IT is scary i got to have ultrasoubd next week can i ask do you feel like you choke and hard to take breaths in i hope all goes ok yes im getting panic atracks too bless you x

Not for an ultrasound. U will notice slight pressure for ultrasound when they hold the equipment against your neck but shouldnt be choking feeling or hard to breathe.

Hi,

I am new here.  It has been very reassuring reading all your posts.  I am currently waiting for my FNA results which I had 2 weeks ago.  I have just been told that they are not conclusive and they have been sent for a second opinion.  I am fortuante that I have been able to go private through work but it has been very stressful with all the waiting and getting an email this morning with no news really has been disheartening.  To give a bit of background I went to see an ENT for an issue with my ears, whilst I was there he had a feel of my neck and said he thought my thyriod was enlarged so referred me for a blood test on thyriod levels and an ultrasound.  This was about 4 weeks ago.  I still haven't had the blood results for the thyriod levels.  The first ultrasound they found a large nodule on the right side (I wasn't given a size), he assured me he didnt think it would be anything to worry about but it would be up to the consultant if he wanted to do a biopsy.  He requested to see the blood results and said there was a sign antibodies were attacking the thyroid.  Two days later I get an email asking to go for a FNA with no explanation so I got myself all worked up over this and basically since then I haven't managed to bring the stress leves back down!  At the ultrasounded guided FNA I burst into tears when they called me into the room, it was more the not knowing what to expect or even being given the reasons for being sent for it.  I couldn't have asked for a nicer Dr he sat down and explained everything in plain english for me.  He again reassured me that he didn't think it would be anything to worry about but of course the biopsy results would tell us for sure - which 2 weeks on they haven't :(  I'm fine with having surgery if that is what they suggest, but it is this not know and checking my emails every 5 minutes that is driving me crazy :( Sorry for the very long post, I haven't really asked anything, I think I just needed to get it all out.

I hope everyone is doing well, and thank you again for posting your experiences it really has helped.

Hi FieryStripes,

Seems like a long time to be waiting. Did u check your junk on your emails to make sure results aren't there?

Waiting is the worst but try not to jump to conclusions and steer clear of dr. Google is my advice. You will convince yourself you have some crazy thing wrong with you otherwise.

Hope all goes well.

Sorry to hear you are going through such a stressful time. I know how awful waiting is.

I had thyroid cancer two years ago and just to reassure you that even the worst case scenario is manageable. I'm sure the doctor told you that thyroid cancer is usually fairly easily treatable, but as somebody who went through it, I basically had an operation to remove my thyroid and then got back to my life a couple of weeks later as if nothing had happened (well, apart from the stress of the whole thing). Obviously, you never want any kind of cancer, but the worst you are likely to have to deal with is surgery.

Thank you both for replying:happy:  the consultant hasn't even mentioned about thyroid cancer, I haven't seen him since he referred me for the first ultrasound. Dr google does have a lot to answer for, however I wouldn't have come across here without it so it does occasionally have its benefits! I chased his secretary today who said she was chasing the results so fingers crossed I'll hear next week, I'll update when I do.

Thank you again for taking the time to reply.

Hi Everyone, good to find this place for information exchange. I have started US scan January 2020, was normal until August 2021. Both US scan and biopsy in August 2021 showed inconclusive conclustion, and I was given option to remove thyroid or repeat scan and biopy by the consultant. I chose the 2nd one. I dont think it was fair for me to choose, as I am not professional.

The 2nd scan was done in middle of this September, showing normal, 2nd biopsy was did last Wednesday, result will be available in 3 weeks. As everyone here can imagine, I am nervious and axious for the result. Don't know what to do if the 2nd biopsy come back as "Indetermined" again. Anyone had similar experience as me? what did you choose?  

All of the scan and biopsy are within private, very slow, feel disappointed. I am thinking to take it back to NHS. Would be appreciated if anyone can share your experience with NHS or private.

Have a nice weekend!

