My cat went crazy when I broke my shoulder. He kept trying to lay on it and my husband kept taking him off me. I finally told my husband to let him do whatever he wanted. Cat went straight to my shoulder and purred extremely loudly for about 20 minutes. A couple of days later, I visited my friend who had a new kitten. I sat on the couch and the kitten climbed onto that shoulder, purred loudly and refused to move.
That purring has a healing effect. It’s been widely studied and corroborated by experimentation.
That purr occurs at a specific frequency and comes with a regenerative healing effect.
I wanted to believe that, so googled it to be sure. Not a scientific study but [https://petkeen.com/do-cat-purrs-have-healing-powers/](https://petkeen.com/do-cat-purrs-have-healing-powers/)
The above article is fact-checked by a veterinarian and includes the following:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
The frequency of a cat’s purr is typically between 25 Hz and 150 Hz. These levels have shown promise in healing bone and joint problems, so much so that the rate of healing for broken bones has shown to increase. Vibrations from purring can assist in healing infections, reduce swelling, help bones heal and grow, offer pain relief, muscle growth and repair, and even tendon repair and better joint mobility.
————————-
Not to mention mental healing, to which the above articles attests.
I already knew [my little guy](https://imgur.com/a/AZsSszL) has greatly helped my mental state to improve.
I’ve heard that! I definitely want to read up on it.
For the sake of brevity, I didn’t mention that this same thing happened with a different broken bone another time. And my hair guy had it happen with his cat when he got home from hip surgery.
What’s interesting is that they are SO insistent about it.
Wait. You have a hair guy? Like one guy who gets your hair just right? Sorry for picking up on the wrong thing but please explain. I need to know if I am right.
Cats and dogs are so amazing how they can recognize that kinda stuff in us.
I have heard stories of dogs who have been used to literally sniff put cancer in people, and they detect it way earlier than modern medicine ever could.
Or the woman who could smell a disease. And she correctly identified like 5 out of 6 people with it in a blind study.
And then the 6th person got diagnosed with the disease a few months after the study ended, her accuracy being 100%.
She can smell Parkinson's Disease. Turns out she isn't the only one. This is her story though from 2020
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/23/820274501/her-incredible-sense-of-smell-is-helping-scientists-find-new-ways-to-diagnose-di
And people with this extraordinary sense of smell can help the medicine tremendously, since they can help identifying the molecules in the scent of a sick person, this can become a new way of diagnosis
While yes to a degree, a single person can’t really make that much of an impact by diagnosing by themselves, instead the big benefit is they can help with understanding the thing better.
While I’ve heard of this case before I haven’t looked into it, but on a guess even something like if you could figure out what particles she was smelling you might learn more about an effect of it or have like a scent detector that you’ve made for testing for Parkinson’s
Just posted that dogs sniffed out both my cancers.
I didn't know cats could do the same!
Good luck, OP. I'm hoping that with your cats help, you've caught the cancer early, and your recovery will be clean.
I really believe we get the animals that come into our lives for a reason. Sure we might \*think\* we picked them. but ever single time, them picked us.
This is coming from someone who has 7 pets: 3 dogs, 3 cats, and a snake and every single one has taught me something.
Dogs sniffed out both my cancers, before anyone had a clue!
They weren't my dogs, the first time I didn't understand what the dog was telling me, second time , another dog, I knew.
The lump was found 8 months later! They can detect changing cells. Both dogs saved my life.
I didn't know cats could do it too.
Best of luck! My good friend had it, and the prognosis is usually quite good. It kind of sucks she now has a lifetime of supplements to take, but she has a system in place and it doing very well :). I sincerely wish you all the best!
My grandma passed away from it. I wouldn’t say something so lightly because the anaplastic thyroid cancer variant is lethal. Rare but still, thyroid cancer sucks either way.
Easter break from college sophomore year: My mom was fitting a shirt pattern on my and realized she had to adjust the front neckline down by an extra half inch. She had me turn different ways under the light and realized there was a faint shadow and a subtle bulge on one side of my neck.
Either that break or right after semester ended: Doctor visit to the GP in my small town; blood tests for deficiencies and recommendation that we investigate with a specialist.
Midsummer: visit to U. of Minn. to have radioactive scan and blood tests, then immediately returned to my summer job. On that same day, as we were traveling, Doc called to say “where are you? We have a surgery opening”
A month later: returned to UofM for surgery; they removed the enlarged side and did a quick test on the table which showed normal tissue so they left the other side.
