# Before it was confirmed that you had cancer....



## thryoidgirl

did you have a gut feeling that it was cancer? or did you have no clue?

I will be having my left lobe out, but I feel deep in my heart that I do have cancer.

please briefly review these facts about my thyroid situation, and if you see a similarity to your own cancer experience, let me know:

-I have Hashimoto's
-A growing nodule that is now 6 centimeters. It has taken up my entire left lobe
-Lymph nodes look good


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## redbird2448

I knew there was a nodule at the ultrasound, as i could see her measuring it on her screen. I read about it and knew that it was not usually terminal, so was not upset at the possibility. It actually answered a lot of questions for me. So when the pathologist and the endo both told me it was cancer it was no shock. What did shake me was they told me it was the medullary type. I got a calcitonon test right away, and my endo even went in on a holiday to check it and call me back with the news it was negitive, so was probably one of the other two. I never got upset or cried about it. 
I was really 5o/50 on the knowing. I knew i had no energy, and knew something was wrong for years. I just thought i was hypo more than anything. I had never really thought of cancer till they found the nodule.


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## Andros

thryoidgirl said:


> did you have a gut feeling that it was cancer? or did you have no clue?
> 
> I will be having my left lobe out, but I feel deep in my heart that I do have cancer.
> 
> please briefly review these facts about my thyroid situation, and if you see a similarity to your own cancer experience, let me know:
> 
> -I have Hashimoto's
> -A growing nodule that is now 6 centimeters. It has taken up my entire left lobe
> -Lymph nodes look good


There "is" something about knowing your own body. You can sometimes just sense things. However, I do hope it is not cancer.

When are you having the surgery? Why are they only doing a partial thyroidectomy?


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## DWilke

I knew deep down that it was carcinoma. A lump was discovered in routine physical in Aug 2010. I had several blood tests (all normal) and finally a nuclear scan in September. It was only 1cm at the time. The scan looked as though I had thyrotoxicosis, but again blood levels were normal. I had repeated follow up blood tests and was finally seen in November 2010 by a endo. She did an ultrasound and biopsy that day. The tumor was now 7cm. The biopsy came back positive for hurthle cell on November 16. She knew before I left that it was more than likely cancer, so I was prepared for the call.

I had a total thyroidectomy and neck dissection on November 30, 2010. I had 150 - RAI on January 17, 2011. I have had no salivary gland issues. I sucked on lemon candy for the entire period of isolation and I truly believe that helped. My scans showed that it didn't spread beyond the neck area, so its looking good.

The worst part of the whole thing is the meds adjustments. It has been horrible. I have a fraction of the energy that I used to. But, I am cancer free, so being a little tired, disoriented and dizzy for a while until its sorted out is ok in my book. I hope your news is/was good.


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## Weeble

I did have a gut feeling - but tried to be open to the greater possibility that it would end up being benign. Turns out my gut was right.

I just got my pathology report back today - and I have to say that I was not surprised to learn about the malignancy .... but I am a little stunned after seeing it written in black and white.

I have no history of specific thyroid problems. I've just had a persistant cough and irritated, hoarse throat for a couple of months - it was originally thought to be pneumonia. Then a lesion showed up on an xray of my lung. The docs pursued that with CT scans and a PET scan. It was determined that the thing in the lung is probably scar tissue - but my thyroid lit up on the PET....then came the ultrasound, then the FNA biopsy and that has lead me to today's pathology report.

I only have one nodule and it's a teenie, little one - only about 7mm. Don't know about any lymph node involvment....

Thyroidgirl - Have you had your surgery? How are you doing? I hope things are going well.
DWilkie - thanks for sharing your surgery experience. I hope they get your meds tweeked so that you begin feeling better soon. I rejoice with you that you are cancer-free!

Weeble


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## katbid23

DWilke, I wanted to ask you a question. How were you deemed "cancer free" so quickly? My endo and oncologist refuse to say I'm cancer free until after my 6 month scan in Aug. I am glad you are cancer free, but just wondering what the determining factor was.

Thanks


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## webster2

Weeble said:


> I have no history of specific thyroid problems. I've just had a persistant cough and irritated, hoarse throat for a couple of months - it was originally thought to be pneumonia.
> 
> Weeble


Wow, with the exception of no prior history, this is me to a T. :hugs:


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## Tocra

thryoidgirl said:


> did you have a gut feeling that it was cancer? or did you have no clue?
> 
> I will be having my left lobe out, but I feel deep in my heart that I do have cancer.
> 
> please briefly review these facts about my thyroid situation, and if you see a similarity to your own cancer experience, let me know:
> 
> -I have Hashimoto's
> -A growing nodule that is now 6 centimeters. It has taken up my entire left lobe
> -Lymph nodes look good


I had no clue it was cancer but it was. In fact it was cancer throughout my entire thyroid. I had thyroid problems for many years though but never thought it was cancer until one of the cancerous nodules kept growing with fluid. It became over 5cm in size. Doctors were not 100% sure until the TT was completed. Only then it was confirmed.


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## Andros

Tocra said:


> I had no clue it was cancer but it was. In fact it was cancer throughout my entire thyroid. I had thyroid problems for many years though but never thought it was cancer until one of the cancerous nodules kept growing with fluid. It became over 5cm in size. Doctors were not 100% sure until the TT was completed. Only then it was confirmed.


