View Full Version : Thyroid cancer concerns
OK, so I haven't been on here for a while, but my HA is sky high. I had an US on my neck due to a slight swelling, which was prompted by a late period and I wondered if it were to do with my thyroid playing havoc with my hormones!
The doctor sent me for an US and it turns out that I have thyroid nodules. One of which contains some coarse calcification. The consultant told me that he wasn't concerned and is absolutely nothing to worry about but he said he was 99.9% sure! That rang alarm bells, he wasn't 100% sure. I asked for a FNA.
I am having the biopsy done today. I am freaking out at a positive result even though the consultant thinks otherwise.
Any words of wisdom would be gratefully received. My husband and my parents say that I should trust in the doctors, they know what they are saying. The GP agreed with the consultant also.
I am female and 34!
Agggggh help please
dizzy daisy
08-02-16, 09:10
Trust the consultant they examine and view images of hundreds of these things every week so they know what to look and feel for. xxxx
So, after having my FNA completed, the consultant said he thought it was a colloid nodule which is absolutely benign.
I have just seen the report to the doctors (I am still awaiting the final results) it says it isn't clear if it is benign or malignant. My HA is really playing up, I am over analysing everything and how I don't know if I have something to worry about or not. Is this just a case of them finding out once and for all and just the way they write it in black and white?
Surely they wouldn't tell me their opinion in the office and then tell the doctor something different ??
Any advice is much appreciated as always
Surely they wouldn't tell me their opinion in the office and then tell the doctor something different ??
Surely they wouldn't! That would be ludicrous. (And don't call me Shirley! ;))
I'm a H&N cancer survivor and had a FNAB to diagnose me. If indeed something was up, you would know.... and I'll take 99.9% benign any day! In fact, the ENT told me he thought it was cancer before he did the biopsy and he was spot on. So if you're being told otherwise they must be pretty sure.
Positive thoughts
Thank you for your replies.
I just saw the report to the doctor and it wasn't as reassuring as when I was in the office having the actual conversation with him.
Two consultants now have both said they aren't worried and to just keep an eye on it.... Currently it is only 4mm and really too small to biopsy, but told me to be aware that an inconclusive result may come back due to the size of it.
Just awaiting the ent consultant to give me the results now.
Thyroid nodules are very common. The vast majority (and yours from what you know) are totally benign. Please wait until you speak with your doctor. Googling and ruminating will not help in the least.
Positive thoughts
Last year my relative had to have a thyroid 'mass' removed. Was causing problems (hypercalcaemia, I think that's the spelling) among other symptoms that they'd had for years but for some reason the GP missed this 5 years ago. It was benign but before they can say 100% benign they need to biopsy it (or whatever they do to confirm) and I believe that's why it says it's not clear whether it's benign or malignant. They told my relative it was 'probably' benign and they were in no hurry to remove it even though it was causing potentially dangerous symptoms, they know what to look out for but without proper analysis can't give 100% answers and that's why I think they'll have said 99.9%.
The waiting is horrible I bet but I highly doubt it'd be anything suspicious.
Incidentally I know of 2 people who have had cancer this last 14 months and both were told straight away there was no waiting for results it was immediate.
countrygirl
16-02-16, 22:26
Sounds like they could not get enough tissue to do 100% histology on it which is why they are saying 99.9% sure its benign. Watching is perfectly reasonable as if this is cancerous then it will grow. Worst case scenario - thyroid cancer is the most curable cancer there is something like 98% of people with it are cured. I personally know of 2 people who have had it many many years ago and they are alive and well with no futher problems.
Another example of accepting the 99.9% diagnosis happened to me a few months ago. I have an abnormal heartbeat at times that makes me very faint. I have had it for past 5 years on and off. I had implanted recorder in chest and my abnormal heartbeat was recorded ( great). The very specialist cardio got the recording and he called me in and said I am 99.9% certain you have super ventricular tachycardia that is not harmful but very unpleasant. The only way of being 100% sure is for me to do ablation and if I can find the abnormal pathway and this cures the attacks then thats 100% diagnosis but there is a 5% chance I can't find the pathway and there is a 2% I could kill you with the proceedure!
I chose to accept the 99.9% diagnosis that what i have is unpleasant but not dangerous.
Ok, so I got my biopsy results. Came back as non diagnostic due to nodule being too small. I was pre warned of this. The report did however say that there were 'very few suspicious cells'.
Not sure what to make of that! The fact that there are any is worrying for me.
I am being re scanned in 3 months to see if anything has changed, but overall, everyone I have spoken to says that this is all positive news! Why don't I feel the same?!
overall, everyone I have spoken to says that this is all positive news! Why don't I feel the same?!
It IS positive news! You don't feel that way because of a little dragon named HA breathing doubtfire down your neck.
Positive thoughts
countrygirl
20-02-16, 16:09
Remember suspicious does not necessarily mean cancerous. In other words they have found nothing to make them worry at this present time but they want to keep an eye on you just in case. It can't get better than this in terms of active screening.
Loads of people have nodules on their thyroid, they don't know it and no one ever scans or biopsies them and nothing happens, they come and they go.
I had a cyst on my brainstem found on mri for something else, it would have been better not to know as it worried me for years as there would have been nothing they could have done if it had suddenly grown big. It didn't - 4 years later it had gone totally.
So, I kinda got over my concerns and trusted in the doctors, they are re scanning me in three months, it's good, they're keeping an eye on me!
However, last night I noticed my thyroid was quite swollen, visibly so, this time on the side that the doctors were not concerned about.
I have been recovering from a horrible virus and have an awful cough but otherwise feel fine, but currently, just freaking out a little!
The swelling went down over night, but has raised a little this morning.
What do you guys think?? Do you think I am being hyper sensitive and be assured that I am being rescanned and up until now nothing untoward has been found? :blush:
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