The THYROID Thread

[angwill]

Christine, Sounds like your DS is busy with college. How fun. Sorry to hear about the pain after the high dose vitamin D.

LMP, Your Disney trip sounds like a real blast. So glad you had a good time. I am sending prayers for your DS fellowship. Hope he hears from them soon.

I went to my sleep doctor this week and she is concerned that my lymph nodes are swollen. Heck they have been swollen since taking RAI and I just figured it was that causing the problem. My endo never even feels my neck only checks my levels so it sounds like he dropped the ball. So I am off to the surgeon next week to have them do testing on the lymph nodes and probably and MRI or CT scan. Has anyone else had problems with lymph node swelling?

Thanks,
Ang

 

[SingingMom]

Christine, Sounds like your DS is busy with college. How fun. Sorry to hear about the pain after the high dose vitamin D. LMP, Your Disney trip sounds like a real blast. So glad you had a good time. I am sending prayers for your DS fellowship. Hope he hears from them soon. I went to my sleep doctor this week and she is concerned that my lymph nodes are swollen. Heck they have been swollen since taking RAI and I just figured it was that causing the problem. My endo never even feels my neck only checks my levels so it sounds like he dropped the ball. So I am off to the surgeon next week to have them do testing on the lymph nodes and probably and MRI or CT scan. Has anyone else had problems with lymph node swelling? Thanks, Ang

Your endo doesn't feel your neck??? That's more than "dropping the ball"! Geesh! Hopefully it's nothing, but he should be feeling the entire neck area at every visit.


Our trip to Aulani was wonderful. The people of Hawaii are the sweetest, most friendly individuals I have ever met. We enjoyed the trip and the beauty of Oahu. Unfortunately, the resort did not have many excursions that included transportation. We didn't want to rent a car and Aulani is on the west shore, so we were limited in that. Took a cab to mass Saturday night and the excursions to Pearl Harbor, catamaran/snorkeling, and surfing. We walked to the Paradise Cove Luau and to dinner a few times. Disney is lacking in dining choices at the resort. They need to add a few and keep the ones they have open later. I prefer the beach in Bermuda, but the place DD & DH had their surfing lesson was gorgeous. All in all, a great vacation. The staff all made a big fuss over DD turning 21!

Now getting all my dr appts up to date. Fun, fun.

LMP- keep us posted on your son's job!

Everyone - be well!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[angwill]

singingmom,

My endo is a nice man and really good at explaining the book stuff to you about what's happening but beyond that he is not so good. I would have gone elsewhere if there were any other endo's anywhere in our area but there are not. I would have to travel about 2 hours to get to another one and as it is he is 45 minutes from me. He has never checked my neck and spends about 10 minutes with me to say hello and tell me about my lab results or what labs to get done and then charges me $165 for his neglectful time. Our choices where I live are very limited.

At least my surgeon who will be dealing with my lymph nodes is excellent. He is the only surgeon withing about a 4 hour drive who will even see people without insurance and give them a payment plan or see anyone with medicaid and as far as I know there is nobody better than him so I am happy to have him. I had a friend with cancer and no insurance and it was near impossible to find him since no other surgeon or doctor would see her without payment up front for the visit and then the surgery bill paid before surgery. I was calling around and flat out told if she didn't have the money she would have to live with the cancer. I was shocked at the responses I got. Anyway, my point is that he is the best at what he does and he really cares about people so I am sure if something is wrong he will figure it out.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

ang - I am sorry you are dealing with this again. When is your surgeon appt.?

My endo always checks my neck but I can say its really fast. I wonder how she can feel anything like that but she does kind of press hard etc.

I did have one issue with one lymph node like a year after surgery or maybe two. I cant remember what I posted here.

The lymph node was popping out. It was the same side as my neck dissection. This was a really high one by my bottom ear area. The whole area was itching and pulling and that led the surgeon to believe it was infected.

I made him do a biopsy and he asked me about my most current blood work and was deciding if he was going to do a ct scan or not. Mine was infected and I just had to have an antibiotic. I dont think they would have done a biopsy under normal circumstances but since he almost killed me I think he gave into my wishes.

Wishing you all the best and I hope you get answers soon. Hang in there!

