Should I have my thyroid removed?

[TrudyMarie]

Good Morning,

I had my gall ballder removed in Nov. The preop bloodwork showed a TSH level of 19.7. A 2nd bloodtest showed a TSH level of 19.5. I went to see an otolaryngologist (Dr Douglas Klotch in Tampa). He did an ultrasound and saw some of my thyroid glands were "fried". He suspected Hashimoto's disease. He saw a nodule, a hair over 1cm. He did a FNA. He prescribed .100 of Levothyroxine and more blood labs. At my follow up appt one week later, the blood work confirmed Hashi, and my TSH was 14.5. My thyroglobulin was 173, my thyroid peroxidaseantibodies were 701H. The FNA was "inconclusive", possible papillary carcinoma. He recommended removal of my thyroid, possibly removing some of the lymph nodes if they were affected. I have schedule this surgery for 2/2/11. I am looking for a 2nd opinion as to whether this is the correct course of action, or is there a better alternative to surgery.

Thank You,

Trudy Cummins

[TrudyMarie]

Hi Good Morning, and thank you for taking the time to answer my inquiry. I do not know what type of nodule it is, I reviewed the report from the pathologist, and it does not say. Only that it was inconclusive for papillery carcinoma. You have basically confirmed what I already thought, I guess I just wanted to hear it from somone who has been there. I don't want to have to have a 2nd throat surgery, and the only way to avoid that is to have the entire gland removed the 1st time. Thank you again, and I'm glad you are doing well.  

[MANmom]

What characteristics does the nodule have?  Is it solid, cystic, vascular? Does it have calcifications?  Your thyroid is fried anyway, why don't you just have it removed to make sure you don't have cancer?  I was much in the same boat, Hashi's only without the gall bladder stuff.  I had four nodules, lots of symptoms, mine were round, three solid and one cystic, all were vascular, they ranged from 8 mm up to 2.1 cm.  My biopsy was also inconclusive, "benign follicular clusters". My brother who is a radiologist said that due to the Hashi's, I was losing the gland anyway.  In a few years it would be useless and I would still end up on thyroid meds for the rest of my life, so I opted to have 1/2 removed, then they found cancer, so I had the rest taken out.  The biggest tumor was found in the cystic nodule, a 1.5 cm tumor. I am glad I took it out.  I am 1 1/2 year post op, and after several different doses of meds, I am now on the right dose and feel great. I would argue the same to you, pretty much your body is destroying your thyroid, it will soon be useless...take it out and get it under a microscope, then you will have your answer.