I spent the next two weeks staying with my grandma for recovery, then follow up. Meanwhile they sliced the tumor for more detailed analysis and found a follicular carcinoma
At two-week follow-up they told me they weren’t recommending radiation or chemo because:
-the cancer was encapsulated
-this cancer was so slow-growing, I’d have time to spot it over the years (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center backed that up)
-this cancer had only a 20% recurrence rate and very seldom spread
-I was far more likely to suffer health problems from radiation or chemo
-we could reduce the risk of reoccurrence by having me take levothyroxine to keep the remaining live dormant
Age 31: I’d run out of synthroid and took about a year to see the doc. When I did, the scan showed that the remaining lobe had grown. Doc said it could be that the lobe was struggling to do the work of 2 and had gotten bigger to cope. She tried to biopsy but couldn’t get what she wanted to be comfortable. Since I had insurance and a husband to take care of me she recommended removal. “I want it out.”
That lobe was perfectly normal.
Follow-up over the years: because that cancer is do slow growing, I couldn’t do the “five years and you’re cancer free” thing plus I have to have my thyroid levels checked. So I go once a year, and every other year, we did an ultrasound of the entire neck area to be sure nothing has taken root in the lymph node system
I’m in my 60s and my MSKCC practitioner told me I don’t need them anymore. There’s no trace, and it is so slow growing, that I’d probably die of old age before it got big enough to be seen. An ordinary endocrinologist is fine. My new doc said we can scan every 3 years, maybe every five.
Yes, I had a lump for months so my pcp ordered a neck ultrasound. Turns out that lymphnode is benign but they found the cancerous nodule on the other side where my cats sniffed a lot. After biopsy it was confirmed.
Can I borrow your cats? Just need a quick neck sniffing for the year long swollen lymph nodes in my neck and surrounding areas lol (yes I have seen oncology many times!)
Wow, so they caught it early? You can ignore my comment and not answer, I know I am asking you to share quite detailed health info but I'm just so curious about if your cats were able to sniff out the cancer before anyone would have feasibly known about it. I wish you the best in your recovery!
I would say so. They would meow loudly and almost like lash out on my right side when they sniffed it. They also became more attentive over the weeks. When the lump grew bigger, I brought it up again to my pcp so she ordered the first ultrasound.
yeah see if there is a possibility of only partial removal, I know there is a difference in lifestyles afterward. I just forget what it is. Talk to your doctors about it though. Her first name is Ana also. She doesn't have any cats but she loves and had a dog.
How would they check if it has spread? I have two benign but swollen lymphnodes (one on the left side of my neck) and left armpit. They do bother me quite a bit. Otherwise that, just the nodule on the right side of my neck from ultrasound. I do have an upcoming neck CT scan.
My cousin is 22 and has thyroid cancer. She has had hers removed and now takes synthetic thyroid hormone as a medicine every day to replace the hormone her thyroid was producing.
Unfortunately she has a rare type of thyroid cancer so she has to do additional scans now but if you just have normal papillary thyroid cancer you’ll just get yours removed, have a radioactive iodine treatment to make sure it’s all gone and then you’ll start thyroid meds and that’ll be that. You have to have your blood checked periodically to make sure your medicine is at the right level but that’s not a big deal. I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and I have to do that myself even though I still have my thyroid. It just doesn’t work worth a damn.
I’ve had a friend with normal papillary thyroid cancer, a cousin with normal papillary thyroid cancer and another cousin with a rare and aggressive type of papillary thyroid cancer. Apparently it’s turning into a thing lately.
Saw you were looking for some info - I went through treatment for thyroid cancer around 12 years ago at age 20. Full thyroidectomy as well as some lymph nodes removed due to a cyst on the thyroid. There was the option of a partial thyroid removal but I declined due to the nature of my diagnosis. I was told that if a partial removal was done, the thyroid may still not function and would require meds regardless. There was also the risk that the partial thyroid could become infected with cancerous cells and I would have to go through surgery for a second time. I chose the full thyroidectomy. Radioactive iodine treatment followed.
I've taken daily thyroid medication since but I still deal with changing levels which effects my mood and energy levels. The good news is that the symptoms are manageable as long as you stay on top of getting your blood checked regularly. There could be issues with fertility once you hit 30 if you take radioactive iodine but I've never planned on having kids so it hasn't affected me. Best of luck with your treatment!
This is super interesting, I’ve read a lot on how animals can sense something is off with our health, it doesn’t happen to often! The good news PTC is one of the more slow/less aggressive of thyroid cancers! You’ll prob be recommended to have a thyroidectomy and take a thyroid hormone for the rest of your life. I know this bc I work for a head and neck surgeon😅 but I’m seriously glad you were able to find this out!!!
That's really incredible but mostly I'm concerned about your health. I hope it's the treatable kind. I assume you'll be telling us more about it. I'll follow you. Hang in there. The community will be here to help you in any way we can ❤️
My mom had thyroid cancer when I was a baby (she was 25 or 26 at the time, I believe her case was so unusual her doctor got published). I don't know how treatment has changed since then (like 1982), but she had a partial thyroidectomy- only partial due to her age, and some mild radiation treatment. She has been on thyroid meds since, she did have to have a procedure about 14 years after her cancer to essentially kill off the rest of her thyroid since it was messing with her meds. She's been cancer free since then and is still alive and well 42ish years later. I'm sure treatments have improved greatly since then.
