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Scared and Confused - Thyroid Surgery for Follicular Neoplasm
Hi..
I have many questions. I am 31 years old and very healthy. I RANDOMLY was diagnosed with a thyroid nodule and had an FNA done. The doctor was looking for something on a cat scan of my neck, and the nodule was found. Anyway, he just called me and said that surgery is recommended based on the reports from the FNA. He said that I may have what they call a follicular neoplasm, and the only way to determine it is if it is removed. I am very very scared. I also was getting ready to start trying to have a baby (would be my 3rd). I am concerned this will make me infertile if they take out my thyroid. I am also extremely paranoid of weight gain. AND I am terrified of being put to sleep.. Can yall tell I am a basketcase?? Can anyone offer any opinions???? Does anyone have a similar situation?? Thanks so much!!!
I have many questions. I am 31 years old and very healthy. I RANDOMLY was diagnosed with a thyroid nodule and had an FNA done. The doctor was looking for something on a cat scan of my neck, and the nodule was found. Anyway, he just called me and said that surgery is recommended based on the reports from the FNA. He said that I may have what they call a follicular neoplasm, and the only way to determine it is if it is removed. I am very very scared. I also was getting ready to start trying to have a baby (would be my 3rd). I am concerned this will make me infertile if they take out my thyroid. I am also extremely paranoid of weight gain. AND I am terrified of being put to sleep.. Can yall tell I am a basketcase?? Can anyone offer any opinions???? Does anyone have a similar situation?? Thanks so much!!!
I'm in a similar situation. Just had FNA results that came back as "suspicious for follicular neoplasm". Not what I wanted to hear. To be honest, I'm more afraid of the surgery than the possibility of having cancer. I hate the idea of losing a (more or less) good body part just because it "might" be something, when the odds are that its benign. Had an appt with the ENT yesterday to talk about things and he really really really REALLY wants me to get this taken out. Like yesterday. I have an appt for a 2nd opinion at the end of Jan. What I'd like to do is have the samples from all 3 FNAs sent to another pathologist for another look. I've given myself 6 more months to deal with this, getting other opinions, etc, before finally deciding to get the surgery done.
Good luck and let us know what you decide.
Good luck and let us know what you decide.
I was also in the same situation.
Last mid October, i want to the endo complaining of some palpitations and i have been gaining weigh even if my food intake is small. I was asked to do some bloodtests and thyroid ultrasound. the bloodtests reveal normal tsh and t3/t4 but my ultrasound revealed a mass with a size of 2cm x 2cm. i was then asked to do a thyroid scan and the results show i have a cold nodule on the left lobe of my thyroid. an fnab was then requested. the fnab result says i have "atypical thyrocytes suggestive of follicular neoplasm. two weeks later, i went to surgery. good thing it was benign and the nodule is just colloid goiter.
before i went under the knife, i took the opinions of 5 doctors and all said the same thing - that i should be operated on because follicular neoplasm is a gray area and the only way to determine if the nodule is benign or malignant is to have the nodule tested by pathology.
i had my surgery 6 days ago and i also had the same anxiety and worries as the rest of us here had, preoperation. i have never been operated on, neither have i experienced being attached to an iv! so everything was a first for me.
surgery went ok and i did not experience any sideffects. i stayed at the hospital 3 days after the operation. i just had a hard time sleeping at night because of the uncomfortable feeling. it is not really painful, just a bit sore in the neck and nape. i had a very bad migraine on the first and second night. on the 3rd day i already took a bath. now the wound is dry but i still cover it in gauze to minimize possible infection. 3 days from now i will be back to my surgeon for a checkup.
my advice is, it is a win-win situation, so take the surgery worry-free. if it is benign, WELL AND GOOD!! if the result is otherwise, atleast you will be given the proper medications early.
smile! the actual surgery is less less less worrisome than your friendliest nightmares..
keep in touch..
