Thyroid Issues?

[CanadianPaco]

I found a lump on my neck last week - saw the MD and he's thinks it is related to my thyroid. Blood work came back normal and am waiting for the ultrasound reults.
Anyone been through this?

 

[snappy]

My gyn found a nodule on my thyroid in 1991, during my 1 yr checkup after baby #2 was born. He routinely checks patient's thyroids and said he finds several a year.

He sent me to a endricrinologist who examined me. He did several fine needle aspirations (FNA) over the years. Results were benign. He had me do lab work each year to check my thyroid function, all came back normal. I was nervous at first because my maternal grandmother had thyroid cancer, but it was confined to the thyroid (as the the vast majority of thyroid cancers), and she had no further trouble after her thyroid gland was removed.

I am seeing a different doc ( endicrinologist) now since we moved. In addition to one FNA the first year I saw him, he started doing an ultrasound yearly as well as the blood work.

Until 2004, everything was normal, that was 13 years after the nodule was found. It basically stayed the same size and never caused any trouble.

After dealing with totally unrelated breast cancer, I found myself very tired. When I went back to the endricinologist (he is also an internist), he found my thyroid levels no longer in the normal range. From what he said and from what I have read, what docs considered normal changed a few years ago.

Now I am on meds for hypothyroidism.

I would go to an endicrinologist for this. He can do the FNA if necessary (this is not bad) and monitor your levels.

If you don't have symptoms other than the nodule, your thyroid levels may be ok. I felt very different when my levels deteriorated. At first I thought it was from my other issues, but I came to realize the symptoms (mostly extreme tiredness). Each time I have felt this come on again, the doc increased the med level slightly. After about a month I feel better.

If you have any questions, please pm me.

 

[missymouse]

Yep. I have a multinodule benign goiter. So far thyroid levels are fine but have to follow up yearly with endocrinologist.

 

[Christine]

Back in 1991, my doctor found a lump while checking my neck. It was on my thyroid. My lab work was all normal. I had some scans done, then surgery. Mine ended up being thyroid cancer. You probably didn't want to hear that, right?

 

[lowie]

I found a lump on my neck last week - saw the MD and he's thinks it is related to my thyroid. Blood work came back normal and am waiting for the ultrasound reults.
Anyone been through this?

i have thyroid disease, called hashimoto's. when my thyroid levels are out of whack the lumps on the thyroid feel very pronounced, i can feel it when i swallow. i'd ask the doctor to see your lab report. what a regular MD may feel is normal wouldn't be normal to an endocrinologist. TSH should be (approx, cause i forget the exact numbers) between .2 and 3.

i had a doc tell me that 10.5 was on the normal range and didn't require medicating, but i felt terrible.

good luck and update us when you can!

 

[3princesses4us]

I've been going through this exact thing for the last few months. At my yearly exam my OB/GYN noticed a lump in my neck. Had my thyroid levels tested and all were normal. Started to realize I had more thyroid -related symptoms after talking to friends (inability to lose weight even though exercising, tired, depressed, etc.) The problem is when you're in your early 30's and have had a baby in the last year, I was diagnosed with everything from post-partem depression to mono!
At my insistence based on the lump remark, I had an ultrasound done where they saw several cysts and a goiter. I then had iodine scans done to make sure it wasn't cancerous and am now on medication for hypothyroidism to take the goiter away. Mine is small enough the doctor doesn't think it needs to be removed with surgery.
Go with your instincts though and insist on more tests. If I hadn't, my goiter could have grown really large and noticeable. Strange thing is, I've always passed my blood work.

 

[CanadianPaco]

That is exactly it! I work full time - have a lovely 8yr old DD - run 5 days a week - busy - busy -busy. PMS thru the roof. Tired. Moody. Blue. No energy. Ugh. But as I said, the blood work(thyroid levels) shouwed fine. That is what scares me.

I had a breast cancer scare 2 years ago - positive biopsy turned out to be a rare false positive. No tumor. No cancer. Just a mistake. So here I am again. Same fears. The big "C".

And the waiting. Oh the waiting. Waiting for the appointment. Waiting for the results. Waiting for the next appointment. Waiting for the results. I almost long for the days before the internet - when you couldn't find every word about a disease ever written.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Christine

But how did it go?
How are you now?

 

[Christine]

Christine

But how did it go?
How are you now?

It went fine. Actually I mis-posted! I should go back and edit. It was found in 1994 (I wrote 1991). I had just had my 2nd child--he was 6 months old. Interesting enough, thyroid cancer seems to "pop up" a lot during pregnancy and childbirth. I think the pregnancy hormones stimulate what was already there, though, and make it show up faster.

As far as I know, I'm fine now. I will be monitored for the rest of my life. I encourage everyone to get their lumps biopsied. Thyroid cancer is on the rise for some reason and doctors are still at a point where they think it is rare. Don't ignore this.

Having said that, it most cases it will be benign.

I also wanted to add: if you can work a full-time job, have a family, AND run 5 times a week, you probably aren't having thyroid issues. You are just tired!! I have this too and the older I get the worse I get. With true thyroid issues you probably, literally, would be a couch potato!

 

[Snoozan]

Another thyroid cancer survivor here - mine was found during my annual physical seven years ago when my N.P. found a lump on my thyroid. Same day I was at a endocrinologist for the fine-needle biopsy and diagnosis of thyroid cancer within days. Had my surgery to remove my thyroid within a month and have been on Levothroid since. I had complained to my N.P. during my exam that I was sick and tired of always feeling "sick and tired" so guess there was an indication of thyroid issues. Mine is still a chronic issue as all the bloodwork done yearly shows there is still microscropic thyroid cells somewhere, but annual ultrasounds and exams come up negative and even the scans done have never found anything. Oh well, I'm told I can stay like this forever and it shouldn't affect my normal life span.