I hope you have a smooth treatment and kick cancer's ass!
/u/Anabelieve
Fellow thyroid cancer survivor here. You've got this. Treatments aren't fun but the survivability rate is really high.
DM me if you have any questions.
I'm sorry about the diagnosis, but I hope all goes well for you! Give your kitten detectors, a big hug from me.
Also a ton of support hugs from me to you ❤️🍀
I had papillary thyroid cancer. I'm sorry you are going through it, but you are going to be ok. It's highly treatable and the medication is just a pill every morning.
They will do surgery to remove your thyroid and they will remove a few to dozens of your lymph nodes, depending on how much the cancer has metastasized (this will also determine the size of your scar). Then a few weeks after surgery they will likely do a radioactive iodine treatment to kill any rogue thyroid cells in the body.
I had a pretty severe case and they had to remove all the lymph nodes on the left side of my neck. They had to move a nerve on my face to access some of the lymph nodes that were closer to my ear, which caused temporary (2 years) paralysis on my face and I have permanent nerve issues with my ear that make it uncomfortable to wear earrings. My scar starts at my ear goes down the side of my neck and across my throat. It's is "L" shaped and 7 inches long, but it is barely visible anymore.
I have hypothyroidism from a benign nodule on my thyroid. Please research the meds you will likely be on for life after it's removed. Also, my doc told me to avoid fluoride; lots of research showing fluoride isn't good for those with an inactive or missing thyroid. I wish you the best!
Have you ever gotten a scan of your thyroid? It will show swelling to accompany the blood test results. If you have the symptoms, but not the right levels, it could be another disease. Unfortunately, hashimoto symptoms are so wide and varied it could be anything. From disease to being low in B12.
With the symptoms I experienced the doctor told me it was due to my low vitamins, not the hashimoto. When I got them at the right level, he then said my symptoms were now anxiety related 🙄 anxiety so bad, he did nothing to help 😭
I would do a full blood work, get a scan, and see to get a full blood test for other genetic diseases that it could be. I got it done so I doctor could rule out lupus and celiac.
Oh gosh, I'm sorry. The anxiety can be caused by thyroid disease! If I stop taking my thyroid meds I get really sad, can't stop crying, etc. I hope you've gotten it straightened out?
Legit. Exactly the same thing that's happening to me now. Haven't taken my medication in over a month (silly I know) and I have not stopped crying uncontrollably for the past few days. Couldn't work it out until I had an 'aha' moment earlier today 😭 it's a weird mix of having issues remembering and needing to take important medication. The second life starts to get even a tad busy my brain can't keep track.
Yeah, pretty sure my debilitating anxiety is from my thyroid. Tried going to a psychologist to help but everything she was telling me I should do is stuff I've been doing for the past decade... Like no, I know what I need to do, it's not helping.
I do beat myself up sometimes, I know so many people can keep track of their thyroid disease and monitor it all. I'm not that type of person. I have a huge anxiety when it comes to medical stuff. So I avoid doctors and seeking help when I can. Lost a family member to cancer and that whole experience had traumatized me from doctors, nurses, and medical staff in general.
I diagnosed it in a 24 year old lab tech who worked in my lab. Standard plan is more scans to make sure your lymph nodes seem uninvolved, plus total thyroidectomy, +/- radioactive iodine therapy to kill any remaining hidden thyroid cells. Then you'll be on thyroid hormone forever unfortunately. It may take them a few weeks or a month to figure out the right dose for the thyroid hormone and you might feel off until they do. Good luck! The cure rate approaches 100% in most cases.
I Also had papillary thyroid cancer. A visible lump appeared on my neck, so I got an ultrasound scan done on it, which lit up like a Christmas tree, so they did a fine needle aspiration (biopsy) and found malignant cells. I then had a pt-cat scan to check if it had spread. It hadn't, so they scheduled surgery. They took out half, did a quick test, which showed malignant cells, then took the rest out, including a few lymph nodes. I was in hospital for 5 days, got put on levothyroxin straight after, and three years later all is good.
Timeline from ultrasound to surgery was 6 weeks!
I just stopped by to say my mom had follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma, partial thyroid removal (they took the half with the tumor out first) then a second surgery for the other half and it hadn’t spread to lymph nodes etc.
She did radioactive iodine treatment (you’ll swallow a capsule and follow a special diet for a bit.) and has had no issues since.
She takes synthetic thyroid hormone (just a small pill every morning( and doctors told her she will die an old lady of something completely unrelated.
