U4 thyroid nodule

laralou28 · 2022-09-11T16:26:18+00:00

Anyone else had a u4 thy3a thyroid nodule and told the only way to know if it is cancer is having half your thyroid removed? My only other option given was to just leave it there. I'm finding it a horrible decision and I'm also 26 weeks pregnant. I think it's because they have done 2 fine needle biopsies and they are both inconclusive.

Thegroaninggurner · 12/09/2022 21:03

Don't have a nodule but have a goitre if you do have an operation to have the nodule removed you might as well go the full hog and get it all removed to be honest.

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 13/09/2022 14:51

I had half my thyroid removed after an inconclusive biopsy.

They won't just remove the whole thing initially - if it is cancerous, you would have a further operation to remove the other half, but they leave half as most people can function with half a thyroid without needing additional levothyroxine.

Mine was not cancer, but it was 'uncertain malignant potential'. So it may or may not have progressed to cancer. I haven't had any problems since the op, though I do take extra thyroxine as I have Hashimoto's underactive thyroid. My scar is hardly noticeable at all. A tiny thin white line which is in one of my neck creases.

Presumably they would do the op after you've given birth? I noticed my lump just after pregnancy. Apparently it is not at all uncommon for thyroid cancer to be diagnosed during or just after pregnancy.

Original poster

laralou28 · 13/09/2022 16:12

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 13/09/2022 14:51

I had half my thyroid removed after an inconclusive biopsy.

They won't just remove the whole thing initially - if it is cancerous, you would have a further operation to remove the other half, but they leave half as most people can function with half a thyroid without needing additional levothyroxine.

Mine was not cancer, but it was 'uncertain malignant potential'. So it may or may not have progressed to cancer. I haven't had any problems since the op, though I do take extra thyroxine as I have Hashimoto's underactive thyroid. My scar is hardly noticeable at all. A tiny thin white line which is in one of my neck creases.

Presumably they would do the op after you've given birth? I noticed my lump just after pregnancy. Apparently it is not at all uncommon for thyroid cancer to be diagnosed during or just after pregnancy.

Hiya
Thanks so much for your reply. Seems very similar to me. I understand why they don't remove the whole thyroid. I just didn't know why they wouldn't just do a repeat biopsy. I guess the result could always be the same. Yes when I went a few weeks ago I told them I won't be able to do anything until I've had the baby anyway so they were going to see me again end of January. I think I will have to end up having half of it removed as I am a worrier and I will just worry what if. The lump was only found because they were scanning me because of a swollen lymph node that wouldn't go down. I wasn't pregnant at the time. It wasn't made much of an issue at the time but since the second biopsy they have started mentioning cancer. Not what you want when pregnant really x

OP posts:

GentlyGentlyOhDear · 13/09/2022 20:39

I was told they wouldn't do a second biopsy as the type of cells that were in my nodule could be cancerous or could be benign and the only way to check was to take it out and chop it up to have a proper look. So the biopsies would always be inconclusive.

It was a horribly stressful and worrying time for me - especially with the postnatal hormones (and in the first covid lockdown in 2020!!), but I honestly don't think or worry about it much at all now. I have annual thyroid scans and bloods.

So sorry you are going through the stress and anxiety in pregnancy, but the most likely scenario is that it is nothing at all, or if it is something, then it will be dealt with and you won't have to worry any more about it.