Ow~ thyroid biopsy

[minkydog]

I have 3 small nodules on my thyroid, one of which is about 1cm and has calcifications, so they doctor did a fine-needle biopsy today. It isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds. I won't describe it, except to say that I shouldn't have looked at the needle(it was an accident--that thing is about 4" long!) After about 20 min of jabbing around, they let me go with an ice pack in hand and I drove myself home (cuz that's just the masochist that I am )

I. feel. bad. My neck is swollen and it's just so sore. I can breathe and swallow okay, so I know it's not anything I need to go to the ER for. I knew it was going to hurt, but I didn't know the procedure required such...aggressive treatment. I feel like I've been clotheslined. Tylenol is the only drug allowed, no anti-inflammatories. And ice. I've had ice on and off for the past 6 hours. I'm just dreading going to sleep. I have trouble sleeping on a good night. I hardly slept last night, I guess worried about this procedure. Hopefully, I can find a good position and get a little sleep.

I'm actually not all that worried about the biopsy results. There is a small chance that it may be malignant--sure don't need THAT. But my mother had thyroid cancer when she was about my age and had her thyroid removed. She has done very well, still going strong at 76. So I'm not too worked up about that possibility. I just didn't think it was going to be this uncomfortable.

 

[meliss8599]

Weird! I had an aspiration on a large nodule on my thyroid and while, I agree, it was torturous DURING the procedure (the doctor said I literally almost broke the record for number of pokes to get the needed fluid), I had little pain afterward.

I'm sorry you're going through such pain now. And you're not allowed to take an Advil or Aleve? Did they say why?

 

[minkydog]

Weird! I had an aspiration on a large nodule on my thyroid and while, I agree, it was torturous DURING the procedure (the doctor said I literally almost broke the record for number of pokes to get the needed fluid), I had little pain afterward.

I'm sorry you're going through such pain now. And you're not allowed to take an Advil or Aleve? Did they say why?

Bleeding risk.
At least the doctor was honest about the pain. He warned me after the procedure that it was going to hurt for a couple days. I just didn't exactly understand that it would feel like someone had tried to choke me to death.

 

[LuvOrlando]

aww, I had a few rough needle ones, don't you just love how they said don't move, what a treat. I had 1/2 out and that clothesline feeling stayed months after the surgery, good news is it goes away failry quickly with the biopsy. just take it easy, and be gentle to your neck... Avoid lifting and bending as much as you can, I didn't know it until the surgery but when people bend to pick stuff up they tend to look up and stretch the neck and it would really make my neck angry. I think the best advice I got was from someone on here saying to use a towel behind your head to pull your neck up when you go from sitting or lying down to upright, it kept all the pressure off and really helped the healing process.

Good luck and feel better ok, I hope you get good results

 

[JessicaR]

minkydog I know so many people that have had to have that fine needle aspiration of a nodule that when it came time for mine I wanted explicit proof it was necessary. In my case it wasn't. I had to have my thyroid out completely and bypassed that step. For some it seems its a walk in the park and for others its torturous.

At this point Advil or other anti inflammatories should be OK - question that again. Ice like you are doing is great too. I hope your discomfort passes quickly.

 

[minkydog]

aww, I had a few rough needle ones, don't you just love how they said don't move, what a treat. I had 1/2 out and that clothesline feeling stayed months after the surgery, good news is it goes away failry quickly with the biopsy. just take it easy, and be gentle to your neck... Avoid lifting and bending as much as you can, I didn't know it until the surgery but when people bend to pick stuff up they tend to look up and stretch the neck and it would really make my neck angry. I think the best advice I got was from someone on here saying to use a towel behind your head to pull your neck up when you go from sitting or lying down to upright, it kept all the pressure off and really helped the healing process.

