# Half or whole thyroid surgery?



## Pat4 (Jul 12, 2011)

I'm new here and have read the posts and feel this is such a compassionate group. I've never felt symptoms (or at least thought they were thyroid) I thought it was menapause and getting older..now maybe combination of all of these. So at this point not on any meds.

I had a pre-op for shoulder surgery and by accident my GP noticed an enlarged thyroid and sent me for tests. These kept coming back suspicious and needing the next step.

They recently diagnosed Hashimoto due to TPO of 329. I had FNA and they found 3 nodules - 2 benign on right side, and 1 suspicious on left.

I am doing surgery to take out the left side. The surgeon recommends taking out the whole thyroid based on the fact that with Hashimoto's, the thyroid will start to be a problem and need daily meds anyway. Also the fact there are nodules on both sides, although the right side was benign.

I was just wondering what people's thought were on this?
Do a chance just doing half and trying no meds? Maybe needing to get rest out later or indeed have cancer anyway. Or just bite the bullet and have teh whole thyroid taken out and start meds?

Thank you for understanding - as you all have similar situations.
I've never been a big doctor person and this summer find I tend to be seeing "someone" every other day (LOL)
Thanks


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Pat4 said:


> I'm new here and have read the posts and feel this is such a compassionate group. I've never felt symptoms (or at least thought they were thyroid) I thought it was menapause and getting older..now maybe combination of all of these. So at this point not on any meds.
> 
> I had a pre-op for shoulder surgery and by accident my GP noticed an enlarged thyroid and sent me for tests. These kept coming back suspicious and needing the next step.
> 
> ...


Welcome! I know what you mean about seeing someone every other day. I am just back from pre-op appointment.

I had half of mine out 20 years ago, and went without meds. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have asked for a complete thyroidectomy then. That's just my opinion. I think I have been going between hyper and not for quite awhile, and now have Graves too.

I have one nodule and the consensus is that it looks malignant. That's just my opinion. I had chalked all of my symptoms up to menopause.

I am looking forward to having this over with, and getting back into life.

Best wishes to you on making your decision. You'll find lots of help here.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Pat4 said:


> I'm new here and have read the posts and feel this is such a compassionate group. I've never felt symptoms (or at least thought they were thyroid) I thought it was menapause and getting older..now maybe combination of all of these. So at this point not on any meds.
> 
> I had a pre-op for shoulder surgery and by accident my GP noticed an enlarged thyroid and sent me for tests. These kept coming back suspicious and needing the next step.
> 
> ...


I totally agree with the surgeon for 3 reasons; chances are very very high that sooner or later the right side will go and you will have to have a second surgery.

The other is that it is nigh impossible to titrate thyroxine replacement when the other half is #1 not healthy which we already know and #2 when it puts out thyroxine if and when it feels like it.

You need to be steady on with thyroxine to have quality of life. Roller coaster rides get tiresome.

Reason #3; there could be solid nodule not picked up on the right side. Pathologist will have a look see at that also.

The above is opinion only!


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## McKenna (Jun 23, 2010)

FWIW, 
Last year when I was interviewing surgeons for my throidectomy, the first one I saw only wanted to take half of mine out.

The second one I interviewed (who was more "up" on thyroid issues) told me that it's better to take the whole thing. He mentioned the fact that most people go on to have the second side removed down the road (because of damage, nodules, etc) and that the more times they go in, the higher the risk of vocal chord damage and scar tissue issues.

I decided that it would be better for me to have my whole thyroid removed, for the reasons above and for what Andros wrote. For me, it was not worth it to keep any part of my diseased, damaged thryoid that was obviously making my life miserable.

I wish you the best with your decision.


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