Thyroid Biopsy confusion! Please advise!

erb0225

I am going to make this as short and to the point as possible in hopes of getting some advice or maybe clarity on my current thyroid issues, I can't get this off of my mind and am hoping for some encouragement and support to help get me through these next couple of weeks. I am a 25 year old female that was diagnosed with a multi nodular goiter at the age of 16 (my primary care doctor first felt this in my neck upon a routine check up and referred me to a pediatric endocrinologist). I was treatment by a pediatric endocrinologist until I was 18 and then had to be transferred to an adult endo as she could no longer treat me as an adult. Upon my treatment with the pediatric endocrinbologist, she watched the growth and sent me for one FNA biopsy which came back benign. At the time, I had several different sized cysts on the right lobe of my thyroid which were biopsied, all of which came back benign. I had NO nodules on the left lobe of my thryoid. This is in 2012. Fast forward to 2014, the right side of my thyroid and neck had started severly causing me pain, so me endocrinologist opted to remove the right side ONLY as I had no nodules on the left side of my thyroid. I had a partial lobectomy which removed the right side of my thryoid and all of the cysts which were on it, The final pathology after surgery came back benign. Low and behold, just a few short months after having the partial thyroidectomy, a solid nodule appeared during a routine ultrasound check up on the left side of my thyroid. For years my new Endocrinologist has not seemed or acted concerned about this at all and did not even continue ultrasounds or biopsies on this nodule to ensure this wasn't malignant. She took the "wait and see" approach, which several times I complained to her or severe neck pain and tenderness and she brushed it off as it was scar tissue from my partial thyroidectomy. The last ultrasound I had showed a 1cm nodule on the left side of my thyroid in April 2016. My doctor once again wanted to wait and see if the size increased. Here, we are September 2018, I switched doctors because I did not feel confident in her "wait and see" approach. I had an ultrasound completed on the left side of my neck last week which I have attached the results below, it now shows my nodule has grew to 2 cm. They mentioned that they compared it to previous CT Scans I had completed at the hospital for two automobile accidents and it has grew in size slightly. For a year now I have been having these weirdpains in my neck which almost feel like someone is taking a balloon and blowing it up, a feeling of fullness and just a tenderness throughtout my neck. I am now a nervous wreck and severely depressed from researching as it appears you wouldn't have pain until it has spread into your lymph nodes and surrounding bones. I am literally scaredto death, I don't think I've ever been this scared in my life. I know google is your own worst enemy when going through this, but from googling this, the report of "MIXED ECHOGENICITY" almost always signifies Cancer, as does it having blood flow within the nodule!! I do also know the tiny mass they found at the bottom has not been there in previous scans. I am so confused by this thyroid ultrasound and my doctor was not very informative when he called to give the results. They are referring me back to have a FNA Biopsy soon, I just have the worst feeling about this and am mostly scared to death "what if" this nodule has been cancer for years and my doctor just blowed it off? From anyones prior experience, have you had any of these symptoms with cancer and IF it would have been cancer years ago, would it have grew more rapidly that just 1cm to 2cm? IF this were to turn out to be malignant, would it be too late if it has indeed been cancer all of these years since 2015? I will take any experiences/words of advice/encouragement I can get at this point as my family is not supportive at all and acts as is this is nothing when to me this is EVERYTHING. I am a single mother to a 5 year old little girl and am scared to death of this being the worst imaginable. I am having severe anxiety just waiting on a biopsy appointment and cannot eat, sleep or stop these raging thoughts. Thank you all so much in advance and bless you all!!

lab_lover

I understand

Did you have you biopsy yet?  The good news is that you have not had a positive biopsy yet.  It is good that you are staying proactive with your care!  Keep up the good work, you are your own advocate.  I understand the waiting is the worst part, I have gone through that myself.  Your feelings are valid, keep your chin up and focus on stuff you have control over. The what (If's) can drive anyone crazy.  A second a opinion is a very good idea, I have done that myself a few times.  you have to feel comfortable and confident with the care you are provided with.  Take care.