Aa
Surgery Wed worried
Found a nodule on my thyroid..was cold..had ultrasound, then nuclear med scan and biopsy. Biopsy was indeterminable, was too calcified and so have scheduled thyroid lobectomy. Doctor referred to me is a general surgeon who has done numerous thyroid surgeries but he said when they remove half of the thyroid he will take the parathyoid glands since he said you really can't tell where they are the tissues are so much alike. If I have cancer i'll have to go back within a week to remove all. Anyone else told the same thing? Wondering how you feel after surgery as well. Will be spending the night and going home the next day. Should my husband spend the night with me?
My doctor is saying the same things as yours. He wants to wait for pathology report (after surgery)as well. He says would rather go in twice. I even got a second opion and received the same advice. I go in Feb 19 for a sub-total removal.
My doctor said they could do a frozen but that the results aren't accurate and he preferred to get the results first. He said that one parathyoid can do the work that the four did and so I guess thats why he's not concerned about the 2. If I have to have the other surgery I will be sure to go over my concerns with him then for sure. Thanks so much for all the information it really has helped to make me less anxious about all of the above.
I am 20 days post op .. same as other postings .. ask for frozen section .. nobody wants to go back a week later if at all possible. Also, not sure why parathyroid coming out unless he wants it biopsied???
Surgery isn't bad .... only took Tylenol ... the sensation swallowing and tight feeling from where it is located is more annoying than painful and you get used to it as it heals.
I'd ask why the parathyroid and if frozen section is available .. I'd call b4 the surgery. Do keep in mind that frozen section is not 100% accurate but usually is accurate and that other areas can reveal cancer after they close you up .... those areas are not even looked @ until the final report later on and Cancer can still show up necessitating further surgery so a frozen section isn't a cureall but certain one step ahead of the game if available.
Cheryl
Surgery isn't bad .... only took Tylenol ... the sensation swallowing and tight feeling from where it is located is more annoying than painful and you get used to it as it heals.
I'd ask why the parathyroid and if frozen section is available .. I'd call b4 the surgery. Do keep in mind that frozen section is not 100% accurate but usually is accurate and that other areas can reveal cancer after they close you up .... those areas are not even looked @ until the final report later on and Cancer can still show up necessitating further surgery so a frozen section isn't a cureall but certain one step ahead of the game if available.
Cheryl
Hi Kathy,
I just had my left lobe removed last Wednesday, Jan.31.(4 days ago.) It was in fact as easy everyone here has said. Hours after the procedure I was just taking Tylenol to ease the discomfort. At home the first two days, I did take a few of the prescribed Hydrocodone because I think I was doing too much. Today I feel great,I haven't taken anything for pain, the sore throat and stiff neck has subsided, I am just more easily tired out, and find myself napping throughout the day.
I will say however that I am skeptical about the necessary removal of your parathyroids as my surgeon expressed that most of the time, as long as the surgeon takes care to identify and protect them, that they can and should be saved. II am not a medical professional and I don't know the particulars of your situation, but if I were you, I would clarify if that is really necessary.
You will do great with the surgery, I will be thinking of you. Don't hesitate to ask questions, or just post what you are thinking. Everyone here is very helpful and thoughtful.
Jen
I just had my left lobe removed last Wednesday, Jan.31.(4 days ago.) It was in fact as easy everyone here has said. Hours after the procedure I was just taking Tylenol to ease the discomfort. At home the first two days, I did take a few of the prescribed Hydrocodone because I think I was doing too much. Today I feel great,I haven't taken anything for pain, the sore throat and stiff neck has subsided, I am just more easily tired out, and find myself napping throughout the day.
I will say however that I am skeptical about the necessary removal of your parathyroids as my surgeon expressed that most of the time, as long as the surgeon takes care to identify and protect them, that they can and should be saved. II am not a medical professional and I don't know the particulars of your situation, but if I were you, I would clarify if that is really necessary.
You will do great with the surgery, I will be thinking of you. Don't hesitate to ask questions, or just post what you are thinking. Everyone here is very helpful and thoughtful.
Jen
Most surgeons will try to keep the parathyroids intact - they are very important and removing them can cause you some serious calcium problems. I lost one on my original surgery as it was so embedded in my thyroid tissue it couldn't be saved. I did have calcium problems after (many of us do) so please watch for cramping or tingling and let the hospital staff know ASAP that you need calcium. Even if the parathyroids aren't removed they can become quite aggravated just by being disturbed and can cause calcium problems.
*If* cancer is found (and my fingers are crossed for you to be in the 95% with NO CANCER) they will want to take the entire gland out. Please ask your surgeon to do a "frozen section" in the OR and have a pathologist there to look for cancer. That way you, hopefully, won't need two surgeries, they can just get it all at once. Some of us weren't fortunate enough to have the cancer found immediately and needed two surgeries but it's quite an easy surgery.
