Had my thyroid biopsy yesterday...

[SpanielFace]

I had a fine needle biopsy of my thyroid yesterday, it was a lot more painful than I expected - I thought it would be like a blood test as it's a tiny needle, but I had pain in my ear, down my neck and into my shoulder when they did it, which I apparently is because of the nerve that runs there. Pretty horrible, enough to leave me white and shaky when I came out according to DH. It's ok now, quite bruised and hurts a bit when I swallow but otherwise fine.

Just waiting for the results now. I have high thyroid antibodies and high TSH, and T4 at the low end of normal, so I'm hoping it's just going to show the lump is caused by thyroiditis. But still worried, just in case it's bad news, and I'll feel a lot happier when the results are back. It's going to take a week, apparently. Nervous nervous nervous...

Even if it is bad news, which is unlikely, thyroid cancer has a really good cure rate . My friend had it at 29 (linked to chernobyl fall out) and although it was very scary, especially as she had a toddler, she is still completely fine 20 years and another baby later. She had a thyroidectomy, that was the worst part, but no chemo.
I hope it is good news, most biopsies have a good result.

Thanks. I'm 33 with a family history of having an underactive thyroid, so I'm fairly confident that it's most likely to be that - it developed after having DS (who has just turned one) which is common timing, apparently. It's still that "what if?" that keeps you awake at night though, isn't it? I'll feel a lot happier when the results are back (assuming they are benign). I'm glad your friend is ok, that's really reassuring.

I have the same thing as you, but my thyroid isn't enlarged (yet). My friend had an unusually aggressive type, and it was mis-diagnosed for ages as she was so young (thyroid cancer is rare in under 60s). But she is fine. She to be monitored closely for a while, thyroid cells are easy to track in the body due to their take-up of radiocative iodine, so she had regular scans for years, they got more and more spaced out and after a decade they gave her the all clear and she has had no other cancer scares and and feels well on thyroxine. I have another friend in her 60s who had a thyroidectomy for a different reason and she looks fab and has lots of energy. Much more than sluggish me actually!
I think it is really unlikely you will get a nasty result, my friend had been extremely unlucky to be in an area where the Chernobyl fallout passed over (Wales) and she is part of a cluster there of thyroid cancers like the ones near to Chernobyl.

Hi Spanielface

I remember you from my thread about the thyroid lump! At least it's done now and just to second what the other said, thyroid cancer is very rare!

Even though I got the all clear I am going to ask to have mine removed I think, will ask when I go back in December. Thing is it's getting on my nerves now and even though it's not that noticeable I can see it!

Hi Paddy, I remember your post - really glad you have the all clear! Will they remove the nodule if it's not cancerous? Mine isn't big enough to be visible, and it doesn't bother me, so if it's benign I will leave well alone I think - the biopsy was bad enough, it's still uncomfortable to swallow 2 days later!

So, I had a letter today, not giving me my result but saying another appointment had been made with the ENT consultant on 5/12, and that I should bring a close friend or family member with me as they may be giving me lots of information and it will "help me remember". I'm one part reassured by the fact that the appointment is 2 months away ie I'm not considered urgent, but also alarmed by the "friend or family member" part - is this a standard thing to put in these letters? 2 months seems an awfully long time to wait for results, even if it is benign!

I would have thought they would call you in a lot sooner if there had been any sinister findings.
I would make an appointment with your GP as they should have the results, or call the consultant to clarify, as two months is a very long time to be worrying about why one might need a family member present! (I think that is probably a standard letter). Hope all is ok.

Thank you, I'm going to call the GP on Monday morning - I can't sit and worry about this for 2 months. It seems crazy that they would wait that long before giving results - surely if it was benign, they could just tell you on the phone? Bah. This is thankfully my first experience of anything like this, and it's just making me so frustrated - I found the lump back in May, I just want the results now!

I agree with hellymelly that it's probably a standard letter. At our hospital we get the results of the biopsy the same day but I still have to go back in December, I think to see if it has grown / is causing any problems. This is probably what they want to do with you. I would definitely phone them and ask what's going on - it v poor of them to keep someone is suspense for 2 months!

Did you get to chat with the GP spaniel?

Yes I did, thanks for asking . He didn't have the results but has phoned the consultant's secretary and asked her to write to him with them, and if I've not heard from him in a week I'm to chase it up. Also, feeling a bit better as spoke to a workmate who'd had an identically worded letter from ENT last year, and panicked about it unnecessarily. When she asked about it (after receiving results), she was told that a lot of ENT patients have hearing difficulties, which is why they say to bring someone along. Which I hadn't thought of but actually makes total sense, and has made me feel a bit less anxious!

I do know that when my friend's tumour was diagnosed it was all very fast getting her into surgery etc. I cannot image there is any consultant who would leave it until just before Christmas if the results had been at all sinister.

I finally got my results, after lots of chasing - benign nodular hyperplasia. I'm feeling very relieved! Thanks for all the advice/support on here.

That's great news Spanielface :)

Hurrah! Really good news.