Im an overall healthy, active 20 year old girl. I had a cat scan done on my ribs last
June (2011) and a 1cm thyroid nodule was found by accident on the left side of
my thyroid gland. My doctor sent me for a thyroid ultrasound which resulted in a
1 cm fluid filled thyroid cyst. I was sent for a follow up ultrasound about 6
months later. The size of the nodule did not change, but the consistency did
change to a solid nodule. My ENT doctor thought that since I got those 2
ultrasounds done at different locations, that possibly the radiologist read the
reports wrong and maybe the consistency really didntt change. I was sent for
another ultrasound about 2 months ago to double check and the consistency really
DID change, but once again the size did not.My ENT doctor
sent me for a thyroid biopsy about 3 weeks ago to try and figure this whole
thing out. It was one of the worst things I've ever had to go through and I
hoped I would never have to do it again. The results came back last week as "
non diagnostic " meaning they still couldntt tell. I had a follow up with my ENT
doctor today and we spoke a bit about the next step. He said a) go for another
biopsy b) just wait it out and watch the nodule ( go for ultrasounds 2x a year )
or c) he could go in and take the nodule out as well as half my
thyroid. Being a very
anxious person since my teen years, I feel as though I have been through a lot
of stress over this nodule since last July. I decided with the option of taking
out my nodule and part of the thyroid as well. I feel that once it is out of my
body, I will be stress free and will be able to move on with the rest of my
life. Although I was told the wait time for surgery is 15-24 months, that means
that many more months of anxiety and stress. I understand the chance that my
nodule is cancer is SO very slim that most people would probably just watch it
and not stress over it. For some reason I can't do that, and I am not okay with
it still being there and it having that small chance of being cancerous. My ENT
doctor said that my thyroid will most likely be able to function perfectly fine
afterwards with only half, and I probably will not have to be on thyroid
medication. I signed the consent for surgery today, but was told I can call back
at any minute and shred it up if I decide not to have the surgery. My doctor
told me he would support me in any option I chose, but he did mention that 9/10
surgeries are benign and that thyroid surgeries for nodules are done more often
than they really need to be. He mentioned some people could care less, but for
some people it runs their lives and eats away at them till the know what it
is. I feel like
if i went for the option of just watching it, then going through the
ultrasounds, appointments and biopsy were a whole waste of my time and emotions
since they could have just watched it from the beginning. I also understand that
thyroid cancer is one of the best cancers TO have if my nodule did turn out to
be malignant, I've googled pretty much everything there is to know in that
departmnet. My question for all of you is what would you do if you were in my position and felt
anxious,angry,sad,and scared over this being so young? Would you make the choice
to have surgery or suck it up watch it having been through so much thus far.
Thanks for taking the time to help 