My doctor noticed that my thyroid was enlarged when I was
about 23 or 24, but I had no symptoms (hyper OR hypothyroid).
Over several years, I had about a million blood tests,
a sonogram (found a nodule), a thyroid/iodine uptake scan
(came back showing a cold nodule, which is not good but
not necessarily bad), and two fine needle biopsies (both
with uncertain findings). I finally had surgery a few months
before I got pregnant with my daughter - I was tired of
always having the possibility of thyroid cancer hanging
over me. The surgeon removed the enlarged half of my thyroid
and it did turn out to be benign.
Interestingly enough, my mom had the exact same experience
about 5 years before. Thyroid problems do run in families
- my sister is hyperthyroid (discovered after her first
child was born) and my maternal grandmother was also.
Since my surgery, I take synthetic thyroid hormone. In
my case it's not because I'm hypothyroid (though partial
thyroidectomy often causes this), but rather as a preventative
measure. The meds keep the remaining half of my thyroid
suppressed. As long as the meds provide thyroid hormones,
my thyroid doesn't have to work and hence should be less
likely to develop another nodule.
