Diagnosed Today....Any Help Is Appreciated!

I was just diagnosed today with papillary cancer.  About two months ago I went in for a regular checkup with my primary physician.  She was doing some routine checks and decided that she could feel a nodule on my thyroid.  So she got me on the list to see the best Tyroid Doctor in the state.  Two months later I finally get to see him.  He does the routine check and says that he can't feel anything, but because my doctor felt something, he wanted to make sure we checked everything out.  So we did the ultrasound.....not so bad.  He said that he did see a nodule and that we would need to do a FNA.....soooo not coool.   So he got the biopsy of the nodule and within seconds he was ready to go talk....so we talked.  He said that he was almost positive that it was papillary cancer so he gave me some pamplets about it and told me to read up.  He said he would call back in 7 days with the results and we'd go from there.  Well he called today, 2 days earlier...which as it seems, wasn't a good sign.  I do indeed have papillary cancer.  He is also very concerned about my lymphnodes and has decided to do another FNA on them on Friday to determine if the cancer has spread.  He said that they look "suspicious"

 I'm in between calm and totally freaking out.  I don't know what lies ahead for me....I don't know how my life is going to change......I just don't know if I'm ready for all of this.  Anyone that would like to share their good or bad experiences with me would be so greatly appreciated.  I'm still just trying to figure this out.  My husband is a great support but he can't always understand how I"m feeling....because most of the time, I don't know how I"m feeling.  This is just all new to me and very unexpected.

 

Help!

 

Pennie Lane, 23, Mississippi

Hi Pennie, and welcome.  I am sorry you had to join us here, however it is a great place to be.  There are lots of great people here who are where you are now, and some that have been there and can help guide you through the tough times.  I myself got that dreaded phone call about 8 months ago.  I too had pap thyroid cancer.  I know how you feel with all the emotions you are feeling right now.  Let me first say, you will be okay.  I am sure you have heard the "it's the best cancer to get" crap.  As much as I hate those words, it is sort of true.  We go through ALOT with this cancer, but really compaired to some of the other ones, it is not so bad.  There will be alot of questions you have along the way, ask, ask, ask.  Someone here will have had the same questions at some point.   For now, find the best surgen, and go from there.  Take it one day at a time. 

Hi Pennie,

 

My name is Maggie. My 7yr old has an in operable brain tumour. I get lots info and messages from people in the same situation on this site. We know how you must be feeling and your journey is just begining. We found out 5wks ago about our daughter. I am always looking for any cures I can find. Im sure you will do the same.

Dont ever give up hope , stay positive. There are lots of options out there and you look into them all. Go girl.

 

You take care and anything big or small just yell out and you will get a response on this website people are fanatstic.

 

Best wishes to you,

 

Maggie Perth W.A. 

Skylog is correct.  Once you get started with everything, you will find out it's not the worst thing in your life to go through.  I know that sounds weird, but it's true.  I found out in September '07 that I had two nodules.  After a FNA and a core biopsy, they seemed to be suspicious of cancer, so in March '08 I had a TT (total thyroidectomy).  It was found to have spread to very few lymph nodes but had been in my body for 8-10 years (estimated) with no symptoms. 

The first thing you want to do is find a surgeon who has done 100's of these surgeries.  Honestly, you have to ask.  It's a simple surgery but it's not.  They have to really know what they are doing as not to harm anything (vocal cords etc.) while they are in there. 

The procedures you will need to go through are a discomfort, a nuisance, but very manageable.  Make sure you find out if it's confined to your thyroid, neck and lymph nodes in the neck.  If so, you will be eligible for thyrogen in prep for your RAI (Radio active iodine treatments),  Definitely look into to it.  Find an endocrinologist that uses thyrogen and do some study of it.

As you approach all of the different procedures, just message us and we'll share what we went through and what worked for us!

You'll be fine and soon enough it will all be behind you.

Ask away, stay calm, and more than anything stay POSITIVE...it's the best medicine!

Donna

Skylog and DinParadise are right on. I had the exact scenario that you had in January. A routine physical had my doctor feeling something "swollen." But I had no physical signs or concerns to say that anything was wrong. Thankfully she sent me for an ultrasound. Fine needle eventually came back as papilary cancer. Man I was bummed, no matter what everyone said. I'm a dad with three young kids... please not me. Six moths later and I'm doing great. I ran this morning for the first time in years (outran my teenage daughter... and I'm 53 year old.) After the fact it's all almost a non-event that except for my scar (which is kinda cool) I really don't even mention it to folks. There are so many other-type-of-cancer victims out there. Papillary thyroid cancer quite often lands up being a huge nuisance for a time, but not in a health-threatening type of way. I bet they all wish that they were in my shoes. I happened to have had an easy time with surgery, RAI, scans/scan results and medications. Knock on wood that it continues. I'm told that it will. I'm not saying that I'm super or that you won't be so lucky, but there's a good chance that you will be as lucky. Not knocking this site at all, it's the absolute greatest source of info/discussion/peer support that I can imagine, but remember that folks often post things (on any website) when there are problems or issues. It's not necessarily an accurate survey of the population at large. Good luck. Absolutely be sure that your surgeon has done a whole lot of these TT's. And get it done and then do the LID and then do the RAI and then the scans and then take your daily pill and then... you too can beat a teenager in a 3 mile run. Red Star PS: I've said this before in the forums and I can't give you the actual source, but my surgeon put me at ease when he told me (and my trembling wife) during our pre-surgery chat that a recent study of papilary cancer patients showed that people WITH papilary thyroid cancer live longer than people WITHOUT papilary thyroid cancer. I think that it's because of the constant medical attention that you'll get vs. the general public.

