When it rains, it pours

[christinopher]

Hello everyone,

Received back my annual thyroid ultrasound results. Two of my nodules have grown a little in size, but not much-the report calls them minimally changed and stable. My concern is that there is a new one and apparently too small to biopsy. Still, they cannot know that for certain because they only gave two measurments for it, which means it could be bigger, but they cannot see that part of it in the back. My endo says they could re-biopsy the other two, but since they have not changed much, I don't see that point since they are not the questionable ones. She also says that it could just be that they are inflammed due to me needing a dose change and basically that the nature of thyroid disease is inflammation that fluctuates. She recommended another ultrasound in 3 months, since I didn't want to re-biopsy the other two "stable" nodules.

Any ideas?

Christinopher

[blu]

People with TD and people without TD can experience nodules. Myself, I have several that are small and I am not worried about them.

Recent news suggests an increase in thyroid cancer possibly via dental x rays. If your dentist likes to x ray every other year as mine does for no reason you might want to say no more, unless you have an actual problem.

When nodules are small there is no guarantee they will be able to collect enough cells. So what I do is just continue getting an ultrasound at the recommendation of my dr.

[yabiz1]

I too have small nodules that I am following. Do the recommended follow-up ultrasound-- for me at first, they appeared out of nowhere after several "clean"scans, and then surprisingly, over the last year, one of my nodules shrank to almost nothing while the other remained the same.

I would say that nodules can be variable, they are less suspicious when they occur in multiples, and monitor for changes.

[christinopher]

I think I will wait for the ultrasound to be done again in 3 months and see if there is any change in that nodule. The endo really wanted to biopsy the other two, but I have had them biopsied before---twice! I just didn't like this new one that is called, "very questionable" and it is in a different location. The two "stable" nodules are in the isthmus and this new one is in "left thyroid midpole laterally". My concern is that my other two have never been called "very questionable", but heck, they cannot even biopsy this one!

My other two have 3 measurements, for example one is 7x5x14mm and this new one is 4x3....where is the rest of it? Endo said they cannot see that side of it if they did not give the other measurement for it.

I have read this:

"Ultrasonographic findings that suggest malignancy in a thyroid nodule (such as a hypoechoic pattern, an incomplete peripheral halo, an irregular margin, or internal microcalcification) should encourage a more aggressive approach [8, 43, 44]."

So, the point here is not that I have nodules, since I am aware that they are very common and a part of having Hashi's, but that they did not define this nodule as they should have. They did say it was hypoechoic, but that was not the reason for it to be "very questionable" because my other two are hypoechoic as well and they did not call them "very questionable". My concern is that this is "new" and "very questionable" with no reason given as to why. I am going to request an explanation and/or second opinion on this ultrasound.

Thank you,
Christinopher

[GayE]

I'd agree with you all on this one - the 'questionable' may merely be because they cannot view it completely so are not prepared to give an opinion.

Biopsy wise - the action of doing the biopsy can also increase the inflammation which makes sense if you think about how irritated your skin feels after a large needle has been used.

Like you I prefer to 'know' everything that is affecting me but I also have to remember to not put too much emotional loading on "everything". I try to pick my battles and take the reassurances I am offered by drs I have found to have good knowledge.

{{hugs}}

Gay

[christinopher]

Hello,

I have decided to wait until my next ultrasound. September is not that far off, and frankly, I have been so busy I have actually forgotten this matter often. Hummm....I guess that is healthy, huh?! I was cleaning paperwork off my desk and ran across the ultrasound authorization and was reminded. So, I made an appointment for Sept. I am "concerned", but not overwhelmed with worry. Hopefully my dose change will take care of the inflammation if that is the cause. I am feeling better since the dose change.

[GayE]

Yeah for feeling better

September is rushing up fast so you won't have long to wait. I do agree with your thinking that if you "needed" a dose increase there was probably extra inflammation. I too like to be busy and not having too much time to worry.

{{hugs}}

Gay

[christinopher]

Gay--September sure is coming fast!

For the last 2 weeks or so I have been having weird symptoms. Today I went to urgent care since my doctor was booked. The doctor tested my urine and I had to swab myself with a extra long Q-tip (yeah, there) so he could view it under the microscope. I have three infections. This is ridiculous. Bladder/UTI, vaginal, and yeast. My symptoms are not typically what you get. I am told that the type of bacteria can determine that, as well as an individual's body. Still, anytime I have had any of these alone (the yeast or UTI), my symptoms were screamingly obvious! I have never had the vaginal bacterial infection though. I went because my symptoms were annoying, no bad pain, just aches, urgency that comes and goes, spotting, etc. Anyway, in a couple weeks I go to my GYN for my annual. He said to have her repeat all the tests to make sure I am clear. Meanwhile, I have three different drugs to deal with, plus thyroid meds.

All of this due to having a system that is immuno-compromised? Hashimoto's? Yuck. Except for this, I was feeling pretty good!

Christinopher

[GayE]

Nasty, nasty, nasty Christine

This screams tired body to me. How are you going on keeping up with food that has good vit C? Probably a time that your minerals are being used up fast too.

I hope these all clear quickly for you.

{{hugs}}

Gay

[christinopher]

Hi Gay,

I might need more Vit. C, come to think of it. I have been very busy lately too.

I am done with the medicines he gave me and I will see my GYN in 2 weeks. I am to go in before that if I feel any symptoms return because they worry about kidney infection. My GYN's office is good about that. I feel kind of run down, but otherwise much better. I hope it stays that way, but my GYN will recheck me, so all is at least on the right path.

Thank you!

Christinopher

[GayE]

Hope you continue to feel better day by day

The test results inside various trials show that Vit C from food seems to have a better effect (the hypothesis is that there are other important biochemicals that are not measured) but if you can't tolerate these foods or they are all too easy to skip then I guess loading up on pills would be the way to go.

I'm lucky in that I like oranges and mandarins which are in season here at the moment = cheap Interestingly my poor stomach tolerates them much better than apples - go figure that one. All I can think is that the pectin/or something similar has more impact that the citric acid. I need to look it up and find out what it is - could be helpful in avoiding other foods that stimulate stomach acid production.

{{hugs}}

Gay

[christinopher]

Gay-

I am sometimes bad about remembering to eat. I am so consumed with feeding Sabrina all the right things, I often forget to eat them myself. We have a bunch of clementines right now. I am going to gobble some tomorrow and throughout the week.


Christinopher

[GayE]

Happy slurping

{{hugs}}

Gay