Aa
Count down to surgery
I am having surgery next week. I have a substernal goiter that is pressing my windpipe. It is 5cm long and about 3 cm wide. I am starting to get really nervous, my pre-op visit is this coming Monday. I will be having a partial thyroidectomy and while in the OP room if it is cancerous, I will have it all removed. I am wondering about recovery, anyone experience voice hoarseness or loss? What can I expect?
Sounds like you had a huge goitre removed! Glad you recovery is going okay but very sorry to hear you have to go back. Wishing you all the best for that!
I thought Ibuprofen was off limits as it could cause bleeding? Glad to hear its okay as it really works for me.
I'm having half my thyroid removed on the 19th Aug due to a follicular adenoma.
I thought Ibuprofen was off limits as it could cause bleeding? Glad to hear its okay as it really works for me.
I'm having half my thyroid removed on the 19th Aug due to a follicular adenoma.
So sorry to hear of your vomiting ordeal and headaches!
Glad that's behind you now. Hope the tenderness goes soon.
Delighted to hear your pathology was clear.
My turn in three days time......
Glad that's behind you now. Hope the tenderness goes soon.
Delighted to hear your pathology was clear.
My turn in three days time......
I am 17 days post op today, and am feeling nothing. So it gets even better very quickly. Very glad to hear you are doing well, and your path was negitive.
Hello 10 days Post OP
My incision does not bother or hurt me at all-it is healing. I can see the surgeon did a fairly good job of putting it in the crease of my neck ,I do feel alot of tenderness in my thyroid area(the side that is still there) and a feeling of tightness or choking sensation but not all the time. Anyone else experience that?
Emmymatt I am sorry to hear you will need to gave another surgery. I did get paths back this week-all clear of Cancer, did show I had Hashimotos.
My incision does not bother or hurt me at all-it is healing. I can see the surgeon did a fairly good job of putting it in the crease of my neck ,I do feel alot of tenderness in my thyroid area(the side that is still there) and a feeling of tightness or choking sensation but not all the time. Anyone else experience that?
Emmymatt I am sorry to hear you will need to gave another surgery. I did get paths back this week-all clear of Cancer, did show I had Hashimotos.
Hello, I am 10 days post op. I had an extremly large substernal goiter as well. They also only took the half that was affected. I have a very skilled surgeon. I was talking completly normal 2 hour after the surgery. She told me that what they took out of me looked like two soft ball stuck together, but one was in my chest. My recovery was very easy. I had a very sore throat, from the tube I believe. I too had a really bad headache. I only took Tylenol #3 for pain, that seamed to work ok, but never helped the headache. Once I got home, I took one dose of Ibprofen and the headache went away. Sleeping was a problem from the beginning. Finding a comfortable sleeping position was hard, but is getting better now. I feel pretty good now. No major problems. My incision is healing nicely, and quickly. You will start to feel better very shortly. Have you gotten the final pathology report back from what they took out? They called me this week with my final report and it wasn't good news.....papillary cancer. Now I have to go back for a second surgery to take the rest of the thyroid. But, that is very rare, I'm sure that wont be the case for you. I would be happy to talk further with you about our surgeries.
Hi again Cindyanne, I am glad you got through the surgery. I am sorry to hear you did my trick of throwing up all the time! I had morphine for a knee surgery many years before and it made me diabolically sick too! I am super sensitive to the aneasthesia too.
Keep us informed on how you are going!
Cheers!
Keep us informed on how you are going!
Cheers!
Had total thyroidectomy in 1993 it was with out a doubt the easiest surgery I've been thru. Only overnight stay for me,no drainage tubes, and back to work in a few days. I had a slight sore throat for a day or two. Good Luck and try not to worry everything will turn out fine.
hello-it has been 5 days since my surgery. The surgery itself was not bad but I was vomiting for 36 hours and had a killer headache-it would appear I am quite sensitive to the anesthesia(sp) and I think the morphine was making me sick as well-I refused to take that at about 4:30AM on the morning following-I told the nurse any pain I felt would be much more welcome than the throwing up! They removed only the left side and removed a growth about the size of a peach! I have 20 staples and the insision is looking somewhat better....
Hi Cindyanne I had two surgeries within 5 months and I think I was more nervous the 2nd time round as I knew what I was in for! I think sometimes the fear of not knowing can be really difficult to deal with.
Basically, thyroid surgery is one of the safest around! If your surgeon does many of them a year then you should be fine.
You can have discomfort but really there is very little pain. More of a tightness than pain.
There are a few on this forum who have had voice loss, many had hoarseness, but that is from the intubation tube they shove down your throat to keep you breathing. If you happen to get an aneathetist in a bad mood he/she may graze the vocal chords and you end up with a more than a hoarse voice for a few weeks. Just be nice to them before you go under..LOL!
