KimberlyHello and welcome to our forum. How fortunate that your mom stepped in to help you get a correct diagnosis!
This board has a search function (in the top right-hand corner of the screen), so you can run a search for “ATDs”, “Anti-Thyroid Drugs”, “RAI”, “radioiodine”, “thyroidectomy”, “surgery”, etc. to read stories from other patients.
You can find some info on the risks and benefits of the three options in the “Treatment Options” thread in the announcements section of the forum.
I have been taking anti-thyroid drugs (Methimazole) for going on 5 years now, and plan to stay the course with this treatment unless there is a medical reason (complications with white blood cells or liver function) for me to move on to a more permanent treatment option.
However, the fact that you are dealing with a significant mass will certainly affect your treatment options. One presenter at our Boston conference noted that it is advisable to try and get a definitive ruling on any suspicious nodules prior to proceeding with treatment. The *vast* majority of nodules are benign, but if there is any malignancy involved, surgery will become the preferred treatment option.
Take care – and keep us posted on how you are doing!