# Only remove one lobe?



## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

I finally met with the endo for 1st time yestRDay. Since I am "suspicious for follicular neoplasm" he recommends surgery. He said they will likely just do the lobe with the nodule...but will send it to path during surgery. If it shows cancer on the frozen section of course they will remove it all. I am torn with this. Part of me says ask them for a TT but I am terrified of becoming hypothyroid. I already battled depression weight gain and losing my hair I'm afraid my self esteem will go down even further. Can anyone help guide me? Thank you.

FyI
2.5 cm single solitary nodule on left lobe. Described on US as slightly hypoechoic, minimal vascularity, no calcifications. Right lobe of thyroid is "normal"


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Refresh my memory...do you also have Hashi's?


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

Sorry for not including that info. No hashis. All levels have been "normal" only issue is the nodule thus far


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

Aimee, I wouldnt even know how to answer that. Maybe somebody who has been in a similar position can give advice or share what they did???? I am going in to talk to my ENT about my ultrasound results today. I am nervous. I dont even know what is wrong yet and my mind just goes staright to the thought of cancer. I think about my 3 daughters and wonder if I would just have them take the whole thyroid. The "C" word is just terrifying to me! Did you talk to doc about taking whole thyroid?


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

Everything ive read says that thyroid cancer is very curable...so dont worry too much madthyroid. Hang in there. Let us know your US results.

When I talked to my endo he said that it is uncommon to have PT, then be diagnosed cancer, then have to get the other lobe removed. He said that maybe happens once a year in his experience. <shrugs> IDK


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Aimee, I was in your shoes a few years ago. No autoimmune issues...just a big ol' nodule. My FNA results were inconclusive. ENT talked me into a PT, and I didn't disagree. He said my odds of cancer were about 20%, so really, odds were in my favor, and why not keep half?

That turned out to be the wrong decision for me. My pathology came back cancerous, so I had to have a second surgery a couple of weeks later to remove the other half of my thyroid, followed by RAI treatment.

So...I could go either way on this. It's really a roll of the dice. If you had autoimmune issues in addition to the nodule, I'd be suggesting that a TT is likely the better option. But you don't, which means your remaining half, if not cancerous, could serve you well for the rest of your life.


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## KeepOnGoing (Jan 2, 2013)

I had exactly the same experience as Octavia - inconclusive FNA, partial then completion when they realised it really was cancer.

Having 2 surgeries fairly close together was unhelpful, but not the end of the world.

Mind you, the time when I felt worst, hypo-wise, was between the 2 operations, when I only had half a thyroid.

It's so difficult to know what to do. As I'd been told all along that there was nothing wrong with me, I just didn't feel I'd ever believe that the other side of my thyroid was clear, so I'm glad I carried on to completion, but everyone is different.


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

Yes I have heard a lot of ppl feel bad with just one lobe. Sigh...so confused. Would my general surgeon remove both if I requested or should I talk to the endo about it? I kind of wish the decision would just be made for me like If the other side looks bad. Then it's not really like I made the decision u know? Lol ahhhhhh!


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

its all very confusing lol! I went for ultra sound results today and the ENT had to leave! Emergency. Tomorrow I go again for results


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

Omg I would be soooo upset! Cant they give the results over the phone? Also dont forget to get a written copy of it. It helped me a lot bc my dr isn't the greatest (military dr) and he didnt even tell me the size of my nodule. So be sure to get that!


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## shorty85 (Aug 25, 2012)

my nodule is over 6cm its been recommended I keep half my thyroid that isnt effected by it I will have surgery within a month.


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

my results:

I have "a good nugget sized nodule" the ENT said. 
Right lobe 4.7 x 1.5 x 2.1 x 2.1cm
left lobe 4.5 x 0.8 x 1.7cm.
In mid pole of the right lobe of thyroid, 
there is a 1.3 x 1.9 x 1.3cm SOLID Nodule. No other nodules are identified.
IMPRESSION: 1.9 CM in the mid pole of right lobe of thyroid. Biopsy is recommened. 
Hes still thinks my throat issues could be from reflux. I dont know? He doesnt think thyroid is too enlarged. What do you think? I have no clue!


