I have thyroid cancer – one woman's health journey
While it seemed that something might be getting bigger for awhile, the doctors kept watch on it as I went on my routine ultrasound visits. All areas seem stable now, yay!
Otherwise, we were waiting for the mass to get big enough for a biopsy.
The other week, I had forgotten about my lab for blood work and ultrasound appointment and missed it. Oops. I spotted it only because I had to check my calendar for something else. I immediately re-made the appointment, but I couldn’t have all this done at the medical center that specializes in these types of ultrasounds. My new appointment was to be done at a different medical center instead.
I had my blood drawn into one tube instead of the typical 2-3 in the past. For the ultrasound, the technician spent a lot of time on the right side of my neck and not so much on the left side. (The left side is where this unknown mass could be growing). That appointment took around 30 minutes. I left telling the technician that I’m expecting the mass to either stayed the same size or gotten a little bigger, but no big deal either way.
A couple days later, I received a notification that some of my test results were available online. I took a screen shot and sent it to my husband after I read it. It said
Findings: Previous thyroidectomy. The previously noted nodule is the left thyroid bed is no longer identified. There are normal-sized fatty centered lymph nodes in both sides of the neck.
Conclusion: No evidence to suggest recurrent malignancy.
Yay! No more cancer!
Now for the results of my blood work
UFree T4 is 1.2 ng/dL (Standard range is 0.7-1.5 ng/dL) and TSH, Sensitive is 0.13 ulU/mL (Standard range is 0.30-4.50 ulU/mL)
To help prevent cancer, I am (trying) to eat less sugar, as medical experts say that cancer loves sugar and is fed by it. Gross. I gave up soda a years ago, so that’s not a problem. But when I see those doughnuts and cakes…yummy.
Yay! I got my results back and I seem to be fine for now. There still is weird growth or whatever in a left gland. I wish that they would just take it out. I have made this request before. With all the other surgeries that I’ve had, I’m getting covered in scars…so what’s one more?
Anyway, I’m just going to copy & paste my results here –
INDICATION: Thyroid carcinoma post thyroidectomy
TECHNIQUE: 2.4 mCi I-123 was ingested by the patient, and 24-hour neck uptake
and whole body planar imaging performed.
COMPARISON: [Fall]/2017
FINDINGS: 24-hour uptake is 0.7% in the region of the neck, equivalent to
background levels and decreased from 1.3% previously. No evidence of recurr entor metastatic thyroid cancer. Activity in the nasopharynx, salivary glands,stomach, colon, and urinary bladder from normal routes of iodine excretion.
Activity in the left parotid gland remains somewhat asymmetrically prominent.Faint radio tracer uptake about the knees consistent with synovitis.
After doing the whole body scan, I went out and had a cheese burger and fries. Over the next three days, I gained back all the weight that I had lost. (It was worth it).
The day after the body scan, my blood was drawn for testing. I had forgotten to come in for the blood work on Monday, the day before first injection, as the doctor wanted to see the thyroid levels in my body before going through the procedure. Oops.
After a week or so, I got a phone call telling me that I needed to schedule an ultrasound as the doctor saw that a node/lump/thing (I don’t have my medical record for the actual term) was getting bigger, indicating possible cancer…again. If the ultrasound showed that the area could be cancer, the next step was another biopsy and then surgery, if the result tested positive for cancer.
Naturally, I wasn’t happy about this and later called my insurance to see if I would have another choice of surgeon if I had thyroid cancer had returned.
I scheduled the ultrasound appointment and when the time came, went in for it. The jelly they coated my throat was warm. I used lots of tissues to remove it when the technician was done. I always miss a spot, usually below an ear. The jelly doesn’t feel as nice when the jelly is cold.
A week or two later, I got another call from my doctor. I was told that the lump/tissue thing was stable, so no biopsy was needed right now. I was told to book another ultrasound appointment in 6-7 months to check on it again.
At this point, I’d rather have them take it out now, so it doesn’t have a chance to grow bigger or into cancer. Also, I’d rather a surgeon cut a different opening to remove that tissue than the same spot in front of my throat. The scar in the front of my throat is slowly disappearing. I don’t want to make the tissue weaker or cause a permanent scar.
My adventure continues…
I guess if you needed a mandatory way to lose weight, the low-iodine diet is the answer. No diary, no salt, no milk chocolate. Sure, you can have non-iodine salt, but how can you be sure that other companies sure that instead of iodine salt. I didn’t take any chances. I lost 6-7 pounds within two weeks. My stomach was flat again. (Okay, I enjoyed that while it lasted (2-3 days) afterI got back on my regular diet of nearly everything).
You can have alcohol on the low-iodine diet, but it’s not recommended, as your body is essentially detoxing. I tried drinking a beer. I had a few sips and dumped the rest. It tasted so gross. (It probably doesn’t help that I really don’t drink anyway).
A day or two after the whole body scan, I got a call from my doctor telling me that I may have thyroid cancer again. (Grrr….) There is an uptick in thyroid something. I’d have to look up the test results they sent me. The plan is to continue with the thyroid ultrasound and then another biopsy. If that comes back positive, then I’m back under the knife. I’ve already decided that I want a different surgeon, and that I’m not doing that radiation treatment again. If it didn’t work the first time, fuck this.