New here and just had a thyroidectomy

[Blink]

Hi I just found this board and hope to find support here. I have been fighting hoshimotos for many years and Monday had my thyroid totally removed. here is pic if you would like to see. http://i25.tinypic.com/351cnjb.jpg

Anyhow the surgery went really well. But the doctor seemed very concerned about the way my thyroid looked. He said it looked very bad for someone my age. Said it was very lumpy and knotty. He did say that that CAN happen with hoshimotos. I said "so there si nothing to be concerned about right?" he said "Well......I have sent it to pathology to have them evaluate it to MAKE SURE there is nothing to be concerned with in any of the lumps. If anything shows suspicious I will have it sent to Mayo clinic."

Ok so this took my by surprise. Idk I just thought that with hoshis once it was out that was the end of it. I even jokingly asked to take it home in a jar so i could yell at it every time I think of the trouble its caused me. But he didn't seem in a joking mood and it made me a little uneasy. I didn't expect it to have to be sent anywhere or there to be more tests once it was out.

Does anyone have any story in common or any advice or information for me? Thanks a bunch!

[GD Women]

The texture in Hashimoto's thyroiditis is firm and rubbery.
A hard gritty texture (calcification) is highly suspicious of cancer.
It is good doctor is cautious by checking your thyroid out.
The only thing I can think of is, if thyroid shows cancer and depending what type of cancer, doctor might want to keep your TSH at a suppressed level as a safety precaution for reoccurrence and/or do RAI to kill off left behind residue thyroid tissue. Also you will be monitored more carefully. Plus added blood test, other test and possible whole body scan to make sure cancer has not spread to other parts of the body. If it is the type of cancer that requires all these or some of these precautions.

But please don't worry about this until there is something to worry about. Thyroid cancer is a very low percentage, very treatable and very curable. Its not like other cancers. Life expectancy is very high, just the same as
non-cancer persons.

When are you expecting results? WOW on your picture, looks good though for the circumstances.

Thoughts and prayers.

[Tavish]

I just had my whole thyroid out on 6/24. I too have Hashi's, but had no symptoms. I got diagnosed because we were trying to determine why my thyroid was large (chronically). We did an ultrasound which showed 1-2 nodules. I then learned that I have cousins with Hashi's, so I saw an endocrinologist who did blood work and confirmed Hashi's. Endo wanted to do a needle biopsy of the nodule "just to be sure" and we were shocked to hear it was malignant. I had papillary carcinoma, "the good kind"....I will go off my thyroid meds in a couple weeks and then will have the radioactive iodine and then get regulated on meds....no further tx needed for the cancer. And virtually no risk of fatality.

Did you get your results back?
Lori