Re: Which Direction do I go now?

December 15, 2007

Tee, I'm just so sorry you are having to face this. I'm sure there

will be many ideas and good support from the board.

Sara

>

> Hi Y'all. It's been a while since I've posted or been here - mainly

cos I've been feeling good as far as my thyroid and energy stuff goes.

>

> I'm in Austin, Texas for a reference point.

>

> Well my internal med doc insisted that I see an endo in October and

I reluctantly agreed to it. Yep the endo wanted to take me off Armour

and I said no way. Anyway the endo wanted me to have a biopsy on the

nodule on my thyroid. Nodule has been there and actually shrunk a

little in size since it was originally found 3 years ago. So I said

ok.

>

> I had it bioped last Friday and got the results today. It's cancer.

I was in such shock that I didn't even ask the appropriate questions

and this young doctor was a twit. She bounced through the office door

and after saying hello, proceeds to tell me I have cancer all in one

breath! Twit! Anyway, I have no idea what I have except " cancer " ...

>

> I refuse to allow any doctor in Austin operate on me or treat me

for cancer.

>

> What kind of doctor do I need to start with? Oncologist? Endo?

Surgeon? I'm just at a loss as to what to do on Monday. I prefer to

see a doctor in Houston and have my surgery in Houston. The level of

medical care in Austin just plain sucks and is about 10 years behind

Houston in terms of knowledge!

>

> Can y'all give me some ideas and recommendations? Doctor names too!

Thank you bunches!!

> Cheers, Tee

>

December 15, 2007

Hi, I had thyroid cancer. This December will be 5 years since my

surgery. My advice is to research your surgeon very very well. I

didn't and I now pay the price for that hasty decision. I let the ENT

that did all the diagnosis do the surgery with out much thought. Bad

choice. In my case we didn't know it was cancer until the surgery was

done. My FNA was negative, but the ENT warned me that it could still be

cancer. (I was having trouble swallowing so I was very uncomfortable.)

Half of my thyroid was removed and he still wasn't positive it was

cancer so he sent it to Mayo Clinic for review. It was cancer and less

than 10 days from the first surgery, I had the second surgery. Problems

came from the second surgery and I am sure it was because of the ENT's

lack of experience. I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Rosendahl

as a thyroid surgeon. I believe that might be all he does. (R. Anders

Rosendahl, M.D. Thyroid Surgery). It would be worth it to talk to him,

he has done thousands of Thyroid Surgeries. He is in Austin. I wish I

had at least talked to him before letting my ENT do the surgery. I also

believe things would have been better if they had just taken the whole

thing the first time. Now after the surgery, he would probably send you

to and endo for maintenance and the endo will want you to use Synthroid.

I went to Dr. Horvit for 4 years before going to Dr. Manzanero's PA

Debbie Winder. It was a year ago that I switched to Armour and feel

much better.

Hope this helps,

Pat

>

> Hi Y'all. It's been a while since I've posted or been here - mainly

> cos I've been feeling good as far as my thyroid and energy stuff goes.

>

> I'm in Austin, Texas for a reference point.

>

> Well my internal med doc insisted that I see an endo in October and I

> reluctantly agreed to it. Yep the endo wanted to take me off Armour

> and I said no way. Anyway the endo wanted me to have a biopsy on the

> nodule on my thyroid. Nodule has been there and actually shrunk a

> little in size since it was originally found 3 years ago. So I said

ok.

>

> I had it bioped last Friday and got the results today. It's cancer.

> I was in such shock that I didn't even ask the appropriate questions

> and this young doctor was a twit. She bounced through the office door

> and after saying hello, proceeds to tell me I have cancer all in one

> breath!

> Twit! Anyway, I have no idea what I have except " cancer " ...

>

> I refuse to allow any doctor in Austin operate on me or treat me for

> cancer.

>

> What kind of doctor do I need to start with ? Oncologist? Endo?

Surgeon?

> I'm just at a loss as to what to do on Monday. I prefer to see a

> doctor in Houston and have my surgery in Houston. The level of medical

> care in Austin just plain sucks and is about 10 years behind Houston

> in terms of knowledge!

