Newly Diagnosed - so many questions
Hi, everyone! I received a papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis on 5/15. It's a 1 cm nodule that came back malignant after biopsy. I also have two other TIRADs 4 nodules, one on each lobe, that have not been biopsied. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's last year if that becomes relevant to any questions I ask. TSH has been high normal, but so far unmedicated.
I am not looking for medical advice. I will ultimately trust the decision of my surgeon when I meet with him. Just looking for other people's experience!
Questions below. Any and all answers welcome!
If the surgeon gave you the choice between thyroidectomy and partial lobectomy, what did you choose? And why? Do you have any regrets?
For those who had partial lobectomy, did you end up needing the completion thyroidectomy?
Anyone have vocal cord/nerve damage afterwards from a thyroidectomy? Did it resolve? If not, were there treatments for long-term/permanent voice damage?
If your lymph nodes were clear, did anyone end up having suspicious lymph nodes anytime after surgery from microscopic spread? How long post-surgery did it appear? Was RAI recommended?
For those with partial lobectomies, did you end up becoming hypothyroid after surgery?
Last question, for those who have had thyroidectomies, did you experience hair loss and weight gain post-surgery? Was it easy to regulate your TSH with medication or did it take a while to find a balance?