Hello all,
I hope it is OK to post here since I haven’t been diagnosed.
So back in October I noticed that in the front of my neck where my thyroid is that the left side felt enlarged and different. At that time, it wasn’t so much of a clearly defined mass, but I knew something definitely wasn’t the same. I saw a nurse practitioner who said she couldn’t feel anything concerning and to see the doctor in a few weeks if I was still concerned. A few weeks later I did so and the doctor basically told me he wasn’t concerned and, if I’m being honest, was a bit dismissive.
It probably sounds silly, but because he seemed dismissive, I was very reluctant to go back, even when the area became a clearly defined hardened lump and somewhat visible. I also was extremely busy with work and personal life so I put it off as nothing. But by a couple of weeks ago, the mass had become quite large and there was no doubt at all something significant was there at this point. So I went to see another GP who has said it is on my thyroid, there is also another lump in my neck and referred me urgently for an ultrasound scan, which is on Monday. She did thyroid tests and said if they came back normal, which they did aside from a slight T4 elevation which wasn’t considered abnormal as such, I would also need an emergency referral to an endocrinologist as they need to know why there is a mass with normal function. She didn’t say the exact words but basically seemed to be trying to prepare me for the possibility that it could be thyroid cancer.
I have been feeling very fatigued and had issues with my throat getting sore and hoarse (I am a teacher so this has been noticeable to me as talking is a big part of my job). I can swallow food and drink but am aware of pressure on my throat which sometimes makes this difficult. I have also had a cough for many weeks which I assumed was just an annoying leftover from a bout of Covid I had recently but now I am questioning this. The lump still seems to be getting larger gradually. It’s hard to say how large but I would estimate around 3-4cm across.
Of course, all this could be coincidence and/or have other causes and I am hoping that is the case. But I am also worried this could be exactly what it seems like and could possibly be worse because of my own stupidity in leaving it so long to avoid feeling awkward or like I was bothering people.
I am not entirely sure what I am looking for but felt I had to reach out somewhere. I suppose hearing whether this sounds similar to others’ experiences and what I might expect at the ultrasound and beyond might be helpful.
Thank you if you read this far and I hope it is alright that I posted.
