T-Cancer

I just want people to know about the things that are currently happening in my life. In January I went into the doctor's office thinking I had strep throat or something because I hadn't been able to recover from a cold. While I was visiting with the doctor she noticed my neck was swollen and so she felt it and realized that my thyroid was enlarged, she suggested that we do blood work to see what was going on.

The results on it came back as to be in the normal range, so we decided to press on to do an ultrasound of the thyroid because SOMETHING was going on. When we received those results there were two hard nodules and one cyst, all in different locations. According to statistics this should not be concerning. My doctor had talked with another doctor and they suggested we check back in on them in six months. As I got off the phone I just felt sick inside and knew I needed to see someone else for a second opinion. As I thought that my doctor had called me back and told me I should do that too. She told me that I should go to an ENT (Ears, Nose, Throat) Specialist.

I went to one and he decided I needed to get the two harder nodules biopsied. I got both hard nodules biopsied one located on the right lobe of the thyroid and the other on the left lobe of the thyroid. Both resulted in the news of being malignant (cancer). This is a rare find for my age and having multiple nodules on the thyroid. Now I have been diagnosed with Papillary Thyroid Cancer.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Radioactive Iodine (I131)

This morning I went and received my first radioactive pill! :) yipee! It wasn't terrible. Well, so far. :) I needed to be fasting this morning when I went in to take the pill. I went to the Nuclear Center went in and there was this small 2X4 cylinder that weighed a good couple pounds I swear... it took a lot to pick it up and open it. Inside this canister was a pill bottle pop-top was inside. There was a white pill inside and I took it. While I took it the nurse stepped outside the room and once I took it she said "have a great day" that was it. Simple enough. Now, til Monday. I get to make sure that I don't come in contact with anyone. :) So far I've had the pill in me for an hour. I feel pretty good. I don't really feel any different.
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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 12, 2012 at 2:10 PM

    It takes a while for the sodium iodide (131) pill will be dissolved in the stomach, get into the blood stream and then lodge in the thyroid (about 5 % of RAI will go into ovaries and 5% into the breast tissue). At this time you should be feeling some metallic tasting in the mouth and warmth on your neck. It is common myth that you should stay completely isolated from other people; most of the radioactivity (beta activity) is going on in your body fluids (blood, saliva urine and perspiration) containing radioactive iodine.
    Best wishes for this scan to be “clear” (although it will show thyroid remnants).

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    1. Tawnya AndersonMay 12, 2012 at 2:56 PM

      Thanks for your comments. I appreciate it. I must say, you must be a doctor or you've experienced this yourself or someone you know. You know quite a bit about this. What do you mean myth?

      Since you seem to understand this stuff well, I must ask, What about Headaches/intense pain in the eyes and back of the head... I seem to be experiencing that the most.

      I must ask how you came in contact with my blog?

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  2. AnonymousMay 14, 2012 at 7:53 AM

    I was not familiar with headache but after doing a quick search I have found that about 9% of patients is experiencing migraine –like headaches. A myth about radiation that your “emission “level of gamma-particles is not as hazardous as the emissions of beta particles due to the concentration of radioactive element (I-131) in your body fluids. The rest of questions I would like to answer in the form of PM. (Blogger e-mail or equivalent).

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    1. Tawnya AndersonMay 14, 2012 at 8:32 AM

      Thanks!
      I also asked my doctor and she says it's part of hypothyroidism, headaches are common. :)

      tawnyadanderson@gmail.com

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