# very nervous and afraid need advice after ultrasound



## monique46

hi I am new here but I was having issues that looked like hypothyroidism. after the ultrasound it turns out I have nodule that is firm that is about 3 centimeters. the other is a nodule filled with fluid.I am terrified. they did blood work and I have not actually gotten the results. I was told from previous blood work that one thyroid hormone is low but the other is normal. I have made an apponitment with the endocrinologist and I am getting a biopsy. my sibling passed away and this sibling was diagnosed with thyroid cancer BUT he was not treated. My sibling had more issues. they claim they found a nodule on his thyroid. they did not say what kind of thyroid cancer he had or that it spread. so we do not know. please help.


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## Lovlkn

BIG Breath...... Ahhhhh.

How long have you been having symptoms?

Biopsies are usually inconclusive or cancer - be prepared. I don't think I have ever heard of one being benign. What I do know is after surgery - it is sometimes benign. Focus on that and stay positive.

Ask for your thyroid lab numbers and post them with ranges please.

We are here to help - {{hugs}}


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## joplin1975

Thyroid cancer is rarely life threatening, do try not to panic. Did they know about his thyroid issues before he passed

Get that biopsy and then move forward from there. Lovlkn is right, we are here to help!


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## monique46

thanks and no my sibling did not know. he just gained a lot weight and could no longer take care of himself. he could not get around well. he had a few er visits but would not stay. finally i made him stay and be admitted into a long term care facility. soon as he got there they found him on the floor took him to the er where was PUT into a coma and a trach was put in and thats when they found the nodule. they told me to let him die and I said no do what you have to do to save him. he was NOT treated for the cancer he also had and enlarged heart and emphysema that was also found. he began to get better but he was also depressed he was in and out the hospital. he lost a lot of weight and we were happy. we did not believe he was going to die. he passed 5 months after being admitted to the nursing home and that was 7months ago. The nurse there did start making phone calls to get him treated but he passed before she could do anything. as for me I have been having symptoms of hypothyroidism for a long time, cold all the time ,brain fog, and a rash. Hair has been thinning for years. I always that the coldness was to due anemia but I had a hysterectomy in 2013 and was put on iron after and I no longer anemic. I was taken off iron. I do not know my TSH levels off hand. I just know one is low and one is normal.


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## Andros

Oh dear; I don't blame you for being frightened! However, you most certainly will not have the same outcome as you are receiving medical intervention and that is a very very good thing.

We are here for you at all times. Out of curiosity; doer your family live in the Midwest which is a known goiter belt?

Hugs,


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## monique46

no we are from new jersey..


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## joplin1975

Thyroid cancer behaves very differently in men than it does women. With women, in most cases, it's considerably less aggressive. That in combination with his other issues means that you shouldn't quickly jump to conclusions (as much as I very much understand why you are making that leap). His outcome will not be your outcome.

Thyroid cancer -- if it is that, and you have a long way before you'd get to that diagnosis -- is very easily treatable and has an excellent prognosis. My surgeon estimated my cancer was growing for around 10 years. It's been almost four years since my diagnosis and treatment and I am doing well and plan on sticking around for a long, long time.


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## monique46

so what did the doctor do about heart palpitations?? I am having those and I am ready to go to the ER. I know its my thyroid but will the doctor do anything even thought I am getting a biopsy in the future??? i have to wait at least 10 days for the biopsy. thats a long time.


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## monique46

oh and by the way had a friend who passed when we were in our late 20's from thyroid disease. she got treated too late and had a heart attack and died. The fact that she had been pregnant a few times and not knowing she was sick may have played a factor. she even had the enlarged eyes.


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## jenny v

Keep in mind, dying from thyroid-related problems is extremely rare. You've had the unfortunate experience of being around people who may have had underlying health issues that were making things worse with their thyroid issues.

I did not have cancer but I was sick with both Graves (hyper) and Hashi's (hypo) diseases for over 10 years before my thyroid was removed and I'm still here and kicking.

Definitely get hard copies of every single lab the doctor runs on you (it's your right as a patient) and keep track of those. It will help you figure out where you are and what needs to be treated.

On the heart palps, did you mention those to your doctor? 99% of the time they are thyroid-related and relatively harmless, but you do want your doc aware of them. There are prescriptions they can give you to help calm your heart down until your thyroid levels are settled down.


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## creepingdeath

Being VERY NERVOUS AND AFRAID will cause you anxiety.

Anxiety will cause heart palpitations.

You need to relax and stop thinking the worse.

If you can't relax call your Doctor and get something to help with anxiety.


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## monique46

ok well i just called and got my hormone levels from the nurse. i need to talk to the doc about my heart. last year I had a ekg and stress test and they saw no heart issues my levels are TSH 0.3 T3 1.44 and T4 1.05 what does this mean.. thanks to all who have been responding..


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## joplin1975

It's hard to say without the reference ranges, but it looks like you are leaning hyper thyroid, which would very much explain the heart palps.


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## monique46

ok does anyone know what these numbers could mean?? i do not know what is a normal range thi was why I included my numbers. I hope someone can tell me something. I am leaning toward hypo because I have hypo symptoms but it is probably because of the nodules.


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## monique46

what are reference ranges? aren't these numbers I posted enough???


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## Octavia

No... each lab has its own reference ranges.

Results would typically look something like this:

Free T4 1.08 (.65 - 1.4)

The part in parentheses is the reference range. You need the range in order to accurately read the results.


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## joplin1975

Call the nuse back and ask for the reference ranges. Or, if you know what lab an the tests (i.e., like Quest Diagnostics), sometimes you can find the reference ranges online.


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## monique46

yes I know what Lab did the test so like what do I type in???


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## joplin1975

I would google "[Acme] Laboratory thyroid test reference ranges."


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## monique46

joplin1975 said:


> I would google "[Acme] Laboratory thyroid test reference ranges."


lol Acme. is this wile E coyote??


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## jenny v

I would call back and ask the doctor to mail or email you the actual hard copies of the labs. You don't just look at the number for each test, you have to look at the reference ranges, too, which are usually beside the number in parentheses.


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