Thyroid cancer - papillary carcinoma: when to get help

1. 1

   Is any of this happening now?

   Call 911

   Seek emergency help for:

   • New or severe difficulty breathing
   • Rapidly increasing neck swelling, especially after surgery
   • Neck swelling with choking, faintness or inability to swallow saliva
   • Severe muscle spasms or seizures after thyroid surgery
   Other emergency signs, for anyone

   • Someone who is struggling to breathe, gasping, choking, or cannot get words out
   • Someone who has chest pain, tightness or pressure lasting more than a few minutes
   • Someone who has sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, slurred speech, or sudden confusion
   • Someone who is unconscious, or cannot be woken
   • Someone who is bleeding heavily and it will not stop with firm pressure
   • Someone who has had a seizure that will not stop, or does not wake up afterwards
   • Someone who has lips or skin that look pale, blue, grey or blotchy
   • Someone who you believe has taken an overdose or swallowed something poisonous
   Yes, one of theseNo, none of these
2. 2

   Is any of this happening?

   Be seen today

   After thyroid surgery, contact your surgical team promptly for worsening wound redness, discharge, fever, increasing pain or tingling and muscle cramps that could indicate low calcium.

   Yes, one of theseNo, none of these
3. 3

   Does any of this apply?

   Book an appointment

   Arrange a routine medical appointment if you notice:

   • A new or growing lump at the front of your neck
   • Enlarged neck lymph nodes that do not settle
   • Hoarseness, swallowing difficulty or neck pressure that persists
   • New symptoms between planned cancer follow-up visits
   • Possible thyroid hormone symptoms, such as ongoing palpitations, marked tiredness or unusual sensitivity to heat or cold

   And for anyone, someone who:

   • has noticed a lump, a mole that has changed, or unexplained weight loss
   • is having side effects from a medicine, or is struggling to take it as prescribed
   Yes, one of theseNo, none of these

Every sign above is quoted from the sofidex article on Thyroid cancer - papillary carcinoma. If you are not sure, err upward — it is always reasonable to be checked.