Thyroid Surgery COming UP

I was diagnosed last year with thyroid nodules. I have been told that the gland is covered with them.

The three major cysts have been biopsied and they are non cnacerous. ONe of them is 3.2 centimeteres. If a cyst is over 2.9 they recommend removal. Since the entire glad is covered with smaller ones, gland removal has been recommended. The surgery is scheduled for AUg. 17th.

I would be interested in any info from someone who has had this surgery so I know what to expect afterwards.I  am told I will be in hospital approx. 2 nights.

What is the recovery time like? I have just had a partial knee replacement 10 weeks ago. My mind is saying that it can''t be as bad as that.

Any help is appreciated.

 

Yes Kim. I actually started off with three. One on the right, one on the left and a large one in the centre.

Years ago (around 15 years) I was medicated to shrink the size of them. This did work and they were stable for about another 10 years. Last year I had a physical with my GP. He was spending a long time in the neck area and I thought "Oh don't tell me the thyroid is doing something again". He sent me for blood work and a thyroid ultra sound. Then the phone call came so it confirmed what I suspected. When I saw the endocrinologist she said the main cyst was 3.2 Cm and too large to leave.

She arranged for a hospital biosy and thankfully it was clear of cancer. I then saw a surgeon who told me the entire glad was covered in smaller cysts. He said the smaller ones were not growing and he could just remove the larger cysts. However, if they started to grow, which they could, I would be back in for more surgery and have to have the entire gland removed. I don't want a second thyroid surgery so I told him to remove the whole thing and I will start on medication.

 The only symptoms I seem to have are over heating and lack of energy. You can see the large cyst externally and the physician doing the biopsy said that if left it could continue growing and eventually press on the voice box.

  I am not looking forward to this as I am just 11 weeks from surgery for a partial kneee replacement.

It has been a challenging year so far.

  I would reccommend that you definitaly stay on top of the situation. Are you on any medication for it?

many thanks for the info. So it soundslike the two night hospital stay will be it. I am already on calcium for osteoporosis. Did you have any mood fluctuations with the meds? Someone told me that can happen? At  least I have mobility with this surgery which I did not have with the knee replacement.

It would be hard to say if my mood is from the surgery or menopause. But I don't get severe fluctuations and recognize when i am not myself. And yes you can be very mobile after surgery, but no heavy lifting for 3 weeks. that includes laundry baskets, grocieries, etc.

I hope I never need the surgery, but it's nice to know it's simple and an easy recovery. :)
The drain sounds like a pain though.


Joy

Thank-you for the info. My pre op is July 27th so it is coming soon. At Least I have an idea of what to expect which is very helpful.

I doubt the exhaustion will be as bad as the knee, plus for me, there was no pain from the surgical site, just the drain hole itself was sore for a while. I actually felt well and wanted to do more than I was allowed to do. No heavy lifting for 3 weeks and then can return to normal activities. I was bowling after 3 weeks. I found the tiredness more from lack of doing anything rather than because I no longer had a thyroid. Most important is to get your blood levels checked regularly, take the replacement medicine on an empty stomach same time each day and listen to your body. Your calcium level may also be affected as the parathyroids sit behind the thyroid gland and can be disturbed during surgery. the doctor should monitor that as well for a while. I was only in the hospital overnight, but based on your age as well as recent knee surgery they may want to monitor your calcium levels more closely before letting you go home. Personally, easiest surgery I have been through, just requires a lifetime of monitoring, no big deal for that.

All my scars faded over time, if the sun hits me right I look like someone slit my throat, but is a very fine line and not noticeable otherwise. The drain hole scar too fades over time. If the surgeon does this type of surgery often, then the scar will be minimal. Good luck ad keep us posted

Well tomorrow is the day. 9:45 EST. I will post upon my return.

Well I had the thyroidectomy on Tuesday and came home yesterday. Feel a little on the rough side but nothing compared to the knee replacement I had in April of this year.

It hurts to swallow and there is a lot of fluid in my chest area which they tell me is from the anaesthetic. I am overdosing on liquids to hasten the removal of that fluid.

Also one side of my neck is quite sore. Probably from the angle it was forced into for the surgery.

I have some deteriortating discs in  my neck so that has assisted in the discomfort I am sure.

I have begun a small dose of Eltroxin as prescibed and see the surgeon this Weds morning.

Hospital stay was two days as predicted. Calcium levels are good (according to blood work) and best of all no signs of cancer! I am thankful for that. The surgeon said he found exactly what was shown on the tests done before the surgery.

I would be interested in hearing from others on similar symtoms after the surgery was over.

For pain they prescribed Tylenol 3 with codene. They gave me straight codene after the surgery. I had never had it before and I reacted to it with a severe burning sensation and facial rash as well as a  rash going up one arm. I have other drug allergies so this was not a surprise. Hence I have no intention of filling that presciption! I have used TYelenol extra strength and that seems to work well so I willl stay with that. Energly level is low whcih I expected so I will give it some time.

Saw the thyroid surgeon this AM. Had the stitches removed. Looking good. Have to go back in a month.

He said the anaesetic could take up to two weeks to leave my system. That is my biggest issue right now as it has caused a severe asthmatic reaction.

I have to be patient and trust the meds to do their work.

My symptoms post surgery were not abating. My GP has had a heart attack and no one is left in his place so I decided to go to a walk in clinic yesterday. I should have gone sooner. The Doctor examined me acording to my symptoms and the first thing he said was "Your glands are swollen". THen he said there was some wheezing in the chest area but not a lot. He told me I had picked  up a "bug" that was making the rounds. I am on antibiotics for 10 days.

I believe I caught it in the EMerg., dept a week ago. There was someone in there coughing all over everyone. If we tried to move away, they moved also. The person was angry becuase they were not being immediately attended to. Yesterday my husband started to feel ill with a head cold and today it is fully formed.It does not take much to figure out where we caught the ailments. We have not been anywhere else since my surgery!

Who would have thought that I would catch an infection after the surgery. I certainly did not even think about it. NOw I have to let the Meds do their work.

I saw the surgeon this past Monday. For quite some time now there has been a feeling of pressure just below the incision. It sends pain radiating throughout the breast area and is often accompanied by a feeling of gas in the chest area. I was quite worried about it as it was yet another symptom of something connected with what should have been an easy surgery. After using a scope (via the nasal passages) to examine the area, I now been diagnosed with acid reflux and have been placed on medication. At least I know what the problem is.

  I am gaining my energy back now that the synthoid dosage has been increased.

  It seems that any malady that I ever had in my chest area has been triggered by this surgery.

First asthma (which I had not had in 15 years) next a chest infection, then a head cold and finally acid reflux (I was diagnosed with that 3 Yrs ago but have not been troubled with it for 2 1/2 years)

This so called simpled surgery has been very challenging for me. I believe I am finally coming out the other side!