multinodular goitre

[rookums]

Hi - new member who has never been ill before. During December I had a feeling at night that I hadn't swallowed everything and something was stuck in my throat. On 19 Dec. I had full blown symptoms of tightness in my throat and that everything seemed stuck. This was accompanied with a pressure headache. This has never gone away and now it feels like I have a heavy ball in my neck. Within a week of the first discomfort, I had 2 visible lumps in my neck, one like an adams apple and the other on my right side to just below my ear. I had a private US scan last week and the diagnosis is as follows:

"Received the formal report today. As you say the DR was entirely happy with the appearance of the nodules in the right side of your thyroid gland. This is very reassuring and very reliable in ruling out concerning/malignant disease.

It would be reasonable at this stage to see what happens and in this scenario I would suggest repeating the US in about 6 months.

The reasons to remove the right side of your thyroid would be either cosmetic concern or compression symptoms arising from the enlargement of your thyroid. The left side of your thyroid gland is normal in this scenario I would recommend only removing the right side of the gland containing the nodules".

My questions are - is it reasonable to wait as this has had such a rapid onset. What am I actually waiting for? My instincts tell me to get this out - am I rushing in here. Something tells me there is something really wrong here but i don't want to appear like some hysterical woman. I just have no experience of this and reading the internet hasn't allayed my fears.

[shaws]

Welcome to our forum and I'm sorry I cannot help as I have hypothyroidism but members who have/had a goitre will respond.

You've had a shock I believe as well as feeling awful but don't jump to action too soon without researching and doing the best for yourselv.

[Devonlaraa]

It's unlikely that there is something "wrong". Most lumps that are found in the neck are bengin. I believe it's 85% However if you're worried talk to your doctor/consultant about it. With my lump I found all my results came back clear but I still chose to have surgery as I couldn't deal with the what ifs. You have to do what you feel is best. If it's a result you're not happy with always take it further.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Rookums.

Thyroid nodules are very slow growing and 95% are benign. I had a lump appear overnight and ultra sound scan showed a 2.8cm nodule which had probably been growing for at least 5 years, quite probably longer.

There is no need to rush to have a hemilobectomy as a sinister looking nodule on the scan would be followed up with fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies on nodules >1.5 to 2 cms to rule out malignancy.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[Holby18]

I have had the same condition for three years although also have a high peroxidase level. My goiter fluctuates in size but really has not grown in the three years. I do take supplements and try and eat properly and exercise. I have tried gluten free as many on this site have suggested this. It did not help but again I will try anything to keep mu condition at bay and to ensure that I do not have to take drugs.

I have done a lot of reading on goiters and this is what I have gleaned. Multinodular is almost always benign and likely to remain so. If they do eventually end up cancerous the mean period is 17 years. I would therefore not worry too much.

I myself have 6 monthly blood tests because of the peroxidase levels. I also get other things tested if I choose. Have you had a blood test for antibodies?

Finally. when i saw an Endo regarding the goiter he gave me the following advice. Leave matters alone unless the goiter becomes so large that you are unable to swallow. (He said that the feeling of not being able to swallow can be pyschological), He also said that if the goiter became so large, then it could be removed for cosmetic reasons. I am conscious of my goiter although this is lessening with time. i know it is there but others do not! He very much did not want to go down the surgical route unless absolutely necessary. I share this view as I do not want to have to rely on drugs (and side effects) for the rest of my life.

Hope this helps.

[Hidden]

Has anybody done blood tests on your thyroid? I had a similar scenario to you 9 years ago. Had the scan, FNA and bloods. I was told my thyroid function was fine & I believed the Endo. Later I got hold of the results, which showed TSH of nearly 10 and FT4 of 13. My main hypo symptoms were very bad constipation, always feeling cold & panic attacks.

I did have the op, as recommended, as was told it would get bigger & could choke me. My TSH came down to about 3 but FT4 remains the same, so I still get hypo symptoms though.

Hope this helps.

[HLAB35]

There are a few people who get goitres due to a diet low in iodine. Just a very wild guess, as I don't know enough, but just for the sake of elimination, could this be a possible cause?

It would only be likely if you avoided dairy, eggs and seafood; or you're a vegan that doesn't like potato skins, cranberries (high in iodine) or iodine rich sea vegetables.

If you do find out one day that you get thyroid cancer, please don't worry, as it's generally very self limiting and one of the most treatable.