Thyroid II: Son of Anna's Thyroid

[annathepiper]

So my endocrinologist finally called me back with the word on my thyroid biopsy. The good news: no cancer. The bad news: she says it's "complicated" and wants to discuss it with me rather than just leaving a convoluted message on my answering machine. Which means I'll have to try to call her back tomorrow from work--calling doctors is always an adventure for me at work, too, since I don't have a phone of my own so I can't tell them to call me directly, I have to call them.

But given that she wants to go ahead and talk about these results, this has got "impending surgery" written all over it. Don't get me wrong--I'm pleased it's not cancerous. But given that we already know that my thyroid's been wacky for the last couple of years and that I have a direct history of cancer in my family, I'll be really surprised if Dr. Marshall doesn't give me a medical recommendation to go ahead and have the rest of the thyroid out.

We'll see what happens, though. She may just want to put me on synthroid, just to try to stabilize the stupid thing.

More as I get it.

Comments

[shikyrie.livejournal.com]

{{{hugs}}} hope it isn't serious

[annathepiper]

Well, in the grand medical scheme of things, a broken thyroid honestly isn't actually that serious in general. And it wouldn't be even if it were cancerous. Three different doctors have advised me that thyroid cancer is pretty much the easiest cancer to treat--and even if I did have any cancer in my thyroid right now, the answer to this would be "take it out". And that's about it.

But as I mentioned in the post, there are reasons that would make it likely that they'll want to take the rest of my thyroid out anyway. So at this point it's going to be mostly a question of "are they going to remove the rest of it, and either way, am I going to have to go on synthroid?"

Not terribly serious either way. "Annoying", perhaps, would be a better word. :)

[shikyrie.livejournal.com]

{{{{hugs}}} anyway... will be thinking bout you

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

The most common (85%) thyroid cancer (which is what I'm dealing with) is eminently curable. The stuff Mr. Justice Rhenquist has... isn't. But it's also rare.

If you do have to have it out, odds are they'll want to run you through radioiodine ablation as well.... but given how early they're catching yours (as opposed to mine, which is Stage III) it'll likely be doable outpatient... we hope.

Oh, if you do get put on Synthroid, insist on the generic. According to wenchita, the quality control problems on the name brand product are... legendary. (And she works for a hospital and is in a position to know...)

May it be as un-annoying as possible.

[brightbeak.livejournal.com]

*wings crossed* that it is just a complicated discussion of medication & dosing & testing & whatnot, and the word surgery is used in the past tense!

[annathepiper]

Thanks, hon! Now that I've gone through one thyroid surgery I know I can handle it, it's no big deal--but it'd still be annoying to have to lose that week to a week and a half of recovery time. Especially since this'd be time off of work, and I'd have to make all the right arrangements and such and it'd just be a general pain in the neck.

So yeah, I'm all about not doing that again if I can avoid it.

[brightbeak.livejournal.com]

i can see how one would wish to avoid that whenever possible, but know one could cope if need be...

btw - was that pun intended? ;)

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

and it'd just be a general pain in the neck.

So to speak. :) *hugs*!

[casirafics.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Hope all goes well and as incident-less as possible. (I have a slightly wacky thyroid myself... I think we need to file a joint lawsuit about bad design practices. *grin*)

[annathepiper]

Ah ha, another member of the Funky Thyroid Sisterhood, then? (We have a cats' auxiliary, you know. 'Cause my CAT has thyroid issues, too!)

And yes, I'd like a word with whoever wrote the specs on this thing and let mine get out the door in this state. I mean, geez, talk about shipping your defective products...!

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Well, the good news is, Synthroid (or the generic equivalent) is the cheapest medication I take! I hope you don't have to have surgery, though.

[annathepiper]

Yeah, I'd be okay with having to take the stuff--I got the story on it being plenty cheap and all that. We'll see what the doctor has to say when I call her tomorrow. Mrf.

[mamishka.livejournal.com]

Guh. Here's to the problem being a)simple to solve and b)done with after this.

[gerimaple.livejournal.com]

and i'll second that :)

[annathepiper]

I'll drink to that! (Well, I would if I had anything to drink right now.)

[otoselkie.livejournal.com]

*le CyberHug* Here's to you, here's hoping it's not serious, here's hoping that it's over and done with quick. I'll be thinking of you.

[annathepiper]

Thank you very much, hon. *hugs back*

[risu.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

Stay well, soulfriend! Er, weller. More well. Rise towards wellness. Um. I mean, be, you know, as well as can be expected, given current data, or more so. Well well. Um.

And may you and Dara be happy and energetic and alive as long as it interests you both to be so!

[annathepiper]

*hugs back* Belated, but nonetheless heartfelt: thank you. :)

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Hope all goes well, and things get sorted quickly.

Gina

[annathepiper]

Thanks much--the word is, surgery. Joy. Just going to be a question of when, now. I'm sure I'll be bitching about it at length on my journal when the time comes. :)

[cafiorello.livejournal.com]

Hope it's not too bad. (((hugs)))
Cathy

[annathepiper]

You've seen the update by now, so. Bleah. Stupid thyroids!

[elfmaid.livejournal.com]

BLEARGH!

*HUGZ Anna!*

I, too, can also join The Funky Thyroid Sisterhood. While mine doesn't have to have surgery, it's slowly being nibbled at by the same antibodies that did in my pancreas! I'm singing the dosage blues too, oddly enough.

However, since you are facing surgery and yet more medical observation, I'm glaring at the circumstances and giving them a mental "smarten the hell up, you". Hopefully you know that we are rooting for you and Solarbird, and that things just HAVE to be All Good, cause I SAY so, darnit! *nods once emphatically*

[annathepiper]

The Funky Thyroid Sisterhood! Our motto: thyroids funkier than Darrell Power's bass!

Thank you much for the support, honey. *snugs* Much appreciated.