Hi S,

I know how worrying it can be, and with thyroids it takes really really long for everything to happen.

It is all different in different hospitals, in some emergency would be classed as 2 weeks, in the others - 2 months. Its only about a month left for your surgery, so if they put it down as 'routine' at least you don't have to wait for 3-6 months.

Sophie gave a very good explanation about it all, so hopefully it will put your mind at ease, if not fully, but at least a bit.

It's a good chance thy3 is not cancer, though we all seem to think opposite. It's all because of wait times. If we had a magic wand when we could have tumors out next day and results day after, it wouldn't be half as bad.

I hope everything goes well for you and wishing you speedy recovery.

Please keep us updated :)

Maryna xx

Hi Paul,

You are a young lad, and thyroid nodules in young males is an immediate red flag. Probably that's why they acted so quickly with you with undetermined biopsy results.

We woman folk are more prone to thyroid issues in general, so get dragged out with diagnosis and treatments etc. unless it's thy4 or 5.

Did they tell you what type of cancer you have? My biopsy was thy3a (abnormal) which could be innitially like yours I think?

Our ENT department always calls patients (from what they say). If it's a good news, they tell over the phone and not make you wait for appointment. I tried to ask, what they do if it's bad news which all nurses avoided answering. So I am guessing they just send letter with appointment and then tell face-to-face.

It makes me go mad! Lol sitting and guessing.

I wish they put me out of misery!

Best wishes, Maryna:)

Hi Sophie,

I can't imagine they would give bad news in letter. It would definitely be an appointment letter. They promised to call me with good news though.  Apparently they are the only department in our hospital which takes time to call patients and tell them if it's good.

Anyway, hopefully it won't be much longer wait. I shall find out this coming week, as you will be saying goodbye to yours.

One month later I am having a neat deep looking scratch for a scar. Not much for Frankenstein, I am afraid lol

I am wishing you all the best for tomorrow, no delays on the day and no drains either!

Write when you can

Maryna xx

Hi Maryna,

yes, the type of cancer I have is papillary thyroid cancer which sounds scary but is actually the most treatable along with follicular with the treatment rate being very close to 100% for my age bracket.

I think our biopsy results may have been similar but my consultant didn't give me a classification and I was unaware that's how the results come through otherwise I would have asked to know for sure exactly what my results indicated.

All the best

Paul

Hi Maryna,

Do you have any news? 
 

My op went well but it looks and feels so much worse than I've seen in other people's pictures and experiences. I truly think I might have a shot at Frankenstein! How long did your soreness last? I'm finding it really hard to sleep and get comfortable. It feels like I might tear it open when I move

I was told I'd be in for a 6 week wait for results. I'll be going for a blood test every 2 weeks for the next 6 weeks to check my thyroid levels. I'm not sure they checked my calcium post op though. How was yours checked? I was also told I'd be put on TSH immediately and there's been no mention of that. I was too groggy to remember at the time but I'll give them a call. 
 

I really hope you hear soon. Please let me know.

Sending love x

Hi Sophie, I am glad you had it out. It wasn't as bad with pain for me as it is for you from sounds of things, it started to reduce after 3 days or so, though still feel it a bit after 5 weeks.

 Also no hormon replacement has been given to me post op, or calcium checks. They only checked all that before the operation so far..

Are you sure they didn't cut out the whole thyroid instead of just a half? That would make sense with hormon replacement and blood checks every two weeks.

Also the level of pain you have, I read it's worse than with partial...

The secretary called me on Monday, saying on Thursday  (tomorrow) they will be discussing my results on MDT meeting, then will let me know. I freaked our initially, but then it occurred to me that if they found something sinister, they would not doddle around and let me know by now. Actually it works out just as they said to you - 6 weeks later... Anyway, one way or another, I have no control over it. It is what it is...

Wishing you quick recovery. Let me know how you get on

Maryna xx

Oh I hope you find out soon. I bet it's killing you knowing the results are there. 
 

I'm feeling much better already. I think day one was a bit of a shock but once the dressing was off and I gave it a wash it wasn't so bad. The bruising and swelling is going down a lot now too. Moving it still tricky but I'm getting there.
 

They definitely just took half. They spoke about TSH before I even had my operation date. He said there was no downside to taking it - no side effects and it might even give me more energy. I don't know too much about it though. Although my thyroid count has always been fine, perhaps it was at the lower end of the normal zone? My surgeon is due to call me in 6-8 weeks (with results hopefully. He said he would just call if benign) so I'll discuss it with him then I think. 
 

Take care and have a lovely weekend if I don't hear from you before. Crossing everything for you Maryna x x 

Hi Sophie, 

I am glad to hear you are better now. They told me not to shower for a week or so, and that was a big "feel better"factor.

Also I didn't have any dressing at all, just a raw wound which I had to put antiseptic cream twice a day. Luckily the stitches were disolvable  but still i was a good old Frankie vs serial killer victim, which got away lol

I was planning to ask about my hormone levels tests but it doesn't look like thet are calling me. May be they haven't had a meeting yet, or may be results aren't good to call about :(

There are possibilities of them still to call later, or just being too busy, or not being bothered or call tomorrow, all may be's which I really had enough of.

I hope not to kill anyone in the mean time. Really need this stone lifted off my shoulders, even if it's bad results... not knowing and being out of control is the worst.

I hope you carry on getting better and will be up and running in no time.

Maryna xx

Hi Sophie

I hope you are feeling better today and not too sore.

I finally spoke with the doctor today  after another chase call to secretary. 

Well, it's still a limbo state for me from looks of things. They only know that they do not know.

I have a complicated case and they are looking for second opinions. Basically it has cancer features and non cancer  ones, just like my biopsy...its not a full blown cancer, but encapsulated still, and not invasive. He said, it's like when you have a smear test and get "dysplasia "result kind of thing. I asked what type, and he said they are looking for something between follicular carcinoma type bla-bla and follicular something or the other neoplasm, which can be benign or malignant. 

And they don't know what to do with it. There is a chance they let me keep my second part of thyroid, but I need to be ready if they say to cut out.

So they will run additional tests and get a few oncologists and cytologists look at it and it will take another 2 weeks.

So I am back from where I began, pretty much, with the difference, I know it's not a mature cancer from looks of things.

Every year they have a couple of cases like this, and it happens to be me

Hopefully you have a more straight forward answer. 

Maryna

Xx

Ps: I must be a Chernobyl mutation  lol