Just over 15 months ago, to my relief, my thyroglossal duct cyst, which had caused much worry and concern was removed. Or so I thought.
Today I’ve decided to revisit my blog, entitled ‘My Thyroglossal Duct Cyst and Me’ to write about it’s recurrence, which became apparent in late October.
After surgery in December 2016 my neck began to heal remarkably well. I didn’t need a drain, or an overnight stay in hospital, and by Christmas Day (just 12 days after surgery) the glue holding my wound together began to peel away, leaving a neat, albeit pink line behind.
Over the course of 2017, with the help from Bio Oil my scar became almost non existent, only flaring red on the rare occasion I was hot and bothered. I even managed to enjoy sunbathing in Las Vegas in April with the help of a large straw hat, under the instruction of my surgeon to keep the scar tissue out of the sun for 12 months.
Unfortunately in September I had a prolonged bout of tonsillitis, which subsided after a course of antibiotics. Shortly afterwards, I realised a small lump had appeared in the midline of my neck. Slowly, over the course of a few weeks it began to grow. I thought I was going mad. No, I wasn’t, and my mum confirmed that a lump had definitely appeared. Back to the GP I went.
On January 4th 2018, 8 weeks after my second referral, two GP appointments, another course of antibiotics and a close call with a potential rupture of the lump over Christmas, I was back at the ENT clinic at Calderdale Royal Hospital to see my consultant.
Now, I believe NHS staff do a fantastic job with the resource they have, and treated me with love and respect in a way I never realised a stranger could during my surgery in 2016. However, for me this specific experience at the ENT clinic left me very frustrated and disheartened.
Firstly, I was ‘greeted’ by unwelcoming reception staff where I was left feeling like my queries were an inconvenience. Thankfully, I was not as scared as my first referal in 2016 when we feared the ‘C word’, however had I been feeling vulnerable this reaction from staff would have only made me feel worse.
Although I had changed my appointment so I was able to see the surgeon who had performed my operation, I was told he didn’t need to see me, and instead was seen by his registrar, who after an hour and a half wait to see him made me feel like I was wasting his time (as the lump had reduced in size considerably after my recent course of antibiotics) and told me I would be sent for an ultrasound… in 3 months time. Now, for those of you who know me, you can imagine my reaction, and the nurse on duty kindly offered to speak to my original surgeon for me – who on seeing me in the corridor asked me to go into his consultation room.
Needless to say, I did not expect what he told me next. After looking through my notes, he went on to tell me that it was likely that I hadn’t originally had a thyroglossal duct cyst, and that in my first operation my hyoid bone had not been removed – a procedure that reduces recurrence of the cyst to 5%. I had never been told this, neither prior to the operation or in my consultation 3 weeks after my surgery. I had such a mixture of emotions. Confusion; had I missed something at my discharge consultation? Anger; was this the reason the lump was back? Upset; would I need more surgery?
After feeling my neck and viewing serval photos I had taken in order to document the growth and subsequent shrinking of the cyst, he placed me on the ‘urgent’ list for an ultrasound, and indicated that this new growth may in fact be a thyroglossal duct cyst after all.
I had an ultrasound to confirm the ‘new’ cyst and a tract which branches very close to the surface of my skin (increasing the risk of rupture), and to revisit another cyst on the side of my neck which was discovered in 2016 but is likely to be harmless. Within the week I saw my consultant again, who explained my treatment plan, which is to have a further surgery to remove the newly discovered cyst, the hyoid bone to reduce recurrence and some exploratory surgery to ensure all branches of the tissue are removed.
I have since had a pre-op and further blood tests ready for my operation. Now, on Monday 19th March instead of starting my new role at work, I’ll be having surgery for the second time. Let’s hope this is the last.