Last mid October, i want to the endo complaining of some palpitations and i have been gaining weigh even if my food intake is small. I was asked to do some bloodtests and thyroid ultrasound. the bloodtests reveal normal tsh and t3/t4 but my ultrasound revealed a mass with a size of 2cm x 2cm. i was then asked to do a thyroid scan and the results show i have a cold nodule on the left lobe of my thyroid. an fnab was then requested. the fnab result says i have "atypical thyrocytes suggestive of follicular neoplasm. two weeks later, i went to surgery. good thing it was benign and the nodule is just colloid goiter.
before i went under the knife, i took the opinions of 5 doctors and all said the same thing - that i should be operated on because follicular neoplasm is a gray area and the only way to determine if the nodule is benign or malignant is to have the nodule tested by pathology.
i had my surgery 6 days ago and i also had the same anxiety and worries as the rest of us here had, preoperation. i have never been operated on, neither have i experienced being attached to an iv! so everything was a first for me.
surgery went ok and i did not experience any sideffects. i stayed at the hospital 3 days after the operation. i just had a hard time sleeping at night because of the uncomfortable feeling. it is not really painful, just a bit sore in the neck and nape. i had a very bad migraine on the first and second night. on the 3rd day i already took a bath. now the wound is dry but i still cover it in gauze to minimize possible infection. 3 days from now i will be back to my surgeon for a checkup.
my advice is, it is a win-win situation, so take the surgery worry-free. if it is benign, WELL AND GOOD!! if the result is otherwise, atleast you will be given the proper medications early.
smile! the actual surgery is less less less worrisome than your friendliest nightmares..
keep in touch..
I had the same Diagnosis as you. I am a Registered Nurse and I was scared..you know the saying "The more you know the worse it is!" I had a huge goiter that had been growing for 12 yrs. It started increasing in size within a few months. My Fine needle/core biopsy results were inconclusive for Follicular Neoplasm. I was advised to have the surgery, that is the only way that the Surgeon could make sure that I did not have Cancer. Pathology was present during surgery and the mass/goiter was negative for cancer. I still have a small portion of the left(posterior lobe) back. I am not taking a thyroid replacement medication. I have been very tired and unable to sleep since the surgery(Jan. 07) almost a year ago. My TSH is within normal range, I accessed this site due to my normal level and the symptoms that I am having.
As far as the Surgery do not be affraid. Talk with the surgeon and the Dr. putting you to sleep. Ask for some Versed or something after you get into the holding area prior to your surgery. Also ask for something via your IV for nausea prior to being put under. Zofran IV is wonderful. This should ease your anxiety and you will feel better when you awaken from the surgery. The only other thing that could happen is a hematoma( bleeding under the incision) this can be life threatening. This happened to me. The incision was opened and drained in my room as it happened about 4 hours after surgery. If you feel allot of pain and swelling call for a nurse. You should be fine. If you can take Morphine ask for this along woth Phenegran for nausea. This will take away the pain and you can rest and heal. I hope the surgery goes well and that you do not have cancer. I hope that I have not scared you more than you already are. Things will be fine. Just remember to tell your Dr. what you want and need. In this day and time you should be aggressive with your own health and well being. GOOD LUCK! katll
As far as the Surgery do not be affraid. Talk with the surgeon and the Dr. putting you to sleep. Ask for some Versed or something after you get into the holding area prior to your surgery. Also ask for something via your IV for nausea prior to being put under. Zofran IV is wonderful. This should ease your anxiety and you will feel better when you awaken from the surgery. The only other thing that could happen is a hematoma( bleeding under the incision) this can be life threatening. This happened to me. The incision was opened and drained in my room as it happened about 4 hours after surgery. If you feel allot of pain and swelling call for a nurse. You should be fine. If you can take Morphine ask for this along woth Phenegran for nausea. This will take away the pain and you can rest and heal. I hope the surgery goes well and that you do not have cancer. I hope that I have not scared you more than you already are. Things will be fine. Just remember to tell your Dr. what you want and need. In this day and time you should be aggressive with your own health and well being. GOOD LUCK! katll
Just a random tale; my youngest sister's thyroid was removed when she was 24 (suspicious nodule found on a chest x-ray - she had it removed, despite a negative biopsy, because mine had just been removed for papillary carcinoma). My sister had Stage II papillary carcinoma with metastasis to lymph nodes and her chest (mostly breast tissue). She had a TT and three courses of RAI. After all that she had a *beautiful*, healthy, smart little girl who will be celebrating her second Christmas this month. Yes, it's possible to have a healthy baby after your thyroid has been removed *and* subsequent treatments.
I can't tell you how things will turn out with you but maybe my sister's story can help. Best of everything to you!
Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma
+3 sisters with papillary carcinoma
I can't tell you how things will turn out with you but maybe my sister's story can help. Best of everything to you!
Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma
+3 sisters with papillary carcinoma
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