Just home from TT - questions about complications

[MerelyMe]

I had my TT on Friday for papillary cancer.  Surgery went well.  I was to go home on Saturday but I developed a sudden hematoma and had to go in for emergency sugery.  That all happened Friday and I spent Friday night and some of Saturday in ICU then Saturday and Sunday night on a regular floor.  

I'm now feeling okay but I have ALOT of swelling in my neck between my incision and chin.  The doctor says that this is to be expected and that my body is retaining water and it will go down over time.  It's also discolored, looks bruised and appears to be extending downward over my chest and breasts, not as badly below the neck though.  

I'm very curious if anyone else has had such swelling and what your experience with it was like.  I'm very scared.  When I had the hematoma it came on so quickly and eventualy I couldn't breathe or speak.  I know this is a different type of swelling but I'm worried that it will affect my breathing also.  The doctor checked me closely to make sure I could breathe...and I can.  Every now and again I feel a "twinge" (not sure how to describe it) in my neck.  Almost like you'd swalled food the wrong way and I have to cough.  I'm worried that the fluid is going to stop me from breathing.  Could be just my anxiety.  

I want the fluid to go away so badly.  Anyone had such fluid retention in the neck and if so...how long did it last?

Thanks!

[rayneweather]

I know you don't want to hear this but only time will tell.  My best friend's mother had some damage to her vocal cord because of the intubation tube and she whispered for quite awhile.  It's been over a year now and you really can't tell that she had any damage.  What my surgeon told me is that if the damage is permanent (and to the vocal cords) there is a procedure that can be done to draw the damaged vocal cord toward the center of the throat to make your voice a big stronger & louder.  If the damage is to the nerve then there's not much that can be done, I think except hope that your body can heal itself.  Sorry I can't be of more help; this wasn't something I had a problem with after my TT.  But I did noticed that even once my speaking voice was back to 100% it took a little bit longer for my singing voice to get back to full strength & volume.  Hope you heal soon.

Rayne

[tsp123]

I just had TT done on same day as you, but it was for multinodular goiter. I hope your neck swelling goes down soon. My issue is with my voice, it sounds like a whisper and when I try to speak louder it becomes hoarse. How soon should I expect my normal voice back and how soon can I start to sing? Is there a voice training or re-training  or a vocal exercise that I can do post surgery? I am in a choir and it scares to hear the cound of my voice now.  

[Allamanda]

Sorry for your complication after TT. I had my TT on May 1st. I still have the swelling above the incision. Sometimes I feel a pulling and poking sensation inside the cut, specially at night. At first I didn't fell anything but after 2 weeks I always feel like swallowing a ball in my throat. About the sweeling, first it looked like a water balloon, the doctor said it hold water inside, it will go down. Now after 3 weeks, it did go down but very slowly. I wonder will my neck ever be the same like before TT? Do you have to take Synthroid after TT? I do and I feel dizzy everyday now. Take care and keep us posted.

[shaerich]

I'm so sorry you had such complications.  As if dealing with the TT was not enough!  I certainly did not have the swelling from the hematoma you're describing, but I will tell you that I did have swelling well below my incision on my breastbone area and still have some tenderness there (i'm 10 days post op).  I also had the sensation that I swallowed something wrong and it was stuck way low in my chest, but I'm guessing now that that might have been some bruising or something from the tube they put in my lungs during anesthesia?  That went away after 4-5 days.  My surgeon told me that a cough and sore throat for 2-3 days is very typical b/c of the tube in your throat and all the "jostling" he did on the outside of the trachea.

I do hope you feel better soon!  I hope knowing that someone else has the same feeling helps put your mind at ease.