The THYROID Thread

[AllisonK]

I got the results of my FNA on Thursday. They were indeterminate with about a 30-40% chance of cancer, so I will be having my whole thyroid removed sometime in the coming weeks. My endocrinologist is sending me to Boston Medical Center (about an hour or so away - I am so lucky I live fairly close to some of the best hospitals in the world) for the surgery, which will be in-patient. I managed to get a consult with the surgeon for Tuesday, so hopefully I will be able to schedule the surgery quickly and get it over with. I've never had surgery before (well, I had my wisdom teeth out and they did knock me out for that) and have never stayed overnight in the hospital before (besides a few days at Boston Children's as an infant) so I am a bit nervous about that aspect.

I also may have to drop out of the play I am doing in April (Fiddler on the Roof) but the director is very understanding and said if I am up to jumping back in I am more than welcome to, but if not it's OK. And I was also cast in a production of Legally Blonde in May, which I am confident I will be able to do, as I am hopefully having the surgery this month. I worked SO hard for that audition and although I didn't get any of the roles I wanted, I have a fantastic featured speaking role and I am part of the ensemble. And my voice teacher is a thyroid cancer survivor and she is also confident that if I have the surgery soon I will be good to go by May. She did tell me I will be tired while my body is adjusting to the meds, but I have been tired since December or so, which is what pushed me to go to the doctor's in January. I was convinced my Vitamin D levels were low again and my PA did a neck check and discovered my nodule.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

macraven - wishing you all the best with your surgery. What will they be exactly doing with your salivary glands. Do you have stones? I have one that you can feel like a pebble in my cheek.

Allison - sorry to hear that you have to have the surgery. I hope you like your surgeon. Wishing you all the best and keep us updated.

Angie - thinking of you too and hope things are going well for you. Hang in there!

I am tired. I did 3 days of meetings. I still think when the weather is better I will go to dr. waste my time and ask for a b12 blood test. I am always tired. I need the mammo script from him anyway.

Its snowing here again and lucky dh left for Calif. this afternoon. This snow is weary.

My cousins daughter who was 17 was tragically killed in a car accident. It was her fault as she did not yield and a truck hit her. The viewing is tomm but we have no way of getting there with the bad weather and 2 of the ds working and dh away. Its in the next state too. This girls mom, my cousin (We grew up as cousins but we are not related by blood) died when she was 9. A very sad situation all around. Her parents were my kids guardians when they were little in case anything happened to dh or I.

 

[macraven]

allison, to you on your upcoming surgery.
i know it is scary but you will come out of it like a champ.

LMP, that is sad about your loss no matter who was at fault in it.
so sorry you are dealing with this.
i hear you, i'm getting tired of doctors also.

i have had 3 surgeries on the ducts of the salivary gland in the past years.
each time it was for stone removal. the longer they stay stuck in a duct, the greater possibility for bacterial infection.

the mri showed the ducts are now mangled and the stones can't move, they are stuck.
hopefully i will have the ducts dialated so the surgeon can remove the stones in the basket way.
then he will stent the ducts which will be removed 3 weeks later.
if he can't correct the ducts, then it is removal of the salivary gland.
i'm thinking positive on this.
he told me if he has to make a decision during surgery to remove the gland, he will try to do the incisions in the fold of the outer neck to hide the future scarring.
he works with thyroid and neck cancers but he took me on as a patient.

lmp, is this the first time you have had a stone?
my past surgeons always told me to massage the neck/facial area towards the mouth.
it can help move the stone if it has been caught in the duct.
and, sucking on lemon drops helps the saliva over produce which also helps move the stone out.
it will be released from the duct under your tognue.
if you see anything white at the tip of that duct, use the lemon drops.
the stone is close to leaving your body and the rush of saliva will force the stone out.
sounds like yours is in the paratoid saivary gland.

 

[SingingMom]

Allison - as a singer and thyroid cancer survivor, let me just let you know my surgeon told me no singing for at least 6 weeks after my thyroidectomy. I had to cancel singing at my friend's wedding and Easter season at church. Just keep that in mind when deciding on going back to performing. After the vocal rest, I was good as new.

LMP - very sorry to hear about your cousin. We had a similar death in my cousin's family a few years ago. It was in all then papers and a horrible tragedy. Two teens were killed and one survived. Very hard to see a young person's life cut short. :-(

 

[dazedx3]

Hello. I just found this thread, and have been reading many of your stories. On Christmas day, i was leading a family game when I reached up and felt a lump in my neck...I thought maybe it was just a swollen gland but it seemed to get bigger. So I went to my GP and she immediately sent me for blood work and an ultrasound. My blood work was normal, the Ultra S. showed a 3cm nodule on my thyroid. I had a FN biopsy done and the results came back "atypical". The Endo said I have to wait 8 weeks and have another biopsy done and a more specialized test. The waiting is making me a little uneasy. I've heard some people have the nodule removed even if the results are not malignant, Thoughts? Thanks

 

[Christine]

