Thyroid Lump

[Amz6219]

Can I ask if anyone has / had a thyroid lump, how big it was and what it was?

Had a baby 5 months ago (don’t know if that’s relevant) and noticed a small lump on right of my thyroid a couple of weeks ago and have been stressing about it since.

I suffer with anxiety on and off anyway so I don’t know if I am prodding and poking at something insignificant or if I should get it checked.

Thanks!

Always get any new lump checked.

Yes definitely get it checked - normal for thyroid to do funny things after baby, and sometimes it’s temporary. It’s also very treatable and won’t necessarily affect your life much, if it is a thyroid imbalance.

Thanks - I will do, will book in ASAP

Part of me thinks the doctor won’t feel anything and I’ll be wasting their time but I think I need to even just to put my mind as ease

Can’t see it visibly, it’s just touching so I don’t know whether it’s classed as a lump or not. Stumbled on it accidentally really and now I can’t think of anything else!

Thanks @Barrawarra, terrified me because the worst of the worst would fit my risk factors (age, sex etc), but just can’t tell if I’m overreacting or not based on its size / lack of visibility.

Will book in tomorrow

You may have a postpartum thyroiditis, which should settle on its own. But best to get it checked out, of course.

I developed 2 thyroid lumps three days after my first vaccination. One is only the size of a marble and the other is the size of an egg. They are not cancerous but because removing them would involve removing my entire thyroid and being on medication forever I have decided to leave them and go every 3 months of a check up (camera down nose and throat - it’s horrid)
Go to GP and they will do bloods to check thyroid is functioning fully and then scan it to see what growth type it is.

Would I have other symptoms if it were thyroiditis or something else?

I am struggling to lose baby weight but not trying massively 🙈 and have normal mum / lack of sleep tiredness, but other than that I don’t think I have any other symptoms..

I’d say it’s probably marble sized too @Shadowboy, probably smaller from an objective viewpoint

Are yours cysts or something do you know?

Oh and had vaccines last year, no idea if the lump is new or if it came up then 🤔

I've had my whole thyroid removed after finding a lump which turned out to be cancerous. The chances of it being cancer are minimal but it's important to get it checked out. If it is something suspicious it's very treatable. Go make an appointment.

Ah so sorry @mumofweepeople, really awful

Was yours sizeable? Sorry if asking is insensitive.

Definitely booking in tomorrow

@Amz6219 it was the size of a golf ball. It was found on an mri for something else and you couldn't see it at that point. It was removed 6 months later and you could see a noticeable lump on the neck then. Thyroid cancer has a 95% or more survival rate but it's important to get ot checked. The ultrasound and fine needle biopsy (if needed) is not invasive and should give a good idea of what's going on.

Thank you @mumofweepeople, feeling pretty worried but burying my head in the sand won’t do any good I guess

I had a thyroid lump removed in 2013. I seem to remember the Surgeon said it was the size of a golf ball.

The lump wasn't malignant it was a 'hot nodule' overproducing thyroid hormone causing hyperthyroidism.

It made me feel really unwell physically and mentally even when I was medicated for it (carbimazole).

I opted for surgery because I couldn't stand the symptoms. I only had half of my thyroid removed though.

Do get it checked,

Thanks @Orchan, was it the lump or the symptoms that prompted you?

Seems like there can be all sorts affecting thyroid, I’d never even considered it before!

I have a rather large thyroid lump which I am waiting to have removed. Like you, I first noticed a small lump (about 2 years after having DD). Spoke to the GP who had a quick feel and sent me for an ultrasound.

Had the ultrasound within a couple of weeks. All was fine. I opted to have a fine needle biopsy whilst having the scan just to make sure that there was nothing to worry about. I also had blood tests to check thyroid function. All tests came back fine. So my GP and I decided to leave it be.

All was fine for about 7 years but I did notice that the lump had got bigger. I also noticed a slight pressure when swallowing. So back to the GP, more tests and a CT scan showed that the lump was considerably bigger and pressing slightly on my windpipe. So out it comes. Unfortunately, the pandemic has slowed everything down and still I wait. Bit the lump itself isn't dangerous and doesn't effect my health.

Pop to your GP. Any tests you get referred for are really straightforward and painless. Thyroid lumps are really quite common and most are not at all dodgy. But all new lumps should be checked out.

Let us know how it goes @Amz6219

I've had one I got it checked out fairly quickly and it was quite large. Not cancerous and not affecting thyroid function.
Had it drained a couple of times then it shrank so they left it. It's not necessarily anything serious.

@Amz6219 yes cysts- but the shape apparently mean they are benign.

I hope your lump is nothing to worry about!

My mum had one which didn’t shift. It turned out to be something benign which got removed but that was for cosmetic reasons. I do recall her being in quite a panic at the time and that was before the Google age.

Most likely it will be something entirely inconsequential which will go away but you are right to go to doc.

Feeling a bit relieved that MN experience suggests it could be all sorts of things, guilty of Googling which didn’t help because it doesn’t point to anything but the worst

Thanks everyone, I’ll get it checked and update

@Amz6219 - I know my outcome was worst case scenario. I hope I haven't panicked you as that wasn't my intention! I think all outcomes have a positive end.

No I need all sides really @mumofweepeople! I’m grateful for you sharing. Also seems like from your story that even if it were to be worst case, it’s not total doom and gloom?

I also noticed a thyroid lino two months after giving birth. Had an ultrasound and biopsy and it was inconclusive so had half of my thyroid removed. It wasn't cancer but it was 'unknown malignant potential' so they are unsure if it may have progressed.
I've spoken to several people who had thyroid cancer, all around mid-late 30s and all have been absolutely fine with no complications, so please don't worry.
I was absolutely beside myself about the whole thing, but it is most likely nothing of significance.
I actually got diagnosed with Hashimito's thyroiditis at the same time which was triggered by pregnancy.

Thanks @GentlyGentlyOhDear, that’s good to hear too. I’m 35 and two children - never suffered any issues with health or anxiety at all til I had children … these kids cause us nothing but problems! Good job they’re totally worth it 🥰