 

[SingingMom]

singingmom, My endo is a nice man and really good at explaining the book stuff to you about what's happening but beyond that he is not so good. I would have gone elsewhere if there were any other endo's anywhere in our area but there are not. I would have to travel about 2 hours to get to another one and as it is he is 45 minutes from me. He has never checked my neck and spends about 10 minutes with me to say hello and tell me about my lab results or what labs to get done and then charges me $165 for his neglectful time. Our choices where I live are very limited. At least my surgeon who will be dealing with my lymph nodes is excellent. He is the only surgeon withing about a 4 hour drive who will even see people without insurance and give them a payment plan or see anyone with medicaid and as far as I know there is nobody better than him so I am happy to have him. I had a friend with cancer and no insurance and it was near impossible to find him since no other surgeon or doctor would see her without payment up front for the visit and then the surgery bill paid before surgery. I was calling around and flat out told if she didn't have the money she would have to live with the cancer. I was shocked at the responses I got. Anyway, my point is that he is the best at what he does and he really cares about people so I am sure if something is wrong he will figure it out.

I'm glad your surgeon is good. He'll get to the bottom of the swollen gland issue. Probably just an infection that settled there.
It's too bad you are in an area that doesn't have more choices. I can't get past the fact an endo isn't touching your neck at each visit. A GP, maybe, but that's what an endo does. ;-)

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[luvmarypoppins]

singingmom - your trip sounded wonderful. I think I would love Hawaii.

Do they send you a guest survey? Maybe you could comment on some of the issues you had.

Well September is....Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month. I have to be honest. I forgot. One of the authors I follow, Kathleen Fuller, posted it on her facebook page as she is a thy ca survivor.

If anyone knows how to post a graphic type thing, I think it would be great to put something on the community board.

 

[angwill]

I see my surgeon on Tuesday afternoon which will just be what the plan of attack is.

I just figured he didn't feel my neck because why bother if your thyroid is gone? I guess I was wrong in assuming. Oddly, my GP or her NP always feel my neck, go figure.

 

[SingingMom]

I see my surgeon on Tuesday afternoon which will just be what the plan of attack is. I just figured he didn't feel my neck because why bother if your thyroid is gone? I guess I was wrong in assuming. Oddly, my GP or her NP always feel my neck, go figure.

My endo even has an ultrasound of the thyroid bed done every few years even though I had a total thyroidectomy 22 years ago! She feels my neck every year, with and without be taking sips of water and swallowing. "SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Christine]

My endo even has an ultrasound of the thyroid bed done every few years even though I had a total thyroidectomy 22 years ago! She feels my neck every year, with and without be taking silos of water and swallowing.

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Mine too!

 

[angwill]

I had my thyroid removed last year due to cancer. I had my 6 month ultra sound and need another one done till I am on schedule to get them every year with a WBS. I am going to ask my endo when I see him why he doesn't feel my neck and the lymph nodes. I have a feeling he is going to say it is because my ultrasound, WBS, and thyroid marker came back fine. Well the good news is that the surgeon said he is not worried about my lymph nodes because all my tests came back good. So I don't have to worry about that. He said he feels some doctors do too many tests for no good reason and if something was really wrong he feels I would have other signs that would go alone with it. I didn't ask what signs I just got the hell out of that office. I was more nervous at that visit than any other for some reason.

 

[SingingMom]

I had my thyroid removed last year due to cancer. I had my 6 month ultra sound and need another one done till I am on schedule to get them every year with a WBS. I am going to ask my endo when I see him why he doesn't feel my neck and the lymph nodes. I have a feeling he is going to say it is because my ultrasound, WBS, and thyroid marker came back fine. Well the good news is that the surgeon said he is not worried about my lymph nodes because all my tests came back good. So I don't have to worry about that. He said he feels some doctors do too many tests for no good reason and if something was really wrong he feels I would have other signs that would go alone with it. I didn't ask what signs I just got the hell out of that office. I was more nervous at that visit than any other for some reason.

So happy to hear you had a good report! Those lymph nodes are tricky things ! . LOLOLOL

Had my ultrasound yesterday. I am asking at my appointment why this is necessary after all these years. Waste of money I think.

Monday I go for next stage of my dental implant. I am a wreck. It was an ordeal to extract the remaining root canal & do the grafting. I was miserable for a few days and uncomfortable for two weeks. (this is such an easy procedure- my foot!). I asked DH to come with me so I can take Xanax and not worry about driving home!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[luvmarypoppins]

ang -so happy for your good report! I am sure your were nervous. I would cringe if I had to see my surgeon again, especially since he almost killed me during surgery.

