Yeah, it's interesting. I've read lots of posts from people who have had thyroidectomies and seem to really be thriving and happy once their levels are adjusted.
But there also seem to be quite a few people who are just miserable. So, you know, we're all striving for less miserable.
I'm happy to hear that your cyst is benign. I hope that puts your mind to rest.
I've never seen the studies you mentioned, but I agree that it would be depressing to think one could never get well. As one who has Hashimoto's, and whose thyroid no longer produces hormones, which makes me totally dependent on my replacement medications I can attest to the thought that we CAN get well on T4 medication. Some us, however, do have to add a source of T3, such as cytomel or generic liothyronine.
:). Thank you very much for your reply. The biopsy did come out benign with no features of cancer. The nurse who gave me these results told me it was just a cyst.
I am happy to hear that people who have had a thyroidectomy do not have a lower quality of life in general. It was just some studies I found at PubMed. It would really be a shame if they held true across the boards because that would make it a serious lose/lose. Depressing.
It's not true that people who have their thyroid taken out have lower quality of life. Having a thyroid removed is equivalent to those of us with Hashimoto's, whose thyroids have stopped working. If you have a good doctor who will adjust medication properly, quality of life does not have to change. If people have a lower quality of life, it's simply because their doctors aren't treating them adequately.
You would probably have to have it checked periodically, to make sure the characteristics aren't changing.
Thyroid cancer is relatively rare. If your doctor is unable to determine that it's cancer s/he may recommend removal.
I don't want it removed at all; I had no idea I had a goiter or that it could be cancerous or anything like this a couple weeks ago.
The thing is I'm worried about insurance. I have insurance now but it's COBRA, and I'm not really sure how long I'll be able to keep paying it. So hearing it's benign is great news unless..it's really not benign and I have to keep going back to make sure.
I'm not sure how much I am reading on the internet is correct. People who have their thyroids taken out were found to have lower quality of lifein a couple studies; and there was a study that said a large goiter had a high risk of being found to be falsely benign in FNA.
I was wondering if anyone knew of other studies with different numbers, or felt that they could trust their own diagnoses. Etc.
You know that if your thyroid is removed, you will be permanently hypothyroid and will have to take replacement hormones for the rest of your life.
If it's inconclusive, you can talk to your doctor about having it removed, anyway, in order to ease your mind.
Thanks for your reply!
I don't have graves disease or hashimotos. I've been subclinically hyperthyroid for at least thirteen years, which was the last time I was tested for nodules. I didn't have any back then but I was always slightly hyperthyroid.
The doctor told me basically not to worry about it back then and get tested if the hyperthyroid got worse. It never has.
I'm just worried that even if it is benign, it will still continue to be a worry; that it can turn into cancer; is cancer already and they can't tell for sure.
The final decision will have to be between you and your doctor; however, if the nodules are benign, there would be no cancer.
You don't have Graves Disease? Have you ever been tested for Hashimoto's?