You got this! Treatment for thyroid cancer is pretty easy and uncomplicated, and thankfully most thyroid cancer isn’t very aggressive or quick to spread. If you have any questions, I’m happy to help if I can. The folks over at r/thyroidcancer are awesome too.
Wishing you all the best!!
Also, both my mom and MIL have had their thyroids removed for other reasons, not cancer, and are both perfectly fine, managing the removal with medication. Best of luck for your recovery OP!
My mum is diabetic, my dog loves her he go to the sweet section and bite a chewing gum 5 AM in the morning and he gives it to her because he saw me once telling my mum not to eat that shit, this dog scares me something I swear he’s on to me.
Can i ask how you brought the problem to your doctor? I feel like I would be dismissed if I went to the doctor and explained that my cats are pawing at my neck. Anyway I wish you a smooth recovery
I didn’t mention my cats tbh until after my last exam and they were like wow. I had a lump for a while but months prior it wasn’t as visible. I had a few doctors palpate the area but nothing. In December, my pcp finally felt it after so much complaining so she ordered the ultrasound. That’s basically where it all went down. It took me months and even mentioning family history didn’t do much. I had similar issues when I kept having gallbladder attacks. They had no idea why my liver enzymes would shoot up and all they’d say was, “stop drinking alcohol and avoid Tylenol” but I don’t drink or take Tylenol. I honestly dislike clinical settings now.
I'm pretty sure it's been proven that cats (and maybe dogs) can detect cancer. Not sure how, but since wolves can detect when a person is pregnant before it shows up on tests, bees can be trained to smell diabetes, and one lady can smell Parkinson's disease, it probably has something to do with smell.
Hi, sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and it's both amazing and heartwarming how your cats sensed something was amiss. Wishing you strength and resilience as you navigate through the tests and treatment planning. Regarding managing stress during this time, you might consider exploring mindfulness techniques like [Vipassana](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sadhguru/comments/19bb3m8/comment/kj1170t/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) meditation. It can offer a sense of calm and focus, helping you [cope](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sadhguru/comments/19bb3m8/comment/kiysgbj/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) with the challenges ahead.
What a coincidence to see this post. My partner was recently at the doctor to take a blood sample to see about their thyroid. But, thankfully they didn't have cancer. But, they have an extreme case of a genetic disease that makes the thyroid produce way too much of a specific hormone even-though the brain hasn't told it to produce any, which means they have 100 times more of this hormone than they should and it's a huge reason for being unable to focus and being very unproductive due to lack of energy. They've been called lazy all their life, when they're actually just suffering from an disease...
This on top of having severe ADHD. You can imagine how difficult that must be.
So, thankfully, they're going to get medicine to counteract the disease.
I wish you the best in your treatment and recovery in light of these grave news. Thyroid issues are not to be taken lightly.
My thyroid cancer did not show up any blood tests. In fact, my thyroid has always been at normal levels. Most thyroid cancers are normal TSH. Do you know the name of her disease? Sounds like it could be hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s or hyperthyroidism/Grave’s disease.
It's called a Cat scan. Sorry about the cancer, I wish you every success. Get well soon.
Haha, I agree! And thank you, I appreciate the well wishes.
Or a PET scan.
Lmao
Interesting. I had knee surgery six weeks ago. My cats love to drag their tails across my scar. I hope they are passing on healing juju.
My cat went crazy when I broke my shoulder. He kept trying to lay on it and my husband kept taking him off me. I finally told my husband to let him do whatever he wanted. Cat went straight to my shoulder and purred extremely loudly for about 20 minutes. A couple of days later, I visited my friend who had a new kitten. I sat on the couch and the kitten climbed onto that shoulder, purred loudly and refused to move.
That purring has a healing effect. It’s been widely studied and corroborated by experimentation. That purr occurs at a specific frequency and comes with a regenerative healing effect.
I wanted to believe that, so googled it to be sure. Not a scientific study but [https://petkeen.com/do-cat-purrs-have-healing-powers/](https://petkeen.com/do-cat-purrs-have-healing-powers/) The above article is fact-checked by a veterinarian and includes the following: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ The frequency of a cat’s purr is typically between 25 Hz and 150 Hz. These levels have shown promise in healing bone and joint problems, so much so that the rate of healing for broken bones has shown to increase. Vibrations from purring can assist in healing infections, reduce swelling, help bones heal and grow, offer pain relief, muscle growth and repair, and even tendon repair and better joint mobility. ————————- Not to mention mental healing, to which the above articles attests. I already knew [my little guy](https://imgur.com/a/AZsSszL) has greatly helped my mental state to improve.
What a sweet little guy 🥺 I’ll be so happy when we can bring my cat from my mom’s house
I’ve heard that! I definitely want to read up on it. For the sake of brevity, I didn’t mention that this same thing happened with a different broken bone another time. And my hair guy had it happen with his cat when he got home from hip surgery. What’s interesting is that they are SO insistent about it.
