Hi Emmalou,

I've had a lobectomy for papillary thyroid cancer two and a half weeks ago. I'm back at work, no problems.

It really isn't anything to be concerned about and in fact for small, contained papillary carcinomas they are actually thinking of stopping calling it 'cancer'. My nodule was 1.8cm.

What I'm saying is that even if cancerous, in the majority of cases, thyroid cancer is easily treated and almost always curable.

If you do have only the one nodule and below 4cm in size the current guidelines are that only that lobe of the thyroid is removed, not the full gland. From research the majority of ongoing issues relate to the full removal of the gland when uneccessary leaving the patient dependent upon hormone replacement for life. If your surgeon ever did recommend full removal please raiswe this point.

I had Hodgkins lymphoma 11 years ago and this was a breeze compared to that! :-) (Hopefully).

All the best.

Hello,

I wonder how you are getting on a year and a half after your lobectomy? 
I'm asking because my 24 year old son has been told the small nodule on his right thyroid is papillary cancer and he will need to have part or all of his thyroid removed. We are awaiting results of his second biopsy. we haven't had the results yet.
As a mother I'm extremely worried and anxious about my son being diagnosed with cancer and the prospect of an operation in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic.

Your post was extremely reassuring and positive. I would love to hear how you are getting on now. 

Best wishes 

Hi Hoof1,

Thank you for taking the time to reply to my message.

I have a lump in my at the front of my neck, slightly to the right (looks like a goiter) which moves up and down when I swallow. Since I found the lump I've noticed what I think are swollen lymph nodes under my chin and blocked ears (that click when I swallow). The last two symptoms could be due to extreme anxiety but it's hard to tell. I've also got a painful chest and the lymph nodes under my arms feel a bit sore. Could be from heavy breathing due to anxiety. My throat was extremely blocked at one point but that was definitely due to stress as that has since subsided. I'm such a state at the moment. I keep thinking I have thyroid cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes and in to my lungs. My brain just will not stop! My ultra sound is next Thursday so will just have to wait and see but I suspect I will need a biopsy done. It's just all the waiting for appointments and the constant dark thoughts that are killing me. I was absolutely fine before I found the lump. No symptoms at all. The fact that a doctor hasn't even examined me has not helped.

Did you have any symptoms?

Hi [@Katstar85]‍ ! 
 

our symptoms sound almost identical! I hope your scan goes well! X 

I had a lump that moved too when I swallowed. No symptoms really. I did notice that when I swallowed it felt that my throat wasn't fully cleared. My mother told me I looked pale and thin in the face. So I got my bloods taken and they were normal. My gp noticed the lump by chance and felt my neck. She thought it felt solid so sent me for an ultrasound, which then led to a biopsy. Asked if I had palpitations, weight change, disturbed sleep, change in period, change in bowel movements, hoarseness, trouble swallowing or pain in neck area.

Thank you Becksxxx

I just want some answers really as i'm going out of my mind.

Do you have a lump on your neck? Does it look big? I can't tell if mine is big or not. I think the fact i can see it sticking out probably means it is. 

Sometimes i feel like my throat is a bit blocked (like phlem is stuck down there) but other than that, i think the blocked ear may be due to stress as i didnt have that before i found the lump. Only once i started panicking but without a doctor examining me, i have no idea. I guess the only way i'll know is by having the ultra sound but my experience so far sounds a lot like yours. 

I have quite a few neck lumps, some are lymph nodes for sure I have a lot of them. And a sore throat and ear pain, some of the lumps are quite small then I have this weird thing that moves that feed quite big but you can't see it from the outside! 
 

hope you get answers soon x 

Hi. I was just wondering if you eved had any more symptoms? I was told that my thyroid lump was a cyst and didn't need any further investigation. I had 2 separate ultrasounds and was told both times that it was purely cystic. I've recently had painful lymph nodes (although they have been swollen on and off for a couple of years now) and a feeling of fullness in my left ear and down the side of my neck. I sometimes need to clear my throat as it feels like there's phlegm stuck there. I went for another ultrasound last week and the sonographef said my lymph nodes look reactive and that I have a U3 nodule on the right lobe of my thyroid. I'm waiting for a biopsy appointment right now and I'm absolutely terrified. What if I've had thyroid cancer this whole time and it's spread to my lymph nodes. I'm so scared and I'm struggling to get through the days. I dread waking up in the morning because I can't bear to feel the blocked ear and painful nodes. I'm a total wreck and my family are at their wits end It's the lymph nodes that are worrying me sick. They haven't been right for a long time. Sorry to whittle on.

You probably don't have thyroid cancer (well, almost certainly) but even if you did, spread to the lymph nodes does not change the prognosis of thyroid cancer much. It would be a slightly bigger operation and they might do radioiodine treatment afterwards; that's all. The chances of recovery would still be very close to 100%, especially if the '85 refers to your year of birth.

I probably had thyroid cancer for at least five years before it was diagnosed and it had spread to 8 lymph nodes. I was back at work a month after the operation and am fine.

Hi Anna. How did your son get on? 

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. You have no idea how much it means to speak to someone that understands. Thank God you are ok and doing well. It is reassuring to know there are success stories (especially when it has spread to the lymph nodes). I just have to wait and see I guess and deal with whatever life throws at me. It's the waiting that's the worse thing. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me. You have no idea how much it means to speak to someone that understands. Thank God you are ok and doing well. It is reassuring to know there are success stories (especially when it has spread to the lymph nodes). I just have to wait and see I guess and deal with whatever life throws at me. It's the waiting that's the worse thing.