# Almost all women get nodules on their thyroid



## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

is what the surgeon told my sister? is that true? He also told her that he knows 100% that there's nothing wrong with her thyroid and that she has nodules because most women get them as they get older??? I have no idea so that's why I"m asking....I"m willing to bet though, that she has hyperthyroidism, she told me that she only went to the doctor because she was having anxiety attacks, and that was listed as one of the symptoms for hyper in the brochure that t he surgeon gave her!! she still doesn't have her blood work results and the surgeon didn't have it either.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Common, yes...but 1) I don't think "almost everyone" has them and 2) I don't think that means they shouldn't be monitored or examined.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11175568
Thyroid nodules are very common in women 40 year-old or older, their prevalence increases with age in this cohort and these nodules are potentially palpable (larger than one cm) in one of six women in this age group It is important to have these data in mind when ordering thyroid echographic studies in women 40 year-old or older.

http://www.medicinenet.com/thyroid_nodules/article.htm#tocb
It is estimated that 4-8% of adult women and 1-2% of adult men have thyroid nodules that can be felt on physical examination, but closer to 30% of women have nodules detectable by ultrasound. In fact, the diagnosis of a thyroid nodule is the most common endocrine problem in the United States.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I think your sister needs a second opinion. IMHO


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## JPGreco (Mar 2, 2012)

No matter who you go too, they're gonna want blood test results. I would badger the person who sent out the blood work and ask them where the results are.


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Yes - second opinion. But just to share, I had really bad anxiety attacks before I was diagnosed and I am hypo. I also get them if I don't take enough Nature Throid. There is no commonality with thyroid issues. We are all so different.


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## angel1976 (Nov 15, 2011)

At present time many women at late teens and twenties are getting nodules with suspicious features (that warrant biopsy) or having Hashimoto's clinical features: heterogeneous thyroid echotexture often with normal thyroid size , high TPO antibodies and hypothyroidism.
Not to offend anyone but, the reason for these findings could be related to the lifestyle, eating habits, sexual activity and makeup ingredients, plus the environmental factors such as radioactive contamination, flame retardants and drinking water contamination.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

Here are the stats:

http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/nodulesgoiter.htm

An estimated one in 12 to 15 women and one in 50 men has a thyroid nodule

More than 90 percent of all thyroid nodules are not cancerous


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## Jennifermfogg (Jun 25, 2012)

Buffyfan, Does your sister have her blood results yet?


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## Georgie73 (Jun 27, 2012)

I've read that statistic so many times in the last few months....

90% of thyroid nodules are not cancerous.

Seems like an awful lot of people falling into that 10% these days.


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## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

No, she never even asked for her results..she's just going by what the doctor has told her(it would drive me crazy not to have my test results!!) she's having surgery in a couple of weeks, most likely will have to remove most of her thyroid...she had 2 nodules that were at least 1 cm(not sure of the unit of measurement), did a biopsy, results.. couldn't tell if cancerous.


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## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

She had surgery, half of her thyroid taken out, the nodules weren't cancerous. so here's my question, for those of you who have had the whole thyroid taken out, or just half, are you taking meds?? the surgeon told her she doesn't need meds and if her whole thyroid was taken out, she wouldn't need meds either???

I always thought that even if half was taken out, you need thyroid replacement.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Not always. It depends on how much is taken out and how well that other half functions. My co-worker had half out and is not on meds.

If the whole thing comes out, well, yes, you'll need replacement medication.

She should have her blood checked regularly to make sure she does not need medication.


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## BuffyFan (May 13, 2011)

Thanks! she is having a blood test in a couple of weeks. she had the whole right side taken out. interesting that your co worker doesn't need meds...lucky!


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