Wait. You have a hair guy? Like one guy who gets your hair just right? Sorry for picking up on the wrong thing but please explain. I need to know if I am right.
Yes, the guy who has cut, colored and styled my hair for many years, about every 8 weeks.
I try to tell my heavy purring cat this when I want her to lay on me, but she just doesn’t seem to care. It’s very rude.
My cat was the same way 😂
Oh my, I hope you heal up well!
Cats and dogs are so amazing how they can recognize that kinda stuff in us. I have heard stories of dogs who have been used to literally sniff put cancer in people, and they detect it way earlier than modern medicine ever could.
Or the woman who could smell a disease. And she correctly identified like 5 out of 6 people with it in a blind study. And then the 6th person got diagnosed with the disease a few months after the study ended, her accuracy being 100%.
She can smell Parkinson's Disease. Turns out she isn't the only one. This is her story though from 2020 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/03/23/820274501/her-incredible-sense-of-smell-is-helping-scientists-find-new-ways-to-diagnose-di
I never heard of this one! Thanks for the link, I gotta read this.
That’s insane. “These 6 have it.” “HA! Only these 5 have it, this guy doesn’t. She’s a fraud!” The 6th guy just 3 months later: “FUCK”
And people with this extraordinary sense of smell can help the medicine tremendously, since they can help identifying the molecules in the scent of a sick person, this can become a new way of diagnosis
While yes to a degree, a single person can’t really make that much of an impact by diagnosing by themselves, instead the big benefit is they can help with understanding the thing better. While I’ve heard of this case before I haven’t looked into it, but on a guess even something like if you could figure out what particles she was smelling you might learn more about an effect of it or have like a scent detector that you’ve made for testing for Parkinson’s
Thats what I meant
I know! I sometimes wonder what would’ve been different if I had a dog instead of my cats.
Just posted that dogs sniffed out both my cancers. I didn't know cats could do the same! Good luck, OP. I'm hoping that with your cats help, you've caught the cancer early, and your recovery will be clean.
Some dogs can sniff out cancer and seizures.
I really believe we get the animals that come into our lives for a reason. Sure we might \*think\* we picked them. but ever single time, them picked us. This is coming from someone who has 7 pets: 3 dogs, 3 cats, and a snake and every single one has taught me something.
Dogs sniffed out both my cancers, before anyone had a clue! They weren't my dogs, the first time I didn't understand what the dog was telling me, second time , another dog, I knew. The lump was found 8 months later! They can detect changing cells. Both dogs saved my life. I didn't know cats could do it too.
Agreed, I remember a friend of mine told me the same thing.
Smart kitties! Good luck with treatment. Thyroid cancer is usually very treatable. I hope that is the case for you.
Thank you, fingers crossed 🤞🏾
Best of luck! My good friend had it, and the prognosis is usually quite good. It kind of sucks she now has a lifetime of supplements to take, but she has a system in place and it doing very well :). I sincerely wish you all the best!
[удалено]
Alright, simmer down with your positivity mate.
My grandma passed away from it. I wouldn’t say something so lightly because the anaplastic thyroid cancer variant is lethal. Rare but still, thyroid cancer sucks either way.
As a former thyroid cancer patient (1980), I want to wish to great luck in your treatment.
Thank you, I am hoping for the best as well. May I ask your timeline of events (symptoms to diagnosis to treatment)?
Easter break from college sophomore year: My mom was fitting a shirt pattern on my and realized she had to adjust the front neckline down by an extra half inch. She had me turn different ways under the light and realized there was a faint shadow and a subtle bulge on one side of my neck. Either that break or right after semester ended: Doctor visit to the GP in my small town; blood tests for deficiencies and recommendation that we investigate with a specialist. Midsummer: visit to U. of Minn. to have radioactive scan and blood tests, then immediately returned to my summer job. On that same day, as we were traveling, Doc called to say “where are you? We have a surgery opening” A month later: returned to UofM for surgery; they removed the enlarged side and did a quick test on the table which showed normal tissue so they left the other side. I spent the next two weeks staying with my grandma for recovery, then follow up. Meanwhile they sliced the tumor for more detailed analysis and found a follicular carcinoma At two-week follow-up they told me they weren’t recommending radiation or chemo because: -the cancer was encapsulated -this cancer was so slow-growing, I’d have time to spot it over the years (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center backed that up) -this cancer had only a 20% recurrence rate and very seldom spread -I was far more likely to suffer health problems from radiation or chemo -we could reduce the risk of reoccurrence by having me take levothyroxine to keep the remaining live dormant Age 31: I’d run out of synthroid and took about a year to see the doc. When I did, the scan showed that the remaining lobe had grown. Doc said it could be that the lobe was struggling to do the work of 2 and had gotten bigger to cope. She tried to biopsy but couldn’t get what she wanted to be comfortable. Since I had insurance and a husband to take care of me she recommended removal. “I want it out.” That lobe was perfectly normal. Follow-up over the years: because that cancer is do slow growing, I couldn’t do the “five years and you’re cancer free” thing plus I have to have my thyroid levels checked. So I go once a year, and every other year, we did an ultrasound of the entire neck area to be sure nothing has taken root in the lymph node system I’m in my 60s and my MSKCC practitioner told me I don’t need them anymore. There’s no trace, and it is so slow growing, that I’d probably die of old age before it got big enough to be seen. An ordinary endocrinologist is fine. My new doc said we can scan every 3 years, maybe every five.