Good luck and feel better ok, I hope you get good results

thanks, great piece of advice, the towel trick. I'm going to bed now but I'll take a hand towel up there with me

 

[mom23boys]

I have 3 small nodules on my thyroid, one of which is about 1cm and has calcifications, so they doctor did a fine-needle biopsy today. It isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds. I won't describe it, except to say that I shouldn't have looked at the needle(it was an accident--that thing is about 4" long!) After about 20 min of jabbing around, they let me go with an ice pack in hand and I drove myself home (cuz that's just the masochist that I am )

I. feel. bad. My neck is swollen and it's just so sore. I can breathe and swallow okay, so I know it's not anything I need to go to the ER for. I knew it was going to hurt, but I didn't know the procedure required such...aggressive treatment. I feel like I've been clotheslined. Tylenol is the only drug allowed, no anti-inflammatories. And ice. I've had ice on and off for the past 6 hours. I'm just dreading going to sleep. I have trouble sleeping on a good night. I hardly slept last night, I guess worried about this procedure. Hopefully, I can find a good position and get a little sleep.

I'm actually not all that worried about the biopsy results. There is a small chance that it may be malignant--sure don't need THAT. But my mother had thyroid cancer when she was about my age and had her thyroid removed. She has done very well, still going strong at 76. So I'm not too worked up about that possibility. I just didn't think it was going to be this uncomfortable.

I had the fine needle biopsy done a few months ago, I have 7 nodules in my thyroid. The endrocronologist wanted them to biospy 5 of them but the radiologist only did 3 I could not handle the pain, and he really said 5 was overkill. It was soooo painful, I never want to do that again. Good news was they were all negative for cancer but I have to go back in August for another ultrasound to see if they have grown, if they have I will get my thyroid out.

I also had alot of discomfort afterwards, my DMom took me and I am so glad she did, I could have never driven home. I think I slept for 3 hours when I got home I was wiped out for a the rest of the day. I also could only take tylenol and ice did help. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[wowsmom]

Been there, done that...twice!

First time, no numbing, 4 or 5 jabs, major discomfort, no anti-inflammatory allowed...hurt for a day or two (kind of hurt inside and out, if that makes sense). NOT fun.

Second time, different doctor/facility. Numbed with lidocaine...small burning feel from Lido...didn't feel any of the jabs - and there were probably at least 4 or 5 again. NO pain after. NONE. At all. Felt fine next day as well.

If you (or any of the other people posting here) ever have to have another FNA biopsy, I highly recommend finding a doctor who will numb the area with lidocaine first.

And I hope your results are favorable...first time, they told me it was 95% I didn't have cancer. Second time, they said 70%. So far, things are going okay...haven't had a biopsy in a while, though. Hmmmm.

 

[wdhinn89]

My daughter had a FNB when she was 12. She has 3 nodules on her thyroid. She was a real trooper, I was extremely proud of her.. She was given 2 shots to numb the area, one on each side. Once the area was numb, she did not feel the needles pumping away at her throat to get enough fluid. I was horrified. She wore an eye mask and had on her ipod ear phones. She saw and heard nothing. She was a little sore after for a few days but she handled it great.

Thank God the results were benign. We were told it is better to have multiple nodules vs. one because there is a higher chance of cancer with only one. She was put on a low dose of synthroid to stimulate the thyroid and she will have a sonogram once a year to check if they have grown. Eventually, the nodules will have to be removed.

 

[Christine]

I hate to be the one to rain on everyone's parade but I do feel that I have to do a Public Service Announcement.

A thyroid nodule biopsy cannot conclusively tell you that you do not have cancer. It's better than not having one, and certainly if you get a positive reading, then that would be reliable.

Thyroid cancer is not like most other cancers where it would make the entire nodule cancerous. It creates a nodule and then the cancer can be "peppered" within that nodule and throughout the gland. I needle biopsy can certainly miss it.