Hello. I just found this thread, and have been reading many of your stories. On Christmas day, i was leading a family game when I reached up and felt a lump in my neck...I thought maybe it was just a swollen gland but it seemed to get bigger. So I went to my GP and she immediately sent me for blood work and an ultrasound. My blood work was normal, the Ultra S. showed a 3cm nodule on my thyroid. I had a FN biopsy done and the results came back "atypical". The Endo said I have to wait 8 weeks and have another biopsy done and a more specialized test. The waiting is making me a little uneasy. I've heard some people have the nodule removed even if the results are not malignant, Thoughts? Thanks

This sounds pretty standard and, I will tell you, even if your lump is "normal" it is very hard to get a normal, clean biopsy. My friend finally did after two sessions of biopsies; however, she ended up having it all removed because, really, who wants to be walking around with a massive lump in their neck? After all the biopsies and surgery, she was found to have a microscopic papillary thyroid cancer there. Fortunately, it was so small that no other treatment was necessary--she just follows up twice a year with an endocrinologist, blood work, and ultrasound.

It sounds like you may already know what's on the horizon. Do you want to have a lump in your neck all the time? If it doesn't bother you, you can let it go but you will probably need an ultrasound once a year to follow it. Many of these lumps grow internally and people aren't aware of how big they are getting.

 

[AllisonK]

Does anyone know where I can find Vitamin E cream? I know it helps with the healing of incisions. I looked at Target yesterday and at Dollar Tree a few days ago but I haven't found anything. I still have some time - my surgery isn't until March 23 - I just want to be prepared!

 

[macraven]

check for the cream on amazon.
if you can't find what you want in the stores, online shopping would be beneficial.

 

[SingingMom]

Does anyone know where I can find Vitamin E cream? I know it helps with the healing of incisions. I looked at Target yesterday and at Dollar Tree a few days ago but I haven't found anything. I still have some time - my surgery isn't until March 23 - I just want to be prepared!

Any chain drug store will carry it. CVS, Walgreens, etc. you can also pierce a vit E capsule and rub it on your scar. Also remember to be diligent with sunscreen. My scar is practically invisible.

 

[Christine]

check for the cream on amazon.
if you can't find what you want in the stores, online shopping would be beneficial.

I was always told to just break open a capsule.

 

[squeegee]

Got in today for that followup with my surgeon - he's sending me to PT, and gave me approval to go back to work in two weeks. It feels good to be making progress, and it will be nice to get back to work.

Have any of y'all done PT for a shoulder post-dissection? What should I expect?

I hope everyone's doing as well as can be.

 

[macraven]

shoulder surgery?
that i have had.
went through a rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders and then a full shoulder surgery where bone was cut out.
my shoulder scar is from under the arm pit to all around the top to the back.

my PT went for almost 8 months.
the tendon repair work is what made my pt go so long.

the pt is worth it.
you'll get full range of motion back.

 

[macraven]

I was always told to just break open a capsule.

that sounds more logical and cheaper.

 

[squeegee]

shoulder surgery?
that i have had.
went through a rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders and then a full shoulder surgery where bone was cut out.
my shoulder scar is from under the arm pit to all around the top to the back.

my PT went for almost 8 months.
the tendon repair work is what made my pt go so long.

the pt is worth it.
you'll get full range of motion back.

I can only imagine how painful recovery from shoulder surgery must be, given how bad just the dissection has been. Wow. Am glad to hear PT was truly beneficial, though. Thank you!

 

[luvmarypoppins]

dazedx3 - wishing you all the best with the next biopsy. I had to have several too. Did they tell you what the other test is, perhaps the afirma test?

Allison - wishing you all the best with the surgery. As singing mom said, it does take a while to get your voice back. I used to have a good singing voice but that is gone now, oh well. Dont push it too much. Your body will be through an ordeal and needs time to heal for sure.

maccraven - wishing you all the best with your salivary gland surgery.

squeegee -I did pt post neck dissection I went to a terrible place, but it was only the place my ins. paid for. The owner would just sit there and watch me do all the work myself. He would only be hands on when doing the last 5 minutes and putting the ice pack on. I remember I had to use resistance bands alot and wights attached to the wall like a pulley I think.

singing mom - It will be so fun visiting your dd and I am sure she will be giving you lots of inside info!

Most important thing, I asked him for exercises to do at home and he refused to give them to me. He said in a while etc. I think he actually did this so I would keep coming to the office for more visits. I had to stop the pt because of all the stomach surgery I had to have. So I would def. ask them for exercises to do at home too.

Christine - reading anything good? I am a slow reader for sure. I am still doing my civil war historical. Almost done and then starting a ya book. I won it from the author so I hope I like it.

Well just when we thought it was spring, we are getting 3 inches of snow on friday, sigh. My dh is going to chicago, coming back for a day and then heading to washington dc for a week. He is going to be at the dept. of (sorry I never mention that), sorry its not yours christine, lol! He has to talk for a week, blah, blah.

