Papillary thyroid cancer treatment advice

Hello

i had a total thyroidectomy and neck dissection almost 4 years ago and have been on 100 micrograms daily  of levothyroxine since.  I have been absolutely fine with it.  
I hope that is reassuring. 
x 

Thank you for your reply! Glad to hear you have been fine on it. 

Hello. 

I have been diagnosed with tall cell papillary thyroid cancer after a hemi thyroidectomy. They want to remove the other side in a weeks time but I am putting it off as it means significant health implication long term. It's a huge operation but I am fearful. I'm otherwise fit and healthy and find the diagnosed hard to conphend. 

When I was diagnosed I felt the same.  It’s not a cancer that makes you feel ill at this stage.  With luck they will remove it, offer radioactive iodine treatment if they consider it necessary and you will be fine.  You will need to take a tiny levothyroxine tablet each day,  but my experience of that has been without any concern at all. 
My cancer is tall cell too. It’s rare and more aggressive than the usual version so I expect  radioactive iodine treatment will be recommended.  
They are monitoring me with scans and blood tests.  I’m 4 years on and living my life to the full, off to Vietnam on holiday  in a month.  

Have confidence in your medical team. 

Good luck! 
x

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis. It really is hard to know what to do for the best isn’t it. Wishing you all the best  

I’m afraid it’s not hard to know.  The operation is necessary.  This version will travel and you really don’t want that. 

Thank you for your message, it is very encouraging. I have a phobia of hospitals and surgery which makes this even more difficult to navigate. The hospital won't commit to a care plsn to make things easier for surgery day. All they say is " we will see if we can accommodate your requirements to ease anxiety on the day of surgery. It all feels impossible at the moment. 

I understand.  I was utterly terrified.  
but it went ok.  I came through it.  And you will too. 

Hiya...mine was the tall cell variant too, full thyroidectomy, neck dissection, rai 131 high dose, (operation December 2019 aged 55), then adjusting to the levothyroxine, now taking 125mg per day...in addition, menopause, covid numerous times + long covid, divorce, blah blah, numerous common ailments including breathlessness and palpitations and some wait gain..but...still here, happy, living a good life and taking it all in my stride.  I feel very lucky and please try to trust the medical staff.  I've become very anxious when having any mri scans but ..I get through them and you will too because you have to.  Just have trust in yourself too.  I actually found support in talking to my cat and telling him I'd be back soon! : )

Thank you for your kind message. I feel so overwhelmed, I keep trying to communicate with the hospital so they can put things in place for surgery day but they just say there are no guarantees of support. I honestly feel like stopping all treatment and hoping for the best because I'm so deflated.