges, so there is no issue of hyper or hypo thyroid at this point.  Actually, I have had my hormone levels checked a few times this year because I have had some symptoms of hyperthyroid, but every time my levels are all normal.  

Last week I had the ultrasound and I got the results in the mail, which said: "The right nodule takes up most of the right side of the gland"  It is also a hard mass, not a fluid filled one.  I am actually supposed to be meeting with the Dr on Wednesday to discuss these results, but I would like to have some input before then.  

So...based on your collective experiences with thyroid nodules, etc...what does this sound like to you? Does anyone have a similar story...very large nodule that is not affecting the hormone levels, even though some symptoms have been present (my main symptom is having a fast heart rate, but they keep telling me that is just anxiety)?  What do you think they will do next...another FNA?  Does this sound cancerous (even though I know that thyroid cancer is both rare and very treatable)?  How do they treat a benign nodule?  Ugh..I have so many questions, and I just want something more to go on when I see the Dr onWednesday...

Any help will be greatly appreciated! ☺

[ChitChatNine]

See if you can get your hands on the ultrasound report and post what it says ...

But my gut feeling as a patient (not a dr) is that it sounds really large and may be candidate to come out based on size alone?

What do all our "local experts" think ..jump on in ..

WELCOME!!!!

C~
partial thyroidectomy 1/07
2 small papillary micro's found
orig nodules were both benign

[utahmomma]

Welcome to the forum.

First of all you have some very concerning findings:
- your labs are normal'
- the nodule is cold
- the nodule is growing
- the nodule is solid

Here is a web site that can give you additional information:  http://www.endocrineweb.com/nodule.html

As ChitChatNine said, size alone may be reason to alone to have it removed.  Also, FNAs are not always accurate (two of my sister had "benign" findings on their FNAs but they did have thyroid cancer).  The suspicious symptoms, combined with the size, may indicate removal of the thyroid lobe - and if cancer is found, the entire thyroid.

Worse comes to worse, thyroid cancer is highly treatable and there are lots of us on here who have been there, done that.

Whatever the outcome, we are here for you.  We're a crazy bunch but very supportive.  :-)

Discuss the surgical options with your doctor and ask for *multiple* recommendations for surgeons.  You want to make sure that your surgeon is very, very competent and does a lot of these surgeries.

Keep us posted and *welcome*

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma
three sisters with papillary carcinoma; another with precancerous nodules; daughter with precancerous nodules  

[rellyrooly]

I, too, have a cold, solid nodule on my right lobe.  I have actually been diagnosed with multi-nodular goiter as I have 3 nodules; 2 on right, 1 on left.  I am sure about the one cold nodule being solid and the nodule on left is a mix of solid and fluid and I don't know about the 3rd.  I am actually going to endo tomorrow for the first time.  My largest nodule which is the cold one measures 2.5 cm.  How big is yours?  I have no idea what to expect as all of this is very new to me as I just found all of this last week for first time and in that time period I have had blood, US, and uptake scan done.  My blood was also in normal ranges.  I am also exhibiting some real symptoms; hoarse, raspy voice, sore and chronic dry throat, fatigue, neck pain and soreness.  I can't see how I won't have this removed but then again, what do I know?  I will let you know how my endo proceeds.  Good luck!

[stella5349]

Please post your visit on Wednesday on what your doctor recommends.

[898]

You need to know that intranodular bleeding can also be seen as large solid cold nodule composed mainly from dried blood.
The nodules like this are almost always benign.
Two key features from ultrasound report will be helpful to estimate possible increased risk associated with your nodule:
a] if nodule has internal vascularity based on Doppler color flow test;
b]if nodule has ill-defined borders

[mlr3475080]

Dont rely on blood work AT ALL! It wont tell you squat. Are you having any other thyroid symptoms, go on those. Keep pushing your dr until you've had every test under the sun done!

[Autumnx1003]

Thank you for your response, however, could you please share with me why I shouldn't necessairly rely on the bloodwork?  Isn't that the only way to know about you hormone levels?  Do you have a story to share about this...please share! I am desperate to learn as much as I can about this...and it would be actually very comforting to know that all the hyper symptoms I've had this past year arent just anxiety!  

[Autumnx1003]

Thank you all for your responses so far...they have really helped a lot!  And I will certainly let you know what my Doc says tomorrow.

BTW...for those who have asked...i want to say the nodule is about one inch...although I dont know if this means diameter or waht...but I know that it is one inch, because I work at a school that trains ultrsound technicians and the instructor gave me an "informal" ultrsound, and she told me it was solid and approximately an inch.  On my neck, I can see that it is bigger than a half-dollar, as well. When I had the "formal" ultrasound at the hospital later, they didn't tell me anything at the time, so I have to find out their official results tomorrow (which I can compare to what the ultrasound tech told me here at work).  

I'm nervous, to be honest, but it sure is nice to have the support of community members like you who have been through this...THANKS! ☺

[898]

If you got chance to see this nodule on the monitor screen, you may take look on common nodule ultrasound images I posted on my profile.

[rellyrooly]

WENT TO ENDO TODAY!!!

Not good news.....he did another US and found irregular borders on at least one of my nodules (the cold one).  He is also now concerned about one of my lymph nodes.  He took 9 needle biopsies...OUCH!!!   The cold nodule was pretty difficult to get as it is very solid.  Basically, my endo feels just by what he sees that it is malignant.  He advises that this is not new and estimates that I have had this for 10-15 years!  He said he is also concerned with possible auto immune disease.  I do know that I am most likely going to have surgery to remove the whole thyroid, he just wants to wait for the results to see how bad it looks so that the surgeon will know how to proceed.  I am sorry to share my news this way and don't want to scare anyone.  He did remind me that most of the time it is 15-20% malignant.  I guess I am just not one of the lucky ones.....
Please pray for me!!  Thanks!
Cindy