Yeah, Redstar is right.  There are lots and lots and LOTS of people who have had this type of cancer who go through all the procedures without and problems at all.  Remember that as you read through the old posts.  Alot of us here have had problems, but alot of others have sailed through it all.  People have come and gone from this board.  The ones that are gone are the ones who are just fine, and are ready to move past this stage of their lives.  Some of us stay to help out others.  And some of us are back getting ready for yearly scans, and need a little support.   Don't get freaked out reading some of the posts.  Everyone is different, and everyone reacts differently to treatments.   Keep a positive outlook and you will be just fine.  You are young, and by the sounds of it your tumor is small.  Pap cancer is very very treatable.  Chin up!!!

Hi Pennie

 I know you're scared but everyone here is coming from experience...this is very treatable. Once you get over the shock, if you want to research this, I found this site to be very valuable for me when looking for information on my husband's papillary thyroid cancer. http://www.endocrineweb.com/thyroidca.html

It has info on what it is, how to treat it, etc. Hang in there...before you know it, you will be looking back on your surgery and treatment and will be an expert on this and helping others new to this site.

Take care,

 Karen

The treatment for my papillary cancer in May-June 1996 was a walk in the park. A couple of doses of RAI and by 1999 my nuclear med Doc kicked me loose for good.

Now my brain cancer that was Dx June 2007? It's been a real PITA. So yea I know it's corny, but count your blessings. It could be so much worse hun.

 

On 7/30/2008 Pennie Lane wrote:

I was just diagnosed today with papillary cancer.  About two months ago I went in for a regular checkup with my primary physician.  She was doing some routine checks and decided that she could feel a nodule on my thyroid.  So she got me on the list to see the best Thyroid Doctor in the state.  Two months later I finally get to see him.  He does the routine check and says that he can't feel anything, but because my doctor felt something, he wanted to make sure we checked everything out.  So we did the ultrasound.....not so bad.  He said that he did see a nodule and that we would need to do a FNA.....soooo not coool.   So he got the biopsy of the nodule and within seconds he was ready to go talk....so we talked.  He said that he was almost positive that it was papillary cancer so he gave me some pamplets about it and told me to read up.  He said he would call back in 7 days with the results and we'd go from there.  Well he called today, 2 days earlier...which as it seems, wasn't a good sign.  I do indeed have papillary cancer.  He is also very concerned about my lymphnodes and has decided to do another FNA on them on Friday to determine if the cancer has spread.  He said that they look "suspicious"

 I'm in between calm and totally freaking out.  I don't know what lies ahead for me....I don't know how my life is going to change......I just don't know if I'm ready for all of this.  Anyone that would like to share their good or bad experiences with me would be so greatly appreciated.  I'm still just trying to figure this out.  My husband is a great support but he can't always understand how I"m feeling....because most of the time, I don't know how I"m feeling.  This is just all new to me and very unexpected.

 

Help!

 

Pennie Lane, 23, Mississippi

 

Hey there.  I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis but you couldn't ask for a better community to commiserate with.  I too had PapThyca April 07 and had a total thyroidectomy.  Had RAI last summer and follow-up 1 yr. body scan last month.  All clear thank godness,  In my case it did metastize to the lymph nodes but that is okay.  Depending how many are affected will determine how large the incisions.  (They took out a bunch but my scar is hardly noticeable)  I just did my research, found an amazing surgeon (yes....he/she must have alot of experience) and did what I had to do.  It is very scary but it is a very curable cancer.  The 6 mths. after surgery and RAI is a little hard.  Hypo., meds being tweaked and getting back to 'normal" but you will do fine.  Stay strong and if you have a strong support system in place....even better.  You'll need to lean on somebody during this time.  My mom (80 yrs. old and sister 48 w/epilepsy) just both diagnosed and will have to have TT so I will go down this road all over again x2.  We are stronger than we know! God Bless and good luck.

Hi There

I was diagnosed with breast cancer last year in August. The one thing I did the same day I got the news was to start writing down all my feelings. This was really the best thing I had done. I promise you that you will get through this. Don't ever give up hope and know that there will be a lot op people praying for you ever though we don't know you. I also could not have done this without the support of my husband. You will have days where it feels like the end of the world but beleive me they will pass.

Hang in there!

Kindest Regards

Grietjie from South Africa