I went back to the endocrinologist today. My thyroglobulin level is still undetectable, and she doesn’t feel anything in my neck. (Neither does my primary care doctor.) And yet, she still wants to do an ultrasound. She wants to do an ultrasound because I haven’t had one in a few years, and she wants to do an ultrasound every couple years or so.
Even so, it’s annoying.
Going to the endocrinologist is something I just have to do as the aftermath of having thyroid cancer. I don’t mind it so much because I get a small high every time they confirmed that I am still cancer free. But now I have to wait. I have to get an ultrasound, and that will be in about a month. That means a month of waiting. And worrying.
It does no good to tell me that “The odds of your cancer coming back are low. Even your surgeon told you the cancer was never coming back.” It does no good because I no longer trust the odds.
A few years ago a college friend had early stage thyroid cancer and had her thyroid removed. Afterwards, she was terrified that she would be infertile. I don’t think medicine has found an increase risk in infertility (as long as you’re taking your thyroid meds) after having a thyroidectomy. In fact, the doctors all go out of your way to dissuade women to have babies within a year after radioactive iodine treatment, so clearly the risk is low. But once you are that 1 in a 1,000 person, you will never again trust that the odds are in your favor.
emmasrandomthoughts 