# Do I go under the knife or not?



## tjarowland (Oct 7, 2011)

I'm a 38 year old male with an enlarged thyroid on my right side about 5.2cm. It was first noticed during a routine physical about 10 months ago. My family doctor said it developed pretty quickly because it wasn't noticeable the year before. When the enlarged thyroid was first discovered the ultrasound I had showed the thyroid was 4.1 cm, so it has grown over the past 9 months. I've had 2 needle biopsies both inconclusive. The Thyroid specialist is more concerned with the wall of the enlarged thyroid rather then the liquid within it. All my blood work is normal however the thyroid specialist told me that it's about a 15-20% chance it could be cancer.

I haven't had too many problems with the enlarged thyroid besides the fact I feel pressure when I swallow. but I worry that it will get worse and it will also affect my breathing.

My specialist has given me two options 1) Have the thyroid removed or 2) have a biopsy every 6 months and monitor it.

I've been going back and forth about having the surgery. Part of me wants to have it removed and not risk it being cancerous plus...lol it makes my neck look fat. With all joking aside surgery, any surgery makes me nervous. I'm also concerned about side effects with having all or half my thyroid taken out. Will I be always tired? Will it effect my weight? Will I get acne? Will the medication make me feel sick?

I'm having a hard time making a decision and I'm hoping to hear some insight from other men and women in similar situations.

Thanks


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

At the risk of sounding cavalier and qualifying this by saying everyone's experience is different, I'll tell you that I found thyroid surgery (and I'm a big fat weenie about ANYTHING medical) to be quite easy. I was talking within minutes of waking up, asked for a cheeseburger (request DENIED, the big meanies) an hour after surgery, and was walking the halls without assistance three hours after surgery. Not recommended, but 10 days post op, my husband and I re-roofed the house.

You should not have significant weight or energy issues if you are properly medicated post surgery, although that can take sometime. I don't know how about acne and I believe the answer about the medication making you sick is the same as above: provided you have a good doctor who will work with you on finding the right meds and the right dose, you should be a-ok.

That doesn't mean I'm strictly endorsing surgery or that I'm waiting is right for you either...just answering your questions as best I can. (My FNA was conclusively cancer.)


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

tjarowland said:


> I'm a 38 year old male with an enlarged thyroid on my right side about 5.2cm. It was first noticed during a routine physical about 10 months ago. My family doctor said it developed pretty quickly because it wasn't noticeable the year before. When the enlarged thyroid was first discovered the ultrasound I had showed the thyroid was 4.1 cm, so it has grown over the past 9 months. I've had 2 needle biopsies both inconclusive. The Thyroid specialist is more concerned with the wall of the enlarged thyroid rather then the liquid within it. All my blood work is normal however the thyroid specialist told me that it's about a 15-20% chance it could be cancer.
> 
> I haven't had too many problems with the enlarged thyroid besides the fact I feel pressure when I swallow. but I worry that it will get worse and it will also affect my breathing.
> 
> ...


Surgery makes us all nervous so don't feel alone. Inconclusive FNA is always suspicious as are calicified rims.

Being male increases chances of cancer as well. Sad to say.

men more likely to have cancer than women
http://www.umm.edu/endocrin/thytum.htm

Thyroid cancer, cold nodules, men, uptake etc.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/0201/p559.html

I am not in your shoes so you will have to think long and hard about the best course. I will say that I personally would have the surgery. Why take a chance? Why sit on pins and needles not knowing? That is how I think, anyway!!

Have you had Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab lab tests?

Understanding Thyroglobulin Ab.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroglobulin/test.html

We welcome you!


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## SweetGirl44 (Sep 26, 2011)

Tjaroland Welcome!

I am 8 days out from a total thyroidectomy, and my experience right after surgery was certainly different then Joplin1975! (Really Joplin? A cheeseburger an hour after surgery and reroofing a house, YOU are a machine! LOL) My issue was the anesthisia makes me very nauseated. They have meds to help with that but, they didn't help me enough. That was my biggest problem with the surgery. I'm just telling you this to show how different everyone's experience can be.

I feel so much better knowing my thyroid is gone and there is no longer a question that something in there may or may not be cancerous. I had a follicular neoplasm that had a 20% chance of being cancer and other problems, none of which turned out to be cancer. Thank goodness, but I would not know it was benign unless I had my thyroid taken out. I think you would be wise to really research the particular problem you are having with your thyroid and really make your decision based on what you find out. Find a good doctor that is open to different meds and the correct testing should you decide to have it out. It's a tough decision to take out an organ, but if that organ is diseased and could spread, then it might be worth taking it out in the end. Best wishes to you on making your decision.


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## SnoodMama (Jan 11, 2011)

I have to say that the fact that you are male, and that it grew quickly, and may have some suspicious characteristics makes me lean heavily towards getting it removed. The surgery isn't that bad and my experience was a lot like sweetgirl's with post-surgery nausea (actually migraine) being worse than the surgery pain itself. I've come back rather quickly.

But I'm only 17 days post-surgery so it is too early for me to answer your other fears of weight gain, fatigue, etc... The levothroid hasn't made me feel sick. But the anesthetic from the surgery and subsequent pain medication did make me feel sick. But that was just temporary. I felt better than I had in a long time just after the surgery for a couple weeks, but the last two days I've been fatigued. And hungry... finding it hard to contain my eating. But not sure what's causing that. I can exercise and really should be exercising a bit more.

Anyway, what way are you leaning towards now? You could always talk to another doctor. Also I also read about genetic testing on FNA samples that can pinpoint your cancer odds a little more accurately. You could ask your doctor about that. You could always wait and see if it grows a little more, but then you run the risk of it spreading to your lymph nodes if it is indeed cancer.

Hope that helps.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

SweetGirl44 said:


> Tjaroland Welcome!
> 
> I am 8 days out from a total thyroidectomy, and my experience right after surgery was certainly different then Joplin1975! (Really Joplin? A cheeseburger an hour after surgery and reroofing a house, YOU are a machine! LOL)


Hee. My husband was MORTIFIED I asked for a cheeseburger...and then when I got strange looks and argued that I could cut it up into teeny pieces so it was easier to swallow, he was all "Can you please stop talking now? Please? They are going to send you down to the pysch ward if you keep babbling." *snicker* By the time I got back to my room, I had gone over 24 hours without eating and I was famished. What can I say, I love to eat. 

But, yes, take home message is everyone is different.


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## SweetGirl44 (Sep 26, 2011)

joplin1975 said:


> Hee. My husband was MORTIFIED I asked for a cheeseburger...and then when I got strange looks and argued that I could cut it up into teeny pieces so it was easier to swallow, he was all "Can you please stop talking now? Please? They are going to send you down to the pysch ward if you keep babbling." *snicker* By the time I got back to my room, I had gone over 24 hours without eating and I was famished. What can I say, I love to eat.
> 
> But, yes, take home message is everyone is different.


Funny, when I finally got to my room after 2 hours in recovery it was 7 pm. They told me it was too late to get any food sent to the room. I was actually thankful!! I had brought an Ensure with a straw and I didn't have any of that and forced myself to drink it at 9 AM the next morning. I envy foodies, I've never been one, and I know I'm missing out. So more power to ya! You are a strong person and I'm glad we both have that surgery behind us!

(Sorry Bruce, didn't mean to hijack your thread!)


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## namebug (Sep 22, 2011)

If there's any chance of cancer, you probably ought to have surgery. I think a biopsy every six months sounds worse than going for the surgery.

I can't imagine reroofing a house shortly after surgery!


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