I had one nodule (which is definitely higher risk). Because of its location, I could not have a biopsy. I had half my thyroid removed. While I was on the table, the surgeon did a frozen section which bascially takes a "slice" of the nodule and surrounding area. It contains far more cells than a needle biopsy. It came back benign. After the full pathology was done, the nodule ended up having cancer in it in a certain area of the nodule. I also had some "specks" of cancer in the gland and there were no nodules. My doctor told me this is very common. That's why you will often hear of people having many, many biopsies over the years becaues they know it can be missed and they like to watch the nodules.

Again, I don't wish to darken your day but keep watching these things.

 

[MIGrandma]

I had one of those several years ago. I was glad they numbed the area before they went to poking around in there! The actual procedure didn't bother me much, but it was pretty sore and tender for a couple of days.

I'd had thyroid surgery before, as the first time the nodules showed up they said they had to come out. Didn't even do a fine needle biopsy the first time (which I still don't understand why they didn't). Then the nodules grew back, and I went to a different doctor and he had me do the biopsy. No cancer, so he just had me go for ultrasounds every few months to see if they changed and they did not so now I just live with them. Fine with me. I did not like the idea of another surgery.

Hope yours turns out well.

 

[JessicaR]

I hate to be the one to rain on everyone's parade but I do feel that I have to do a Public Service Announcement.

A thyroid nodule biopsy cannot conclusively tell you that you do not have cancer. It's better than not having one, and certainly if you get a positive reading, then that would be reliable.

Thyroid cancer is not like most other cancers where it would make the entire nodule cancerous. It creates a nodule and then the cancer can be "peppered" within that nodule and throughout the gland. I needle biopsy can certainly miss it.

I had one nodule (which is definitely higher risk). Because of its location, I could not have a biopsy. I had half my thyroid removed. While I was on the table, the surgeon did a frozen section which bascially takes a "slice" of the nodule and surrounding area. It contains far more cells than a needle biopsy. It came back benign. After the full pathology was done, the nodule ended up having cancer in it in a certain area of the nodule. I also had some "specks" of cancer in the gland and there were no nodules. My doctor told me this is very common. That's why you will often hear of people having many, many biopsies over the years becaues they know it can be missed and they like to watch the nodules.

Again, I don't wish to darken your day but keep watching these things.

Christine, this is an excellent PSA, and the reason why I refused to have one. But in my case the thyroid was coming out anyway.

 

[PaulaSue]

Feel better soon! I really hope it is nothing.

I have to go get an u/s on my neck since my lymph node is swollen. Thanks for the warning on the bio.

 

[minkydog]

I hate to be the one to rain on everyone's parade but I do feel that I have to do a Public Service Announcement.

A thyroid nodule biopsy cannot conclusively tell you that you do not have cancer. It's better than not having one, and certainly if you get a positive reading, then that would be reliable.

Thyroid cancer is not like most other cancers where it would make the entire nodule cancerous. It creates a nodule and then the cancer can be "peppered" within that nodule and throughout the gland. I needle biopsy can certainly miss it.

I had one nodule (which is definitely higher risk). Because of its location, I could not have a biopsy. I had half my thyroid removed. While I was on the table, the surgeon did a frozen section which bascially takes a "slice" of the nodule and surrounding area. It contains far more cells than a needle biopsy. It came back benign. After the full pathology was done, the nodule ended up having cancer in it in a certain area of the nodule. I also had some "specks" of cancer in the gland and there were no nodules. My doctor told me this is very common. That's why you will often hear of people having many, many biopsies over the years becaues they know it can be missed and they like to watch the nodules.

Again, I don't wish to darken your day but keep watching these things.

This happened to my mother. They actually caught the node on a Chest Xray she had for something else. The doctor took that part of her thyroid out. Initially it looked negative, but 10 days later turned out to be positive. So she had to undergo a second surgery. In the long run it has been fine. She takes her thyroid med every day and has her thyroid monitored periodically.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Aw Minky I hope you are healing slowly and the pain is lessening. My ENT surgeon always uses lidocaine.

I had so many biopsies before they actually figured out I had thyroid cancer. I had 2 tumors so I kept getting jabbed in the middle and on the L side.

