# Ultrasounds, Nodules, FNA & Scared



## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm new here, hello.

I am already an anxious person. A few years ago at an OB/GYN appt the nurse felt my neck for a while and said to get my thyroid checked out. She sent me for an ultrasound and it came back I had a little 3mm nodule on the left side. My neck area feels hard, the whole thyroid area does. I saw 3 doctors, all were not concerned and life went on.

2 1/2 years later while at an appt with my husband the one doctor told me to follow up on it. I went in and the 3mm apparently wasn't seen on the left but a new one 1.6 cm is on the right side. I also have a node swollen near my ear. All lab results are normal and she tested for Hashis.

The nodule is hypoechoic and the doctor said nothing was noted that sounded scary. The internet is not my friend. Way too many stories on here that are freaking me out. I go for the FNA soon and now I am thinking I want to get knocked out for that I am so scared. I'm waking up crying every day.

I feel so scared


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I'm sorry you are so scared. I absolutely understand.

Know that the FNA is really not bad at all. The needle is teeny tiny and your thyroid is usually very close to your skin's surface. I got stung by a wasp on my neck a few days before my FNA and that was considerably worse! In fact, FNAs are generally so easy that I believe they won't accept the risk of general anesthesia for such a quick procedure. Mine maybe lasted 15 seconds.

Hypoechoic nodules larger than 1cm do warrant an FNA. My best advice is to get copies of all your lab work and the ultrasound report (and the FNA report when it becomes available). And also, breathe. It's going to be ok, I promise!


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

I wish I could breathe, all I do it cry. 

I think that is what scared me the most too. The "Hypoechoic nodules larger than 1cm do warrant an FNA". I mean this sucker grew in 2 1/2 years pretty big from nothing. I feel like that would consider it "rapid" and then my mind is just right at cancer.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> I saw 3 doctors, all were not concerned and life went on.


You need to begin asking for paper copies of all lab work done. If you post lab results, please include the ranges as lab use different tests with different ranges.

Do you have hypo symptoms? Anxiety can be a hypo or hyper symptom.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Free T4 1.2 
TSH, 3RD GENERATION 1.44 
VITAMIN D 25 19 
25-Hydroxy D3 19 
Vit D, 25-Hydroxy D2 <4

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES <9 IU/mL <1

Thyroglobulin Ab < or = 1 IU/mL <1 
Thyroglobulin 2.8 - 40.9 ng/mL 15.9

Since I was about 31, I have had what felt like "flare up" episodes. Heavy periods, depression, anxiety where I considered checking myself "in", muscle and joint aches in the morning, headaches, extreme fatigue at times. Other days to weeks I am fine and other days I am not. It comes and goes. I've been 60 pounds overweight for a while.

These were all recent tests from this month too. Just something feels off. I have a bad feeling.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Do you have the reference ranges for those results?

I can relate to those symptoms and as counter-intuitive as it sounds, the cancer diagnosis was a blessing in disguise. I have my life back, don't have any of those weird spells, and am back to being me. Again, it's going to be ok. If you need to, ask for anti-anxiety meds.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

I'd feel it was ok as long as it wasn't rare type of Thyroid Cancer, that scares me. I also feel really afraid it "grew" that fast.

I don't know the ranges she said everything was normal.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Ultrasounds have limitations. I had two ultrasouns within a month of each other and both had the measurements of the nodules wrong. So, a lot of the variance you are seeing can be reasonably attributed to that.

Aggressive thyroid cancers are scary -- I get that -- but they are extremely, extremely rare and even more so if you do not have a family history of extremely rare and aggressive thyroid cancers.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Try not to worry too much. Soon you'll have news and you'll know what is going on. My experience was that I had one large nodule that grew quickly and it was benign. Teeny little ones were not. In my case, it was no big deal and I feel way better than I did before all of this was diagnosed.

Hang in there, you are among people that have had similar experiences and are good listeners.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

You guys are helping me. Thank you.