>

> Can y'all give me some ideas and recommendations? Doctor names too!

> Thank you bunches!!

> Cheers, Tee

>

December 15, 2007

Hi Pat, Thank you for the advice. I've been on Armour for almost 3

years now..had to search high and low to find a doctor to rx it.

Had to go to a doc in Dallas initially for it and 1.5 years ago found

a local doc here in Round Rock that would rx it for me. She is a

family doctor who is also a D.O. and is very much into treating the

body with natural things.

I'm determined that I will not use a surgeon or oncologist here in

Austin. I've lived in Austin for almost 30 years and have experienced

the level of medical care here - it's awful! So I will be researching

doctors in Houston. I know of a great surgeon there that has taken

great care of my dad and my mom was able to speak to him immediately

after I told her about my diagnosis. Doc said he could definetly take

care of my thyroid. I just want to make sure which doctor I should

contact as far as giving me a 2nd opinion and whether I need to have a

2nd biopsy done to make sure the stupid Austin labs didn't screw that

up too (seems to be the norm for Austin labs)...

I've heard nothing but great things about Manzanero. I may use him

afterwards for local treatment..just can't afford him at the moment.

ANd I might also use who is up there in Lubbock as both guys

have outstanding reputations for wellness!!!

Can I ask how much Armour you are taking? Did you also get radiation

and what kind? I'm just full of questions right now.

Thanks!! Cheers, Tee

December 15, 2007

I did have RAI. I had the highest dose that they could give orally at

ARA at their clinic at the Medical Center. It was followed by two full

body scans. The RAI wasn't what caused the problem. Make darn sure

that whatever surgeon you choose has done thousands of thyroid surgeries

and does them every week. I lived in town at the time, but I now

live in the Temple/Belton area. There may be good thyroid surgeons at

and White in Temple, I just don't know who they are. People on

this board seem to complain about Houston just as much as any other town

for thyroid treatment. But thyroid surgery is a whole different

ballgame. Your surgeon probably won't be the person that does follow up

treatment. Make sure he is experienced and darn good.

Pat

>

> Hi Pat, Thank you for the advice. I've been on Armour for almost 3

> years now..had to search high and low to find a doctor to rx it.

> Had to go to a doc in Dallas initially for it and 1.5 years ago found

> a local doc here in Round Rock that would rx it for me. She is a

> family doctor who is also a D.O. and is very much into treating the

> body with natural things.

>

> I'm determined that I will not use a surgeon or oncologist here in

> Austin. I've lived in Austin for almost 30 years and have experienced

> the level of medical care here - it's awful! So I will be researching

> doctors in Houston. I know of a great surgeon there that has taken

> great care of my dad and my mom was able to speak to him immediately

> after I told her about my diagnosis. Doc said he could definetly take

> care of my thyroid. I just want to make sure which doctor I should

> contact as far as giving me a 2nd opinion and whether I need to have a

> 2nd biopsy done to make sure the stupid Austin labs didn't screw that

> up too (seems to be the norm for Austin labs)...

>

> I've heard nothing but great things about Manzanero. I may use him

> afterwards for local treatment..just can't afford him at the moment.

> ANd I might also use who is up there in Lubbock as both guys

> have outstanding reputations for wellness!!!

>

> Can I ask how much Armour you are taking? Did you also get radiation

> and what kind? I'm just full of questions right now.

>

> Thanks!! Cheers, Tee

>

December 15, 2007

You can have the pathology slides read by

someone else. But my sister went through a situation where she had fine

needle aspirates come back as “suspicious for cancer”. Which

essentially means that they are not absolutely sure but cancer is likely.

She was only in her early 20’s. I immediately took her to an

excellent breast surgeon that I worked with. I asked if I should have the

slide read again by someone else. His opinion was that if you have 100

pathologists read the slides and one of them thinks it is suspicious or

cancerous, you are obligated to go to the next step. In her case, it was

removal of the cysts. The pathology on the cysts that were removed turned

out not to be cancer.

It is definitely something to discuss with

your surgeon of choice to get his feedback. You might want to keep a

notebook or some sort of log to track your information and write all of your questions

down.

Kim

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