Thyroid Surgery on Benign Nodule

[BeckyL]

I had a FNA on a inch nodule on thyroid and also have a couple of cysts.  It came back benign., but went to see a Ear Nose Throat Dr and he said I should probably have it removed.

They say that I will have to have my right lobe removed and then go on medicine.  I am wondering why they just cant take the node off the thyroid?   the original dr had said she was going to treat me as having thyroiditis and then put me on meds to see if it would shrink then do  a ultrasound in 4 months.  Anyone been in this situation.  Has anyone had the nodule shrink from meds?  
I am trying to gather info and make an informed decision if I want to have this surgery or not.  I am in my mid 40's and when I was 18 I had benign nodules removed with no thryoid taken out.

They did a blood test and said my thyroid was functioning normal?  

Any input would be helpful,  

Just trying to make a informed decision.

thank you in advance for input.

[hazelhurst]

I was sorry to hear about your low calcium following surgery. I had a similar experience recently (they also said it was rare), but I was kept in the hospital (on a heart monitor and intravenous calcium) until my calcium rose to an acceptable level--it took a week! I'm still taking the calcium pills. What was your calcium level when you "crashed?" They must have done a blood test in the E.R. Most people do recover from this kind of shock to the parathyroids. They should be testing your blood every few weeks and changing/lowering the dose of vitamin D and calcium. Calcium levels shouldn't go lower than about 8.6, from what I gather. If you start to feel any tingling in hands or face, get to the E.R. right away and insist that they check your calcium levels.

[crystalt]

hello i was looking for info on what happened to me and i found this page .i was reading some of your comments and wanted to post one of my own of what had happened to me . i had the surgery 2 weeks ago for a total thyroidectomy and i have been having problems ever sence. this is how i got here.i went to my doctor telling him i was not feeling well . he put me on antidepressents and told me to come back in 2 weeks. lol so i took them didnt help so went back he put me on differ kind and told to come back in 2 weeks . didnt work so then he did blood work ... came back high t4 from thyroid . i was having dizzy spells and high blood pressure and neck pain . so he sent me for a mri of brain, mri of c-spine and echo for my heart and ultrasound for thyroid. finding well they said i have a brain lol although my husband lol when he heard that . and my heart was fine and i hade bad disk in neck and thyroid had a nodule about 1.1 cm right in the center with smaller ones in both sides of thyroid. so the next step was a thyroid uptake scan ..hated it .. damn giant pill!! well it came back cold nodule.. next fine needle biopsy.. came back active cells for cancer or something like that i dont know the exact words of it i was in a fog after being put in to all the test so next step sent me to a surgeon . was told it would take now longer then    2 1/2 hours  .. i never had surgery before like this and i was scared . but i was a big girl and did it .well here goes the bad part .. stayed the night there . next day i was sent home . was ok that day and went bed woke up face , hands , legs were like being shocked with a 9volt battery and .. you know the feeling when you stick your tongue on a 9volt .. i ended up in e.r   getting calcium  iv's because i went into calcium shock . after having the iv i was better but tired . guess what when i woke up the next day the same thing back to the e.r. .. here is what i was told ..take tums with calcium every couple hours it should work its self out and keep appointments for follow up . so i did i went to appointment and i was told how rare it is for this to happen and how senceative i am . and i showed them how my arm from both injections of calcium had swollen up and i couldnt move my arm for over a week .and like 3 doctors came in to look me over that visit .one doctor said this is very rare and that my parathyroid glands must have been damaged in surgery and they should heal .  i said should ? what if they dont come around ?.. well we will see when we get there maybe i might have to take vitamin d pills and tums the rest of my life . i said what !!! so this is where i am at right now .and every morning when i get up my face and body feels like **** . i have to go back to work soon  and i dont know what i am going to do . oh and here is another one . when i went to my appointment and they said now they aint sure if it was cancer  and they sent it off for a second opinion ...and now i am waiting on that lol lol oh my god

[BeckyL]

Hi I am not sure I should be posting this here or start a new post?  I got copies of my labs and also the report of the FNA on the solid and cystic lump. approx 1 inch.

The FNA:Pathology Report
Fine needele aspirate smears of designated thryroid are sparsely cellular showing mostly inflammatory cells.
DIAGNOSIS:  NO CYTOLOGIC EVIDENCE OF MALIGNANCY.


The blood work:
TSH  0.648
Free T4  1.33
T3   1.6  

My question is could this be thyroiditis and should I have went on the meds the first dr suggested?  Low dose of thyroid meds?  I am just confused.  I do have an appt on the 6th of sept with an endo

Thank you ..

