Suspicious Thyroid nodule.

Last year I was having trouble swallowing and i felt as though someone had there hand resting on my throat, after a little feel around I found a lump. So iI wen to the doctor who felt the lump and  who referred me to ENT the appointment took about 10 weeks. ENT put a camera down my nose and decided that it was reflux that was causing my swallowing problems. He loosley felt round my neck and told me I had no lump. Told me to double my omeprozole to 40mg and tried to rush me out that door. Before he could o asked again about the lump, again he told me it wasn't there but to put my mind at rest referred me for a US. My friend who was there at the time took the doctors word and again told me it was in my head as the doctor had said so. 

 

Walking into the US scan 6 weeks later I felt stupid especially as he had written to my doctor to tell him there was no lump. When I went in she explained what she was going to do and I explained that I thought there was a lump but the ent was very sure I wasnt feeling any abnormalities.  The women were great they talked me through everything as I need to know these things. At the end of the scan, she told me that I did indeed have a thyroid lump. 

 

Fastforward another 4 weeks I phoned to ask if I had results yet. She told me it had just been checked and that the lump was suspicious and they couldn't tell from the US what it was. That the ENT doctor had asked me to get a FNA with US guide. I have this appointment tomorrow and I am so nervous. 

Can anyone answer these questions 

1. Do they numb the area

2. Is it painful

3. How long will the results take?

 

Any advice would be great

  • Thank you. I'm trying so hard to get it out of my head but failing so bad. At the moment I am still on maternity leave (not at all how I expected it to be) so I have a lot of free time which is not helping. Going to keep trying though x

  • Hey, hope you are ok. Just to let you know I'm now on the list for surgery to have the nodule removed x

  • Hi there, thank you for letting me know. Were you able to get any more information on the pathology of the nodule? I assume you are feeling ready to get it out regardless. I pray you will have a smooth operation and speedy healing. I hope you will keep me posted! Xo, Sabrina

  • Hey, they said it's suspicious, 70% chance of being benign. I have to wait up to 3 months for surgery, eek, but yes am very ready for it to be taken out. It's taken 3 months to get to this point xx

  • Three months will go by fast. I would just try to focus on positive thoughts and preparing for the surgery and before you know it, it will be time. I am sure that is easier said than done but at least you will be on the other side of this before the end of summer! There is a really good book called peaceful on purpose by Joel Osteen. It's a quick little read and has like 7 chapters.  I read it during the week I was waiting on biopsy and results.. I did one short chapter a day, that was about all that my anxiety would allow me to handle that week! It really did help me though and worth checking out. Just try to be kind to yourself, eating right and trying to give your mind rest while you're passing the time. It will put you in a much better place physically and mentally going into your procedure. I'm always here to chat anytime too. Take care! :) Sabrina

  • Hi! I just wanted to say hello as I've been diagnosed today, with a similar size (29mm and 20mm). I also have young children. How are you doing? ️

  • Hey, hope you are ok. I'm waiting for surgery in May. Totally struggling with it all. Where are you in the process?

  • It sucks doesn't it? :( I just got my diagnosis and am waiting on a treatment plan. I don't yet know if it's spread anywhere else and that is the scariest part for me. 

  • So sorry to hear that. I haven't been diagnosed, the type of lump I have has to be removed to hopefully rule out cancer. Did you get diagnosed from FNA? I first found my lump end of December. It's such a long process. I think they say it's rare to spread. Why type of cancer do you have? I have had all of the same thoughts as yourself. I'm now trying my best to keep calm until the operation but it's hard

  • It is pretty unusual for thyroid cancer to spread anywhere further than the lymph nodes and spread to those does not affect prognosis. I know that's limited reassurance, as it's hard not to think "but what if I am one of the 1-4% for whom it has spread? Somebody has to be and they had people telling them 'oh, it's highly unlikely' too." But the odds are very much that you will not be.

    And honestly, even for those who have had spread outside the neck, the outlook is still reasonably good. Survival rates are still like 80% or something, which yeah, is scary and I was worried about the possibility of spread to, but it is highly unlikely you will be in that group and even if you were, it would probably just mean stronger radioiodine treatment.