Everyone is different in their recovery rates. If you usually don't bounce back from any set back thn you may take longer to recover.
Many people throw up after surgery. If you are prone to that TELL them before you get to the op room! They will inject you with some wonderful medication to help stop that. (Unfortunately for me, I never stopped throwing up, even with a pin cushion of a leg they kept injecting! But that is just me..super sensitive!)
The first few weeks after surgery are for you to take it easy. No heavy lifting, disco dancing,or other extreme sports! REST! Yes you can make dinner if you feel up to it, but the tiredness really knocks you abit, so either order out or get someone to bring you food instead!
If you have to have it al out, you will have to go on medication. Make sure you have it on an empty tummy then wait at least an hour to have food. Hospitals often forget to tell you that and bring it to you at breakfast time. Just take the tablet then put your food elsewhere so they don't take it back!
Low calcium can be an issue after surgery sometimes. This is common, as the parathyroids can be knocked about a bit. They will check you for this.
Ok well, that's all I can think of right now!
Good luck and remember to REST, even if it is only a partial they do!
Basically, thyroid surgery is one of the safest around! If your surgeon does many of them a year then you should be fine.
You can have discomfort but really there is very little pain. More of a tightness than pain.
There are a few on this forum who have had voice loss, many had hoarseness, but that is from the intubation tube they shove down your throat to keep you breathing. If you happen to get an aneathetist in a bad mood he/she may graze the vocal chords and you end up with a more than a hoarse voice for a few weeks. Just be nice to them before you go under..LOL!
Everyone is different in their recovery rates. If you usually don't bounce back from any set back thn you may take longer to recover.
Many people throw up after surgery. If you are prone to that TELL them before you get to the op room! They will inject you with some wonderful medication to help stop that. (Unfortunately for me, I never stopped throwing up, even with a pin cushion of a leg they kept injecting! But that is just me..super sensitive!)
The first few weeks after surgery are for you to take it easy. No heavy lifting, disco dancing,or other extreme sports! REST! Yes you can make dinner if you feel up to it, but the tiredness really knocks you abit, so either order out or get someone to bring you food instead!
If you have to have it al out, you will have to go on medication. Make sure you have it on an empty tummy then wait at least an hour to have food. Hospitals often forget to tell you that and bring it to you at breakfast time. Just take the tablet then put your food elsewhere so they don't take it back!
Low calcium can be an issue after surgery sometimes. This is common, as the parathyroids can be knocked about a bit. They will check you for this.
Ok well, that's all I can think of right now!
Good luck and remember to REST, even if it is only a partial they do!
Had my pre-op today. . I am feeling less nervous after talking more with my DR. Thank you for the replies
You think waiting for a TT is bad? lol
Try waiting in a Nuclear Room for that RAI pill lol.
They sure do take their time......seems like forever!
All the best to both of you and remember a positive attitude is a great healer!
Yes there may be 'hiccups' afterwards but nothing compared to what youve both already been through.
Hugs to you both x
Try waiting in a Nuclear Room for that RAI pill lol.
They sure do take their time......seems like forever!
All the best to both of you and remember a positive attitude is a great healer!
Yes there may be 'hiccups' afterwards but nothing compared to what youve both already been through.
Hugs to you both x
Hi, I think the waiting is the worst part of this!!
Don't worry too much. I was terrified at the thought of a thyroidectomy but most people say its not that painful an op. As scary as it sounds, its one of the safest operations. They don't have to go that deep to get to the thyroid.
I'm seeing a surgeon on the 22 July for a large adenoma on the right side and two tiny nodules on the left.
From what I've read complications like voice loss and hoarseness happen in 1 out of every 250 thyroid surgeries, due to damage done to the laryngeal nerve, the nerves that control the voice. Usually, voice changes are temporary, so the voice will return to normal within a few weeks; permanent changes are rare.
Hope it all goes past fast and easy for you!
Don't worry too much. I was terrified at the thought of a thyroidectomy but most people say its not that painful an op. As scary as it sounds, its one of the safest operations. They don't have to go that deep to get to the thyroid.
I'm seeing a surgeon on the 22 July for a large adenoma on the right side and two tiny nodules on the left.
From what I've read complications like voice loss and hoarseness happen in 1 out of every 250 thyroid surgeries, due to damage done to the laryngeal nerve, the nerves that control the voice. Usually, voice changes are temporary, so the voice will return to normal within a few weeks; permanent changes are rare.
Hope it all goes past fast and easy for you!
I think it would be a good idea if you and Sashphoenix compared notes as you are both having an operation.
Support is the key to success and wellness but most of all...stay positive.
That is the biggest healer of all.
Dont push yourself too hard...take each day as it comes.
Will be thinking of you.
Support is the key to success and wellness but most of all...stay positive.
That is the biggest healer of all.
Dont push yourself too hard...take each day as it comes.
Will be thinking of you.
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