Tests leading into more tests

[googily]

Didn't want to hijack watchman's thread, but the mention of tests just leading to more tests is starting to hit home.

I've mentioned here my ER visit for the TIA that perhaps wasn't a TIA. Hospital did head MRI, chest x-ray, and head and neck CT angiogram. Then I had to go get an echocardiogram bubble study. Then the neurologist I was referred to set up carotid artery duplex and nerve conduction/ENG tests. (I threw in the coronary artery calcium test myself.)

Everything's great! No evidence of TIA! No other trouble spots! Except for this 2cm nodule we saw on your thyroid during the CT scan. You should probably go get that checked out.

So, off to a thyroid ultrasound. TI-RADs 4, for those in the know, moderately suspicious (microcalcifications being the main trouble). Next step, fine needle aspiration biopsy. Now awaiting appointment with endocrine surgeon to get that done.

I've read enough to know that the vast majority of these are benign, and even the ones that aren't can be pretty slow growing, and the survival rate for most thyroid cancers is one of the highest around. Plus all my other imaging showed no concerning lymph nodes, no lung spots, no brain spots, so even if it is cancer it should be fairly early.

They say that thyroid cancer diagnoses have skyrocketed mostly because of exactly this situation.

Two years ago I ended up having an open biopsy (under anesthesia) to look at a chunk of breast tissue with "architectural distortion" that two 3D mammograms and an ultrasound and a needle biopsy couldn't get a firm handle on, and it turned out to be nothing except for the lovely two-inch scar I now have. Architectural distortion findings leading to biopsies are also skyrocketing with more and better imaging.

Uterus and both ovaries are gone after multiple suspicious findings that turned out to be nothing but that made me decide to just get rid of the hassle, albeit in three different surgeries over six years.

I have to say, given my history, I kind of like my chances with this thyroid.

On the other hand, I'm guessing my insurance company is not quite so thrilled.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I am rooting for you - hope it turns out benign and "nothing".

My experience in the other areas were similar to yours... breast biopsy for "cyst with debris" ended up with a nasty keloid on my breast and thank goodness it was a "nothing" in the findings. Had total hysterectomy and oophorectomy (ovaries) done as well - 2 separate surgeries. The lyproscopy for oophorectomy gave me more keloid in my navel and I started going for shots by my dermatologist to try to shrink them. Both were "nothing" as well.

I have yet to undergo colonoscopy because of botched procedures done on many people whom I know. I do Cologuard and so far so good. There is not a single cancer case of any type in my family tree as far as I know.

 

[audreyh1]

Thyroid - I have small nodules that seem to come and go. Get ultrasound. Surgeon looks at images, manually feels my throat. Says thyroid feels fine. Tells me to get another ultrasound next year.

 

[googily]

Thyroid - I have small nodules that seem to come and go. Get ultrasound. Surgeon manually feels my throat. Says thyroid feels fine. Tells me to get another ultrasound next year.

What is the scoring from the ultrasounds? They have the newish points system to help make the decisions a little more uniform.

 

[audreyh1]

They haven’t done any scoring.

I missed last year due to COVID and will try to get back to it this year.

 

[chassis]

Any time the word "skyrocketing diagnoses" appears one needs to imagine the sound of the cash register ringing in the imaging lab and specialist's practice.

 

[googily]

I am rooting for you - hope it turns out benign and "nothing".

My experience in the other areas were similar to yours... breast biopsy for "cyst with debris" ended up with a nasty keloid on my breast and thank goodness it was a "nothing" in the findings. Had total hysterectomy and oophorectomy (ovaries) done as well - 2 separate surgeries. The lyproscopy for oophorectomy gave me more keloid in my navel and I started going for shots by my dermatologist to try to shrink them. Both were "nothing" as well.

I have yet to undergo colonoscopy because of botched procedures done on many people whom I know. I do Cologuard and so far so good. There is not a single cancer case of any type in my family tree as far as I know.

Thank you! And sorry that you've been down a similar path. Plus, I'm with you on doing Cologuard.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Retired Happy, what happened to people you know with a colonoscopy? I know as you age you can be at risk of a perforated colon.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

GF had her thyroid removed in January due to cancer. She is doing fine.

She found out today that her tumor marker is still low, so she is smiling.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Retired Happy, what happened to people you know with a colonoscopy? I know as you age you can be at risk of a perforated colon.

Our very close friend almost died many years ago. He was in his 50s then and had a routine colonoscopy. His colon was perforated and went to ER with severe pain after the procedure. He was hospitalized for a long time because of it and the doctors put a clip in his intestines and he is still wearing it. The good news is that our friend is now 78 yo. Never had another colonoscopy.

My close friend"s mother was jaundiced and was admitted. The hospital decided to do a colonoscopy to explore possible cause. The doctor perforated her intestines without realizing. A day later when she was doing very poorly while still at the hospital was when they realized that her intestine was perforated. She died from sepsis as she did not recover from it.

A local case with the worst GI doctor whom I have had, PM me for his name if you want to know who the doctor is as I think you and I live in the same area, had his spleen perforated. Similarly, the doctor had no clue until the patient went back to ER with severe pain.

 

[badatmath]

A friend of mine (50s) had a tear from his colonoscopy. They got him stitched back up and he seems okay. I have had 4 so far no issues. I will say my doc is abundantly clear if there seems to be a real issue after the procedure you call him before heading to the ER. Exactly how this would turn out I have no idea but make sure you know your doctors instructions on what to do if . . .

 

[googily]

They haven’t done any scoring.

I missed last year due to COVID and will try to get back to it this year.

This is the scoring that is now the standard for reading thyroid imaging. I ended up with 5 points which becomes "moderately suspicious" and a fine needle biopsy is indicated if the nodule is larger than 1.5cm (and mine is 2).

https://deckard.duhs.duke.edu/~ai-ti-rads/

 

[audreyh1]

I’m in the hands of a very experienced thoracic surgeon who views the images as well, and he directs my care.

 

[Bamaman]

My grandniece had a strange case of thyroid cancer at age 16, and she ended up at St. Jude. They didn't have a throat surgeon at the time so she was sent to M.D. Anderson in Houston for the surgery. And she's required constant watching ever since--by the best cancer doctors in the world.

She goes off to college in NYC and there her personal oncologist is the head of Sloan-Kettering. When you're a St. Jude kid, you're a St. Jude patient for life. And you get the best of the best.

She's now out of college and living in a brownstone in Brooklyn working in a deli. But she still returns to Memphis and St. Jude 1x or 2x a year for observation.

 

[googily]

My grandniece had a strange case of thyroid cancer at age 16, and she ended up at St. Jude. They didn't have a throat surgeon at the time so she was sent to M.D. Anderson in Houston for the surgery. And she's required constant watching ever since--by the best cancer doctors in the world.

She goes off to college in NYC and there her personal oncologist is the head of Sloan-Kettering. When you're a St. Jude kid, you're a St. Jude patient for life. And you get the best of the best.

She's now out of college and living in a brownstone in Brooklyn working in a deli. But she still returns to Memphis and St. Jude 1x or 2x a year for observation.

That's a shame that she has had to go through that, but The Best of the Best is a real blessing.