OVER TO YOU: My Exeprience With Thyroid Disease |
SUBJECT: Nodules |
A member's story as published in the Over To You column of THYROID FLYERTHIS IS AN EXTRACT OF THE ARTICLE. THE FULL ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THYROID AUSTRALIA ONLY. FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO JOIN THYROID AUSTRALIA CLICK HERE TO VISIT THYROID AUSTRALIA HOME Click on "ABOUT US" |
I am a 46 year old registered nurse working as an assistant director of nursing in a 65 bed nursing home in Victoria. Three years ago I was diagnosed with a pituitary adenoma which I now take tablets to control the release of prolactin and have had 2 MRI scans and have blood tests every 6 months to check my prolactin levels. So far everything is OK. Otherwise I am healthy and have only ever had surgery to remove my tonsils when I was 17 years old. I work full time about 60 hours per week, I go to the gym three times per week and am normal weight for my height and age. I do smoke about 10-15 cigarettes per day and usually have a glass of wine with dinner.
I was up early as I had to do an extra shift at work. I was following my normal morning routine of rubbing moisturizer into my face and neck when I felt a lump in my neck. It moved when I swallowed so I thought it was probably in my thyroid gland. I tried to ignore it the rest of the weekend.
When one of our regular General Practitioners called to visit one of his patients I asked him what he thought it could be. He told me that I would need to see an endocrinologist and gave me the names of two in our area. I rang and made an appointment.
I went to see the endocrinologist. He was OK. I had lots of questions but he said that I would need to have some blood tests and an ultrasound. I booked the ultrasound for the following week and thought I would have the blood tests on the Saturday while my husband was at work as I hadn’t yet told him about my lump as I didn’t want him to worry. In answer to my question to the doctor, “What do you think it is?,” he said, “A lump is a lump and needs to be investigated.”
I went to the nearest pathology and had the blood tests.
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Went to my appointment with the surgeon in Tamworth.
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At 2 pm I was wheeled to the operating theatre. I remember asking the nurse to make sure my husband was OK. I was greeted in the anaesthetic room by familiar faces (staff I had worked with) and chatted to them until the anaesthetist put the needle in my arm (I hadn’t had a premed but still felt fine).
I woke about 7 pm in recovery and had a sore neck but otherwise OK.
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The surgeon returned to see me for the second time in the day at 7.30 pm to tell me that the pathology results showed that the lumps (5 in all) were not cancerous but adenomas.
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Visited the surgeon who said that I was doing very well.
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Started back to work today, still wearing my TED stockings [A type of anti-embolism stocking. Not Thyroid Eye Disease!]
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I now have full movement back in my neck and I am coping as normal at work. I have an appointment with the endocrinologist next week to discuss the results of my thyroid function tests which I will have done next Saturday.
In 5 weeks we will be moving back home to Tamworth to be near the family and closer to our children. It will be hard to leave all the wonderful friends we have made in Victoria but at the end of the day my heart says I need to be with my family.
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