[joirish]

Hi,

Haven't posted for awhile as had loads on my plate. I was dix with Hyperthyroidism last year and have been taking meds since. Normally after a year on meds i was told if you hadnt got under contral then the next step would be Idonie Treatment. I had an ultrasound of the thyroid gland last year and they found a nodule. I then had a biops and the results inconclusive. They organised another biops(had to go in 4 times to get enough of a sample!!!) and i had that 3weeks ago on Friday next.

I had my Thyroid clinic appointment on Wed last and the Consultant was talking about Idoine Treatment for the first 30mins until i told her i had a biop 2 weeks ago. She looked up the results and said she had made a note for the other doc's to call her if they saw me in Clinic. They found Folliculliar Lesions in the biop that they took. I'm now waiting for an appointment to go in and get the Thyroid out. Decided to get full Thyroid out as if they go in and take the nodule and part of the Thyroid, they might have to go back in and take the rest so i felt that 2 ops would flare my Lupus (having headaches since 7th Feb as it is).

Everyone keeps asking me if i have Cancer!!I cant answer them as i didnt ask the Consultant straight out as i was in shock that i has to have surgery. My GP was very good but i still didnt ask her straight out either, think im afraid of the answer. I asked her if Lesions were the same as Cells and she said yes so it Follicular Cells that they found

Went a bit loopy on Wed and Thur, said what i was thinking straight out, normally i think about what i say before i say it in relation to the impact it would have on others (a trait of been a Caretaker) but this time i didnt. Normally i would say im grand and sur its only another thing but i didnt. Family members couldn deal with my change of how i deal with things and they went strange and they went on the defence.

Woke up on Friday and decided it business usual till i get an appointment for the surgery. I have an exam on Wed to qualify as an Information Provider with the Citizen Information so going to go ahead with that have been doing this course all year so not going to let this stand in the way.

Has anybody had this happen to them?

Any advices/words of widsom would be great or questions i can ask the surgeon.

 

[Joandublin]

Hi Jo

Im sorry to hear you have to deal with this issue. I had a similar biopsy last year but luckily didnt have to have surgery.

From my limited understanding of the research I did at the time, I believe that they cannot tell if the lesions are cancerous until they actually do the surgery. Statistically though the odds are in your favour - 80% of follicular lesions are benign.

Many years ago I remember my mother having additional problems with her thyroid. She also had hyperthyroidism. I was too young to be told all the details but I know she had some surgery on her thyroid and follow up iodine treatment. After that she had no further problems and lived into her 80's.

To ease your mind though I think it would be a good idea to ask the surgeon for his/her opinion. They might not be able to give you one until after the surgery though. I guess it all depends on the type of person you are and how much information you want to know. I am the type that would want to know everything possible from the start. If they have to wait until after the surgery to determine whether it is cancer, perhaps you could ask them how long the wait would be. Maybe also ask them what the iodine treatment consists of, what would be the side effects, if any.

I can look up the bit of research I did and see if I can find the links. I remember they were quite technical but you might want to read up on them yourself? Just let me know

In the meantime I would like to send you strengthening hugs. And by the way, it is quite alright to go loopy every now and again - especially faced with this type of 'unknown' and worry. I think you deserve several loopy moments actually :hugbetter:

Take care and talk to you soon
Joan:rose:

 

[joirish]

Thyroid Surgery

:wavey:
Hi Joan,

Thanks for your reply to my mail.

I'm the type of person who also wants to know everything so dealing with the doctors can be trying at times. I'm back to normal now, sat an exam last wed and going to work today.

Any items/research you have would be great for me to review. I have the surgeons appointment next wednesday to get a date for the surgery (i had to chase the appointment myself) so will have more of an idea after that what outcome is.

Thanks again for your mail.
Jo

 

[Joandublin]

Hi Jo

Here is an article from Medscape which shows how impossible it is to tell from an aspiration biopsy whether a follicular lesion is cancerous or not

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/406832

Diagnosis of follicular lesions, as defined in the preceding paragraph, has long been considered a diagnostic gray area in thyroid cytology. As cytopathologists, we generally admit that we cannot distinguish reliably between follicular adenomas and follicular carcinomas, which we therefore lump together as follicular neoplasms (we should also include cellular nodules of nonneoplastic goiters in this diagnostic gray zone).[1] Owing to our diagnostic limitations, many patients ultimately proven to have benign follicular lesions (goiters, adenomas) are unnecessarily operated on because we cannot exclude the possibility of follicular carcinoma by aspiration biopsy

And another link mentioning this again and also the risks of surgery

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/surgery/tutorialsurgthyroid.cfm

And a further paper which might interest you

http://www.thyroid.org/ann_mtg/2003_75th/documents/011_Oertel.pdf

They are all quite technical and a bit difficult to get one's head around but the bottom line that I gleaned from it all is that it is impossible to tell whether or not cancer is present until post surgery.

Im glad you are back to 'normal' again - even if its just for now. The best of luck with your appointment next week and I hope you can get a date for surgery soon and put this all behind you as quickly as possible.

Much hugs
Joan:rose: