Thyroid Cancer, Anyone?

[Whisper]

Hi Mrs Duck, Hope everything is going well for you? Have you had the op?

Just thought i would update, i had my results today and its GOOD news!! yay i'm so so relieved, the only thing now is my voice.

The consultant was quite surprised at how bad my voice is still so i had the pleasure of the camera up the nose and down the throat (again!) the vocal cords are not doing what they should (they are being lazy) so i have another appointment in 3months and fingers crossed my voice comes back before then.

Anyway hope all is well, keep us posted.

xx

 

[kenzi26]

Whisper~ Thats good news! Sorry about your voice tho, hopefully it goes back to normal soon.

 

[MrsDuck]

Evening ladies I'm so pleased you got good news back from your results whisper, I hope your voice comes back though.

No not yet, I go in for my pre ops (again) on Tuesday and then my op is the following Monday the 23rd I know it sounds mad but I can't wait, this limbo is driving me mad. Having said that I am convinced that my lump is getting smaller (or it's just wishful thinking) so we'll see.

I'll keep you posted.

How are you with moving you neck now whisper and can you drive?

 

[Whisper]

Whisper~ Thats good news! Sorry about your voice tho, hopefully it goes back to normal soon.

Thanks Kenzi - How are things with you have you had you endo appointment yet?

Mrs Duck - at least you have some dates, i know how frustrating the wait is! Moving my neck just fine like normal pretty much, i am driving and looking after the children by myself again so all back to normal. Actually recovering quicker than i expected, i am back to work Tuesday next week!
Fingers crossed the lump is getting smaller, i am sure it makes it easier for them to remove.

x

 

[MrsDuck]

Whisper that's great news that your recovery has been so quick I hope mine is too.

 

[kenzi26]

MrsDuck~Hope it is getting smaller! Waiting is tough, hopefully the time passes quickly for you.

I have my endo appt tomorrow, am super nervous as it is at 8:30 in the morning and I can't find anyone to take my kids, so they will be coming with me as I drive to Chicago (about 50 minutes away~I live in the suburbs) during rush hour for the first time by myself. Wish me luck. Praying dh will take off work to come along.

 

[MrsDuck]

Thanks Kenzi but I think I imagined it, it seems larger than ever today.

I am in hospital tomorrow for my pre ops.

I hope your appointment goes well tomorrow and you have a safe drive there.

Keep us posted, good luck x

 

[kenzi26]

I hope your appointment goes well today~hopefully it is just your imagination and it is staying the same size or smaller!

Just got back from my appointment, and I will be having the radioactive iodine treatment next Tuesday. They felt so bad that I had to wait so long for the edocrinology appointment, but it is kind of their fault. They wanted to do the treatment as soon as tomorrow, but I work and they would not give me the time off with such short notice. Plus, I have to stay in the hospital for two days and can't be around small kids for about a week, so I need to make plans for my girls because my husband works 12-14 hour days. At least things are getting done now! I have to follow a low iodine diet tho. And, I had to make an appointment with my gyno to get a more permanent form of birth control because the doc said if I get pregnant now, it would be extremely dangerous for the baby (no plans to get pregnant anyway, but a whoops baby would be very bad in my situation). So, that is next Monday. I feel so much better knowing that I'm getting everything taken care of so soon!!

 

[MrsDuck]

Hi everyone just got back from my appointment all the consultant did was explain the op again, have a look at my vocal chords, get me to sign more consent forms and took more blood. So my op is still on for next Monday. The lump then gets sent off for analysis and I get the results a week later, and we go from there.

Kenzi sorry you have to have radio iodine treatment but at least it is all now being done quickly. Good luck for next Tuesday xx

 

[Whisper]

Great news Mrs Duck, next monday will be here before you know it and you only have a week to wait to find out thats fab!

How are you feeling?

Kenzi i hope everything goes smoothly for you, its going to be tough staying away from your kids for so long, that was one of my fears for follow up treatment, good luck i hope the time passes really quick for you, keep us posted.

x

 

[MrsDuck]

I'm feeling fine thanks whisper I just want it over and done with now, I'm sick of waiting.

How is your voice now any improvement?

 

[Whisper]

Good luck today Mrs Duck, i'll be thinking of you. x

 

[MrsDuck]

my op seemd to go very well.

I went to the hospital yesterday at 8am and was operated on at 11am which wasn't too much of a wait, I came back around about 12.30 feeling awful a cross between seasick and drunk but not in too much pain.

My sickness kept coming over me in waves and I had 2 doses of anti sickness drug which made me feel really dizzy and therefore sick again and it was so hot in hospital they opened the windows and brought me a fan whic made me feel a little better.

I can turn my head to the left ok but not too much to the right or up or down and they let me go home about 5pm.

I seem to be able to eat everything although it does hurt a little to swallow.

Sleeping was painful last night as the anaesthetic was wearing off and every way I leant I seemed to be putting pressure on it.

My speaking seems to be back to normal which I am really surprised about, I just can't shout.

So all in all it seemed to go well. I have to go back next Tuesday to get my results back, so fingers crossed it's not cancer and I just have this recovery time to get back to normal.

I hope everyone else is starting to feel better now xxx

I will try and post a pic although I have to keep the strips on til I return to the hospital next Tuesday, I'm itching to see underneath.

 

[kenzi26]

Glad surgery went well and you're feeling alright! Fingers crossed it isn't cancer! I hope you have a speedy recovery.

