surgery recommended. . .?

[tangrammz]

I had a 1cm (fairly small from what I gather) "nodule" found in Nov.(2006) and had a FNA performed in Jan. (2007).  The doctor has indicated that the FNA was not conclusive but they are recommending surgery to remove the nodule and potentially part or all of my thyroid depending on what they find during / after the surgery.  They have recommended the surgery because I do fall under several other risk factors, they have said there is a 60% chance that the nodule is cancer. . . .

After reading a variety of materials and message boards like this one, I'm concerned that the cure might be worse esp. if they find that the mass is benign.  Several things I have read indicate there are a variety of medical side-affects that to be honest I'm not sure I want to deal with. . .

Any thoughts?

[zindy]

HI EVERYONE (NEW) THIS SIGHT IS GIVING  LOTS OF INFO. TO COMPARE WITH MINE.  I HAVE A 5.2CM COLD COMPLEX NODULE. HAD RAI 1YRS AGO TO SEE IF WOULD SHRINK BUT, IT DIDN'T. IT WAS 4.8CM BEFORE RAI. MY TSH IS 30.2 RIGHT NOW I GO TO THE ENDO TODAY. I JUST SO CONFUSSED. I HAVE EAR PAIN, SORE THROAT, NECK PAIN, HOARESNESS THIS ALL  COMES AND GOES.  I HAD A PARTIAL THYROID REMOVED 18 YRS AGO.  WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS FOR 7 YRS.  THEY SAY THEY  ARE  RISK OF DAMAGING THE VOCAL CORDS BECAUSE OF THE SCAR TISSUE FROM PRIOR TS. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO ?? PLEASE INPUT!

[malawi]

For what its worth i lift weights and do cardio every day and my energy level is the highest its been in years.Ive managed to go from 189lbs pre surgery last dec to 170lbs today.Im currently on 162mcg of levothyroxine and go back for another blood test on may 15th to see if my TSH level is where it needs to be.It was still at 7.1 4 weeks ago and needs to come down to around 1 or lower..Best of luck to you
Roman

[redhed87]

I am having a biopsy on a 2.5cm  cold nodule on Thursday.  All of your stories are helpful- if it comes to the debate over surgery or not.  Thanks.

[tangrammz]

Thanks so much those who have responded.  Everybody I have talked to says I should go through with the surgery just to be safe . . . . which I do understand in the long run can be the best course of action.

I will admit though, I am terrified of the side-effects.  I currently work 2-jobs to make ends meet and workout 3-5 days a week to maintain my weight / health.  I can't imagine not having the energy to do those things not to mention all the conversations I've seen about weight gain. . . . . (sigh)

[MJ13]

I can relate to your story. I'm 46 and I had a TT in 13 Dec 06 after getting a FNA results being suspicious for papca.  Two days after TT, I found out for sure it was papca.  Needless to say, I was glad I told my doctors to be agressive with my treatment.  I had RAI 25 Jan 07 and I still feel the effects..mostly extreme dry, thinning hair and brittle nails. (small price to pay for reassurance that I've done everything possible to hinder thyca recurrance.)  I went back to work on 2 Jan 07 after my TT.   I have a desk job that doesn't require physical activity but as an analyst brain fog during hypohell was definitely a challenge.  After RAI, my endo tweeked my med dosage a couple of times and got it too high.  My bp and heart rate went way up and I had major insomnia.  Waited for 10 days before I called my endo and she lowered the dosage and I'm finally feeling somewhat "normal". However, since the surgery and RAI, there are days I just can get out of bed to go to work.  My commute is 55 miles one way in heavy traffic (NorthernVirginia).  If I had a hard night sleeping (on top of insomnia, I have night sweats and hot flashes), I'll call in sick because I don't want to risk having an accident.  The good news is since by dosage was decreased I have more energy (still not a lot though) and actually worked out at Curves twice last week.  I'm trying for 3 days this next week. I hope you feel better soon.  

[Amanda7980]

Also, I was in college at the time and missed no classes and returned to my normal activities within a few days to a week.  I was in Ruby Tuesday's with my then boyfriend, now husband, with all the bandages on my neck, a huge bruise from the IV on my wrist and another on my elbow just a few days after surgery.   People were staring at him as if he beat me! So, everyone is different with how they respond to surgery.  My wisdom teeth were worse than thyroid surgery.  But, I was lucky.

