Thyroid lobectomy with isthmusectomy. Have any of you had this procedure?
In Sept 2016 I noticed swelling on the right side of my neck. My Dr. sent me for an ultrasound. The thyroid sonogram results showed 2 cystic nodules 1.6 cm and 1 cm in size. Since they were 1 cm and larger I needed a biopsy to check for cancer. My blood work has always been normal. The biopsy was benign. Then I started having problems swallowing food. An ENT recommend removing the right half because of the pressure. I went for a second opinion. He recommended repeating an ultrasound in 9 months and that the feeling was psychological. The repeat ultrasound showed my 1.6 cm grew to 4.1 cm and the other grew from 1 cm to 2.4 cm. I needed another biopsy. Benign again. The ENT said to go back the following year to keep an eye on it. In 2018 he only did a feel test. I asked my Dr. for a new ultrasound in 2019 and a referral to a different ENT. My nodules haven't grown since 2017 but this ENT said it is the size of a ping pong ball and it is better to take the right side out before it gets any larger. He said he would no longer call it a nodule but a mass. He even mentioned that I'm probably having a hard time swallowing. I said YES the last guy told me it was in my head! But he sent me to another ENT (yes this would now be the 4th ENT). He recommends removing half due to my age and the size of it. He said because I'm young (31) he would expect it to grow and the larger it gets the harder it would be to remove and the older you get the harder recovery would be. He did say that he can't guarantee that it will help my choking sensation and there is a 30% chance I will need medication. I was set to have my surgery in April but it was postponed. He called me to schedule a phone visit in July to talk about setting it up again. I'm very nervous. There is a chance of vocal cord damage and I don't want to sound like my mother! She has a manly voice. People would often mistaken her for my father over the phone. I probably should have had the surgery in 2017 when it was suggested by the first ENT. Then again I have been living this way for years. Sigh.