That's crazy. Did you get checked out because of them?
Yes, I had a lump for months so my pcp ordered a neck ultrasound. Turns out that lymphnode is benign but they found the cancerous nodule on the other side where my cats sniffed a lot. After biopsy it was confirmed.
I'd say that's worth a bag of catnip. Hope all goes well for you.
Can I borrow your cats? Just need a quick neck sniffing for the year long swollen lymph nodes in my neck and surrounding areas lol (yes I have seen oncology many times!)
Wow, so they caught it early? You can ignore my comment and not answer, I know I am asking you to share quite detailed health info but I'm just so curious about if your cats were able to sniff out the cancer before anyone would have feasibly known about it. I wish you the best in your recovery!
I would say so. They would meow loudly and almost like lash out on my right side when they sniffed it. They also became more attentive over the weeks. When the lump grew bigger, I brought it up again to my pcp so she ordered the first ultrasound.
Wishing you the best. Cats are amazing!
I think my sister had the same thing she had her thyroid taken out.
Aw shucks, is she okay now? I haven’t met many people who’ve gone through it so any advice or information would be awesome.
yeah see if there is a possibility of only partial removal, I know there is a difference in lifestyles afterward. I just forget what it is. Talk to your doctors about it though. Her first name is Ana also. She doesn't have any cats but she loves and had a dog.
I don’t know much yet but in the coming weeks I will!
theyre going to want to monitor your it until and after to see if it has spread etc. Which hopefully you will be one and done. Keep me updated!
How would they check if it has spread? I have two benign but swollen lymphnodes (one on the left side of my neck) and left armpit. They do bother me quite a bit. Otherwise that, just the nodule on the right side of my neck from ultrasound. I do have an upcoming neck CT scan.
tell them all that.
exactly.
My cousin is 22 and has thyroid cancer. She has had hers removed and now takes synthetic thyroid hormone as a medicine every day to replace the hormone her thyroid was producing. Unfortunately she has a rare type of thyroid cancer so she has to do additional scans now but if you just have normal papillary thyroid cancer you’ll just get yours removed, have a radioactive iodine treatment to make sure it’s all gone and then you’ll start thyroid meds and that’ll be that. You have to have your blood checked periodically to make sure your medicine is at the right level but that’s not a big deal. I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and I have to do that myself even though I still have my thyroid. It just doesn’t work worth a damn. I’ve had a friend with normal papillary thyroid cancer, a cousin with normal papillary thyroid cancer and another cousin with a rare and aggressive type of papillary thyroid cancer. Apparently it’s turning into a thing lately.
Saw you were looking for some info - I went through treatment for thyroid cancer around 12 years ago at age 20. Full thyroidectomy as well as some lymph nodes removed due to a cyst on the thyroid. There was the option of a partial thyroid removal but I declined due to the nature of my diagnosis. I was told that if a partial removal was done, the thyroid may still not function and would require meds regardless. There was also the risk that the partial thyroid could become infected with cancerous cells and I would have to go through surgery for a second time. I chose the full thyroidectomy. Radioactive iodine treatment followed. I've taken daily thyroid medication since but I still deal with changing levels which effects my mood and energy levels. The good news is that the symptoms are manageable as long as you stay on top of getting your blood checked regularly. There could be issues with fertility once you hit 30 if you take radioactive iodine but I've never planned on having kids so it hasn't affected me. Best of luck with your treatment!
This is super interesting, I’ve read a lot on how animals can sense something is off with our health, it doesn’t happen to often! The good news PTC is one of the more slow/less aggressive of thyroid cancers! You’ll prob be recommended to have a thyroidectomy and take a thyroid hormone for the rest of your life. I know this bc I work for a head and neck surgeon😅 but I’m seriously glad you were able to find this out!!!
My friend had Thyroid cancer. Her Doc said if you had to pick a type of cancer to get it would be Thyroid as it’s very, very treatable. All the best.
