Among Friends

[qvc chick]

My daughters doctor said she has a nodule, that appears to be enlarged.  So they ard ordering blood work and ultra sound.  My daugher is 22, and she gets very anxious.

I had an enlarged nodule a few years ago, had ultrasound, and then had to get biospy.  It came back negative, thank goodness.

Now my daughers seems to be going thru same problem, and I am worried.

Isn''t 22 years old pretty young to have a nodule?

[Vivian]

I went through the same procedures described in the original post. After the ultrasound I had a needle biopsy but in my case it came out positive for papillary thyroid cancer, the most common and almost 100% curable type of  thyroid cancer. I was the unique one because I was 61 and that was odd since it happens usually in younger people. I had a thyroidectomy, some scans, now I take my daily meds and I am absolutely fine. That is the worst case scenario. It my well be that your daughter fares better than I did. My cancer was likely caused by the countless sinus CT scans I had for chronic infections (surgery eventually cured that), before it was known that CT scans emit far more radiation than was originally thought. I learned my lesson the hard way but the experience I had, though not a walk in the park, has left me just fine. By the way, Sofia Vagara, or as my husband calls her Sofia Viagra, had thyroid cancer at a young age. I don't have to tell you how she has fared over the last few years. Good luck. Please keep us posted on your daughter.

[violann]

I was NEARLY her age when I was first diagnosed, and have had them for years. I had RAI but still have partial thyroid functioning. 

I'm checked every six months but mine have always been benign.

[chrystaltree]

Relax, thyroid nodules are common and 99% are just nodules, nothing serious at all.  Myown daughter had one when she was around 6 years old.  It resolved  itself with no treatment needed.  Mine ended up being Graves Disease and I had the thyroid ablation procedure.  Once she has the diagnostic work done, her endocrinologist will explain everything to her.  Right now, there is nothing to be nervous about. 

[Nightowlz]

My sister had half her thyroid removed from papillary cancer when she was a senior in high school. She had the other half removed almost 15 yrs ago. 

[AnikaBrodie]

I have a history of hypothyroidism for which I take daily meds.  A few years ago I was diagnosed with thyroid nodules.  ENT doctor first ordered ultrasound, then ordered biopsy which was negative.  I have annual exams and ultrasounds to ensure nodules are not increasing in size.

Your DD will probably end up having a biopsy to make sure all is okay.  That seems to follow U/S. 

[OnlyShopsOnline]

QVC Chick, just wanted to let you know that my daughter's first thyroid nodule was discovered when she was about 16 years old.  It was benign.

It has also enlarged once or twice, when she has had an upper respiratory infection.  But, all was ok.

She is now 33 and I believe she has two nodules that are checked on a regular basis by our endocrinologist.  She also started taking Synthroid in her mid 20's because she exhibited all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, but her blood tests were "normal."  I also have thyroid disease.

[qvc chick]

She heard back from her pedeitrician, and they said the blood work came back okay, but that she should be referred to an endroconoligst regarding the nodule, at least I think that is what they said.

When I had my nodule, I just went to my family doctor, they did not refer me to an endricologist.  Now I am nervous.  Maybe the pedictrician doesn't handle throid issues, because they deal mostly with kids?