My husband is so positive and in a good way but I felt like "be down here with me". It's also hard to understand for someone not going through it. I seem to have a habit of every 4-5 years, something horrible goes on...


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

The new one wasn't there before- the other went away. Just seems really odd a new nodule grew that fast in 2 1/2 years. I heard they barely grow...


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Nope, they can grow quickly or slowly. I had both but all of them were benign.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

That's relieving to know. Thanks.

I've thought I've had Hashis for years but the tests came back I was ok. I've just felt so off. I don't feel as scared anymore reading all your replies.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

I have a couple questions, maybe someone can answer?

1. Can Hypoechoic nodules be benign?

2. Am I at more of risk having no other thyroid issues and just nodules?

Thanks.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

1) Yes.

2) It's possible. I can't remember the exact number, but a high number of people have thyroid nodules. Most of them come and go and most people aren't dramatically impacted by them. But, no one can say for sure what will happen.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

So I spoke to the doctor today. I've had the flu for 5 days, landed me 1/2 the day in the ER. She said the nodule is vascular and there is a 50/50 chance of it being cancer. I had to get a chest X-ray to see if I had a blood clot today and on a positive note she said she didn't see any affected lymph nodes in my chest. I'm slowly just learning to accept- this is what it is...


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Does anyone know if a vascular nodule means vascular invasion?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

No, not the same. A vascular nodule means the nodule itself has increased blood flow. Vascular invasion means the growth has extended beyond the thyroid capsule and is in the lymph nodes and surrounding vascular tissue.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Thank you. I'm seeing a wonderful doctor... I'm not sure on how educated they are with thyroid issues. It's been a whirlwind of emotions this past week. Does anyone know if a Hypoechoic nodule that's vascular can be benign? And this thing grew- in like 2 1/2 years to 16mm, that scares me. Is that normal? I look all over the internet they say how slow growing this cancer is but I'm not sure if they mean how slow it takes to affect you or how slow the nodules grow...


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Nodules that have fluid in they get bigger and then sometimes smaller rapidly. It's often the fluid, not the solid portion (which is usually the "real" cancerous part) tends to grow slowly.

Yes, hypoechoic, vascular nodules can be benign...it's just not recommended that one assumes its benign.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Thank you, Joplin for replying to me.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Got the FNA today, it wasn't so bad. No numbing, 4 needles. Apparently the samples were bloody and she needed an extra. Side note- they found my parotid which I thought was a lymph node has a large lesion so I have to go to ENT now.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Really, really glad you got that FNA.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

I'm just struggling with a whirlwhind of emotions. First, I'm waiting to hear whether I have thyroid cancer and now I have a parotid tumor. I felt it, the doc felt it, and she acted like "no big deal" the radiologist was like "Get to an ENT". I could not imagine battling two types of cancer.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Got my results and it was atypical follicular suggestive neoplasm. I dont even know where to start. I have to get my thyroid out and deal with the parotid thing. I don't know how i am not popping Xanax like tic tacs at this point.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I'm sorry...

When do you see the ENT?


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks.

Monday.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Just know that it will be ok. It might be tough along the way, but it's going to be ok.


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## bleubutterfly (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks I think I am in shock. I just have so many questions.... for example: Can this turn into anaplastic cancer? Is the parotid tumor cancerous? I couldn't imagine battling two cancers at once. Seems like a slow death. It sounds like I am going to have one whopper surgery for both. I feel unlucky. I just don't get it.


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## juliev (Feb 18, 2015)

Bluebutterfly, I am here with you. I was just found to have a 4 cm nodule on my thyroid. I haven't had the fna yet am still waiting for the endocrinologist to call to set it up. I am terrified just as you are. I will be following your posts. My thoughts are with you.


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## Alan654 (Feb 21, 2015)

I went in and the 3mm apparently wasn't seen on the left but a new one 1.6 cm is on the right side. I also have a node swollen near my ear. All lab results are normal and she tested for Hashis.


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