I'm leaving for the hospital in a half hour for my treatment...woke up to a huge thunderstorm and the lights keep flickering. Took a peek outisde and the rain was coming down in sheets and trees were blowing sideways in the wind. Traffic is going to be lovely I just get so nervous and stressed out if things don't go my way and now I'm freaking out that I will be late

 

[MrsDuck]

Oh no what awful weather, I hope you get to your appointment on time and safely.
I hope all goes well, keep us posted xxx

 

[Whisper]

wow Mrs Duck your wound area looks great! I guess you didn't have a drain in?

I'm really pleased everything went so smoothly for you (apart from the nausea) and you got to come home the same day, the pain really does seem to go fairly quickly, did they give you some pain meds to take at home?

So happy your voice is ok and not shouting is fine really this early on, i am sure it means your voice will be back to normal in a week or so.

Good luck with your treatment Kenzi, i know its not exactly relaxing but perhaps the rest will be a nice break? (although i am sure you will be wishing to be back home as soon as you are in hospital).

My update is my voice is pretty much the same its a bit stronger in the morning but come evening its back to a small whisper, i was told today i sound like a cartoon character

xx

 

[MrsDuck]

No I didn't have a drain, it all went very smoothly but I think I have overdone things today and it has swollen up a bit in the middle between my collar bones. Yes I have been given diclofenac anti inflammatory and paracetamol but the anti inflammatory mess seem to give me bad gas which gives me pain in my throat as it is coming up. I think I can move my neck less today but I suppose it is just because the wound is tighter and the anaesthetic has worn off.

Sorry to hear that your voice still hasn't recovered properly I think my hubby was looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet from me but no such luck.

Did your dr think it would come back eventually?

Kenzi I hope all is going well x

 

[kenzi26]

So I got to come home today! I was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday morning. First, they took me to my room. Anything that was touchable was covered in plastic, and the floor was covered in paper. They put a huge sign on the door warning that radioactive iodine therapy was taking place inside. I changed into a hospital gown and the nurse gave me an information packet on iodine 131 therapy. Anything that I brought into the room could not leave. My sister in law stayed with me for about an hour, then left. I feel like a million doctors came in and out and asked me tons of questions.

Anyway, at around 2 in the afternoon, a tech came in with the iodine. It was kept in a huge metal container, and he wore gloves as he got it out. It was 4 capsules, but they got stuck in the small plastic container they were kept in, and one of the capules burst open, so I had to eat the powder. Yuck. I swallowed the capsules, and that was it. Shortly after, a guy from the radiation dept. came in and measured the radiation levels in the room. I think it was around 20 something, and it had to be below 7 before I could go home. So, I settled in for the night. Before taking the medicine, I couldn't eat anything, and I could eat for 3 hours after taking it as well. After taking it, I was encouraged to drink water and shower as much as I could.

So I spent my time watching tv, reading books, and showering. On the second day, the radiation guy came and measured the radiation levels. I went from 20something to 10. He came again this morning and my levels were at 4, so I got to come home. They gave me a prescription for synthyroid and sent me on my way. I have a full body scan on Monday to see if the treatment got rid of all the cancer cells.

I didn't have many side affects. I felt a little nauseated, but I couldn't tell if it was from the medication or the yucky food I was served. Also, my salivary glads got a little swollen and tender, but that quickly subsided. Right now, my neck is a little sore, but nothing unbearable.

I am going back to work the week after next. My girls are currently with my mom, and she will take them to my sister in laws house on Sunday. While they are there, I can visit them for short periods of time, but I can't hug them or hold them. I can't wait til they can come home!

 

[MrsDuck]

Oh kenzi I'm glad it all went as well as it could, I hope all those cells have been zapped and your scan goes well on Monday.

Interesting that it is powder capsules I imagined an injection.

I also thought it took longer than a couple of days for your radiation levels to drop to the safe level so I'm really pleased that the experience was bearable without too many side effects.

How long will it be until your children can come home and are there any restrictions on being around your husband for periods of time?

Xxx

 

[kenzi26]

The medication either comes in capsule or liquid form. It isn't anything that you take through an IV. I imagine that's because your thyroid gland is the only thing in your body that can absorb iodine, and your thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system/metabolism, so it is something that must be ingested rather than put into your bloodstream directly.

My radiation levels were safe enough for me to leave the hospital, but I must continue my isolation at home . The legal level here to leave isolation in the hospital is less then 7 (dunno the measurement scale) so I'm assume it varies by country? Actually, depending on the dose, some people get their radioactive iodine as an outpatient procedure and spend the time exclusively at home. That would make me uncomfortable, because I would be worried about contaminating everything. Anyway, the guy who measured the radiation in my room said that I should be completely safe after another week secluded from people. I sleep in an different room as my husband, eat off disposable plates, and my clothes must be washed seperately. I also must drink a lot of water and take a couple showers throughout the day. The med students said I should be safe in 18 days, but the radiologist who measured the levels said that is way too long. It was interesting to note that each doctor had a slightly varying opinion on the subject, and I made sure to ask every attending doctor who walked into my room that same question due to the fact that I have small children at home and I work with small children.

I woke up this morning with a very sore neck. I was assured that this is normal. But, I also woke up with numb hands. I don't know what that is from, as it is not a side affect of radioactive iodine. Ugh. I hope something else isn't wrong.