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

The thyroid itself sounds fine. Mine is right side 1.7x5.2x1.6cm
Left side 2.2x4.8x1.8cm

My nodule is 2.5x1.3x1.6cm. Mine is also solid.

Does it say if its hypo or hyperechoic? Or any vascularity or calcifications?


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

I developed a discomfort/popping/tightness when swallowing. My PcM said it wasn't related to my nodule but it started a few days after I noticed the nodule, personally I feel it is related.


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

no it did not say any of ( hypo or hyperechoic? Or any vascularity or calcifications)


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

Aimee0907 said:


> I developed a discomfort/popping/tightness when swallowing. My PcM said it wasny5 related to my nodule but it started a few days after I noticed the nodule, personally I feel it is related.


I have that popping when i swallow but it has been there for yrs. He didnt think it was related either.

I have tight throat, hard to swallow, dull pains, fullness, and pressure in thyroid area when i lay down.


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

After i left I was thinking back on soething the ENT said...that didnt make sense to me. he said "Theres a nodule there now that wasnt there "BEFORE". Not sure what he meant because this is my first ultrasound and he did not feel my neck this time.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> Would my general surgeon remove both if I requested or should I talk to the endo about it?


Aimee - ask your surgeon to remove the whole thyroid if that is what you want done. Your endo has nothing to do with that decision - it's really your decision and you have history that would support full removal due to



> discomfort/popping/tightness when swallowing. My PcM said it wasny5 related to my nodule but it started a few days after I noticed the nodule, personally I feel it is related.


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

Aimee, did you already a bopsy? I didnt see that.


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

Yes mad on 2/18 I did my FNA. It came back "suspicious for follicular neoplasm"


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

Can they just remove nodule? Or do they have to take the whole lobe?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

They can't take just the nodule -- the whole lobe has to go.


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## madthyroid78 (Jan 28, 2014)

So they ever just remove nodule and not lobe??


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

not that I have ever heard, I have only heard that they will remove the entire lobe With the nodule on it...at least thats what my Dr said


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## Bluebird (Mar 21, 2014)

I responded to you in another thread, but I wanted to go into more detail here. I hope it makes you feel better--- I had a PT last July and I have not had one single problem at all. The mass in my thyroid was suspicious also and they told me if they got into surgery and if pathology showed cancer, they would take the whole thing. If not, they'd just do the partial to remove the cyst/tumor or whatever they call it. They did say there was evidence of very tiny cysts forming on the other side, but he found no reason at all to remove the whole thing at this time. He said it might never happen and to not even worry about it.

My surgery was quick & easy and I don't take any meds at all. He said to get my levels checked once a year (I have already done it twice) and to basically go home & live life and don't worry!

The funny thing is, suddenly you see all these people with "the scar" and we instantly start sharing stories. LOL. So far I have met about 10 people who've had thyroid surgery and almost all of them had cancer and had the TT. One was a teenage boy. They are all cured and doing great.


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## Bluebird (Mar 21, 2014)

I asked my surgeon about this and he said no....that it's harder to go around the thyroid & remove the nodule/cyst than it is to just remove the lobe and the nodule at the same time. He said there can be major complications by doing this. I guess with blood vessels, nerves & other things. So they just take the whole lobe out.



madthyroid78 said:


> So they ever just remove nodule and not lobe??


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## Aimee0907 (Feb 17, 2014)

Thank you bluebird! That all makes me feel so much better. I def know the odds are low that I have thyroid cancer...just was nervous if the decision of PT or TT was left up to me ya know? This has helped! Thank you. Was yours suspicious for follicular neoplasm too by chance?


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