Hopefully someone out there can help me

Cinds

Four months ago I had surgery to remove my entire thyroid. I had three tumors, and cancer was found in 2 of them. My doctor said they caught it in the first stage, so I'm truly thankful for that. I've been through idodine radiation, a body scan, and am now on a high dosage of levoxyl. I have several questions, and hopefully someone can answer them. My doctor said it's most likely I'll have radiation again in the next year. Why would he say that, if my body scan was negative? Also, some days I feel great, but other days, I feel like I have the flu. Is that normal? And, right after surgery, my voice seemed to be fine, but slowly it got more and more hoarse. Now I have to speak very softly, and if I'm in a room with other people, no one can hear me. My voice gets very high pitched if I try to talk louder. My surgeon says he doesn't think any damage was done to my vocal cords, but thinks it's because the muscles are tired. At first he said any hoarsness would go away in a couple of months. Now he's saying it's going to take two years. Does that sound right? Before surgery I had plans in the works to record my first CD, but there's no way I can even sing anymore, let alone talk normally. Has anyone else had these problems? Also, does anyone have problems with shortness of breath at times, and becoming dehydrated easily? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

janelouise

Hi Cinds,
I too had surgery about 4 months ago. I have just finished the radioactive iodine treatment and am awaiting the results of the body scan. My cancer was also caught at an early stage (papillary) and the surgeon was 99% confident that it wouldn;t return. I am curious why you would be having radiation if your scan was clear. Also, I have off flu like days as well. Some days are OK and others I can hardly move around because my stomach is just so upset. It reminds me of being pregnant. (which I am not) I wonder if the flu feeling is somehow related to the amount of thyroid hormone in my body at the time. Just my personal theory. Good luck with sorting out your voice problems. It must be very frustrating for you if you are waiting to make a CD. I am a kindergarten teacher and haven;t worked since my surgery as my energy level is still not what it should be. I am hopeful that I will be "back to normal" by Sept. and ready to return to teaching.
Let me know how things turn out for you.
Jane

Cinds

janelouise said:

Hi Cinds,
I too had surgery about 4 months ago. I have just finished the radioactive iodine treatment and am awaiting the results of the body scan. My cancer was also caught at an early stage (papillary) and the surgeon was 99% confident that it wouldn;t return. I am curious why you would be having radiation if your scan was clear. Also, I have off flu like days as well. Some days are OK and others I can hardly move around because my stomach is just so upset. It reminds me of being pregnant. (which I am not) I wonder if the flu feeling is somehow related to the amount of thyroid hormone in my body at the time. Just my personal theory. Good luck with sorting out your voice problems. It must be very frustrating for you if you are waiting to make a CD. I am a kindergarten teacher and haven;t worked since my surgery as my energy level is still not what it should be. I am hopeful that I will be "back to normal" by Sept. and ready to return to teaching.
Let me know how things turn out for you.
Jane

Hi Jane,

Thank you so much for replying to my message. It's nice to hear from other people who are going through the same thing I am. Ever since I was diagnosed, I've felt isolated from everything, and I see now how important it is to talk about it. I've had so many friends and family there for me, but they look at you in a different way, and I know it's because they're in shock as well, and I'm sure they don't know what to say half the time. I think my doctor told me I would probably be having another does of radiation in the next year, because he said it was common for your blood work to show again that you would need more radiation. I'm not sure why though, because I have a friend who was diagnosed 8 years ago with thyroid cancer, and she only had to have radiation once. I guess I'll find out in the next year what's going on. It's interesting that you said you were a kindergarten teacher, and haven't been able to go back yet. I was a instructional assisant for kinder for 3 years, and the last two for 3rd grade. I haven't been able to go back, either. I think that's what's the hardest on me is not seeing all my friends that had grown so close to over the years. I was also hired as an artist for the school district I live in last May, and did it on the side at home, but since I haven't been able to go back to school, the district has allowed me to draw at home as many hours as I had as an IA. It's been a lifesaver for me, otherwise I'd go nuts having all this spare time on my hands. So now instead of drawing for one school, I draw for all 56 elementary schools. It's really helped me deal with this whole situation. Please let me know how you're doing, too. My surgery was last October 12th, and I finished my radiation the end of November. Please write me anytime. Thank you again for your email.

Cindy

Suzie62

Cinds said:

Hi Jane,

Thank you so much for replying to my message. It's nice to hear from other people who are going through the same thing I am. Ever since I was diagnosed, I've felt isolated from everything, and I see now how important it is to talk about it. I've had so many friends and family there for me, but they look at you in a different way, and I know it's because they're in shock as well, and I'm sure they don't know what to say half the time. I think my doctor told me I would probably be having another does of radiation in the next year, because he said it was common for your blood work to show again that you would need more radiation. I'm not sure why though, because I have a friend who was diagnosed 8 years ago with thyroid cancer, and she only had to have radiation once. I guess I'll find out in the next year what's going on. It's interesting that you said you were a kindergarten teacher, and haven't been able to go back yet. I was a instructional assisant for kinder for 3 years, and the last two for 3rd grade. I haven't been able to go back, either. I think that's what's the hardest on me is not seeing all my friends that had grown so close to over the years. I was also hired as an artist for the school district I live in last May, and did it on the side at home, but since I haven't been able to go back to school, the district has allowed me to draw at home as many hours as I had as an IA. It's been a lifesaver for me, otherwise I'd go nuts having all this spare time on my hands. So now instead of drawing for one school, I draw for all 56 elementary schools. It's really helped me deal with this whole situation. Please let me know how you're doing, too. My surgery was last October 12th, and I finished my radiation the end of November. Please write me anytime. Thank you again for your email.

Cindy

Cindy, a wonderful place for help is Thyca.org follow link to support, it has helped me so much