Surgery is on Monday...

[lawteddy]

I am scheduled to have a TT after a frozen section during the surgery.  What should I expect?  Should I postpone it and just watch the nodule?  Biopsy said highly suspicious for pap carcinoma.  The doc said I proably won't need RAI because my nodule is less than 1cm.  If I start the 100mcg of Synthroid immediately, how long after the surgery should it take for me to feel normal?  I am also a runner.  Does anyone know if I should expect to have enough energy to run again after?  I'm scared my life is going to change....what should I expect?  I am 31 with 2 small kids.

[Lightsmsb]

Hello, I had the same exact thing as your going thru.  I found out last year Jun that I had Pap Car between 0.8-1cm on the left side.  

Once I returned from Japan I saw my current surgeon and we(my wife and I) debated very hard to take it out or not.  We finally decided to take out the left side.  The day of surgery(11Jan) the doc asked if the left side comes back positive for cancer via frozen do you want me to take out the other side.  I was glad I did becuase the final path report show I had a 0.2cm on the right side.  Lucky for me, the surgical free margins were free of spread and no lympth activity present.  He also told me I would not need a RAI.  However after he placed me on synthroid right after my surgery, 1 month later I saw my Endo and he did the Homer Simpson DOH, because he did not want me on my meds so I could infact do the RAI to get rid of the rest of the tissue left for whatever reason.  This is important to do because of your follow-up exams as noted in post's before me.  Make sure you get a opinion from and Endocrinologist or thyroid specialists who will follow you for the rest of your life.  He will tell you something much different.  

I can only hope and pray that when your surgery comes up that everything comes back negative.  This can actually happen!!!  I just finished my RAI today and will be on meds again tomorrow.  I cannot wait!  

If I can give advice, see an endo before your surgery.  Get the perspective from him/her first before you go into surgery!
Cheers,
Scott

[utahmomma]

This ISN'T medical advise just $.02 from someone who has been through papillary carcinoma and watched three sisters go through it too.  If your nodule is already "suspicious for papillary carcinoma" why would you want to just let it grow?

If someone very close to you had a biopsy that was positive for breast or prostrate cancer would you want them to take care of it before it grew or would you want them to just watch it?

Since you are a runner and otherwise healthy you will probably bounce back from the surgery quickly.  It is one of the easiest surgeries I, my sisters, and many on this forum have been through.  Plan on not feeling yourself for a few months but many of us were back to our routines within a week or so.

Best of everything for Monday!!!

[ChitChatNine]

The :::waiting::: is the worst part ... the day will be here before you know it!  I, too, had a frozen section .. I asked the Dr. how much longer that meant I had to be kept under as the awaited results .. interesting to note it is about 20mins .. not too long eh?

Glad you have a date .. My partial was 1/9/07 ... I still cannot believe so many weeks have swiftly gone by and so far so good on the Synthroid for me .. I have learned that thyroids are slow things ... the med adj. period takes time .. everything seems to take time in this dept .. so as long as you take time to heal and treat yourself right and don't rush back into things too fast you will do fine!!

Cheryl

[Justicemom]

I had my TT three weeks ago.  I had a benign multinodular goiter.  They did watch the thing for 6 months and put me on a low dose of Synthroid.  It didn't work and the thing grew.  By the time they got in there, it was 3x the size on the right and wrapped around my esophagus on the left.  Don't wait.  The surgery is minor.  The first 3-4 days were a blur because I was taking the pain medicine, but I was able to do small things from the time I came home from the hospital.  Swallowing for the first several days was tough, but each day gets better.  I went back to work after the 2 week mark.  You probably won't be able to drive for at least a week, due to not being able to move your head from side to side...this too comes back.  I can't tell you anything about the RAI because I didn't have it done, but the other stuff gives you an idea of what to expect.  I was in the hospital for 23 hours, due to having to draw blood every 6 hours to check calcium levels.  I am on 100mcg Synthroid, and it takes 6 weeks to kick in.  Three more weeks to go.  I have a few days when I feel great, then I will feel really, really, tired.  I rest when I can and take the good days when they come.  I know in the long run, I will be feeling better and I'm sure you will too.  Good Luck.

[venora]

you will in my prayers for a smooth surgery and no cancer pathplogy.
Yes your life will changebut with the right med dose you will have an excellent quality of life.
i know for me I am glad to have the cancerous thyroid out of my body.It wasnt working right anyway so I dontmiss it much,The synthroid cytomel made me feel better than I have in years.Everybody is different but I noticed the difference in about a week after starting my meds.
good luck to you and let us know how it goes for you.
Love Venora