# surgery for nodule?



## McKenna (Jun 23, 2010)

I've been thinking about the nodule that I have in my left lobe and just had FNA on Wednesday. I don't have the results yet, but I'm trying to think ahead a little. I'm hoping that some of you who have had surgery for nodules can give me some insight.
This was my ultrasound report about the nodule:



> 6/9/2010
> The transverse and longitudinal scans revealed that the right thyroid lobe measures 4.3 x 1.2 x 1.5 cm. The isthmus measures 2 mm in thickness. The left lobe measures 3.8 x 1.2 x 1 cm. The thryoid scan asymmetry is due to a hypodense poorly marginated 15.3 millimeter solid nodule in the upper pole on the left which was cold on recent thryoid uptake and scan. The occupies the extreme upper pole of the left lobe.
> 
> Mild inhomogeneity of the thyroid lobes otherwise is identified. No adenopathy was demonstrated.
> ...


The surgeon who did the FNA told me that if it comes back ok, he would be comfortable watching it, since it's not that big. He said he thought it was closer to 1 cm from his view of the ultrasound. But that if I absolutely couldn't sleep worrying about it, that he would consider taking the whole left lobe out.

On thinking about it, I'm wondering why they would just let it go. Do nodules sometimes stop growing?

I had a tumor (benign) in my breast 2 years ago and my surgeon didn't waste any time in taking it out. He said just take it out, rather than leave it in there to grow. I never had a FNA, he just went in and got the whole thing. I'm just wondering why it's so common to remove a tumor from another area, but they will watch thyroid tumors?

I understand the difference in breast cancer risk and thyroid cancer risk, and that thyroid cancer is slower growing and treated easier. But I'm trying to wrap my head around why they would leave it in there so easily. The thyroid is dying anyway and we need to be on meds for the rest of our lives anyway.

And....I've always thought I couldn't feel my nodule. But since the FNA, the area where it is is sore and I recognize the feeling. I've been having it for a while, off and on. And it's sore up into my ear. I frequently get ear pain in my left ear and I could never figure out why, especially when doctors would tell me that I didn't have an ear infection. I guess I know why now. I also always have left sinus pain. Never on the right side. Weird.

Just thinking out loud here...LOL!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

McKenna said:


> I've been thinking about the nodule that I have in my left lobe and just had FNA on Wednesday. I don't have the results yet, but I'm trying to think ahead a little. I'm hoping that some of you who have had surgery for nodules can give me some insight.
> This was my ultrasound report about the nodule:
> 
> The surgeon who did the FNA told me that if it comes back ok, he would be comfortable watching it, since it's not that big. He said he thought it was closer to 1 cm from his view of the ultrasound. But that if I absolutely couldn't sleep worrying about it, that he would consider taking the whole left lobe out.
> ...


It's to laugh; nice to know the doctor would be comfortable w/it. He's not the one that has the problem. LHM! (Lord have mercy) And if it was cancer, the rate of growth and danger involved would depend on what kind of thyroid cancer it is.

Conjecturing is nerve wracking so I opt for waiting for the results of the FNA. Meanwhile, we keep our fingers crossed and say a prayer.

{{{{McKenna}}}}


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Ok, just to use all I've found in my own research. "cold" and "solid" aren't words you really want to see on an ultrasound. Now, I'm not saying that everyone with a nodule should have their thyroid out. However, I do lean in that direction in certain situations. Me, personally, am not really comfortably knowing something is growing in my thyroid that has some of the markers for cancer, and we are just going to watch it. Also, it is possible to have a lobectomy and still not need to go on thyroid replacement therapy. Just a couple of thoughts.


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