Thank you for sharing. How are you now? Did you have RAI as well?

Have not seen you around much since March!


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## Tocra

I'm doing a lot better. I had a great surgeon and no issues with the surgery. I did not have RAI yet but will soon. My only problem now is I didn't do so well on generic synthroid T4 so my doctor switched me to Armour. We're seeing how that goes. I think I have some adrenal issues going on though. I'm going to order a 24 hr saliva test but will discuss with my doctor first. I tolerate the Armour a lot better but I need to split the dose up quite a bit. I'm not sure if this is normal though.


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## Andros

Tocra said:


> I'm doing a lot better. I had a great surgeon and no issues with the surgery. I did not have RAI yet but will soon. My only problem now is I didn't do so well on generic synthroid T4 so my doctor switched me to Armour. We're seeing how that goes. I think I have some adrenal issues going on though. I'm going to order a 24 hr saliva test but will discuss with my doctor first. I tolerate the Armour a lot better but I need to split the dose up quite a bit. I'm not sure if this is normal though.


What is your dose of Armour? Why do you think you have to split it?


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## Tocra

Andros said:


> What is your dose of Armour? Why do you think you have to split it?


My dose is 2 grains or 120mg. I can barely hit 2 grains though. I take a small dose every hour throughout the day and this seems to work for me. But if I take big doses I get adrenaline rushes and hyper symptoms for an hour or so and my blood pressure goes up (tight chest etc). I don't know what is going on or why this is happening yet. I have read though that this can be caused by being hypo thyroid for so long and I have to treat a hidden adrenal problem.

I'm guessing it could also simply be my body isn't used to this medication. I am trying to up the dose so I hit the 2 grains but it's a slow process. The good news is that I seem to be tolerating it more because I am keeping track. I haven't yet ordered the saliva test but will soon.

Do you recommend anything to try? Or am I doing the right thing with this method?


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## Octavia

Going back to the original question, I would say I strongly suspected...somewhere between "knowing" and "being prepared" for the news to be "yes, it's cancer" so I wouldn't be blindsided. But like others, I had done enough reserach to see that even if it did turn out to be cancer, it would be very curable, so I wasn't too worried. I will say, however, that anticipating the diagnosis and actually hearing the word "carcinoma" felt entirely different. Not that it was a big shock...just hearing it and seeing it on the report in black and white made it very real.

Unfortunately, my FNA had come back inconclusive...they could see follicular cells, but couldn't definitively call it cancerous at that point, so I only had a partial thyroidectomy. Then when the pathology came back positive for papillary carcinoma, I had to go in a few weeks later to get the other half taken out. I understand why that's the protocol, but I wish there was a way to get fast, accurate pathology results while you're still in the first surgery, in order to eliminate the need for a second surgery.


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## Mitche2k

I knew. I told my husband before I even saw an endo "I think I have thyroid cancer." I had been very sick for 4 months. My GP thought I had a virus. My symptoms were extreme(and I mean really extreme) fatigue and swollen lymph nodes that would come and go. I had a hoarse voice and neck pain. Eventually I ended up at an Endo and she did a scan, found a very large lump that couldn't be seen or felt because it was so tucked back in my neck. They did a FNA that came back "non-malignant" but thankfully my Endo wanted it removed anyway. Follicular variant of papillary cancer! I knew it. I knew it all along. And they say thyroid cancer is asymptomatic. Well, it's not.


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## Andros

Mitche2k said:


> I knew. I told my husband before I even saw an endo "I think I have thyroid cancer." I had been very sick for 4 months. My GP thought I had a virus. My symptoms were extreme(and I mean really extreme) fatigue and swollen lymph nodes that would come and go. I had a hoarse voice and neck pain. Eventually I ended up at an Endo and she did a scan, found a very large lump that couldn't be seen or felt because it was so tucked back in my neck. They did a FNA that came back "non-malignant" but thankfully my Endo wanted it removed anyway. Follicular variant of papillary cancer! I knew it. I knew it all along. And they say thyroid cancer is asymptomatic. Well, it's not.


Aw; thank goodness you are in tune w/your body!!! I am so sorry that you had this cancer but very grateful that it has been taken care of.

And thank you for sharing your story!

Did you have to have RAI also? Is the doctor keeping your TSH suppressed?


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## Octavia

Mitche2k said:


> And they say thyroid cancer is asymptomatic. Well, it's not.


It's almost as if your body needed to make it obvious internally, since it wasn't visible externally. Good thing you listened!


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## webster2

Mitche2k said:


> I knew. I told my husband before I even saw an endo "I think I have thyroid cancer." I had been very sick for 4 months. My GP thought I had a virus. My symptoms were extreme(and I mean really extreme) fatigue and swollen lymph nodes that would come and go. I had a hoarse voice and neck pain. Eventually I ended up at an Endo and she did a scan, found a very large lump that couldn't be seen or felt because it was so tucked back in my neck. They did a FNA that came back "non-malignant" but thankfully my Endo wanted it removed anyway. Follicular variant of papillary cancer! I knew it. I knew it all along. And they say thyroid cancer is asymptomatic. Well, it's not.


I agree. My "symptoms" were almost exactly like yours. My voice was very hoarse too. My nodule was not able to be palpated either, it was too far back. Although, one very determined endo sure tried hard enough. Glad you persisted even though you didn't feel well!


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