During the summer, I went to see a women's health NP for a checkup and pap smear. Since I was new, I had to fill out a symptoms checklist. One of the symptoms was problems swallowing. I had other major things going on (being checked for Lupus - detected in ANA test), but since I was having some trouble swallowing I checked it.
The NP did a regular exam. However, she checked farther down my neck. No one had ever checked there before. It was always further up by my lymph nodes which are swollen a lot but ignored. Well, she found a thyroid nodule on the right side. It seemed like no big deal it was small and painless.
I was back a month later. Still trouble swallowing, but now there was soreness. That...and the nodule had become bigger.
I went to see an ENT. He had an ultrasound done and told me I would have a biopsy after he got the results.
The ultrasound showed that I had three nodules. Two on my left side and the bigger one on my right. Also, my thyroid was very heterogeneous. To my and my husband's shock, the ENT did not do a biopsy. He told me to wait a YEAR and then have another ultrasound; the nodules were "probably" benign. My husband asked him about the pain I was having. "Oh," the doctor said, "Ibuprofen might help."
Well, the pain continued and my neck was starting to swell. My mother decided to call an endocronoligist she had seen in Chicago years ago. We traveled the 6 hours, to Chicago, to see him.
As soon as he felt the nodule, he said it was abnormal and was shocked the ENT dismissed it.
I had a biopsy done.
It came back abnormal.
Lymphoma detected.
Soon after, I had a CT scan done. There was scarring on the right side of the thyroid.
Then, I was sent to have a PET scan.
Shockingly, my thyroid came back negative...but my ovaries were lit up like a Christmas tree (that whole fiasco is in the ovarian section on here).
Despite the negative reading, the oncologist and the endocronologist decided that a partial thyroidectomy was best. They are going with the biopsy results over the PET scan. Also the fact that I am in discomfort and there is scarring, is reason enough for them.
The surgery should be in January. They will first take out the right side. If the cancer is definitely there, the left side will come out, also.
I'm a bit scared. But, better to be sure, and better to be rid of this lump and swelling and discomfort. And since my grandmother died from Lymphoma, and cancer runs rampant in my family...
better to be safe than sorry! :)