I know this may sound stupid... but it's very important to me...

Sally08
Sally08 Member Posts: 46
edited March 2014 in Thyroid Cancer #1
I know this may sound stupid... but I have severe issues with needles. I'm okay for blood draws and IV's but nothing else... The 'biopsy' they did to diagnose me was done during surgery for this reason. Instead of doing a typical needle biopsy... they did a 'freeze scan' (I believe that's what they called it) and took a sample and tested it while I was out in the Operationg Room before completing the surgery.

My second surgery was done mainly to remove remaining thyroid tissue that was left behind... however my surgeon said they realized it had spread to so many lymph nodes... ...

I don't think this is typical procedure... but and here's the stupid part... Is it very common to find doctors that are understanding with things like this... to try to find ways around issues... or is it.. do you think... few and far between?

I only ask because I go back Aug. 11th and am utterly terrified... considering the last time I saw my endocrin... she brough up it might be spreading and I've read a few posts where some have said biopsies were done on lymph nodes even to see if indeed it was the cancer..
Thanks
Sally

Comments

  • jcvolt
    jcvolt Member Posts: 69
    #2
    yea
    My sister is very overweight and refuses to step on a scale in the doctors office, they have learned to accept it, she is also a hypochondriac and lets her doctors know this upfront. They actually had to move a surgery up earlier for her because she was such a wreck while waiting. As long as you let the doctor know your issues up front they can let you know if they are willing to work with you.
  • miladyx
    miladyx Member Posts: 85
    #3
    hi Sally!
    in your profile you mention that your doctors said the type of thyroid cancer you have tends to like to spread... do you know what kind you have? is it a subtype of papillary?
  • Sally08
    Sally08 Member Posts: 46
    #4
    jcvolt said:

    yea
    My sister is very overweight and refuses to step on a scale in the doctors office, they have learned to accept it, she is also a hypochondriac and lets her doctors know this upfront. They actually had to move a surgery up earlier for her because she was such a wreck while waiting. As long as you let the doctor know your issues up front they can let you know if they are willing to work with you.

    jcvolt,
    Thank You. That does make sense :) That's awesome that they're that patient with her. I've had such a hard time to get my current endocrin. to understand that these concerns I'm bringing to her are not things I can "just get over" like she was telling me to do at the begining... but now I'm concerned I may have to change to a different edocrin. thus... trying to get all my ducks in a row. lol :) thank you for understanding and not being hurtful :-D
    Sally
  • Sally08
    Sally08 Member Posts: 46
    #5
    miladyx said:

    hi Sally!
    in your profile you mention that your doctors said the type of thyroid cancer you have tends to like to spread... do you know what kind you have? is it a subtype of papillary?

    miladyx,
    Yes, I have "Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Tall Cell Variant"
    I've looked things up online simply because my curent endocrin will not explain it to me and says it's not something I need to know ... hmm... I beg to differ... this is my body and I'm the one going through all this NOT her... but the website I found was this....

    http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.2008.0164


    And this is an excerpt I copied and pasted...

    " there is a consensus that TCV has a higher recurrence and death rate than classical PTC. Most authorities believe that TCV's worse prognosis is related to its older age at presentation, larger tumor size, and high frequency of extrathyroid extension (ETE). "

    The reality... this could be a comepltely worthless and incorrect.... however this is what I'm going by since this is all I have right now. I do know about the ACS hotline... and many other numbers... however I'm so busy right now I do not have time even for a 15 minute phone call for more brochures to be sent to me again. Sadly enough... the thyroid cancer has had to be pu on the backburner lately as I have about 6 other major dramas going on right now that have a more urgent need to be delt with... considering my endocrin doesn't want to see me currently... until August.

    I hope that info was what you needed
    Sorry I rambled
    Sally
  • miladyx
    miladyx Member Posts: 85
    #6
    Sally08 said:

    miladyx,
    Yes, I have "Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Tall Cell Variant"
    I've looked things up online simply because my curent endocrin will not explain it to me and says it's not something I need to know ... hmm... I beg to differ... this is my body and I'm the one going through all this NOT her... but the website I found was this....

    http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.2008.0164


    And this is an excerpt I copied and pasted...

    " there is a consensus that TCV has a higher recurrence and death rate than classical PTC. Most authorities believe that TCV's worse prognosis is related to its older age at presentation, larger tumor size, and high frequency of extrathyroid extension (ETE). "

    The reality... this could be a comepltely worthless and incorrect.... however this is what I'm going by since this is all I have right now. I do know about the ACS hotline... and many other numbers... however I'm so busy right now I do not have time even for a 15 minute phone call for more brochures to be sent to me again. Sadly enough... the thyroid cancer has had to be pu on the backburner lately as I have about 6 other major dramas going on right now that have a more urgent need to be delt with... considering my endocrin doesn't want to see me currently... until August.

    I hope that info was what you needed
    Sorry I rambled
    Sally

    you did not ramble at all...
    ... and you should feel free to ramble as much as you want as you are going this trying time.

    thank you very much for sharing!

Discussion Boards