Thyroid cancer?

[Chocolatebuttonanyone]

I have a nodule on my thyroid. Just been seen under a 2 week wait and there is a 20% chance its cancer.
Shit shit shit.
I know that means 80 percent that its not, but I probably need a hemithyroidectomy anyway.
I cant deal with this right now. I dont know what to do.

@Stillwaitingallyear sorry to Labour the point but is there any reason you didn't want all your thyroid to go? I must admit I knew very little about the thyroid pre op
I have been ok just sorting out the level of levothyroxine. Am slightly less frozen all the time on 200.
I appreciate everyone's help and advice.

Here waiting at the hospital now. I feel sick. I'm not good at medical stuff.

@stresshead38 good luck.

Thinking of you @stresshead38 - got everything crossed for you x

Thank you. It was a bit of a non event really. Got to wait for an appointment for another US and a FNA.
She did imply that she wasn't concerned, but I also know that she can't truly tell until the biopsy.
I said I was worried about some of the features and she said 'look, US is very subjective'
She did use a little camera to check my vocal chords and said they looked fine

@Stomacharmeleon I have quite a few medical issues so I'm already on a few meds so I really didn't want anymore. I knew some would also interact so there was that to consider too. Mainly though I didn't want a functioning organ removed unless it was absolutely necessary, I think I would have thought differently if it was playing up because it wouldn't be doing its job. I am a bit like that though and avoid medical stuff wherever I can. I desperately tried to get the doc to let me go onto yearly monitoring yesterday but he was able to justify the decision making to me so I accepted. I do see discussions with medics as a dialogue though and I don't just accept what is said to me, I research and form a view before I make a decision. It is easier for me though due to my job, I work in a hospital and a huge part of my role is analysing medical situations and questioning medical staff so I'm well used to it.

@stresshead38 sounds par for the course but glad you're in the system. Ultrasounds are subjective and the first two of mine didn't even find my second nodule. They also upgraded me from U4 to U4/5 on the third scan. Hope you get a date soon.

Thank you. Weirdly I'm now kind of hoping I don't have the FMA in time for results before Xmas. I just want to be able to enjoy it - if it is bad news I'd rather find out afterwards seeing as nothing would be done before anyway... it would just be hanging over me

I hope they don't upgrade mine though... although I wouldn't be surprised.

@Stillwaitingallyear I find that really interesting. I have chronic bowel disease and a few associated issues including malabsorption so am on a high dose of levothyroxine.
I am really confident to discuss that area of my body and go to a specialist hospital in London. The whole thyroid situation threw me completely. I wasn't expecting it and was completely unknowledgeable. I was operated on pretty quickly and it was a real shock to my system mentally and physically.
I wish I had pushed back a bit more and asked a few more questions.

Got my appointment for US and FNA for Thursday morning. I'd put it out my mind a bit, but I'm scared again now!
I'll be ok driving won't I? It's not so painful that I won't be able to drive home...

@stresshead38 I had a sit down for about twenty minutes as you can be a bit lightheaded then drove three hours home. You will be fine.

Ok thank you

Good luck @stresshead38 - the FNA really wasn't anywhere near as bad as I expected. Do be prepared to get coated in orange stuff though, so maybe take a scarf? I looked like I'd been Tango'd on my way home!

Oh!! Like iodine or something for prevention of infection perhaps?
Thanks for the tip!

How are you doing @NoddyTheNodule ?

Yeah, but I asked if it was iodine and he said no? It made a bloody mess anyway, and wasn't easy to clean off!

I'm fine, thanks. FNA was two weeks ago today. I rang the hospital to see if results were back yet - they wouldn't tell me anything and my consultant is on holiday this week, so I'm pretty sure it will be next week before I hear anything.

Oh wow! Ok, I shall take a scarf!

That's so fustrating. My consultant said results would be 'a few weeks' after the FNA. So it's on the 7th, so I'm kind of hoping it'll be after Christmas now. The Friday before Xmas is the 22nd which is only just over 2 weeks. I mean, if it's good news I'd like to know before, but if it's bad then I don't want to

@NoddyTheNodule ooooooh I had jelly that they use when they are scanning your belly during pregnancy.

Oh, I had that too - the orange stuff was put on first to sterilise my skin and the jelly came from little sterile sachets instead of the usual big squirty bottle.

How long did you have to keep the plaster on for? X

I think they normally say 24-48 hours.

Oh gosh ok. Was hoping to get away without telling people I'd had it done yet. Maybe the temperature will drop and I'll be able to get away with a scarf indoors!

Yeah, it was 24 hours I had to keep it on for just to keep it clean. After that, I took it off and gave my neck a good scrub!

I think maybe a lightweight fabric-type scarf could easily be gotten away with indoors without too many questions?

Yes that's what I'll do. I just don't want to have to explain to people and then have more people waiting for an update of the results. It might sound silly, but it feels far more stressful if I have to keep going over it all time

My experience was different. I didn't have any orange stuff put on and no local anaesthetic or anything. They literally scanned me and then put the needle in! They just put a tiny circular plaster on once it was done (you could barely see it) and said take it off whenever.