Help need on how to support my husband

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone, My name is Portia and I have been receiving valuable

information from the Thyca Group by emails since May 2001. My husband

34 yrs old had a lump on the side of his neck and after testing it

was revealed as papillary cancer. I am not sure of the size but in

July he went in for surgery to have the lump removed; then in August

he went in for surgery to have his thyroid removed. 6 weeks later he

returned for I-131 radiation treatment, after receiving treatment

they gave him a full body scan and discovered cancer in his chest

cavity and they went in through the same incision and removed the

cancer. He was placed on .125 synthroid and completed blood work this

week to return to the doctor in February. Today we found another lump

on his upper back and he wants to wait until February. We are

military stationed and he has to fly to another base for treatment.

Most important questions is how to support and keep encouraged? Does

this every end? Is it the easiest form of cancer and why doctors do

not do the full body scan before giving treatment?

We are due to return to North Carolina in May and if anyone has any

referrals for exceptional doctors in the ville area or

surrounding please post. As for me, I was diagnosed hypothyroidism 6

years ago and after receiving radioactive treatment blasted to my

thyroid that was three times the normal size the doctors killed it. I

gained 70 pounds in 6 months and have been overweight every since.

Does anyone have a weight loss strategy that is effective with

hypothyroidism?

I apologize for the email being so long, I have wanted to participate

but was held back out of fear. I would appreciate any wisdom they you

could provide to help us grow in knowledge, books, websites,

Thank you for reading and God Bless.

portia

[Guest guest]

Hi Portia,

I have sent you a lengthy private response but in the interest of the

list I'd like to suggest that you give more detailed information, *if*

you have it. How much I131 did your husband receive? What was his

last TSH and do you know the thyroglobulin number? What is YOUR TSH?

I find it interesting that you received RAI for hyPOthyroidism.

usually that is only done for hyPERthyroidism. Can you explain why?

I am glad you got through your fear. This list will be helpful to you

in dealing with all the issues and helpful in understanding what should

be done.

Happy New Year!

Gail

dx: 1968, TT, pap. & foll. well differentiated, RAI,

rad.neck dissection,lung surgery, hashimoto, high antibody

count, iodine resistant,existing thyca nodules in lungs.

Last surgery 1972

> Hi everyone, My name is Portia and I have been receiving valuable

> information from the Thyca Group by emails since May 2001. My husband

> 34 yrs old had a lump on the side of his neck and after testing it

> was revealed as papillary cancer. I am not sure of the size but in

> July he went in for surgery to have the lump removed; then in August

> he went in for surgery to have his thyroid removed. 6 weeks later he

> returned for I-131 radiation treatment, after receiving treatment

> they gave him a full body scan and discovered cancer in his chest

> cavity and they went in through the same incision and removed the

> cancer. He was placed on .125 synthroid and completed blood work this

> week to return to the doctor in February. Today we found another lump

> on his upper back and he wants to wait until February. We are

> military stationed and he has to fly to another base for treatment.

>

> Most important questions is how to support and keep encouraged? Does

> this every end? Is it the easiest form of cancer and why doctors do

> not do the full body scan before giving treatment?

>

> We are due to return to North Carolina in May and if anyone has any

> referrals for exceptional doctors in the ville area or

> surrounding please post. As for me, I was diagnosed hypothyroidism 6

> years ago and after receiving radioactive treatment blasted to my

> thyroid that was three times the normal size the doctors killed it. I

> gained 70 pounds in 6 months and have been overweight every since.

> Does anyone have a weight loss strategy that is effective with

> hypothyroidism?

>

> I apologize for the email being so long, I have wanted to participate

> but was held back out of fear. I would appreciate any wisdom they you

> could provide to help us grow in knowledge, books, websites,

>

> Thank you for reading and God Bless.

>

> portia

[Guest guest]

I don't have personal knowledge about this doctor but I know there is a Dr.

Smallridge at the Mayo clinic in ville, Fl who specializes in

thyroid cancer. I may not have spelled his last name correctly. He was

recommended to me by several people on this listserve and by a doctor at Duke

Medical Center in NC.

RE your weight gain: have you have your TSH and T4 levels checked since

undergoing RAI treatment? Are you under doctor's care or taking any replacement

T4? It might be worth having a simple blood test done to see if you need some

supplemental T4.