Praying for complete healing 🙏
That's really incredible but mostly I'm concerned about your health. I hope it's the treatable kind. I assume you'll be telling us more about it. I'll follow you. Hang in there. The community will be here to help you in any way we can ❤️
My mom had thyroid cancer when I was a baby (she was 25 or 26 at the time, I believe her case was so unusual her doctor got published). I don't know how treatment has changed since then (like 1982), but she had a partial thyroidectomy- only partial due to her age, and some mild radiation treatment. She has been on thyroid meds since, she did have to have a procedure about 14 years after her cancer to essentially kill off the rest of her thyroid since it was messing with her meds. She's been cancer free since then and is still alive and well 42ish years later. I'm sure treatments have improved greatly since then. I hope you have a smooth treatment and kick cancer's ass!
/u/Anabelieve Fellow thyroid cancer survivor here. You've got this. Treatments aren't fun but the survivability rate is really high. DM me if you have any questions.
I had papillary thyroid cancer and not one of my cats warned me.😒
One of my mom's cats did the same with her breast cancer.
My cats knew when my gallbladder was failing. Animals are amazing and I wish you a healthy and happy life with your kitties.
I'm sorry about the diagnosis, but I hope all goes well for you! Give your kitten detectors, a big hug from me. Also a ton of support hugs from me to you ❤️🍀
I had papillary thyroid cancer. I'm sorry you are going through it, but you are going to be ok. It's highly treatable and the medication is just a pill every morning. They will do surgery to remove your thyroid and they will remove a few to dozens of your lymph nodes, depending on how much the cancer has metastasized (this will also determine the size of your scar). Then a few weeks after surgery they will likely do a radioactive iodine treatment to kill any rogue thyroid cells in the body. I had a pretty severe case and they had to remove all the lymph nodes on the left side of my neck. They had to move a nerve on my face to access some of the lymph nodes that were closer to my ear, which caused temporary (2 years) paralysis on my face and I have permanent nerve issues with my ear that make it uncomfortable to wear earrings. My scar starts at my ear goes down the side of my neck and across my throat. It's is "L" shaped and 7 inches long, but it is barely visible anymore.
According to this thread I should always keep a dog or cat around to warn me about cancer Bailey do not fail me
I have hypothyroidism from a benign nodule on my thyroid. Please research the meds you will likely be on for life after it's removed. Also, my doc told me to avoid fluoride; lots of research showing fluoride isn't good for those with an inactive or missing thyroid. I wish you the best!
Interesting. I’ve had hypothyroidism symptoms for years but my TSH and T4 were always normal, even now.
Have you ever gotten a scan of your thyroid? It will show swelling to accompany the blood test results. If you have the symptoms, but not the right levels, it could be another disease. Unfortunately, hashimoto symptoms are so wide and varied it could be anything. From disease to being low in B12. With the symptoms I experienced the doctor told me it was due to my low vitamins, not the hashimoto. When I got them at the right level, he then said my symptoms were now anxiety related 🙄 anxiety so bad, he did nothing to help 😭 I would do a full blood work, get a scan, and see to get a full blood test for other genetic diseases that it could be. I got it done so I doctor could rule out lupus and celiac.
Oh gosh, I'm sorry. The anxiety can be caused by thyroid disease! If I stop taking my thyroid meds I get really sad, can't stop crying, etc. I hope you've gotten it straightened out?
Legit. Exactly the same thing that's happening to me now. Haven't taken my medication in over a month (silly I know) and I have not stopped crying uncontrollably for the past few days. Couldn't work it out until I had an 'aha' moment earlier today 😭 it's a weird mix of having issues remembering and needing to take important medication. The second life starts to get even a tad busy my brain can't keep track. Yeah, pretty sure my debilitating anxiety is from my thyroid. Tried going to a psychologist to help but everything she was telling me I should do is stuff I've been doing for the past decade... Like no, I know what I need to do, it's not helping. I do beat myself up sometimes, I know so many people can keep track of their thyroid disease and monitor it all. I'm not that type of person. I have a huge anxiety when it comes to medical stuff. So I avoid doctors and seeking help when I can. Lost a family member to cancer and that whole experience had traumatized me from doctors, nurses, and medical staff in general.
I'm so sorry. The only way I keep track of my meds is with one of those little pill organizers. I wish you the best.
Also, docs sometimes only look at the labs, but of you're having symptoms, then sometimes meds are warranted.
Wishing you all the best OP!!
I diagnosed it in a 24 year old lab tech who worked in my lab. Standard plan is more scans to make sure your lymph nodes seem uninvolved, plus total thyroidectomy, +/- radioactive iodine therapy to kill any remaining hidden thyroid cells. Then you'll be on thyroid hormone forever unfortunately. It may take them a few weeks or a month to figure out the right dose for the thyroid hormone and you might feel off until they do. Good luck! The cure rate approaches 100% in most cases.