[maccie]

HI! I had a total thyroidectomy 13 weeks ago due to large nodules which showed hurtle cells present after a FNI, with normal thyroid blood levels. I am still recovery from the surgery with many hypothyroid symptoms now which I didn't have before the surgery. And I am exhausted.
I would encourage you to explore ANY options you have to NOT have surgery. Only have the surgery as a last resort. Of course, if surgery is the only way to health, by all means go for it, but I would REALLY make sure you had no choice. It is much better to have a thyroid then to not have a thyroid!
I miss mine terribly!
Good-luck with finding the best possible solition.
Maccie

[BeckyL]

Thank you for all of your responses.  I am too finding out just how complex these things are.  

I have made an appt with an endo for the first part of Sept.  I have decided that I am not going to do the surgery unless this Dr thinks so.  As I said earlier in my  first posting they said this was benign according to the FNA.

After the original Dr has wanted to put me on meds., then when I requested to see this other dr THe ear nose throat dr I have since learned alot more and realize that even though the ENT may do alot of surgeries on the thyroid I really need to speak with the Endo.  

I think I am the one that is uncomfortable with leaving this in., however when I found out that they would have to take 1/2 my thyroid to get this node off then I decided to get the 3rd opionon of the specialist.  I also am calling the original dr to get copies of what blood work they did, so I will know for my info.

thanks again.

[rakuXpressions]

I'm not 100% sure yet. I have the biopsy done Tuesday then have an appt. with my endo on 8/30.....then I should know what is recommended. I THINK it's either/or as far as thyroidectomy & RAI.
Lynne

[lhowell]

Yes, I can feel the pressure from mine as well.  I have a difficult time swallowing some solids.  I've been off of my Synthroid for almost a month because I have to have a scan w/ RAIU, so my thyroid is not as inflamed right now.  For some reason-and maybe it's just coincidence- my thyroid becomes larger and sore when on the Synthroid.  I've been told that should go down over time. (I am newly diagnosed and only took the Synthroid for 6 weeks before I had to go off).

If you're going to have a thyroidectomy, is it necessary  for you to go through the RAI...or is the thyroidectomy the last option if the RAI doesn't work?

[rakuXpressions]

Hi,

From what I've been reading, yes, radioactive iodine (RAI) can be used for shrinking a thyroid......in a certain dosage I think they call it "ablation". Also, from things I've read, there is another med (I forget what it was) that has been used for in some cases.

Goiters can also be a part (and a symptom) of hyperthyroidism from what I've learned.  My TSH #'s are still within normal range, but BARELY and I am leaning in the hyper direction.

I think my big decision will be between the RAI and a thyroidectomy. Am leaning toward surgery from all I've read, but, guess that more importantly, I'll take my Endocrinologist's suggestions for me. I just know that the size of this thyroid is causing me problems.....I can feel the compression internally.....yuck. Yours too?

Lynne

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Why surgery if this is benign and not causing compressive/cosmetic concerns?  Meds may help prevent growth of nodular thyroid but will not shrink cysts and seldom shrink nodules in countries that have adequate iodine intake (ie, the US).

[rakuXpressions]

Hi Becky,
Came across this site searching for info as you are. I have an enlarged thyroid with multiple nodules.....going for fine needle biopsy this coming Tuesday.
I have been doing alot of reading, but there is so much to learn about these thyroid conditions.
This I know for sure.....mine was diagnosed about 5 years ago & was about the size of a small lemon. Jumped through all the hoops, TSH, fine needle biopsy, etc. It was benign and the Endocrinologist I was seeing said "We don't need to do ANYTHING about it unless it is bothering you." It wasn't at the time, so I/we did nothing. He never talked about taking meds to shrink it then.
NOW, it is the size of a small grapefruit and it is bothering me. Feel it when I swallow, am hoarse and get dizzy on exertion. Seems I will have one of two options (Dr. has mentioned these): either radioactive iodine or thyroidectomy.
Sooo, like you, I'm trying to gather information.
In your case, I would put a great deal more emphasis on what an Endocrinologist says over an ear, nose and throat person (that's just not their area). And from all that I have read, these thyroid things can be very complex.
Best wishes,
Lynne

[lhowell]

Hi, you mention radioactive iodine as a treatment.  Do you have hyperthyroidism?  I read in Mary Shomon's book that radioactive iodine is not used to treat hypothyroidism (or goiters) and I was under the impression that goiters are only present in HYPO and not Graves.

I have Hashimoto's and am HYPO, and if that weren't enough, an enlarged thyroid which is bothersome.  My doctor told me that if the thyroid doesn't shrink on its own (w/ meds), a thyroidectomy could be performed.  I'm curious now if the radioactive therapy is ever used to shrink goiters.

Thank you.