Thyroid nodules thy3f on either side - “watch and wait” or surgery

Hi!

I'm sorry that you feel pressured. I can only speak from my experience really but I had monitoring only by scans which showed growth and after 2 years someone basically thought lets do a biopsy and another scan which led to hemi which now led to complete thyroidectomy (the latter my choice really)

So that way I understand your apprehension but if you do decide to monitor all I can say is make sure you have the regular scans and/or biopsies to make sure you don't get forgotten in the system and then if you decide on anything at a later date you know how the nodules have or haven't been changing. Time wise is up to you as if malignant there are many different types as you have probably read from different members.

Of course I can't answer your question but wish you good luck with your choice :) as for the doctor maybe asking for a second opinion? However that doctor I assume is closest to your location.

One of the cruellest things a doctor can do is to tell you that it's up to you to decide - about a topic where he or she knows infinitely more than you do.

When that happens, I feel sad for anybody faced with taking a decision based on incomplete information.

In your case, I would say that if the doctor recommends surgery, I would go for it.  They aren't just saying 'its up to you' - they are saying "I recommend surgery but you don't have to take my recommendation".

I had no option. My lump was so big that the surgeon told me "You can't go through life with that sticking out of your neck so it's got to go". That certainly made it easy for me. I don't underestimate that you're beating yourself up about it. 

About a year after I had surgery. my sister also had a hemi - and it turned out to be completely benign. Luckily, she only had a lump on one side and she now lives without half a thyroid and not on any medication. Sadly, since you've got two lumps on both sides, you don't get that option either.

If you have the surgery: 

• If you have cancer, you'll get it chopped out, have a bit of treatment - if the docs think necessary - and then adapt to life taking a couple of tiny pills every day.
• If you don't have cancer, you'll get it chopped out and adapt to taking a pill every day

If you don't have the surgery

• you'll be wondering if it's cancer for the rest of your life
• you might have to have it out later when it's bigger and you're older

It all comes down to how much stress and what type of stress you can handle: either go under the knife and know for sure one way or the other, or spend the rest of your life wondering.

You will find a gazillion people online moaning about life on thyroxine. By far, most of them never had cancer. Those of us who lost our thyroid to cancer treatment may take a while to adapt to life on thyroxine, but count ourselves very lucky to have lost an organ for which the replacement is just a daily tablet. That's not an option for most organs that get cancer. 

I've been on thyroxine for 13 and a half years. For me, it's really never been a big deal. 

Thank you very much for replying. What was the result you got when they advised hemi? Mine is thy3f. It hasn’t grown in a year. And thy3f is apparently very tricky to diagnose with biopsy. Thy3f is indeterminate result. So they don’t know what’s inside. And TT that they recommend is diagnostic diagnostic TT. Can’t wrap my head around it  are you happy how you feel after TT?

So I was a bit more complicated in that they kept saying benign but it (on one side but I had multiple nodules) was growing and then I think biopsy was 3f but with the combination of factors I was recommended diagnostic hemi, this turned out to be minimally invasive follicular cancer and then it was my choice ultimately with monitor the other side or complete thyroidectomy.

Ultimately it's early days for me as I'm only 2 weeks approx post op, I admit I'm still getting used to levo and tiredness but I know I'll be due a follow up where we can address those issues further. And for my circumstances I feel better not having any thyroid there instead of wondering what if (although I'm still waiting on results!)

Oh my goodness. How long do you need to wait ? I wish you better!!! ️ sending hugs! 

they were telling me benign from the very beginning as well. Then biopsy was thy3f. Doctor’s recommended diagnostic hemi. Then when I asked for second opinion I was referred to UCLH, and there they didn’t like another nodule which was on the other side. Here I am now with tge advice to do TT. I only came for second opinion to avoid hemi  

I cannot believe these things cannot be diagnosed. I just cannot believe it!

whch hospital are you at? At least the operation is behind you and you will be on the mend soon! 
xx

You wrote about second opinion. I was in total free at first, then in Uclh for second opinion. Uclh had worse opinion than royal free. But I can’t reverse it. I don’t think 

*royal free

Thank you :) I'm not sure how long, usually more than 4 weeks I expect.

To be honest maybe it's worth contacting the Macmillan helpline to talk it through? I'm not sure how it works with care plans and where is allowed... I'm based further north than you as well.

Anyhow, wishing you better and only good news!!! Best wishes xx

Thanks! Thought I would update you that the other side they removed was found to have a nodule. Basically like a tumor in the very earliest stages of transition from a benign nodule to a true cancer. So I'm glad it was done in the end!