After many years of issues starting with night sweats, bad skin hair loss, irregular periods.
we have now found a small nodule on my rightof my thyroid along with a gradually rising calcitonin (now at 12) the surgeon is advising removing the right side asap.
I would be great full of any advise, thoughts, what to expect also any thoughts as the dr has told me that my health complaints are not linked as my thyroid is showing normal levels.
Have had 3 fna's all came non conclusive.
I have 3 very small children, lost my mother to cancer aged 15 so finding all of this rather overwhelming.
I would be very grateful to hear back from anyone with any information as the DR has been rather vage.
Thyroid nodules rarely cause symptoms but 3 inconclusive FNAs means there is a risk that the nodule is not benign. After the hemilobectomy the nodule will be examined in histopathology and the larger sample means they will be able to conclusively state whether the nodule is benign or malignant.
The hemilobectomy will be done as day surgery with an overnight stay for observation. I experienced very little pain after surgery and copious amounts of pain relief was availble in hospital and to take home after discharge. It is advisable to have some soups and soft foods available at home in case your throat is sore. It is assumed your remaining thyroid lobe will produce sufficient hormone but this isn't always the case and you may need Levothyroxine replacement.
Your doctors have said your thyroid levels are normal. Normal is a broad range so it would be helpful if you would say what your results and ranges are.
Have ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate been tested by your GP? It's a good idea to ask now because having good levels of vitamin D aid recovery. Low ferritin can cause hair loss and B12 deficiency often causes night sweats. thyroid.about.com/od/thyroi...
I had hemilobectomy after an inconclusive FNA which turned out to be malignant. I had completion thyroidectomy 3 months later and am now in my 5th year of remission.
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