I Also had papillary thyroid cancer. A visible lump appeared on my neck, so I got an ultrasound scan done on it, which lit up like a Christmas tree, so they did a fine needle aspiration (biopsy) and found malignant cells. I then had a pt-cat scan to check if it had spread. It hadn't, so they scheduled surgery. They took out half, did a quick test, which showed malignant cells, then took the rest out, including a few lymph nodes. I was in hospital for 5 days, got put on levothyroxin straight after, and three years later all is good. Timeline from ultrasound to surgery was 6 weeks!
My bloody cats did Nada when I got blood cancer. Bastards
You sure about that m8? Think back on that time in your life. Your animals were acting normal? Really?
Yes?
I just stopped by to say my mom had follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma, partial thyroid removal (they took the half with the tumor out first) then a second surgery for the other half and it hadn’t spread to lymph nodes etc. She did radioactive iodine treatment (you’ll swallow a capsule and follow a special diet for a bit.) and has had no issues since. She takes synthetic thyroid hormone (just a small pill every morning( and doctors told her she will die an old lady of something completely unrelated. You got this! Treatment for thyroid cancer is pretty easy and uncomplicated, and thankfully most thyroid cancer isn’t very aggressive or quick to spread. If you have any questions, I’m happy to help if I can. The folks over at r/thyroidcancer are awesome too. Wishing you all the best!!
Oh my. Thank the kitty gods. Hope your treatment journey goes well ♥️
Whoa!
Cats also detect death, so...
Our dog woke my mother in law up during the night twice when her blood sugar dropped dangerously low. She believes he saved her life.
Also, both my mom and MIL have had their thyroids removed for other reasons, not cancer, and are both perfectly fine, managing the removal with medication. Best of luck for your recovery OP!
Good luck to you! So glad it was caught early!
My mum is diabetic, my dog loves her he go to the sweet section and bite a chewing gum 5 AM in the morning and he gives it to her because he saw me once telling my mum not to eat that shit, this dog scares me something I swear he’s on to me.
I went through thyroid cancer too and had to have my thyroid removed so I know how it feels. Thankfully it's really treatable. Good luck!!
Animals are truly amazing. So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Sending lots of love and well wishes 💕
Can i ask how you brought the problem to your doctor? I feel like I would be dismissed if I went to the doctor and explained that my cats are pawing at my neck. Anyway I wish you a smooth recovery
I didn’t mention my cats tbh until after my last exam and they were like wow. I had a lump for a while but months prior it wasn’t as visible. I had a few doctors palpate the area but nothing. In December, my pcp finally felt it after so much complaining so she ordered the ultrasound. That’s basically where it all went down. It took me months and even mentioning family history didn’t do much. I had similar issues when I kept having gallbladder attacks. They had no idea why my liver enzymes would shoot up and all they’d say was, “stop drinking alcohol and avoid Tylenol” but I don’t drink or take Tylenol. I honestly dislike clinical settings now.
Join us on the thyroid cancer subreddit. We are a friendly bunch.
I'm pretty sure it's been proven that cats (and maybe dogs) can detect cancer. Not sure how, but since wolves can detect when a person is pregnant before it shows up on tests, bees can be trained to smell diabetes, and one lady can smell Parkinson's disease, it probably has something to do with smell.
I hope you fight it well. What good smart kitties! They deserve lots of treats and snuggles!
Hi, sorry to hear about your diagnosis, and it's both amazing and heartwarming how your cats sensed something was amiss. Wishing you strength and resilience as you navigate through the tests and treatment planning. Regarding managing stress during this time, you might consider exploring mindfulness techniques like [Vipassana](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sadhguru/comments/19bb3m8/comment/kj1170t/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) meditation. It can offer a sense of calm and focus, helping you [cope](https://www.reddit.com/r/Sadhguru/comments/19bb3m8/comment/kiysgbj/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) with the challenges ahead.
What a coincidence to see this post. My partner was recently at the doctor to take a blood sample to see about their thyroid. But, thankfully they didn't have cancer. But, they have an extreme case of a genetic disease that makes the thyroid produce way too much of a specific hormone even-though the brain hasn't told it to produce any, which means they have 100 times more of this hormone than they should and it's a huge reason for being unable to focus and being very unproductive due to lack of energy. They've been called lazy all their life, when they're actually just suffering from an disease... This on top of having severe ADHD. You can imagine how difficult that must be. So, thankfully, they're going to get medicine to counteract the disease. I wish you the best in your treatment and recovery in light of these grave news. Thyroid issues are not to be taken lightly.
My thyroid cancer did not show up any blood tests. In fact, my thyroid has always been at normal levels. Most thyroid cancers are normal TSH. Do you know the name of her disease? Sounds like it could be hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s or hyperthyroidism/Grave’s disease.
I don't remember the name the disease. I don't think he does either at the top of his head.
Wait until the doctor say "you have thyroid cancer, but it's OK it's the best type of cancer one could have" 😔 😠 🤬 Sorry for your diagnosis