How many body scans do you have to have? My rad. onc. said once there are 2 good ones (the 2nd at the one year post op mark) she wont do anymore because she says the blood tests are reliable enough. I dont even have to see her anymore either.

singing mom - sorry you have to go through all these dental woes. I am long overdue for the dentist. Mine quit and didnt sell the practice to someone so I need to find a new one.

Christine - how are you feeling?

My R hip is causing me so much pain. I am alternating between tylenol and aleve and using my grandmas walker as necessary. Dont know what is the matter with it.

 

[angwill]

Singing mom,

Good luck with the ultrasound. How often do they make you get an ultrasound? Do you still get your thyroid marker tested and WBS's. I am wondering what happens after the 5 years. My dr is saying all those things every year after this first year at every 6 months.

Dental implants are not simple that is a surgery and it hurts when you get the grafting and such. Sometimes I wish I was living in simpler times when they just pulled the darn teeth and there were no WBS's. lol I hope the rest of the implant procedure is easy on you.

LMP,
OMG, I would never see my surgeon if he almost killed me. I love my surgeon he is the best but I still would rather never see him again. lol

I will get my 3rd WBS since surgery in January. I spread them out further than I was supposed to. I hate them and am thinking if I can find a good GP who is willing to test my thyroid and give me meds I am going to ditch my endocrinologist. He really is best with diabetes and not so good with thyroid IMO. How often do you get your thyroid markers checked? Do you not have ultrasounds done? How long did you get those after surgery? I have printed articles that the bigger more advanced hospitals don't do the WBS only thyroid marker and ultrasound but my endo won't discuss the articles only go with what he knows and that means WBS yearly. Thyrogen shots at $12,000 once a year is insane IMO as well.

So sorry to read about your hip. I am an Aleve/Tylenol user too and they are what helps me. I do hope your hip feels better soon. Did you see the doctor about it?

 

[luvmarypoppins]

ang - I wouldnt be doing those yearly WBS after 2 clean WBS either. You are just exposing yourself to more radiation etc.

I wonder if your endo is doing this because you have a rare variant too?

I think the current literature is blood and ultrasound every 6 months for up to 5 years. I cant remember what my rad. onc. said at my last visit and that was last year.

My endo does diabetes too.

Anyone see the little news article about those having Type A blood are supposedly more prone to oral cancer, salivary gland cancer and I forgot the third one. Any one here have type A. My own little unscientific study, lol. I know the article did not say thyroid cancer, but the other 2 are close enough maybe.

 

[SingingMom]

ang - I wouldnt be doing those yearly WBS after 2 clean WBS either. You are just exposing yourself to more radiation etc. I wonder if your endo is doing this because you have a rare variant too? I think the current literature is blood and ultrasound every 6 months for up to 5 years. I cant remember what my rad. onc. said at my last visit and that was last year. My endo does diabetes too. Anyone see the little news article about those having Type A blood are supposedly more prone to oral cancer, salivary gland cancer and I forgot the third one. Any one here have type A. My own little unscientific study, lol. I know the article did not say thyroid cancer, but the other 2 are close enough maybe.

Oh brother. So something ELSE to worry about??! Lol. Type A here, of course. LOLOLOL


I only had one WBS. I never had an ultrasound until I switched endocrinologists. She has been doing them every other year; this was my second. When I go for my appt in a few weeks, I'm going to ask her why I need any more after 22 years. Ang- I have all that blood work every year. My synthroid dosages gave changed throughout the years.

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Christine]

I am Type A too. No, I didn't see that article.

 

[angwill]

Type A for me too.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

O.K. I am A too, now this is scaring me ladies. What do you all think. Too much of a coincidence or what????

The third cancer was esophageal and you all know my wonderful digestive issues etc.

O.K. - anyone else who has thy ca and is reading along, want to chime in and tell us if you have type A blood?????

 

[SingingMom]

O.K. I am A too, now this is scaring me ladies. What do you all think. Too much of a coincidence or what???? The third cancer was esophageal and you all know my wonderful digestive issues etc. O.K. - anyone else who has thy ca and is reading along, want to chime in and tell us if you have type A blood?????

Let's not jump to conclusions just yet! So many people are A positive! Trying to play the optimist! Even if it is a "cockeyed" one! ;-).

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[angwill]

I am with Singing Mom. There are only 4 blood types then the RH factors. A+ is the second most common blood type. I think like 33% of the population has that type. Being an optimist I think if a third of the population is type A then about a third of thyroid cancer patients will have it too.