I just went to the doctor yesterday. In 2004, I had 60% of my thyroid out. The isthmus and the left lobe were removed. Ultrasound yesterday showed my thyroid did indeed grow back and the left lobe is bigger than the right. Now I have to have surgery again. It DOES grow back. It isn't rare but it is uncommon. Lucky me!
Its very true a goiter can grow back! My husband had a very large goiter removed 2006. The biggest the Dr has every seen. My husband lost a lot of blood during the surgery because the goiter was growing down behind his chest bone. A biopsy was done on it, the cells abnormal but no cancer. The DR said they removed it in time. It has grown back as big as the first. Its very hard for him to talk always needing to clear his throat. We are waiting for the results of some test but know he has to have surgery again.
It is unusual but not impossible for thyroid tissue to grow back. It is impossible to remove all the thyroid cells. Especially as they need to try to retain the parathyroids and these sit in a bed of thyroid tissue. Without them you would be in a lot of trouble! It's usually only with RAI (radiation ablation) that 99.999999999% of the thyroid tissue is destroyed.
I'm sorry if what I said was wrong. I'm not here to mislead anyone, in fact I feel
as if my doctors may have misled me! I'm new to this community and still have
a lot to learn, obviously. I had a total thyroidectomy 5 years ago due to
follicular thyroid cancer, and I guess I was willing to believe I would not have to
worry. However, I have had issues over the last year or so with the same feeling
in my neck that I had before my diagnosis. That would be the difficulty swallowing.
The smallest things get stuck and cause me to cough. And the feeling as though
a pair of hands were around my neck, applying pressure. Anyway, thank you
so much for posting this question. It has given me some insight as
well. Take care!
Hi
Thanks for your reply, waiting to here back from the DR. It is really hard to swallow pills now, luckily I take armour thyroid. There's like a lump in my neck at the front, it doesn't hurt.
I hate to dissagree but thyroid tissue can grow back. It is a very sticky gland and the docs try to get all of it but there is always some tissuer left behind.
that is why in a cancer dx that The RAI is necessary to kill off any residual tissue.
there are several posts here on thyroids that have come back.
Love Venora
Hi,
I can only say that a thyroid cannot grow back. I don't know much about goiters, just thyroid. I hope someone else can help you out with that. What are your symptoms now?