Is this ‘normal’ or should I bite the bullet and get a doc appointment?

[Beads]

Last October I was admitted to hospital with sepsis, thought to be due to a kidney abscess, later diagnosed as kidney cancer. The kidney was removed last December, they got it all and other than monitoring there’s no further treatment needed.

I had a CT scan between the sepsis and op, for staging. I’ve just had all my notes (coz it’s interesting to know what was happening) and they commented on the CT results that I have a ‘left thyroid probable cyst with wall calcification’ as well as the mass on the kidney. Obviously the urologists aren’t concerned with this, they knew I was taking levo for an autoimmune underactive thyroid. I’ve not heard anything from the GP, but that’s pretty much par for the course. So is this something that could be totally benign or is this something that ought to be investigated?

Just for interest February results were:

TSH 0.25 (0.27-4.2)

T4 18.8 (12-22)

T3 3.8 (3.1-6.8)

Vit D 94 (50-whatever the top is, I can’t remember)

Ferritin 129 (30-4?0)

Active B12 102 (40-210, I hate how Monitor My Health do the ranges)

Folate 13.3 (3.8-25)

Test done first thing in the morning, 24 hours after last dose of levo. I take 100ug/125ug levo 3/4 days a week. Symptom-wise, I feel as good as I’ve done in the last 4 years.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

Hi Beads,

Good for you following this up, nothing to stop you asking the GP to confirm if this left thyroid probable cyst with wall calcification is something that requires further investigation. or a referral to an Endo/ENT to investigate. I did this, followed up everything, saw ENT, had ultrasound and MRI scan reports that don't agree with the ENT. Asked GP, who said trust ENT, so watch and wait I guess. Their general view with me was 'thyroids are lumpy, cysty things by their very nature so stop worrying'.

Glad to hear you are optimised on your dose of Levo, and as good as you've done for last 4 years (as long as you haven't felt dreadful for the last 4 years of course! That could be read different ways... )

Hope that helps, 🦋🌱🦋

[GlowCoach Administrator]

Symptom-wise, I feel as good as I’ve done in the last 4 years.

What does that mean? Are you well? What symptoms do you have?

Free T4 (fT4) 18.8 pmol/L (12 - 22) 68.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 3.8 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 18.9%

You have a very poor conversion rate so I wouldn;t be surprised if you had remaining hypo symptoms.

Always book blood test for 9am, fasting for highest TSH.

[Beads in reply to GlowCoach]

Yep, horrendous conversion, that’s a conversation for the doc another time.

[Charlie-Farley]

I would get it checked out for peace of mind and also a urologist will know about as much as the rest of us with regard to the thyroid physiology - the NHS doesn’t do a lot of overlap in my experience and everyone ‘stays in their lane’. I think it is up to us to join up the dots. 😊👍

[Beads in reply to Charlie-Farley]

That’s what I thought, a urologist won’t be interested in the thyroid.

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Beads]

You probably need some T3 added to feel better. Can try NHS although it sadly often depends on your area. Very postcode lottery. Thyroid UK have a list of Endos they can send you if you email them.

[Beads]

Thanks everyone. I’ve just filled in the doc’s online request for help form. Probably easier than getting an actual appointment, the only ones available being on days I’m working and the earliest being 24th April.

They’ll get the info and if they think it needs an appointment will ring me up to book one.

[Poniesrfun]

Lots of information on the web describing the association of renal and thyroid cancers. One example ijthyroid.org/journal/view....

Both are often found incidentally (when looking for something else like a fracture or back pain, etc.) and both can be present with no obvious symptoms. Many people with thyroid cancer never had any issues with thyroid levels and "normal" screening doesn't show any problems. So I would push to have a really thorough neck ultrasound - preferably a "mapping" which includes cervical lumph nodes. This is usually the earliest detection method.

Make sure you have a copy of the detailed pathology report from your kidney surgery for future reference.

Patti in AZ

[Beads in reply to Poniesrfun]

Well that started out as quite depressing reading, high correlation etc; but getting further into it they have almost 16,000 thyroid cancer patients and over 3000 renal cancer patients but only 63 which fall into both groups.

I now need to try to avoid dr google until I hear back from the doc.

Thanks for the link though, it might be helpful if they decide to not do anything.