[Amanda7980]

I also had an inconclusive FNA biopsy for a 2.2cm nodule.  I went ahead and had the nodule removed to be examined during surgery through a frozen section.  It too came back inconclusive.  However, they decided to remove the other side as well to avoid two surgeries.  Two weeks later the final path report came back as follicular cancer.  Follicular cancer is hard to diagnose and more dangerous than papillary cancer.  My nodule was also, cold and my thyroid function normal.  I'd have the surgery.  I have had NO problems since then and I know that it is out of my body.

[karmaleeta]

For what it is worth to  help you, here is my story. In June 2007 I had a fine needle biopsey of a nodule on my thyroid that showed a small nodule 0.9cm. The biopsey was ambiguous, with possible Papilary Carcinoma. I too did not want to have surgery if possible, and asked for another FNB. After much asking around, and reading I learned that they are unable to get enough cells in a FNB to really know for sure what is going on. And there is no other test to use to diagnose weather it is cancerous or not.. Since Thyroid Cancer is usually one of the best cancers to get, I decided not to take the chance of compromising my health unnessicarily. Now it took me 6 months to get to this place,after alot of reading and re-evaluating. I also made the deal with my surgeon to take more cells, send them to pathology (while under anesthetic) to be completely sure if indeed it was cancer, with the possibility of leaving in half of my thyroid. I had the surgery Feb/07 and found I did have encapuslated Papillary Carcinoma with  no spreading to any lymph glands. My whole thyroid was removed, and I am gratefull to have this disease out of my body. As for the rest of the treatment, well I just surrenderd myself to it. After all it isn't as bad as chemotherapy!. Everyone responds differently, and I have been off work for 3 months, and am still to weak to return. Slowly I am improving. Also there are considerations of age and occupation. I am almost 50, and I have a stressfull job. As for the medication, well that's seems to be an ongoing learning experience that again effects everyone differently. Thank god for these websites to help us learn more. Good Luck.

[malawi]

I had a 2.8cm cold nodule that came back inconclusive on fna..turned out to be follicular cancer.My surgeon who is very experienced in this area said basically if you are a male and 40 or older and you have a cold nodule a TT is almost always recommended..hopefully yours will be benign!..at any rate i feel alot better without a thyroid gland than i did before my surgery
Best of luck to you
Roman
44 year old male
TT for stage 1 follicular dec 06

[ChitChatNine]

I think if I were in your shoes I'd have a repeat FNA if this one was not conclusive ?????  60% sound high to me for inconclusive results but I'm not a Dr., just a thyroid person like yourself.  

I have gallstones and nobody knows why really .. but I fit the risk factors for over 40, female, but not "fat" (obese) .. they use the word fat bcz it starts with an "f" and call it the 4 F's for risk factors with gallstones.  Cannot remember the last F risk factor.  But, I won't have that gallstone out until or unless I have an attack that I cannot cope with ..won't take the risks for elective surgery unless the benefits outweigh the risks .....

All that mumble jumble above, I'd have another FNA or at least aks your Dr. his/her opinion on that idea?

My nodule was 1.9cm's

Cheryl

[tangrammz]

Risk factors that my doctors mentioned and that I have found consistent in the things I've read were / are. . . I'm male, there's only one nodule, thyroid is otherwise working normal, family history of thyroid conditions (though none of them being cancer). . .

[ChitChatNine]

You can have a repeat FNA or have a 2nd opinion of the slides read .. those are two thoughts.

I was told with my 1/2 thyroidectomy in Jan that "most likely" I would not have to be on Synthroid as the other half will take up the slack but seems that 1/2 is NOT working and I am on Synthroid .. but in my case the nodules were both benign but they found 2 small areas of papillary cancer elsewhere in the gland upon final biopsy so I'm on the Synthroid anyway for Cancer Superssion on the other side but that would have been by choice; with the other 1/2 not working it is a necessity regardless of what was found.

What are the risk factors boosting you up to the 60% chance of ThyCa if I may ask?  The odds generally are 5-10% Cancer.  

Cheryl