Is surgery better or just dealing with the tumor?

Posted by devil4ever @devil4ever, Nov 21, 2023

I am a female and I'm 35 years old about to be 36 in January. I know people been through a lot in their life due to the age. I'm just a regular person that been through a lot also but still young. I just been a couple of months I found out that I have a tumor in my thyroid and it's 2cm and might have another one behind it. I'm supposed to go for surgery in December. I'm just reviewing my options all the way for me and my family.

Anyone is welcome I have more health problems then just that.

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hello2 | @hello2 | Nov 30, 2023

In reply to @koh "Hi@devil4ever, In my opinion, sometimes the doctors choice of words can cause you to make decisions..." + (show)

@koh

Hi@devil4ever,
In my opinion, sometimes the doctors choice of words can cause you to make decisions in a more panicked mode. The word tumor sounds so much more concerning than nodule. My nodule was very large (5.6 cm) and ended up being Hurthle Cell Carcinoma….I had been told and read that thyroid cancer cannot be diagnosed until surgery. I was being seen to monitor a nodule but didn’t want to have my thyroid removed unless there was a strong chance it was cancer. I was monitored for 10 years but the large nodule was causing problems. I read about a new procedure called Radio frequency Ablation( RFA) for thyroid nodules , where they can shrink the nodule. I went to another hospital to find out if I could be a candidate for the RFA. The doctor did a FNA ( biopsy) and sent the specimen for Affirma testing. I had been going to a cancer hospital, but had never heard of Affirma testing. The doctor informed me that it had about a 95% accuracy rating for determining if a nodule is cancerous. The testing showed that I had a 50% probability for having a Hurthle Cell Carcinoma. Due to that, I was not a candidate to have RFA, so I had surgery and the cancer was confirmed. I had a lobectomy and 1 parathyroid removed.
In my opinion, you might want to clarify the terminology the doctor used…. Is it a tumor or a nodule on your thyroid? If a nodule, you might want to consider having Affirma testing (it’s a regular biopsy that they send the material to the Affirma lab) to help you make a decision. You might also want to consider going for a second opinion from a doctor who specializes in RFA to see if the nodule can be shrunk, so you can keep your thyroid. In my opinion, removing an organ “ in case it’s cancer” is not a good plan…. And getting regulated on Synthroid is not as easy as people think. If it’s low probability of cancer, treatment options to shrink the nodule might enable you to avoid thyroidectomy.
Good luck!

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Mine cancer was discovered when the thyroid was taken out.

mikaylar | @mikaylar | Nov 30, 2023

In reply to @hello2 "How can you not be taking thyroid medication. The thyroid has to be replaced with medicine...." + (show)

I have half left in there. My numbers are high but doc said okay for now.

hello2 | @hello2 | Nov 30, 2023

Do you see a GP or Endocrine Doctor? The number are not ok to be high.

koh | @koh | Dec 1, 2023

In reply to @hello2 "How can you not be taking thyroid medication. The thyroid has to be replaced with medicine...." + (show)

If someone has a lobectomy, the other lobe might provide enough thyroid hormone to prevent the person from needing medicine.

devil4ever | @devil4ever | Dec 4, 2023

In reply to @mikaylar "Mine was 2 cm also and I had it taken out. Was not cancer but the..." + (show)

Are you having side effects. Have you been feeling better r u still not taking anything. They told me I probably would be taking them also. Can I ask you what state you are from

mikaylar | @mikaylar | Dec 4, 2023

In reply to @devil4ever "Are you having side effects. Have you been feeling better r u still not taking anything...." + (show)

No side effects. I am in PA, outside of Philadelphia. I had surgery done at Penn in Philly. My numbers are still low enough that I do not need medicine. I guess the one-half thyroid I have left is picking up the slack. I also eat Brazil nuts which have selenium in them which helps.

devil4ever | @devil4ever | Dec 4, 2023

In reply to @hello2 "Mine cancer was discovered when the thyroid was taken out." + (show)

Hello I hope everything is going good with you. That's what been on my mind. I grow up where they taught us a tumor can turn into cancer. When you go for surgery they say when the air hit it becomes cancer. It just seems like we dealing with it more then even when the cancer started coming out within studying and curing it. It's funny that the government got the cure but hundreds thousands die or get free but years or decent later it comes back. It's always about money they say health is important also but to want ends.

devil4ever | @devil4ever | Dec 4, 2023

In reply to @mikaylar "No side effects. I am in PA, outside of Philadelphia. I had surgery done at Penn..." + (show)

Thank you. It's hard I don't eat or don't like them. I have other problems where its hard for me to eat anyways. I'm glad you are feeling better and everything is going good for you.

katrina123 | @katrina123 | Dec 4, 2023

devil4ever,

This is my experience. I had a benign tumor on my thyroid and if I had left it in, I would have died. It grew around my windpipe and was choking me. It was growing so fast that the decision was for me to have surgery when I was 4 months pregnant. If I were you, I would definitely have the surgery right away. Why wait?

devil4ever | @devil4ever | Dec 4, 2023

In reply to @katrina123 "devil4ever, This is my experience. I had a benign tumor on my thyroid and if I..." + (show)

Hello thank you since you had it done how have you been doing. any side effects since the surgery

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