Thyroid worries- having tests

[Champagnebox]

Hi.

I haven’t posted here for months, I’ve tried to resist the urge to post and feed the HA dragon but I’ve reached my limit and need to reach out.

so a month ago I started worrying for no reason about my thyroid, and started poking around my neck. I found a lump on my thyroid, went to the drs and was referred for an US and FNA, which I had today.

He found one bigger nodule where my lump is, about 2.6 cm, and a smaller one the other side that he didn’t say what size it was. Did a FNA on the big one, whatever was in it came out easily which he said is a good thing, but still sending samples to get tested. The word ‘benign-ish’ was used �� he said he could see the clear borders of the nodule, I don’t think he was overly worried but wasn’t as reassuring as they were at my boob ultrasound, where they didn’t even need to do biopsies, they just said ‘looks good’. He scanned my whole neck and apart from a benign looking lymph node that I can’t actually feel, didn’t have any concerns about anything else.I asked if he thought it was the really bad thyroid cancer and he said are you 80/90? And where did you hear about that? I guess that means even if it is thyroid cancer it’s not that one right?

but I’m freaking out now because anything over 2cm is suspicious in thyroid, isn’t it?? I can’t believe that all the other times I’ve worried it was nothing and I should have put my energy into this, because now I surely do have cancer ��

Have a horrible feeling they will ring me tomorrow or Friday and have me back in for bad news.

[Champagnebox]

Just had a phone call from the hospital, phone appt with the ENT on the 8th December ���� he found something I know it freaking out really badly now

[.Poppy.]

I know this must be really scary, but if they had found something bad they'd likely see you sooner.

Also - thyroid problems are usually easily treated. I know a woman who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a few years ago, she was around 26 at the time I think. They removed her thyroid, she now takes pills to perform that function, and life went on. Aside from having to take a pill every day she has no long lasting effects, it was really very easy.

[Champagnebox]

Thanks poppy :( all day I’ve been going over in my mind that if it was something TERRIBLE (e.g. the bad kind of thyroid cancer I won’t name here, I don’t want to trigger anyone) I’d be in either today or tomorrow or Monday. They wouldn’t leave me with a terminal diagnosis till Wednesday would they?

been researching stuff all day but unless I see the details from my ultrasound I don’t know anything for sure. If he said ‘benign-ish’ I think at most I’d be a TIRADS 4a. Otherwise I think he would have said look it looks a bit suspicious. I’m a bit annoyed he used the word benign-ish though, what does that even mean?? Not very professional IMO. What worries me is that he couldn’t tell me for sure that it was fine :(

[.Poppy.]

It's not professional, but it's very possible too that it is benign and they want to remove it anyway, hence the appointment to discuss.

Definitely if it were truly severe they wouldn't leave you hanging until Wednesday. I know it won't be easy, but try to enjoy the weekend anyway. Can you do something fun to distract yourself?

[Champagnebox]

Thanks for your kind words poppy.

yeah first things first I need to just properly for a few nights. Just started citalopram as well for my anxiety

[Champagnebox]

A bit concerned about the possibility of cancer seeding along the biopsy needle :( google says it’s rare but knowing my luck that’s happened to me :( or I have thyroid cancer that’s metasised from my kidneys, I have a third nipple which can give you a higher risk of kidney/renal cancer :(

[Champagnebox]

do they wait until they have the results before making a follow up results appointment or do they just make one as routine whether the results are back or not? If it was something serious do you think I’d be having an appt on like Monday instead of Wednesday? Just got my letter confirming the appt, looks like because of COVID they’re doing phone appts where they can so I guess it could still be bad news She didn’t say on the phone that I needed to make sure I had someone with me or anything, do you think they’d say that if it was bad even for a phone appt?

[Champagnebox]

Worried I’ll have thyroid cancer and then have to have the RAI uptake scan and it’ll show it’s spread to my lungs �� I have had an on off bad shoulder for a few years, it’s likely a tumour that’s spread isn’t it ���� someone on Instagram went to the drs for a lymph node on their collarbone, they have lung cancer and it’s spread to their back and pelvis and they had back pain for like 3 years, thinking it was sciatica freaking out I can’t cope

[Catkins]

It's really not a good idea to read scare stories on social media, they really aren't a reliable source of medical information.

I regularly get sore shoulders, sometimes it's one, sometimes both, it isn't anything serious. More often than not it's anxiety related although a couple of times it's been work related and I've had physio, which helped.

I know this is really tough for you but do everything you normally do to help with your anxiety levels. Avoid looking things up on google and if necessary take a break from social media. Are you getting any help with your anxiety?