Debbi E. TT 3/7/01. 1.7 cm pap ca fol var w/vascular involvement, 101.3 mci's

RAI, clean scan 12/6, 175 mg synthroid-

---- Original Message -----

From: portialynne

To: Thyca

Sent: Monday, December 31, 2001 5:24 AM

Subject: Help need on how to support my husband

Hi everyone, My name is Portia and I have been receiving valuable

information from the Thyca Group by emails since May 2001. My husband

34 yrs old had a lump on the side of his neck and after testing it

was revealed as papillary cancer. I am not sure of the size but in

July he went in for surgery to have the lump removed; then in August

he went in for surgery to have his thyroid removed. 6 weeks later he

returned for I-131 radiation treatment, after receiving treatment

they gave him a full body scan and discovered cancer in his chest

cavity and they went in through the same incision and removed the

cancer. He was placed on .125 synthroid and completed blood work this

week to return to the doctor in February. Today we found another lump

on his upper back and he wants to wait until February. We are

military stationed and he has to fly to another base for treatment.

Most important questions is how to support and keep encouraged? Does

this every end? Is it the easiest form of cancer and why doctors do

not do the full body scan before giving treatment?

We are due to return to North Carolina in May and if anyone has any

referrals for exceptional doctors in the ville area or

surrounding please post. As for me, I was diagnosed hypothyroidism 6

years ago and after receiving radioactive treatment blasted to my

thyroid that was three times the normal size the doctors killed it. I

gained 70 pounds in 6 months and have been overweight every since.

Does anyone have a weight loss strategy that is effective with

hypothyroidism?

I apologize for the email being so long, I have wanted to participate

but was held back out of fear. I would appreciate any wisdom they you

could provide to help us grow in knowledge, books, websites,

Thank you for reading and God Bless.

portia

[Guest guest]

Portia,

Boy sounds like you have had a time of it. If it were me, I would not want

to wait. I hate having to wait a year to have another scan to see if the

first RAI scan did its job or not. I had my thyroid removed in Aug. 2001.

Then I had 150 MCI of RAI on Oct. 1st. My Dr. want to wait a year before

doing another scan. That scares me. I am so afraid of it spreading to

somewhere else. I guess we just have to trust God and our Doctors. I would

try and see if you can get him in before Feb.

As far as for you, I was just the opposite. I have lost 44 lbs. since I

found out. It was a great way to lose weight but I would not recommend it

to anyone.

I just want to wish you well. It is a scary thing. God Bless you and your

Husband.

Here's to a Healthy New Year.

TT Aug, 01

RAI 150 Mci Oct. 01

Whole Body Scan Oct. 8th, 01

sypolt@...

Help need on how to support my husband

> Hi everyone, My name is Portia and I have been receiving valuable

> information from the Thyca Group by emails since May 2001. My husband

> 34 yrs old had a lump on the side of his neck and after testing it

> was revealed as papillary cancer. I am not sure of the size but in

> July he went in for surgery to have the lump removed; then in August

> he went in for surgery to have his thyroid removed. 6 weeks later he

> returned for I-131 radiation treatment, after receiving treatment

> they gave him a full body scan and discovered cancer in his chest

> cavity and they went in through the same incision and removed the

> cancer. He was placed on .125 synthroid and completed blood work this

> week to return to the doctor in February. Today we found another lump

> on his upper back and he wants to wait until February. We are

> military stationed and he has to fly to another base for treatment.

>

> Most important questions is how to support and keep encouraged? Does

> this every end? Is it the easiest form of cancer and why doctors do

> not do the full body scan before giving treatment?

>

> We are due to return to North Carolina in May and if anyone has any

> referrals for exceptional doctors in the ville area or

> surrounding please post. As for me, I was diagnosed hypothyroidism 6

> years ago and after receiving radioactive treatment blasted to my

> thyroid that was three times the normal size the doctors killed it. I

> gained 70 pounds in 6 months and have been overweight every since.

> Does anyone have a weight loss strategy that is effective with

> hypothyroidism?

>

> I apologize for the email being so long, I have wanted to participate

> but was held back out of fear. I would appreciate any wisdom they you

> could provide to help us grow in knowledge, books, websites,

>

> Thank you for reading and God Bless.

>

> portia

>

>

>

> For more information regarding thyroid cancer visit www.thyca.org. If you

do not wish to belong to this group, you may UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a blank

email to thyca-unsubscribe

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

I think you are doing what it takes to be supportive of your husband

in dealing with thyca by reading about it and being involved. It is

a scary time for both you and your husband and will have a large

impact on your lives. Remember that for every uncertainty that you

face your husband is facing the same uncertainty. He will go through

times that will leave him temporarily drained both physically and

emotionally and you will need to be understanding and supportive even

when things aren't going so well. Let him know that you need his

support as much as he needs yours, it's a family affair. Understand

that it does get better even if not easier. More important than

anything else he needs to know that you are there for him.

God Bless and Good Luck

Bob

> Hi everyone, My name is Portia and I have been receiving valuable

> information from the Thyca Group by emails since May 2001. My

husband