Well, I met w/ the endo today and he is kind of old school, he did take the time to listen to symptoms that I have had for years, and didnt dismiss or agree w/ the fact it could be my thyroid, he did acknowledge the high TSH 7.8, but also said the last one was normal at 4.5 . So he obviously doesnt go by the newer standards. But he did do some more bloodwork, and also tested for antibodies which is what I was told to make sure happened. He also recommends that the nodule along w/ half the thyroid be removed, I am thin and have a long thin neck, and therefore my nodule is pretty obvious at around 2.? cm. He did make me worry a little more though, by saying that younger women are more at risk for the nodule being cancerous, and all, which is NOT what I wanted to hear. But all in all his recommendation is the same as the surgeons.
So I meet again w/ the surgeon on Monday. Any advice guys?
Most nodules are benign (about 95%), but you do need to take certain steps to rule out cancer---but thyroid cancer is really curable, so the worst case scenario, is not the worst thing in the world.
Did the endo. order an FNA (fine needle aspiration) of the nodule?If not, it doesn't seem that he is very knowledgable in thyroids altogether.
Get yourself to a good ENT/surgeon, and while you're at it, look for a new endo. that doesn't think a tsh of over 7 isn't a serious thing, because you can feel horrid with that.
Thanks for the reply Reece, He didnt order a FNA because he says that whether or not it comes back w/ cancer cells he would still recommend the same outcome which is to remove it due to its size, so instead of doing the biopsy and still end w/ the same result (surgery). He says to just go w/ surgery. So my only thing now is to find out if my surgeon does a bunch of these or not, because I want to make sure I am in the best of hands! Again thanks for your reply.
Get to a good ENT surgeon that is thyroid savvy for follwo up and a second opinion. They will recommend a FNA before removal. I wouldn't go back to this MD if he was willing to pay me to come.
MG
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If we learn by our mistakes, I am working on one hell of an education.
Get to a good ENT surgeon that is thyroid savvy for follwo up and a second opinion. They will recommend a FNA before removal. I wouldn't go back to this MD if he was willing to pay me to come.
MG
MKG do you ALWAYS feel a biopsy is necessary? I have four fairly good size nodules, one small one and a cyst. I was also told (by an ENT) that a biopsy wasn't necessary because no matter what the results were I would need surgery.
By my count I would need 12-24 or more sticks to even try to biopsy each nodule.
As long as they do the pathology on the nodules post-op you can skip the FNA. On that I agree with what your doc says.
The rest of it (old school) marks him as someone not qualified to treat or advise post-op. As others have suggested find a new endo or ENT to manage your case down the road.
Well guys I went to a new Endo today, and I love him!!!! He made me feel so much better! He reccommends a FNA, not surgery, he says that jumping into surgery is kind of silly, because I would be fine just leaving the thyroid as it is if everything is benign. He says that size has NOTHING to do w/ whether or not it could be cancerous, so the "large" nodule I have doesnt raise anymore red flags than a 1cm he says. He is going to start me on 25mcg of synthroid once we complete the biopsy, to help w/ my diagnosis of hasimotos. So I feel so much better now. This endo trained at the Mayo clinic under some top thyroid doctors so I feel like I am in much better hands!!!
MKG do you ALWAYS feel a biopsy is necessary? I have four fairly good size nodules, one small one and a cyst. I was also told (by an ENT) that a biopsy wasn't necessary because no matter what the results were I would need surgery.
And I was told by my endo that a biopsy wasn't necessary right now because "the more the merrier" where nodules are concerned. And that with each additional nodule you have statistically less and less chance of anything being malignant.
He said that with three nodules, I have statistically the same chance of having thyroid cancer as he does with zero.
Seems like diff doctors can have very diff ideas.
Crystal...how nice for you that you found a doctor you like...all the nodule stuff is confusing...hope you are feeling better once you start on your Synthroid...
It is a matter of size. A single node versus many does not rule out malignancy. The chances are still low.. but there is a chance. If you have any nodules of 1 cm in one dimension you should have a biopsy to rule it out. Any MD that says the more the merrier is a bit bent IMO and needs to be more thorough.
MG
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If we learn by our mistakes, I am working on one hell of an education.
