2 weeks post surgery - fullness in throat

[dscoochie]

I am two weeks post partial thyroidectomy and the last few days I have had a very dry, full-throat feeling.  Its like there is something stuck in my throat (wasnt this feeling supposed to go away after surgery???).  Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know what it is?

I'm not having any issues breathing or swallowing.

Thanks in advance.

D

[MKlacza]

Hey D! I had it and it went away as fast as it came. I felt like I had to keep clearing my throat and it was very very annoying!!!! It will pass my dear! I talked to my surgeon about it and he said it was perfectly normal as long as I could swallow and breathe!!!!!!!

Thinking of you as always!!
MK

[dscoochie]

How long did it last?  I'm going on day 3 with this now, and its very bothersome.  I keep remembering that post about that girl's neck swelling up and her having emergency surgery.

...

[MKlacza]

Is your neck swelling??? I had it for 5 days maybe. Maybe longer. I still get it sometimes..

[dscoochie]

No, my neck is not swelling - I'm just paranoid about her story!  

Its so very annoying, like something big is stuck in my throat - like before surgery.  Lord, this really sucks...

BTW, still no pathology...oye...

[MKlacza]

Did you call?? I had the exact feeling D! You are making yourself crazy!! BREATHE!!

[tigerhannah]

I had a total thyroidectomy 4 months ago.  I still have the fullness.  Somedays are more bothersome than others.  I am told it will take time- maybe up to a year.  I had a scope done and everything looks anatomically normal.  Good Luck.  Yes, it isn't a pleasant feeling, but unfortunately one that we have to live with for a while anyway.

[pep88]

I don't remember the feeling of something being "stuck" in my throat, but I do remember feeling like I could feel everything that I swallowed go down my throat in the weirdest way.  Kind of like I had an adam's apple just implanted or something...  Or the feeling that something was missing in the front and people could see the food going down? or like drinking very cold water when you've had nothing for a very long time.  I still get a small dose of that feeling every once and a while, but it's not unpleasant really, just weird.  Ahhhh, life without a thyroid....   Hope you're feeling better soon!

[helsurf]

Hi D,

Can't help you with the fullness feeling cos as you know i haven't had my surgery yet, but i can sympathise cos i do know how it feels.

Have you tried calling the hospital for your path results? or do you have to wait for an appointment? they're taking a long time to get back to you.

got my letter today telling me which ward i'm gunna be on, it's one of the wards i worked on as a student nurse and i hated it! i remember the staff were really rude and uncaring! gulp! gotta  be at the hospital at 7:15 am, atleast it's not too late so i won't have to starve for too long!

Take care
Helen x x x

[jeblondon]

I am also 2 weeks post op partial thyro - left side.  I went to a big party on Sunday with lots of old friends that I haven't seen for ages and boy did I talk!  As the afternoon went on I felt my voice begining to 'ache' - very strange sensation!  By the time I got home I didn't want to talk at all - I was a bit worried - but it all seems back to normal again.  My guess is that because they operate around the vocal chords that it must make them a bit 'tender'?  As for the pain and swelling, I have been a bit downhearted because I read so many posts here with people saying that they recovered really quickly with minimum pain.  I am stilll extremely uncomfortable and cannot raise my neck to high. Swallowing still feels like I have a lump in my throat and I feel I need to clear my throat a lot. The main discomfort is on the left side - the side they removed the nodule and the thyroid lobe from.  There is no swelling other than a bit around the actual scar area but when I touch that area it is excrutiating!  It feels as though they have tacked it too tight inside and I am hoping that this will get better too.  I really really hope so, because with the prospect of going in to have the other side removed now I am pretty nervous about going through all this again.
Any thoughts anyone???
Hope it all settles down for you too#J x
  

[nissah46]

I still get that feeling occasionally.  When I got it at 1yr. post op. I was afraid the cancer had returned. My endo did a CT scan and said there was nothing there. I don't know what brings this on, possibly something we eat, I'm not sure.
Trish

[dscoochie]

I saw the surgeon this afternoon and he said "its completely normal, as long as you are still able to breathe" (no kidding sherlock!) "and swallow...its simply scar tissue, some people heal quickly, others take years".  So, this feeling can last for a while - great...not!

Anyway, I complained about being exhausted ("normal - you had a huge surgery") and moody ("that could be the thyroid in shock - we'll check your blood work next week") and also mentioned that I thought my scar could look / feel better ("your incision looks fantastic if I do say so myself, and you can expect it to possibly be tight, numb, uncomfortable and even hurt a little for a couple weeks longer")...

And my path report - no such luck - hopefully soon is all I got.

[nissah46]

A physiotherapist friend gave me some helpful neck exercices as I found my neck stayed tight for quite a while.  Look up for a count of 4, return, down 4,return. Look over right shoulder for a  4 count, return, left shoulder for 4, return.  Repeat this several times and only push to a comfortable level.