Thyroid nodules

[Louse50]

Hi, I've never posted on here before. I had a C T scan with contrast to check if my blood is flowing properly into my brain , also my aorta which both were fine but found I had small nodules on my thyroid . The neurologist said this was not her field , so told me to go to my Dr & ask her to refer me to a endocrinologist but she did blood test for thyroid which she said result was normal & no need to worry about nodules. Has anyone else had nodules & not see a specialist.

[jellynpain]

Hi,

As the Neurologist said herself 'not her field' so she can't fairly then tell you not to bother about something out of her field, on her say so. Tout! (at Neurologist).

Play safe, go to your gp and ask for a thyroid specialist scan, as the Neurologist said they'd seen nodules (hopefully it was reported to your gp in her report).

If scan reveals more then gp should refer you on. If you have to see an Endocrinologist do some homework on who you feel best to be referred to . Check out recommended on here 😃.

Xx

[Louse50 in reply to jellynpain]

Sorry it was obviously not clear what I had written, I did go to my GP who did the blood test, which came back clear, no thyroid problem. Also I have not mentioned that I live in Spain which I hope doesn't mean I can't post on this sight.

[greygoose in reply to Louse50]

Did you actually get the figures, or did you just trust your doctors judgement? Best to get the figures because doctors don't always know what they're talking about - especially where thyroid is concerned.

[Louse50 in reply to greygoose]

I didn't get a copy but I think Dr said my TSH was 144 but I think it must be different in Spain.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Louse50]

TSH ranges seem to be pretty much the same everywhere. The precise numbers vary a bit, but something like 0.5 to 4.5 wouldn't be a surprise.

If 144 is accurate, that is very high. Which would suggest either:

You are very hypothyroid

OR

You are producing far too much TSH in your pituitary, probably due to a tiny benign tumour. That would usually make you hyperthyroid.

Rod

[Louse50 in reply to greygoose]

I got my blood test result, I don't know what she meant 144, my result for T S H is 2.720 (0.350 - 5.500) I have high colesterol 253 (90 -220) ,triglycerides 303 (35 - 200) these are Spanish results.

[greygoose in reply to Louse50]

Well, of course you have high cholesterol, you're hypo! That will come down when you are properly dosed with thyroid hormone replacement. Whatever you do, don't take statins for it.

That TSH is a long way off 144, but it's still too high. (Come to that, the upper end of the range is too high! These days it should be more like 3.00) Over 2 is suspicious. But what you really need to be tested are the FT4, FT3 and antibodies - TPO and Tg. The TSH on it's own is not a reliable indicator of thyroid status.

Don't worry too much about the nodules, many people have them without any ill effect, but they could be caused by antibodies or low thyroid hormone, so those things need looking into.

[NadeNud]

Hi

I had a multi-nodular goitre which was noticed by a doctor who had experience in that field. I was then scanned about every 4 months to see if they were growing. They also took fluid out of the two largest nodules to check for cancer but it was clear.

Then, at the end of that year, a nodule had grown larger than 3cm and my thyroid levels weren't normal so I was informed that it had to come out and I would have to take thyroid replacement.

When the thyroid was checked after its removal a small papillary cancer was found which was not in the nodules. I was later told by an Endo that that is quite common.

So, it was probably a good thing that it was monitored.

The only regret I have is not educating myself on thyroid replacement and letting a friendly but ultimately ignorant doctor convince me that a low dose of 50mcg (from 100) was essential in my treatment. (For someone without a thyroid that's a very light dose, and she didn't consider the FT4 & FT3 levels which were mid-range.) This plummeted me into hypothyroidism and all the initially unknown forms of severe fatigue and bodily discomfort that I had no idea about. Further grievances were added when the incompetent colleagues tried to convince me the actual pain was a form of depression!

So, if you do need it removed, this site will be an amazing help and the book 'Stop the Thyroid Madness' - whose combined knowledge empowered me into refusing another crazy low dosage and suggestions of hypochondria in regards to my symptoms. It's a real shame that the 'professionals' haven't experienced these symptoms...

