Thyroid Nodules & Biopsy

[horsegirl]

Some of you followed along on my "I'm cold all the time!" topic awhile back, & I thank you for your responses & suggestions.

My T4 & TSH both remain low-normal (which is odd: if one is down, the other should go up - so perhaps it's the pituitary acting up). I'm now on a low dose of T4 replacement hormone, & my energy levels are going up considerably (though now my fibromyalgia pain is increased because I'm more active - can't win them all!)

I have been having a feeling of a lump in my throat (like being "choked up" at a funeral) for several months, so my doctor ordered an ultrasound of the thyroid. It found 3 small nodules, 2 in one lobe of the thyroid & the other in the isthmus (middle part). One of the nodules is over 1 cm, "hypoechoic" (meaning it's shadowy compared with the rest of the thyroid tissue), & with borders that weren't able to be clearly defined. The doctor said it was a "normal scan, with nothing to account for the swallowing problems". However, I did research on this & found that any nodule over 1 cm should be biopsied, especially with the other 2 features of this mass too.

I saw my doc earlier this week to discuss this, & he agreed it would be a good idea. So now I'm waiting for a referral to get a fine needle aspiration biopsy done on the nodules. I know chances are very good it's nothing, but nonetheless I'm concerned & want answers.

Anyone else go through this? What's the biopsy like? What were your results, or treatment?

Thanks so much. I'm worrying about this more than I should!

[horsegirl]

Anybody?

[Morrisun]

I have a multi-nodular toxic goiter due to Grave's Disease, however I never had to have a biopsy.

BUT....my sister-in-law had a nodule and had to undergo the FNA. She said she was nervous about it, but it wasn't as bad as she was expecting. Her's turned out to be benign and I don't think they even needed to do treatment on it. Sorry I can't be of more help!

[Wonka]

My husband had a nodule biopsied a few years ago. He said it was totally painless, not a big deal at all.

[horsegirl]

Thanks to both of you for replying. I'm sure it's not a big deal (I went through the endoscopy/EGD

without sedation, after all), but hearing the word "mass" always seems concerning.

Thanks again!

[hez]

About 16 years ago (prior to celiac) I went in for a routine physical. I will try to be short

-doctor felt a bump/nodule

-ran blood tests/ they were normal

-went in for x-rays and scans/ can't remember results

-had needle biopsy (easy and somewhat painless)/ result no cancer

-doctor did not believe biopsy/ had surgery

-surgery removal of thyroid and lymph nodes due to cancer

-follow up radiation treatment

-on synthroid for rest of life!

I have always told people if you are going to have a choice in cancer pick thyroid. It has a very high cure rate. There is one type that does not, but it is extremely rare.

Of course since this happened so long ago, options for treatment may have changed. Of course I cannot remember why the doctor did not believe the test results. I think because of the scans they thought it was cancer all along.

Hez

[debmidge]

I went from nodule to removal of right side of thyroid...nodule was benign after all. On synthroid for rest of my life to prevent nodules in left side from forming

[bethjello]

So, I am looking to see if anyone has gone through what I am going through!!

I was diagnosed with Celiac about 5-6 years ago. I have been gluten free ever since.. with the exception of oat (since I did not have symptoms I thought it was okay until recently I stopped about two weeks ago.)

On a routine visit to the doctor, She felt a lump on my thyroid and sent me to get a ultrasound. It came back a several heterogenous nodules. I am going to the specialist and getting a thyroid scan done to check for cancer now. I do have normal blood tests though for the thyroid.

Soooo... Im curious if anyone knows more about it. I am online reading up on thyroid diseases and cancer. I have noticed a link between celiac and thyroid disease and nodules!!!!!!! Thanks for the replys! beth

[GFinDC]

I have an actual frog in my throat, not a nodule. Well, ok it is a nodule but a frog sounds more exciting. Mine is dead center in the middle of my throat, which is what they call the isthmus. A little bridge of tissue connecting the 2 butterfly wings of the thyroid. It doesn't say ribbett or anything like that.

I had a cat scan with contrast on rec from my primary doc, who then sent me to a thyroid specialist. The thyroid doc said a sonagram would have been better and cheaper. Anyway, he did the FNA, which is no big deal at all. They just stick a little needle in and draw a little fluid out for testing. No hurt, no anaestesia. My doc said as long as you use a small diameter needle most people don't even feel it.

The chop doc recommended surgery to remove the whole thyroid, which he said is the standard treatment in these cases. If it was on one side or the other, he said it would be ok to take out just that side. But in the middle bridge, they remove the whole shebang. Anyway, the test was benign, and that is true in the vast majority of cases, like 90%. I haven't had mine removed, and it is over a year later and I am still walking around fine, cough - cough, hack - hack. : Just kidding. I am doing gluten-free and waiting to see if it heals up really. Maybe, at least it doesn't seem to be getting worse.

[pele]

I had a needle biopsy done on a thyroid nodule many years ago and it was no big deal. It also didn't produce any results. I remember the doc saying, well, if its cancer, we can't tell, but thyroid cancer grows slowly so something else will probably get you first. Years, later, here I am, wishing they had checked me for ceilac disease!!!!!