In early 2003, I went to see my doctor because I was again having symptoms of hypothyroidism and thought that perhaps my dosage needed to be increased.
Along with sending me for blood tests, the doctor also had me do an ultra sound of the thyroid gland to make sure that all was okay.
I walked into one of the ultra sound cubicles of the hospital and was told to lay down and relax. I was relaxed. Was not afraid at all. The technician began by placing a small white towel between my neck and the lovely blue hospital gown I was wearing. She then put gel on the thyroid area, and began the test. She said not to worry, that this test did not hurt.
A few minutes into the test, the technician said that she would be right back... that she needed to confer with a doctor. Ah Oh, was the first thing that ran through my mind, as a whole bunch of feelings started shooting up through my entire body, and lodged themselves into my brain. The thought of cancer was what hit me first. I tried to tell myself not to worry, but that command was futile.
The technician came into the cubicle with a doctor. The doctor sat down at the machine and began sliding the slippery ultra sound thingy along the same area that seemed to interest the technician just moments earlier.
several minutes of this, and I was told that I could leave.
I wiped off the gel and began my way to the other side of the curtain. The technician told me that the results would be sent to my family doctor within a few days.
Three days later, I received a telephone call from my doctor, and was told that I needed to come into his office. I was there the very next day.
My doctor told me that two nodules had been found on my thyroid gland.. One nodule on the left lobe and one on the right. He said not to worry too much, that this was a common thing and that it usually turned out to be nothing. He also told me that to make sure, he wanted to send me for an Uptake test.
An Uptake test involves going into the hospital in the morning, where the patient is given a radio active iodine pill, and is told to return to the same area in three hours. The patient is then put in front of a scanner. This machine measures hot and cold nodules. If they are hot.. that´s good, if they are cold... not so good, but nothing affirmative.
hot nodules mean that the thyroid took up the iodine in the pill.. that´s one of the functions of the thyroid gland.. to absorb iodine. This means that the nodule consists of thyroid tissue.
cold nodules tells the doctor that it is not thyroid tissue and more tests need to be done.
A few days after having my Uptake test, I again received a telephone call from my doctor, and was again told that I needed to come into his office.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
After Cancer: My Story... part one
When I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer back in March of 2003, I was told that I should be happy that it was thyroid cancer because thyroid cancer is considered by most doctors to be the most easily treated cancer around. 95% cure rate, they said.. that´s pretty good.
I guess the doctors were right in many ways, but I couldn´t help feeling like a 50 pound sac of potatoes had just been dropped on top of my head. Being diagnosed with cancer is not what most people strive for on this planet.
My journey actually began much earlier than 2003. The roller coaster ride began in 1997.
In November of 1997, I began having severe pain just below my breast bone. I visited the emergency room twice, before being told that what I was having was a gallstone attack.. The pain didn´t present itself in the usual way, under the right side of the ribcage, and therefore was a little more difficult to diagnose. The ultrasound and blood tests did confirm that it was gallstones. On December 17, 1997, I had my gallbladder removed and the pain stopped.
In the spring of 1998, I began feeling ´not very well´and visited my family doctor. I was having problems with feeling nauseous at every waking moment. Eating would aggravate the nausea, and I hadn´t had anything to eat for three days when I visited the doctor.
After many tests and visiting various specialists and living on salt crackers and water for several weeks, they found that I had a severe stomach infection. This infection was successfully treated with a two week dose of three different types of antibiotics. I could once again eat without being afraid.
Later that same year, I again began having health issues and went back to visit my physician, who I must say was very good and patient with me. I just wasn´t feeling right. I felt energy-less and disinterested, and in all honesty.. I just felt sick and tired about being sick and tired. I know this is a cliche, but it describes my feelings pretty well.
He sent me for blood tests, and everything came back ´normal´. My TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was well within normal range at 3.7 ( normal range in Canada at that time was .5-5.0) The doctor said, this number is within normal range, Lets wait and see if you start feeling better. If you still feel the same in two weeks, come back to see me.
Two weeks later, I was back in his office. I wasn´t feeling any better, and was sure that he must think that I was a hypochondriac, but instead told me that he would like to try treating me for hypothyroidism.
I was put on a small dosage of synthroid. Synthroid is a synthetic version thyroxine (t4), and is the first drug of choice by many doctors to combat hypothyroidism.
Within three days, I began feeling much much better, and continued on the regimen for the following four years without any problems.
I guess the doctors were right in many ways, but I couldn´t help feeling like a 50 pound sac of potatoes had just been dropped on top of my head. Being diagnosed with cancer is not what most people strive for on this planet.
My journey actually began much earlier than 2003. The roller coaster ride began in 1997.
In November of 1997, I began having severe pain just below my breast bone. I visited the emergency room twice, before being told that what I was having was a gallstone attack.. The pain didn´t present itself in the usual way, under the right side of the ribcage, and therefore was a little more difficult to diagnose. The ultrasound and blood tests did confirm that it was gallstones. On December 17, 1997, I had my gallbladder removed and the pain stopped.
In the spring of 1998, I began feeling ´not very well´and visited my family doctor. I was having problems with feeling nauseous at every waking moment. Eating would aggravate the nausea, and I hadn´t had anything to eat for three days when I visited the doctor.
After many tests and visiting various specialists and living on salt crackers and water for several weeks, they found that I had a severe stomach infection. This infection was successfully treated with a two week dose of three different types of antibiotics. I could once again eat without being afraid.
Later that same year, I again began having health issues and went back to visit my physician, who I must say was very good and patient with me. I just wasn´t feeling right. I felt energy-less and disinterested, and in all honesty.. I just felt sick and tired about being sick and tired. I know this is a cliche, but it describes my feelings pretty well.
