A cautionary tale on post-treatment - thyroid

AnotherSurvivor

It has now been six years since I was a regular on this forum. I came because I was Stage 3 HPV16 SCC on my tonsil. I did 35 IMRT and 5 carbo. For the last +5 years I have been clear, NED, and no longer see any Oncs. Taste returned, most saliva has returned, I now have to fight to keep weight off.

This summer I was doing stupid things with power tools, and managed to knock myself (more accuately stunned) very briefly unconcious. I treated my blackeye perfectly competently with ice water, 20 min on/off but Wifeunit called EMTs, that led to a spiral of ER → CRT of head. CRT showed no sign of any damage, but a lump in Thyroid. Thyroid is on high watch list for my post-treatment, so an UltraSound of thyroid got done, which determined there was 'something'. That led to 5 biopsy samples of my thyroid by the largest damn needles I have ever seen.

Endo advised that lumps on thyroid are pretty common, usually not cancerous, and if they are, slow growing and highly treatable. None of that last part had any effect on behaviour by my family who texted me constantly for the weeks it took to get a remote lab to conduct a non-priority Molecular biopsy The 4 others were done locally, and were deemed 'Non-Diagnostic', which is Endo-speak for 'don't know, can't tell, do another test'.

Eventually, the molecular came back that the lump was just thick tissue, not cancer, but my thyroid was scuffed up a bit, possibly related to being shot with radiation 35 times.

So, in post-treatment

A) Things may show up on your Thyroid, but don't panic, you probably have really good odds.

B) You now have your family paying far more attention to your health than theirs.

C) Use the low torque setting on those newer cordless Milwaukee drills, probably you never need the high.

wbcgaruss

Thanks, AnotherSurvivor, for checking in, and glad you are doing well, NED, 5 years out, and released, not seeing the docs anymore.

I hope you learned your lesson with power tools, one small mistake as you have found out can lead to…

Unconsciousness
Blackeyes
Wife getting excited
EMT visit
Trip to ER
CT Scan
Thyroid lumps
Ultrasound
Biopsies with large needles
Family members being text-happy-(Mmmmnnn, wonder why?)
Questionable test results which might cause you to meet the large needles again
Finally test-no cancer, thick tissue, scuffed thyroid (Like a scuffed shoe or some such maybe?)
And finally, still NED, turns out to be long-term radiation effect, (Whew!)

Glad everything worked out and NED still prevails, wishing you many more.

Wishing You The Best

NEGU (Never Ever Give Up)

Take Care, God Bless

Russ

goffrey

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/328645/a-cautionary-tale-on-post-treatment-thyroid

I am 2 years out from treatment for base of tongue cancer and was just diagnosed 2 weeks ago with Graves disease which makes your thyroid overactive. It is considered an auto immune disease and the endocrinologist at Mayo Clinc believes the stress of treatment brought it on. Right now I am on a medication hoping it will control it and the many symptoms that go with it.

wbcgaruss

Goffrey, sorry you have something else to deal with now.

Another gift from treatment.

Still better to deal with than cancer.

Take Care, God Bless,

(NEGU) Never Ever Give Up

Russ

wbcgaruss