Laurie –

I totally understand the anxiety about the FNA. I've had multiple
FNA and in fact I get one every six months. I can assure you that
it's not as painful as you think. You are correct they do not use
any anesthesia but if you ask your doctor they might prescribe
something that will calm your nerves. I'll give you the step by
step of what they did in my situation. Realize that this might
differ from your experience. They have you get into a gown and lay
you on the x-ray table. They roll up towels and place them behind
your neck so that your neck area is exposed. They may even move the
x-ray table to where your feet are in the air and your head is
towards the floor. They will start by cleaning and disinfecting the
neck area and they will use the ultrasound machine to find the exact
place to biopsy. When the needle goes in it will feel exactly like
getting your blood drawn. You will feel that choking sensation and
a bit of pressure. The only thing that bothered me was the scraping
sensation from the needle. They need to get enough cells! Realize
that you not only have the needle in your neck but the doc is using
the ultrasound machine to guide him to the right areas. It's
uncomfortable but not painful. You can't see a thing…not even the
needle! As soon as the doc has enough cells he has what's called
a "runner" who takes it down to the lab to make sure they have
enough material for testing. If not…ya gotta do it again. This
doesn't happen too often. Results are given within 3 days. If I'm
not mistaken some hospitals can pick-up cancer cells immediately and
can have results in a day. Just ask when your FNA is over about how
long it will take. After the FNA I had what looked like a zit on my
lower neck area. I didn't have any bruising but it was tender to
the touch for about a day. No biggie!

I have 2 nodules and tons of tiny ones on my thyroid glad. I do not
have cancer! In most cases the nodules are not cancerous. Best of
luck to you! Only 5 more days!!

If you have any additional questions let me know.

Johanna








--- In ThyroidDisease2@yahoogroups.com, webpoet1@... wrote:
>
>
> On April 8th, I will be undergoing an ultrasound guided?FNA (fine
needle aspiration) of some thyroid nodules that I have.
> They will only be doing a biopsy on one of the nodules: 3 of the 4
are only cysts, and they are not interested in those: but will be
biopsying the one that is "a complex mass inside a cyst": as that is
more likely to be malignant, although the chances are still low.
>
> I have a couple of questions: how painful will it be, really?
Apparently they will not be using any
> anesthesia: because sometimes using anesthesia can cause blood in
the results and interfere with reading them. Will it compare to,
say, the pain of a shot? Or worse?
>
> And since it is ultrasound guided: am I going to have a lot of
the "choky feeling" that
> I had when they did the original ultrasound? I felt really choky
both by lying on my back,
> and also from the ultrasound pressing down on my thyroid.
>
> Finally, when do they usually report on the results? Will there be
some preliminary results,
> or will it take: a couple days? Or a week? Or what? And if I don't
hear back in a couple days is this "good news", meaning that
preliminarily it didn't look malignant?
>
> I am feeling very worried about this: because my partner is a 3
year breast cancer survivor,
> my mother is a 15 year colon cancer survivor, and before my DAd
passed away at 86 of other causes, he had had the beginnings of
multiple myeloma: a bone cancer (of course, he was a lifelong hobby
> photographer at a time when this meant having?a home darkroom with
many chemicals,
> and was also, by profession, a chemist: so this may have been
environmental).? No genetic link with my partner of course: but
still it reminds me that these things can happen.
>
> In the meantime until I find out, will try to keep positive and
realize that cancer is unusual and these nodules are very common.
>
> Laurie
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>