Thyroid Cyst (w/ solid components)

Hi! I'm new to these forums and have been humming and hawing whether I should join one of these websites to discuss my situation but I've been putting these symptoms off and blaming my overactive imagination.. after coming across this website I figured it couldn't hurt. I'm mostly here to vent, but I'd love to hear some second opinions or your own personal experiences with this.

Firstly, I'm a healthy, active 22 year old female. On New Years Eve, I noticed that the front of my neck on the left side seemed "fuller" than the right side. I had never noticed this before and it honestly seemed to pop up out of nowhere. After thoroughly examining my neck, I noticed there was a palpable lump on the left (front) side at the base of my neck (above my collar bone but below the Adam's apple). Worried, I made an appointment with my doctor. Even more worried so, I went to the walk-in clinic that day to get my thyroid levels tested to prepare my family doctor and kind of do that first step myself. My grandmother and my aunt both have thyroid problems (hypothyroidism), so knowing that, I knew I should jump on this. Shocked, the results came back completely normal. I was 100% expecting to get the news that I was hypo. I should mention, I don't have any signs of hypo (that are clearly obvious). I'm tired, but I work early and have classes early as well, so I blame it on that. I don't feel "foggy" in the brain, I haven't gained significant weight in about 5 years, etc. So after my doctor told me that my thyroid levels were normal, she began asking me those exact questions. Do you feel tired? Are you more sensitive to the cold? She kept asking me all of these questions to which I answered no. Following this she decided to schedule me for an ultrasound. Now I began to worry. I didn't think this lump would lead to any of this. A few weeks pass and I finally get in for my ultrasound. After this point I start googling ultrasound images of thyroid nodules, etc (bad idea lol). I began reading up on thyroid cancer and all these different types of thyroid nodules. I kept telling myself to not jump to conclusions! A few days later, my doctor calls me in to discuss my ultrasound results. I was shaking like a leaf! She tells me that I have a cystic nodule with solid components that's 4cm by 2cm. I was a bit relieved finding that it was semi-cystic and not fully solid. She seemed unsure of where to go from here and decided on a FNA. I knew this couldn't be great, this must mean she doesn't know what it is yet.. This had me scared. I asked if there's anything that causes lumps like these? Her response was "it's usually in people with iodine deficiency and they develop a "goitre", but that's not what I see here" she said, because I don't have a goitre. This lump only affects one side. My FNA is scheduled for Feb 26th/2016. I am nervous! Can anyone let me know how theirs went? What to expect? My doctor said once the results come back, we can either discuss surgery or she'll send me to an endocrinologist. I'd like to point out a few "symptoms" I've had. Aside from the obvious lump at the base/front of my neck, I've noticed the corresponding lymph node (under the jaw) is swollen. It isn't painful, but it's obviously swollen. I sometimes have a dull ache in the corresponding collarbone/upper chest area (not sure if it's related). If I talk a ton throughout the day, my voice tends to hurt and become hoarse and this will last for a day or two and then go away. If I sleep with my head/neck in certain positions, I can feel a throbbing in my neck where the lump is that is incredibly uncomfortable (not painful, just a strange sensation). I don't know if that's because it's laying over a vein, but it's really strange lol. I wake up in the night extremely sweaty (especially behind my neck under my hair), so sweaty I have to put my hair up. I'm not necessarily "hot" at night, I just wake up with these weird sweats. I can feel the lump moving when I swallow food. It doesn't hurt, it just feels weird moving up and down when i can feel it. I don't have any problems breathing or eating. Aside from those, I have no other "symptoms". I would LOVE to hear other people's experiences. And I'm sorry for the long message ..

Andrea

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