Research

Ugh... I'm not that frightened of operation (although, this would be the second one with a total anesthesia in a year), but I'm really not confident with all that comes afterward, after they remove a thyroid gland... Pills till the end of my life, at least! C'mon, I'm "only" 45!

I briefly shared both endo-consultations with Berry, and shut down... I needed some digestion time, or better, not to think about it for a while... And then, few days later, when I was briefly phone-discussing the matter with my dear friend, it struck me:

"Operation is not urgent. Although, if I don't get my thyroid gland removed soon, my goiter might cause more problems within my lower neck, compressing my trachea (breathing tube) even more, as well as lungs, blood vessels... and thyroid nodule inside of it might develop into cancerous one (if it's not already the case). Therefore, I better get a date for operation soon..."

I was wetting Berry's shoulder afterward... Thank you, Precious, you're exactly who I need next to me. (Not only when crying!)

You can bet, I started browsing web sites the very next day, posting & raising my issue on relevant forums, emailing some endocrinologists directly... in order to comprehend better what's really inside of me, to find out more about my options, as well as about operation & life after it, to eventually find an alternative treatment...

Bottom line? No alternative treatment available. Total thyroidectomy seems to be the only wise option.

Yeah, right! More replies and comments I get, and more I am reading  about it, about people's experiences after it, more reluctant I am.

Well, I have another endo scheduled on 20th (apparently with the best for thyroid abnormalities in Brussels, at university hospital)... and until then, I intend to get all my additional questions & concerns on paper.

• How soon do I need to get my thyroid gland removed?
• Does nodule's biopsy makes any sense in my case?
• Probability that my nodule is not cancerous?
• What kind of procedure you practice for total thyroidectomy?
• Is there anyone in Brussels who already practice removing a thyroid by endoscopic surgery (no neck scar surgery)?

And if feeling like it, I will make another appointment further on...