Just be sure to see an endrocrinologist, one who deals with thyroid issues and not just usually diabetes, as they would be better trained in current thinking about thyroid issues.

 

[PixieDust32]

Speaking of lumps. I found one under my armpit and I have an appoinment next week. I am so scare, and sad

 

[Christine]

Speaking of lumps. I found one under my armpit and I have an appoinment next week. I am so scare, and sad

PixieDust32--I hope that goes well for you. Please keep us posted. Most lumps are benign, fortunately, but getting them checked out is scary.

Under the arm lumps can be SO many things--breast tissue (I have this), a blocked hair follicle, a blocked sweat gland. It's hard not to worry. Hopefully your doctor can tell what it is right away.

 

[Chattyaholic]

I have, three years ago this past May. In March that year, at my regular yearly "female" physical, my doctor felt lumps on my thyroid. Had several different kinds of tests (I think one was with radioactive dye) including an ultrasound and it was determined I needed surgery to remove them. Had the surgery and went home the next day and now I sport a "permanent smile" on my neck from the incision. It's 3-4 inches long. They removed the isthmus and part of one lobe of my thyroid. Been on thyroid medication ever since and have been fine. The nodules were not cancerous.

I hope all goes well with you, try not to worry.

 

[lindakmonty]

yep...thyroid nodule here too.. cyst on the thyroid... my ent has done the biopsy a few times and have to take synthroid everyday. My Dr. also told me not to take generic synthroid... this may make a difference in your weight, your energy etc. Good luck and hope everything stays ok. I do notice if I miss my pills it starts to swell and increase in size giving me soreness again so try not to miss your pills.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Speaking of lumps. I found one under my armpit and I have an appoinment next week. I am so scare, and sad

I hear you clearly! That is what happened to me two years ago. I found the lump under my arm - in an area MD referred to as the tail of the breast. Ultrasound, mammogram - were OK. Biospy - was not. It was a lymph node with cancer cells. My MD had to find the primary. Digital ultrasound - Ok. MRI -Ok. Blood work - OK. Again no sign of the tumor. He decided to remove the node for a better exam. As it turned out, the node was fine and healthy. No cancer. A false positive. The original biospy was done "blind" - not with the help of a visual such as an ultrasound. Breast cells contaminated the lymph node sample and did not give a strong positive. It should never have happened the way it did but I was fine. Pathologists re-read the initial boipsy and found the contamination. The biospy was not a good read but the whole removal of it proved there was no cancer in the first place. But from April 6th to May 6th, 2004, I lived with breast cancer. When I was given the all clear, I said to DH that there were two things I wanted: 1. a good quality treadmill so I can run while DD watched TV or played and 2. to go to WDW. Did both. No regrets.

So as I face this new lump, all sorts of fears re-surface. What if it was wrong the first time? What if it really was in my nodes and they made another mistake? What if? What if? What if? Waiting and waiting.

Scared. Oh yes, I understand scared. I wish you calmness and patience and above all, a positive attitude. Three things that I need every day though this fear.

 

[DisneyBug1995]

I also had a cyst and half of my thyroid removed a year and a half ago. It was benign. I still have a cyst on the other side of my thyroid that I have to have checked once a year. My doctor told me that thyroid cancer is a very slow growing and treatable cancer. He said that if you had to have cancer thyroid cancer would be the one to have. I hope everything goes well for you. I know how scarey it can be, I have my yearly check-up in September and I am already starting to get nervous.

 

[CanadianPaco]

Wow - there are a lot of stories! thank you!
I'll keep you posted and would like to hear how others are doing too!
Thanks
F

 

[llij]

Warm wishes and prayers being sent your way.


After I lost a baby 12 years ago, my doctor found a lump on my thyroid. I went to an endrocinologist and had the iodine scan and bloodwork. It turns out that I just have a goiter, but I follow up with the Endo on a yearly basis. My levels have gone a little crazy in the past year, but that was b/c I had a baby. I go back in two months. On another note, my dh has Grave's disease. Since both my dh and I have thyroid issues, our children are being watched and tested since they have a higher risk of having something wrong with their thyroid.


Good luck to you and keep us posted!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I am the Mother of papillary thyroid cancer survivor....it has been almost 9 years for her since her discovery of a lump in her neck.....She actually was misdiagnosed, cat scratch fever, and then I took her to a ETN specialist who never palpitated her thyroid....I still have not gotten over that one. He removed the lump, it broke coming out and sent it off to pathology....Took almost 2 weeks for the path report, and it was papillary carcinoma of the thyroid..

She had her thyroid removed, followed by a treatment of radioactive iodine, and has been on thyroid stimulating hormone since then and is followed by an endocrinologist every 6 months now that she is past the 5 year mark....It is a tricky one keeping your thyroid hormones in balance artificially........but if you have to have a cancer, papillary is the one you want as it is curable. There are other types of thyroid cancer and they can be more difficult. They are:
Follicular and/or Hurthle cell, Medullary and Anaplastic.

Please keep us informed on how your tests turn out and if I can help, answer questions, please feel free to pm me..

 

[Marie17]

Try not to sweat it unless you have to.

I very obviously had some sort of problem - you could easily see it. Lots of different tests - nothing would show up but I had to have it aspirated every 6 months. Tests on liquid - nothing. Finally had to actually go in and see what was the cause. I ended up getting half my thyroid removed. Parathyroid cyst with lots of scar tissue. Surgeon did a wonderful job as you can not see my scar - I made sure that I followed directions precisely post-op (as this helps with the scar). Tested yearly now but don't need any meds - so far doing good for the last 8 years.

Think good thoughts for now and prayers are being sent your way.