My Journey with Thyroid Cancer &
Levothyroxine Medication

Around 8:30am on the 8th May 2024 my life flashed before my eyes as I was kicked in the chest by a horse twice, one kick almost fatal as it was near my heart. Initially winded, I continued to work but then given the instruction to get checked out. After my shift I presented to the Emergency Department of my local hospital.

Subjected to a long wait, after x-rays and scans, it was identified that I had sustained multiple rib fractures and after an immense amount of questioning identified mild enlargement of my left thyroid that required further investigation on discharge. As per the report, I attended my GP after being discharged and was sent for a neck ultrasound. From my experience in seeing so many ultrasounds and x-rays on horses, when the sonographer went over my neck, I saw the mass and knew that the results were not going to be good news. While no physical symptoms such as a lump, the nodule measured 4.5cm in length and baffled everyone as to how long it had been developing.

The results came back quite quickly that the mass profiled toward cancer but a Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy, needed to be conducted to confirm the diagnosis – again the results came back quickly, and I recall exactly where I was on the 13th June 2024 when I got the phone call and the doctor saying “You’ve got Cancer”, the tests had all confirmed Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma (PTC), my life as I knew it was about to change.

From here things moved extremely fast, I was referred to an Endocrinologist and a treatment plan put in place immediately, and within weeks I was scheduled for surgery  -  a complete, total Thyroidectomy, this procedure was carried out on the 28th June 2024.

On the 30th August 2024, I returned to the Nuclear Medicine Ward of the hospital to undergo Radioactive Iodine (RAI) treatment, this required oral administration of 3.9 GBq of I-131and an isolated stay of 5 days in hospital. Nothing could ever prepare me for this experience, I had no direct human contact for the 5 days – this meant no visitors and not even physical contact with the hospital staff – isolation like COVID days, but worse!

In December 2024, I underwent surveillance scans to see if there were any signs of metastatic disease. The report given by the provider stated that I was clear, however my endocrinologist reviewed the images and identified within those images that lymph nodes on the left side of my neck were still affected by PTC and would require surgery.

On the 14th March 2025, I underwent a left level II to IV neck dissection which resulted in 48 lymph nodes removed and 10 affected by cancer.

On the 22nd August 2025, I returned to the Nuclear Medicine Ward to have a subsequent round of RAI treatment, although this time I was given a much higher dose (5.85 GBq capsule) of sodium 131-iodine and kept in isolation again in the hospital for a few days. I returned to the Nuclear Medicine department on the 29th August for a whole-body PET Scan to identify if the ablation had been successful, the results of this scan returned that a suspicious nodule was identified in the central region of my neck.

The whole experience with Nuclear Medicine was quite daunting as it made me feel alienated and like I could possibly be cast in the next X-Men movie due to the amount of radiation I had endured in such a short time frame. My life had become a continuous cycle of blood tests, ultrasounds, PET Scans – I became consumed by SCANXIETY, a very real and debilitating condition experienced by cancer patients due to the number of tests we have to undergo.

On the 19th December 2025, just 3 weeks after getting married I found myself back in hospital to undergo surgery for a left central neck dissection to excise two pathological nodes.

I returned to see my endocrinologist in early January 2026, and a further treatment plan was created, this including having surveillance scans in April 2026. The surveillance scans were conducted and nothing of suspicion was found. At this point, I was also encouraged to seek a second opinion, which I did. In August I was scheduled to have a smaller dose of sodium 131-iodine and another full body PET Scan, the results came back clear of Metastatic disease – finally!! More importantly the markers in my bloods were essentially suppressed.

I commenced taking a daily dose levothyroxine from the 29th June 2025, something that I had to get used to as I had never taken medication for anything, not even a headache but now required daily medication for the rest of my life.  Having to adjust, I opted to go for an unrefrigerated brand so that I could keep it by my bedside as a reminder in the morning to take my medication first thing, but I never planned for how it would change my life.

The first big change that I noticed is that my weight gain was far more than I was comfortable with, fatigue was something that took up more space and time in my life than I wanted it to.  I was always taking naps during the day as I lacked energy, taking the medication made me feel nauseous and at sometimes wanting to vomit, there were days where I would feel like I was having a heart attack as palpations were crippling.  I spent a lot of time on the toilet as I was regularly constipated, my skin appeared dull and my appetite was severely impacted as most days I struggled to finish one full meal or even eat at all.

After my last round of RAI in August, I changed my levothyroxine dose to a brand that is required to be kept at refrigerated temperature, which is a tightly controlled temperature. This change was made in consultation with my medical team and the support of the Australian Thyroid Foundation; it has been one of the best decisions I have made.

Since changing brands, my appetite has returned and I can now comfortably eat a full meal and don’t take daily nanna naps. I don’t have the nauseous feeling anymore when taking the medication.  People regularly comment on how well my skin is looking (in fact glowing) referring to that I couldn’t possibly be sick anymore. I no longer need remedies for constipation and I no longer feel like I am having a heart attack as the palpitations are gone. Also, without trying my weight is beginning to gradually drop which in return improves my self-confidence. My energy levels are like they were before I had cancer, even recently allowing me to jump back on a horse (something I haven’t done since I was diagnosed).  I now feel like me again, before my thyroid cancer was diagnosed.

What a journey it has been and a chapter of my life that was filled with many emotions (not just my own) and at times felt like a roller coaster of ups and downs, but it is one that I am proud to have experienced as the scars are no longer a symbol of cancer, they are more importantly a symbol of my strength.

Thankfully, the levothyroxine brand I’m now taking is working and my life finally feels normal again.  From time to time, it reminds me of what life was like before my journey with Thyroid Cancer.