Not sure if this will be of any help, as I did not have the experience of getting an indetermined result. Mine was clearly cancer. I was, however, warned it was a possibility and asked if I wanted it removed anyway or to go for a second biopsy. Like you, I said that if that did happen, I would choose a second biopsy. However, if it came back indetermined the second time, I think I would at that point go with removal.

Having my thyroid removed has really had little to no impact on my life. I missed a month of work (but it would have been less, maybe just two weeks, had it only been the thyroid; I also had lymph nodes removed which meant a significantly more serious operation) and I get some tingling in my neck and I have to take medication each morning, but that's it. It hasn't really made that much difference to my life.

Try not to worry. The odds are that the results will come back as benign and even if they don't, the worst case scenario isn't necessarily life changing or anything. 

Many thanks for replying me, that is encouraging!

I am looking for some advice.  Since the beginning of the year I have been having FNA which have returned as inconclusive, despite several staff observing / undertaking the procedure all agreeing that the samples were good. Anyway, it was graded a 3 so I was given the option of having another FNA or a thyroid lobectomy. Due to the horror someone else I know went through,  I decided to have the surgery (the surgeon said another indeterminate FNA would require removal for a proper biopsy anyway). The nodule was tucked right inside. I also have a grade 2 nodule on the other side.

So, I have many questions... sorry in advance. 

How soon do you feel 'normal'? I have had other surgeries previously and felt good a few days after. This time, I am tired and tbe pain comes and goes (I am only a week after surgery right now). 

Does anyone know if the cells in a nodule can change? I am obviously hoping its not cancer, but my other nodule being 'upgraded' to a 2 concerns me... I know it wouldn't really indicate follow up but the fact it has changed enough does worry me.

What have your experiences of the recovery process been? I have a two week sick line (first ever in my life) but I honestly don't think, at this stage, I could return. I am just so tired.

Has anyone experienced hypothyroidism as a result of having half the thyroid removed? I have read it can take up to a year for the remaining half to completely take over function.

I am fortunate that I was seen fairly quickly and I have a follow up in January to discuss results and next steps. 

I honestly thought this would be as easy as having a tooth removed (they used terms like 'whip it out' and genuinely thought it would be local anaesthesia etc and I'd be back at work the next day.

If anyone does read this ridiculously long post, thank you.

I had my full thyroid removed and a neck dissection, so it's different, but I will say my surgeon said two weeks off work if it were only the thyroid being removed, but a nurse said at least four, so it seems to vary quite a bit.

I felt pretty much OK within the week, but did get tired easily for a couple of weeks afterwards. I took a month off work, mostly because I am a teacher and needed to be able to fully turn my head and to raise my voice (not to shout at students, just to be heard on the yard and stuff).

Also, try not to worry too much about the results. I had thyroid cancer and my experience wasn't really any worse than what you have already experienced. Of course, you don't want to have another operation, but even the worst case scenario is quite manageable.

Thanks so much for this. I am also a teacher and I am worried about how I will manage a day, given how tiring the job is when you feel great. 

I think its just the thought of having to potentially do the surgery again.  I am quite glad I don't have a follow up until January as at least I get to have a Christmas where I don't need to think about it. 

There is just so much information out there and a lot of it is so varied. I always considered myself healthy and can usually run on empty so I am just not used to feeling this way. 

Thanks for your response. I hope you are doing well x

Thanks so much for this. I am also a teacher and I am worried about how I will manage a day, given how tiring the job is when you feel great. 

I think its just the thought of having to potentially do the surgery again.  I am quite glad I don't have a follow up until January as at least I get to have a Christmas where I don't need to think about it. 

There is just so much information out there and a lot of it is so varied. I always considered myself healthy and can usually run on empty so I am just not used to feeling this way. 

Thanks for your response. I hope you are doing well x

I'm absolutely fine. Had my two year scan there the other week and they haven't given me any bad news anyway!

That is what the nurse pretty much said, about our job. She said the two-week-off advice sort of assumes you are working in an office or something and that it isn't uncommon to need more if you are doing something like teaching.