Aa
somebody please respond
I am 36 and have been diagnosed with a follicular neoplasm. They want to do a total thyroid removal. I do not take any medications for anything, My blood work on thyroid is within normal range. I am very hesitant to have this surgery after everything i am reading here on the internet. Are there any people out there with positive things to say about having thyroid removed? I have two samll children that need the very best of me and i honestly do not know what to do?
Ask your dr. about Thyrogen. You don't go off your meds if you take this before your scan. You still go on the low iodine diet. I have done it twice and will again in April.
My life has changed significantly. It took until Dec. to feel "normal". (about 7 months.) I had my meds changed 7 times- bloodwork done every 4-6 weeks until we got it right. I was miserable until my RAI- I was not on meds at all from my surgery until about 4 weeks later. My tsh shot up to about 100. It took from June until Dec. to get my meds right. I am on 250mcg of synthroid. Which is high from what I understand. I am 38. I didn't even know what a thyroid did until I started going through this. I was very active before- now I am trying to get back to that. I got through it, but it was a long road. Now I have to prepare to go off meds for my yearly tests. not looking forward to that. Good luck.
hi, thanks for writing, how old are you? How is your life, now without your thyroid verses before your surgery?
I only put on a few lbs. and I am a redhead too- my scar is almost unnoticeable- and I had mine in May 07. Like my friend Utahmomma said- scar or cancer? The scar was the least of my worries. It's a badge of honor that I am a cancer survivor. I am like you, normal blood work, just had a lump in my neck. My biopsy was highly suspicious for papillary carcinoma. I had the whole thing removed. It was cancer and it was in two lymph nodes as well.
I only put on a few lbs. and I am a redhead too- my scar is almost unnoticeable- and I had mine in May 07. Like my friend Utahmomma said- scar or cancer? The scar was the least of my worries. It's a badge of honor that I am a cancer survivor. I am like you, normal blood work, just had a lump in my neck. My biopsy was highly suspicious for papillary carcinoma. I had the whole thing removed. It was cancer and it was in two lymph nodes as well.
Some of us have put on weight, one lost about 60lbs. Some of our scars are almost invisible (you can see mine on "my photos" area of my profile) others didn't take care of their scars and they aren't as flat and some are still a bit pink. I understand about the fair complexion - as my family says, we don't have fair skin, we have "fish-belly white" skin. I used Aloe Vera gel on mine (and sunscreen)
Many of us make it through the first year (when the scar is a bit redder and raised) with scarfs, necklaces, etc. I did this the first time - didn't care the second. :-)
You have to ask yourself, though, which is worse - having a small scar or having possible cancer?
Many of us make it through the first year (when the scar is a bit redder and raised) with scarfs, necklaces, etc. I did this the first time - didn't care the second. :-)
You have to ask yourself, though, which is worse - having a small scar or having possible cancer?
You can have a normal function of the thyroid and still have thyroid cancer as I found out. Mine was caught by a fluke. I had a total thyroidecotomy and removal of 18 lymph nodes. No hair loss, weight gain or other problems, but everyone is different.As for the scar, it will get less noticable. It has been less than 2 years for me and you can barely see it. I think it is better to have the whole thing out rather than have to back into surgery in 8 weeks.
Thank you so much for responding. Do you or any of your family members have life changing difficulties, since surgery?....hair loss, weight gain insomnia, all the horrible things that i have been reading about? and what about the scar?, I am a red head, very fair complected?
I had to have the surgery twice. On the first one they could a small area of cancer (after I was already in the recovery room). Over the next year all of my sisters and my daughter were either diagnosed with thyroid cancer or atypical cells (precancerous cells) so I opted to have the other half out. Good thing I did because three years later I had a cancer recurrence and I couldn't have had the radioactive iodine treatment if I still had 1/2 of a thyroid.
If I had it all to do over, I would have just had the entire thing out the first time.
Having normal labs is "normal" for thyroid cancer. There is no test for the cancer either - just get it out and see what the pathology shows.
Both of my surgeries were a very quick recovery. Had the surgeries on Thursdays and was back to work the following Mondays.
There are five other people in my family who have had the surgery and all of us had very similar results - easiest surgery any of us have had.
If I had it all to do over, I would have just had the entire thing out the first time.
Having normal labs is "normal" for thyroid cancer. There is no test for the cancer either - just get it out and see what the pathology shows.
Both of my surgeries were a very quick recovery. Had the surgeries on Thursdays and was back to work the following Mondays.
There are five other people in my family who have had the surgery and all of us had very similar results - easiest surgery any of us have had.
That is correct - it is pointless to make a person do a "do over" when things look suspecious. Don't you agree? I personally do not want to go through it one time let alone - multiple times!!
Keep checking - someone will have a thread to post here :)
Keep checking - someone will have a thread to post here :)
The way that I understand it, is that because it came back "follicular neoplasm" meaning suspicous cells, that they need to look at it closer, meaning surgery and because there are nodules on the left side as well, they could grow larger down the road and it is not good to go back and do a second surgery, so go ahead and take all of it.
Be patient - you sound very upset. I unfortunately can not give you direct answers on this - but DON'T be discouraged - someone will post and many can relate to your fears. Keep watching and I'll watch too. I will bump you to the top if it gets to low. As I have been told - many here are long term thyroid patients. Many have posted and moved on - so keep that in mind - that many left b/c of positive reasons. OK?
With the weekend - it may be a bit slow right now on the board - but it will gather soon.
Do you understand the Dx on why they want to remove the gland?
With the weekend - it may be a bit slow right now on the board - but it will gather soon.
Do you understand the Dx on why they want to remove the gland?
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