New With Questions

Hello all. I am new to the boards and have a few questions. I had an ultrasound done on my thyroid because my blood tests where not coming back good. Well they found 4 spots that maybe nodules, maybe cancer. I am just a nervous wreck. The doctors office really didnt give me much info, just the date and time to see a specialist. My questions are can they tell if its cancer or not on an ultrasound? And all of the sites I have visited have said nodules are common, that you may get one or two, but like I said there was four spots. Do you think because of that I am likely to have cancer? What should I expect at my first doctors visit? Thankyou all,

Jeannie

Hi. I'm sorry to hear about your ultrasound results. To answer your question, no, they can not tell if you have cancer from your ultrasound.  They will have to do a fine needle aspiration (biopsy) to find out if there is cancer present.  Sometimes they can't even tell from the biopsy, as was the case with me.  My biopsy came back "suspicious" so my endocrinologist recommended I have my thyroid removed. After my Total thyroidectomy they sent my thyroid off to the lab and it came back with a small cancer on it. 

What you can expect from your first visit to a specialist is a complete physical. He/She will probably ask you lots of questions about your past. Where you have lived? where you were born? etc.

Hope this helps.  Remember you are not alone. Pam

Thankyou Pam for your reply. I really appreciate it. Not sure what to expect. Will they do the biopsy that day? The wait is really stressing me out.

Thanks again,

Jeannie

One more question for you Pam. I am hypothyroid, have had thyroid problems since I was 14. Did you have problems after your thyroid was removed? I am on synthyroid as of now. Are you on any other med? Is there other things you have to go thru after your thyroid has been removed?

Thanks,

Jeannie

I never had thyroid problems before they discovered I had Thyroid Cancer.  My levels were perfect.   I was getting an ultrasound of the neck arteries and the tech found the lump on my thyroid. To me it was a very "step by step" process.  1) ultra sound 2) confirmation ultra sound 3) thyroid uptake scan 4) fine needle biopsy.  The FNB was the test that determines cancer.  Unfortunately not all FNB are conclusive from what I understand.  The whole test thing for me lasted about two weeks.  Because the FNA determined cancer at the surgeons recommendation I had my whole thyroid removed on June 1st and have been going through the after stuff for the last two months.  Please try not to worry until they gave you news.  I hear that nodules are common and not always cancer.  Good Luck!  I hope all your tests come out that you are healthy!  This website has been such a great resource for me and I hope it is for you too.  Take care. 

Hi Jennie!   I just read your e-mail.  I'm Leemg and I believe you were one of my well wishers.  The info you are getting from the others is correct.  To positively detect cancer in a nodule, a fine needle aspiration biopsy has to be done on that suspicious nodule.  A nodule was discovered on my neck accidentally in a follow up for another problem.  This led to an ultrasound which verified mulitple nodules but at this point the endo indicated that is not all unusual.  Many people develop benign thryoid tissue in the form of nodules.  I had a formal ultrasound which indicated about two suspicious nodules.  I wanted to mention that on the day of the actual biospy (fine needed aspiration) they were able to give me the positive results immediately.  They also biopsied an abnormal lymph node and were able to tell me it was papillary thryoid cancer.  As someone else mentioned, however, it may come back negative or indeterminate. So when you go for your needle aspiration if indicated you may want to have someone with you.  I did not because I didn't expect to get the results that quickly.  Also, I just had surgery and if the thyroid is removed as in my case your body can no longer produce hormone to control it's function.  They place you on a temporary hormone, I'm on Cytomel.  I will need further treatment in the form of ioldine radiation ablation therapy so in a couple weeks will go off all hormone to prepare for this but once treatment is ended, will be placed on a hormone that will be taken for the rest of my life, possibly Synthroid.  So if synthroid is working for you now to keep your levels in check it would be no different except the dose I'm sure would be higher.  Hopes this helps but try to take one step at a time. This whole process can be overwhelming so first just concentrate on determining if indeed you have a problem or are just a candidate for future follow up.  I hope the best for you but know there is great support here if you need it.

Hi Shelby!

Had to reply when I saw you mentioned about an ultrasound of the carotid detecting your thryoid problem.  Before diagnosis with thyroid cancer I also had an doppler ultasound of the carotid which showed a 50% blockage on the left side (same side as node findings), however, an MRA showed there was no blockage.  A second doppler verified the first findings.  I asked them if it could possibly be picking up something with the thyroid and they said no, that they were not related??  I still don't know if I also have a blockage in the carotid?