(((jenson13))) It's always unnerving when you get health news that is out of the ordinary. I'll be thinking of you today.

My mom has a nodule on her lung that they've watched... for years, and nothing has come of it. I'd wait and see how it turns out before jumping feet first into worry on this one, because of my mom's similar issue, but also, I have had health issues that have resolved on their own or remained the same over time with only waiting and watching. If the doctors were worried, they would've gone forward with something immediately. It's whey then do everything in their power to get it done, you should worry. I know it's not easy, but this is ok with only "wait". If it grows any, then you should move on it.

jenson, I forgot to add that they only did a biopsy on my nodules because there were 3 of them, but they often only use ultrasounds for a single nodule, as it's easy to monitor for growth change and even more rarely malignant.

Hi, Jenson, I'm Jim's wife, Karen. I had a similar situation about a year and a half ago, I had multiple nodules on my thyroid and since there were so many and some were very large, the endocrinologist gave me a choice of a fine needle biopsy (see pickyshopper note) or just remove the whole thing. I opted to have them remove the whole thing because I would have to return for an ultrasound every six months, along with repeated biopsies, which seemed very burdensome to me. Since you have only one nodule, however, it seems your doctor is doing the prudent thing, which is "watch and see". Has a thyroid panel been drawn? This is a simple blood test to measure the function of the thyroid. As long as you are asymptomatic and the blood work is normal, I see no reason for you to worry yourself. Let your doctor know how worried you are and maybe he/she can reassure you. This is not an unusual thing to happen in a healthy adult and being a retired Nurse Practitioner, I have had many, many patients with this same problem - none of them developed life-threatening problems.

I also have a few thyroid nodules that were found 6 years ago. I had a thyroid panel, plus ultrasounds every 6 months for the first year and a half. Because they hadn't grown, I am now getting ultrasounds every year (or is it every other year, I can't remember) just to keep an eye on them. I know three other people in real life who also have them. From what I understand, they really are nothing to be terribly concerned about, so please try not to worry. :)

When I was diagnosed with my nodules, it was because of another condition! So they were found by accident. Knowing I first needed major surgery, my endocrinologist told me to come back in six months. So, even if they were cancerous, I could still wait. This tells you that worse case scenario,you will be fine.

I also have thyroid nodules and have had a couple of biopsies done and so far everything is good. Mine have grown a little since maybe 6 or 7 years ago but nothing you can really see. The needle biopsy is not bad at all, unlike the breast biopsy I just had but thank God it was good news!!

thank you to all of u. you have set my mind in a better frame of mind. I had it biopsyied a couple years ago and all was well, but because it has enlarged she wants me to have another ultrasound in 6 months. we r so lucky to have this board to hash things out. I was very scared.

Nodules are common - I think it's 1% of the population. I had a nodule in 1992. After a year on synthroid to suppress the gland, a radioactive iodine tracking test that showed it was "cold" (not producing hormone), and a needle biopsy (benign), they decided to take it out "just in case." I had half the thyroid glad removed, and I've taken replacement hormone ever since. For decades, I was on enough hormone to suppress the gland - "so I wouldn't get another nodule," they told me. But my current doctor isn't doing that, I just take enough to keep the TSH in regular range. I'm telling you all this because it seems that the protocol has changed. It's entirely possible that my surgery wouldn't even be considered necessary today. If you ever did need thyroid surgery (unlikely, from the sound of things now), it's not a big deal - way easier recovery than abdominal surgery - and they put the scar in a natural fold in your neck, so it hardly shows. I know several people my age and older who had surgery for a thyroid nodule earlier in their lives, and none had cancer, and you would never notice their scars unless you were specifically looking for them.