He sent me for blood tests, and everything came back ´normal´. My TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was well within normal range at 3.7 ( normal range in Canada at that time was .5-5.0) The doctor said, this number is within normal range, Lets wait and see if you start feeling better. If you still feel the same in two weeks, come back to see me.
Two weeks later, I was back in his office. I wasn´t feeling any better, and was sure that he must think that I was a hypochondriac, but instead told me that he would like to try treating me for hypothyroidism.
I was put on a small dosage of synthroid. Synthroid is a synthetic version thyroxine (t4), and is the first drug of choice by many doctors to combat hypothyroidism.
Within three days, I began feeling much much better, and continued on the regimen for the following four years without any problems.
Monday, October 27, 2008
After cancer
I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID CANCER IN 2003, AND THUS BEGAN MY JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN WORLD OF THE AFTER CANCER LIFE.
WHERE IS THE THYROID GLAND?
The thyroid is a small gland that is located in the front of the neck, just below the larynx, and is wrapped around the trachea (windpipe).
The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly. It consists of two lobes, a right and a left lobe which are divided by the center, called the isthmus.
WHAT IS THYROID CANCER?
Thyroid cancer, like all cancers, is a change at the cellular level which causes the cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner.
The term for growths on the thyroid gland are usually referred to as nodules.
It is important to note that not all nodules are cancer, and in fact tend to be benign ( not cancer). Thyroid nodules are very prominent amongst us, and most people live a full life without ever knowing that they have nodules. Only 5 percent of nodules are cancerous in the adult population. When thyroid nodules are found in children, there is a much higher percentage that those nodules are cancerous.
Thyroid cancer is divided into four types, papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic.
Papillary carcinoma is the most common form of thyroid cancer. It is a slow growing cancer which reacts well to treatment.
Follicular carcinoma is less common than papillary, and although it is also a slow growing cancer, it does grow at a faster rate.
Medullary is a rare type of cancer. It grows much more rapidly than do the papillary and follicular carcinomas.
Anaplastic cancer is the worse of the four. It is a rare cancer that spreads very quickly with a very bad prognosis.
Symptoms
Thyroid cancer does not usually cause symptoms in it´s early stages. In it´s later stages, it usually presents itself as a lump on the thyroid area. difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, swollen lymph glands or pain in the throat or neck area that does not go away.
Diagnosis
Although there are several different tests to help diagnose thyroid cancer, there is only one way to accurately diagnose if indeed that nodule is cancerous, and that is by biopsy.
Fine needle aspiration, or FNA is how a doctor takes a piece of tissue from the thyroid gland for definite diagnosis.
This test is usually done with the assistance of sonography (ultra sound). A small needle is inserted into the thyroid gland via the neck.
Radio active uptake test, ultrasound, blood tests all help in the diagnosis, but are not affirmative.
Treatment
Treatment of thyroid cancer begins with removal of either the entire gland or one lobe.
Depending on the type and size of the cancer, you may require radioactive iodine therapy or radiation.
In cases where the cancer is advanced and in-operable, radiation is the first treatment.
Prognosis
Prognosis for thyroid cancer, with the exception of anaplastic and later stages medullary cancer is very good with a 95% cure rate after treatment.
NEXT POST: MY STORY
WHERE IS THE THYROID GLAND?
The thyroid is a small gland that is located in the front of the neck, just below the larynx, and is wrapped around the trachea (windpipe).
The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly. It consists of two lobes, a right and a left lobe which are divided by the center, called the isthmus.
WHAT IS THYROID CANCER?
Thyroid cancer, like all cancers, is a change at the cellular level which causes the cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner.
The term for growths on the thyroid gland are usually referred to as nodules.
It is important to note that not all nodules are cancer, and in fact tend to be benign ( not cancer). Thyroid nodules are very prominent amongst us, and most people live a full life without ever knowing that they have nodules. Only 5 percent of nodules are cancerous in the adult population. When thyroid nodules are found in children, there is a much higher percentage that those nodules are cancerous.
Thyroid cancer is divided into four types, papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic.
Papillary carcinoma is the most common form of thyroid cancer. It is a slow growing cancer which reacts well to treatment.
Follicular carcinoma is less common than papillary, and although it is also a slow growing cancer, it does grow at a faster rate.
Medullary is a rare type of cancer. It grows much more rapidly than do the papillary and follicular carcinomas.
Anaplastic cancer is the worse of the four. It is a rare cancer that spreads very quickly with a very bad prognosis.
Symptoms
Thyroid cancer does not usually cause symptoms in it´s early stages. In it´s later stages, it usually presents itself as a lump on the thyroid area. difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, swollen lymph glands or pain in the throat or neck area that does not go away.
Diagnosis
Although there are several different tests to help diagnose thyroid cancer, there is only one way to accurately diagnose if indeed that nodule is cancerous, and that is by biopsy.
Fine needle aspiration, or FNA is how a doctor takes a piece of tissue from the thyroid gland for definite diagnosis.
This test is usually done with the assistance of sonography (ultra sound). A small needle is inserted into the thyroid gland via the neck.
Radio active uptake test, ultrasound, blood tests all help in the diagnosis, but are not affirmative.
Treatment
Treatment of thyroid cancer begins with removal of either the entire gland or one lobe.
Depending on the type and size of the cancer, you may require radioactive iodine therapy or radiation.
In cases where the cancer is advanced and in-operable, radiation is the first treatment.
Prognosis
Prognosis for thyroid cancer, with the exception of anaplastic and later stages medullary cancer is very good with a 95% cure rate after treatment.
NEXT POST: MY STORY
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