Finally I had to have a core biopsy that started on the L side and went to the middle. It was like a caulk gun going into my neck. Heah, I got a free dinner from dh at Outback for that one!


I just had another swollen lymph node and biopsy 2 months ago and it turned out fine. I was sore for a couple days.

How is Christian ? Have you decided to go to FL after your drop off dd at college?

Wishing you all the best., keep us updated.

 

[minkydog]

Aw Minky I hope you are healing slowly and the pain is lessening. My ENT surgeon always uses lidocaine.

I had so many biopsies before they actually figured out I had thyroid cancer. I had 2 tumors so I kept getting jabbed in the middle and on the L side.

Finally I had to have a core biopsy that started on the L side and went to the middle. It was like a caulk gun going into my neck. Heah, I got a free dinner from dh at Outback for that one!


I just had another swollen lymph node and biopsy 2 months ago and it turned out fine. I was sore for a couple days.

How is Christian ? Have you decided to go to FL after your drop off dd at college?

Wishing you all the best., keep us updated.

Yeah, it's a little better today. At least i don't feel like I was throttled. There's a tender lump there. The surgeon did use lidocaine on it--I can't imagine enduring that without numbing it. I should hear something by next week. I'm thinking that if it shows negative they'll probably just wait and observe every 6 months or so.

Christain is doing okay. He started summer camp. We're lucky enough to have a therapeutic day camp nearby who will actuallytake a kid as low functioning as he is(not to mention, diaper dependent.) Yesterday he had his first accident--walked right off a curb and fell flat on the pavement. He skint all the skin off both knees and a 6" swath off one arm. So he looks pretty beat up but he didn't even cry. That kid is amazing. Needless to say, the camp coordinator put the workers on notice that this kind of injury is not to happen again. She assigned two young men to tag-team him.

Yes, DH and I are planning to take 2 days down at WDW after we drop DD18 at college. We're going to stay in the DTD area and just hang out, no real plans. Oh, i'll make some ADRs(or whatever they're called now), but I really want to be relaxing. I'm trying to find a caregiver for Christian, but if we can't, we can't. i don't really want to take him to college, but if we do then we'll just take him to WDW with us. He loves Disney and teh CMs are always so nice to him.

 

[ugadog99]

Oh Minky, I didn't see this until now. I hope you are feeling better now. I'll keep you in my thoughts.

 

[disney1990]

I have 3 small nodules on my thyroid, one of which is about 1cm and has calcifications, so they doctor did a fine-needle biopsy today. It isn't nearly as much fun as it sounds. I won't describe it, except to say that I shouldn't have looked at the needle(it was an accident--that thing is about 4" long!) After about 20 min of jabbing around, they let me go with an ice pack in hand and I drove myself home (cuz that's just the masochist that I am )

I. feel. bad. My neck is swollen and it's just so sore. I can breathe and swallow okay, so I know it's not anything I need to go to the ER for. I knew it was going to hurt, but I didn't know the procedure required such...aggressive treatment. I feel like I've been clotheslined. Tylenol is the only drug allowed, no anti-inflammatories. And ice. I've had ice on and off for the past 6 hours. I'm just dreading going to sleep. I have trouble sleeping on a good night. I hardly slept last night, I guess worried about this procedure. Hopefully, I can find a good position and get a little sleep.

I'm actually not all that worried about the biopsy results. There is a small chance that it may be malignant--sure don't need THAT. But my mother had thyroid cancer when she was about my age and had her thyroid removed. She has done very well, still going strong at 76. So I'm not too worked up about that possibility. I just didn't think it was going to be this uncomfortable.

I had a needle biopsy January 2010. The results were inclusive. So the doctor went in and removed 1/2 of my thyroid, the half with the nodules. He then sent it out to be biopsied. It was not cancer, so he left the other half of my thyroid in because it is still working like it is supposed to. If it has been cancer, I would have had to have surgery again to remove the other half.

I hope everything turns out alright.