Dh is talking about a May disney trip. Ds is graduating with the bsn. The ceremony I think is 7:30 am, gosh! The date time frame I would really like to go so I will look at dates and we have enough ff miles to stay at the Swan for free for 7 days, yippee!

I need to get going on some of my med.stuff. Also dentist as that will be interesting too.

Thinking of you all.

 

[squeegee]

dazedx3 - wishing you all the best with the next biopsy. I had to have several too. Did they tell you what the other test is, perhaps the afirma test?

Allison - wishing you all the best with the surgery. As singing mom said, it does take a while to get your voice back. I used to have a good singing voice but that is gone now, oh well. Dont push it too much. Your body will be through an ordeal and needs time to heal for sure.

maccraven - wishing you all the best with your salivary gland surgery.

squeegee -I did pt post neck dissection I went to a terrible place, but it was only the place my ins. paid for. The owner would just sit there and watch me do all the work myself. He would only be hands on when doing the last 5 minutes and putting the ice pack on. I remember I had to use resistance bands alot and wights attached to the wall like a pulley I think.

singing mom - It will be so fun visiting your dd and I am sure she will be giving you lots of inside info!

Most important thing, I asked him for exercises to do at home and he refused to give them to me. He said in a while etc. I think he actually did this so I would keep coming to the office for more visits. I had to stop the pt because of all the stomach surgery I had to have. So I would def. ask them for exercises to do at home too.

Christine - reading anything good? I am a slow reader for sure. I am still doing my civil war historical. Almost done and then starting a ya book. I won it from the author so I hope I like it.

Well just when we thought it was spring, we are getting 3 inches of snow on friday, sigh. My dh is going to chicago, coming back for a day and then heading to washington dc for a week. He is going to be at the dept. of (sorry I never mention that), sorry its not yours christine, lol! He has to talk for a week, blah, blah.

Dh is talking about a May disney trip. Ds is graduating with the bsn. The ceremony I think is 7:30 am, gosh! The date time frame I would really like to go so I will look at dates and we have enough ff miles to stay at the Swan for free for 7 days, yippee!

I need to get going on some of my med.stuff. Also dentist as that will be interesting too.

Thinking of you all.

Wow. Sorry you had such a lousy physical therapist. I had my first session, and am SO wishing I had insisted on going sooner. The pain was dramatically reduced by the time they were done. There was about an hour, maybe more, of measurements, stretches, massage (to break up the scar tissue behind the incision), and ice pack with some kind of electrical stimulation machine.

They did give me exercises to do at home, which seem to help a little, too. The therapist said that the pain is from an inflamed brachial plexus, affecting the medial, radial, and ulnar nerves, not necessarily anything wrong with the joint or muscles themselves, so I guess that's good. I see them again Friday, and twice a week for the next 4-6 weeks. It hurts the pocketbook, but is sooooo worth it for getting this pain under control.

Best wishes to everyone.

 

[Christine]

Christine - reading anything good? I am a slow reader for sure. I am still doing my civil war historical. Almost done and then starting a ya book. I won it from the author so I hope I like it.

Well just when we thought it was spring, we are getting 3 inches of snow on friday, sigh. My dh is going to chicago, coming back for a day and then heading to washington dc for a week. He is going to be at the dept. of (sorry I never mention that), sorry its not yours christine, lol! He has to talk for a week, blah, blah.

No, I haven't had a "great" book in awhile. I only get to read about 30 minutes each night so it seems like it takes me forever.

We got some snow here today too but it was too warm to amount to anything. Just a lot of WET.

 

[macraven]

christine, are you ever going to stop having snow.......
your weather has been just so awful this year.
today is the first day of spring but i don't think you are going to see robins out yet.

i'm so behind in my reading this year.
i used to always have a book to read each evening.
adult son that lives with us had hernia surgery the day before i had my surgery.
hernia and he is restricted for another 3 more weeks of doing anything.
today, he had deviated septum surgery.
two different surgeries 16 days apart.
he had a bleeding issue so we were at the hosptial for 4 hours in recovery.
he is up and down this entire evening....which means i am still up at 3 in the morning.

i need a book to read......
that is on my shopping list for later this week!

hope all are doing fine and those that are now going through medical issues, you are on my prayer list.

 

[AllisonK]

I just got home from the hospital about a half an hour ago. My surgery went really well and they removed the whole thyroid without nerve damage - my surgeon remembered I am a singer. I went into the OR about three hours late yesterday and got into recovery sometime around 6:30 p.m. I had some issues with nausea last night despite the patch behind my ear and about three doses of Zofran. I was moved to my room around 8:30 or 9:00 and the nausea subsided by midnight or so. I didn't sleep much and was woken up quite often, but I got my contact lenses in this morning and the only pain I have is right around the incision site and from the breathing tube in my throat. My parents got to the hospital around 11:00 this morning and I was discharged by 1:00 or so. I started on the levotheroxyn this morning and calcium pills as well and my thyroid was sent to pathology after surgery and hopefully I'll have the results of that when I go to the surgeon's office for follow-up in two weeks.

 

[macraven]

hope your pain lessens and you feel better real soon.