Sorry for the rant there but I would definitely get it checked and monitored. And if it ultimately needs to be removed, learn as much as you can so that you can protect yourself.

Good luck.

[Louse50 in reply to NadeNud]

Thankyou for your reply. Sorry I did not mention that I live in Spain so it is difficult to get my Dr to listen although she speaks perfect English. I did tell her I have problems with my throat ,swallowing, feeling like I have a lump in it. Also I get very tired. I also get a lot of hot flushes even when it. Is freezing. I don't know if that is part of thyroid problems. All she said was I did not need to see a specialist. I am confused. I also mentioned to her that thyroid problems run in the family.

[faith63 in reply to Louse50]

You need to find out what thyroid tests were done and what the results are with ranges..i seriously doubt that they are normal or they have done all the proper diagnostic tests..nodules cause symptoms and why do you have nodules at all? You need to start researching all you can about thyroid disease. A good place to start is stopthethyroidmaddness website.

[NadeNud in reply to Louse50]

I agree with the others, you need to get your results and post them here.

I was diagnosed in Australia and a reason for a total or partial thyroidectomy would be due to lumps causing difficulty swallowing! (I had a thyroidectomy due to a multi-nodular goitre - also any lump over 3cm was seen as dangerous and needed removal.)

I don't know your age so that could be a factor for hot flushes (sorry if that seems rude). However, too much thyroid hormone certainly over heats the body (I have experienced that). If you are experiencing both fatigue and hot flushes, it could be a symptom of Hashimotos....??

It would also be worth getting checked for coeliac disease as many people with Hashimotos also have coeliac. These are both autoimmune conditions so antibodies will be found in the blood.

Try another doctor, or if you can afford it, pay for a private test. I'm now in Germany and found a private lab. For each blood value (TSH, FT4, FT3...), it cost around 16.50€ which is an affordable amount to gather proof and help yourself for your future...

Good luck

[Rose2408]

Definitely have further scanning- thyroid cancer can not be picked up by blood tests! Blood tests can show auto immune disease & thyroid probs. I am not wanting to panic you at all & the odds are definitely against it being cancer but I had trouble swallowing etc & turned out I had 4 nodules, which turned out to be 2 different thyroid cancers & 2 variant cancers....as it was ignored for some time, (3 years with problems swallowing) it had spread to lymph nodes & blood so it's not worth the risk...important to remember that regardless of what they say thyroid test results are very often normal and do not show cancer. (Thyroid cancer makers can only be seen & monitored (Tg test) once a total thyroidectomy is performed) 7 different gps & 4 professors all missed it.

[Alexara10]

I too had nodules on my thyroid but as the hospital I was under in S. Yorkshire had a policy of no scanning I didn't find out until I was living abroad. I was only filling in the forms for registration for our local GP when the question arose that I had had problems with my thyroid. Asked if it had been scanned (this was usual in that country) I said no and was then referred to Endocrinologist who took CR and MRI scans of my thyroid with the result showing nodules growing on both sides. He reassured me that none were "cold" (the terminology for problems) and that I would need to be checked periodically for growth and changes. I took the scans to S.Yorkshire Consultant who told me "these fellows are really great at this but unfortunately we can't read them".... how about that! I was not on any medication at all during this period.

Point on my posting is that you are living in Spain and it may be that their policy is the same as France which is if a nodule grows to 3cm they remove the thyroid. If any go cold irrespective of size they remove the thyroid. My French GP also arranged scans periodically to check the situation. During one such check it showed that I had two nodules (one on either side) which were each 2.5cm but that one of them was showing "cold" and in that event my thyroid would need to be removed. Appointments were swiftly made and I was in private clinic for 3 days with a month of the results. Also it was good that the French Medical System actually picks up a lot of the costs where the possibility of cancer exists so it was that expensive either.

Advice would be to check with Spanish GP for recommendation to Endocrinologist and ensure that you are scanned properly and take it from there. I had no problems with the operation or the follow up and have a tiny scar. Advice for you in Spain would be the same as I was given in France and that was to keep any scarring out of the sunlight as it could turn the scar really dark. I took that advice hence the minimal scarring. Good Luck.