Multiple Thyroid Nodules @ Dysfunctional Gallbladder

[HollandJA]

My 27 year old daughter presented symptoms 7 months ago of acid reflux, IBS, headaches, abdominal pain, sore throat, weight gain along with a few other similar things.
She was diagnosed with an ulcer and given prescriptions for it.  She continued to get worse with no relief.  One week ago, as symptoms and pain worsened, she went to a different doctor who first did a physical exam and said she had an enlarged thyroid and wanted to do two ultrasounds.  One on the thyroid and one in the abdominal area because of all her pain and discomfort.
A complete blood work up was also ordered.
Tests results showed multiple tiny nodules on the thyroid and a completely dysfunctional gallbladder.  She was immediately admitted into the hospital and her gallbladder was removed and the organ had completely twisted into itself with infection.
She is now in recovery and as soon as she is strong enough, she will have to undergo a thyroid biopsy or partial/complete removal.  More surgery.
She is also an asthma sufferer and carries inhalers and has most of her life.  Both she and her younger sister by one year are asthmatics.
My questions are:
1)  Is it just a coincedence there happened to be two things wrong with her at the same time,  or is the thyroid problem connected with the gallbladder dysfunction?  I have done some reading on this and believe they could indeed be connected but wanted your opinions as well.
2)  What does the road look like ahead for her now?  There is a chance of malignancy in those nodules and our family wanted to know what she should expect from here on out?

[HollandJA]

They told her that there are multiple nodules but at this point they are very small and they think its best to check them again in a year.  I think thats a bit too long but its not up to me.
If she presents sympoms before that, well of course she'll go in..

[Barb135]

Will look forward to seeing the test results.  I'd also be curious as to the reason for considering thyroid removal.  You said "There is a chance of malignancy in those nodules and our family wanted to know what she should expect from here on out?"  Have they diagnosed cancer or is that your "speculation"?  

I think usually, a biopsy is done on nodules that are larger.  If there are many small ones, they would be hard to biopsy.  Did her doctor actually tell you they would do a biopsy?  

[HollandJA]

She is home recovering from her gallbladder surgery and as soon as she moves forward with her tyroid tests and then receives those results..I will come back and post them here and reference back to this original post.
Thanks!

[Debbie1115]

I just had a TT because of thyroid cancer. They did a biopsy on my nodule and it was cancerous. I also had my gallbladder removed a few years ago and it had numerous infections and was unusual. I am on nexium because of acid reflux. I never knew that they could all be related. I have been on synthroid since I was 11 yrs old (now 56) for an underactive thyroid. The surgery to remove my thyroid was extremely easy for me. I did not have any pain and was eating solids 4 hours after surgery. It was the radioactive iodine that was rough. Hopefully the biopsy will go well for you and you won't need the surgery. Good Luck

[Barb135]

I've never seen any evidence that the gall bladder and thyroid issues are connected; however, it is very common for those of with thyroid issues to have acid reflux.  My gall bladder was removed quite a few years ago, but I still had acid reflux quite badly until my thyroid levels began to stabilize.  

I'm not sure why there is consideration of removing your daughter's thyroid.  Many of us have multi-nodular goiters. A goiter is a swollen thyroid.  I, personally, have quite a few nodules on my thyroid, but have no intention of having my thyroid removed because of them, since they are causing no issues at this time.  

What thyroid tests were run on your daughter?  They should, at the very least, have run TSH, Free T3, Free T4 and antibody tests.  The TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 would indicate whether or not her thyroid is producing hormone, and if so, how much.  The antibody tests would confirm or rule out an autoimmune disease (either Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or Graves Disease), in which antibodies attack and eventually destroy the thyroid.  Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is usually connected more with hypothyroidism, while Graves Disease is connected to hyperthyroidism.  Hashimoto's is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world.  There are many of us on this forum that have it.

If you could post your daughter's thyroid labs, along with the reference ranges, since these vary from lab to lab, so must come from her own report, members would be able to comment more fully on her particular case.