thyroid nodules...

Hello ! I am going for a surgery consultation with Dr A. on a thyroid nodule i have on mon. my bloodwork came back fine so i am assuming we are ruling out cancer or any other problems. just wondering if anyone has gone through this, and how long this process will last? thanks!! dawn

Hi Dawn I am an u/s tech. We always tell students learning to scan that they should stay away from practicing on their thyroid glands! 90% of the time they will find several small nodules--and then they are forced to have them followed up. The thyroid is a degenerating organ-so its not unusual for you to have benign nodules. An u/s will detect nodules--but only a biopsy will detect cancer-for sure. Sometimes they order a thyroid uptake-nuclear medicine scan also-to test for hot and cold nodules. Although, I would not get overly concerned about this nodule--I would follow your doctors advice and do what he says to get it checked out. I am in no way an expert in this field..I am just giving you the little big of knowlege that I have picked up over the hears.. Hope this helps Joanie

HI Dawn, Not to scare you, but I am thyroid cancer survivor at only age 28. I was dx at age 24 in April 2001 w/ stage 3 papillary carcinoma. I had no symptoms just that "feeling" that something was wrong. I had just made it through a gallbladder and liver tumor surgery. 2000 was quite a year for me! Something just made me want it checked out. I also have no family history or known radiation exposure. My only thyroid exploration over the years was due to being the only heavy one in the family. Always, my labs came back normal. My gyn felt my neck in 1998 after the birth of my son. My pregnancy had an adverse reaction on my body. I actually lost weight and looked the best I had in years. As soon as I delivered, blew right back up and gained even more. The GYN at a post exam thought she might have felt a nodule and told me "one of these days" get an ultrasound done. Well, my "day" came after having gone through the 2 quick, back to back surgeries in 2000. I wanted peace of mind. My Ultrasound showed 5 nodules on both sides. Still, at this point I was told it was highly unlikely that it was cancer. Well, a FNA (fina needle aspiration ) later, I was dx w/ thyroid cancer. Thank God I found it when I did b/c I had vascular invasion, strap muscle, esophagus, trachea involvement. It had probably been there for years! Since, I have had a total thyroidectomy, 2 neck dissections for lymph node spread and over 800+ millicuries of radioactive iodine. I am unfortunately resistent to this treatment and just had my 3rd surgery on July 27th. I do not want to scare you. 90% of nodules are not cancerous. But, My experiences really make me an advocate for thyroid cancer since some people make such light of it. It is cancer, and it can kill you! I started and run the only thyroid cancer support group in the state of CT. You can find me listed on the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association www.thyca.org I am listed under support groups/ southern CT. Best of luck to you. I am sure you will be fine. I am here if you have any questions. Been doing the thyroid thing for a long time now Take care and please keep me posted. Love, Jaime from Hamden, CT