In fact, of all the surgeries I've had (eight total) both of my thyroid surgeries were, by far, the easiest I've had.
Rest, drink lots of fluids, and watch for the cramping or tingling. You'll do great.
Ask all the questions you want and please post just as soon as you are home!! You've got lots of friends here.
*If* cancer is found (and my fingers are crossed for you to be in the 95% with NO CANCER) they will want to take the entire gland out. Please ask your surgeon to do a "frozen section" in the OR and have a pathologist there to look for cancer. That way you, hopefully, won't need two surgeries, they can just get it all at once. Some of us weren't fortunate enough to have the cancer found immediately and needed two surgeries but it's quite an easy surgery.
In fact, of all the surgeries I've had (eight total) both of my thyroid surgeries were, by far, the easiest I've had.
Rest, drink lots of fluids, and watch for the cramping or tingling. You'll do great.
Ask all the questions you want and please post just as soon as you are home!! You've got lots of friends here.
Hello all,
I am 21 days post of of a TT and the surgeon asked me before my surgery that if the frozen biopsy comes back positive to clean the rest of the thyroid due to the cancer being papiliary. I told him yes. On my path report there was 1 parathyroid so now I only have 3 remaining. Lucky for me mine were functioning normally after the surgery. As for the surgery, it was a piece of cake and like mentioned above the sore throat and the frog in my throat that was more a discomfort then pain. The only problem the first night was the ward goofed on my meal and brought me a sold dinner instead of a liquid/soft which was hard on my swallowing. Other than that, GTG!
When you see the surgeon please ask about the frozen before they wake you up if it comes back positive for cancer. And to remove the rest that will save you from having to go back. Just my opinion. :)
Good Luck we are all praying for you!!!
Happy Times!
Scott
I am 21 days post of of a TT and the surgeon asked me before my surgery that if the frozen biopsy comes back positive to clean the rest of the thyroid due to the cancer being papiliary. I told him yes. On my path report there was 1 parathyroid so now I only have 3 remaining. Lucky for me mine were functioning normally after the surgery. As for the surgery, it was a piece of cake and like mentioned above the sore throat and the frog in my throat that was more a discomfort then pain. The only problem the first night was the ward goofed on my meal and brought me a sold dinner instead of a liquid/soft which was hard on my swallowing. Other than that, GTG!
When you see the surgeon please ask about the frozen before they wake you up if it comes back positive for cancer. And to remove the rest that will save you from having to go back. Just my opinion. :)
Good Luck we are all praying for you!!!
Happy Times!
Scott
Hi There,
I read your story... I am 16 days post op from a partial thyroidectomy. I had a large suspicious cold nodule by FNA the doctors removed the right... had it biopsied on the table intial report was benign so they closed me up leaving the left intact. my final report was benign as well, but everyone I had spoke with said that has had this done.. is that during surgery they remove the suspicious side biopsy it and if intial report benign they will close it up if cancer they remove the whole thing but they should be doing a inital pathology biopsy report during surgery!! so that they dont have to open you back up to do a complete removal.. unless your final comes back cancer. They should not be removing your parathyroid gland unless it gets damaged during surgery! The surgery is very easy.. and most nodules are 85% benign. Recovery just a sore throat.. swallowing but no pain in the incision. Drinks lots of water and try not to sneeze...hurts! bring yourself a button up shirt for comfort when leaving the hospital.. You will be great Good luck.. glod bless for good news and speedy recovery!
any questions please ask!
Kelly~
I read your story... I am 16 days post op from a partial thyroidectomy. I had a large suspicious cold nodule by FNA the doctors removed the right... had it biopsied on the table intial report was benign so they closed me up leaving the left intact. my final report was benign as well, but everyone I had spoke with said that has had this done.. is that during surgery they remove the suspicious side biopsy it and if intial report benign they will close it up if cancer they remove the whole thing but they should be doing a inital pathology biopsy report during surgery!! so that they dont have to open you back up to do a complete removal.. unless your final comes back cancer. They should not be removing your parathyroid gland unless it gets damaged during surgery! The surgery is very easy.. and most nodules are 85% benign. Recovery just a sore throat.. swallowing but no pain in the incision. Drinks lots of water and try not to sneeze...hurts! bring yourself a button up shirt for comfort when leaving the hospital.. You will be great Good luck.. glod bless for good news and speedy recovery!
any questions please ask!
Kelly~
I forgot to add--I wish my husband had spent the night, in retrospect. It's nice to have a familiar face nearby...
I think that in the majority of thyroid surgeries, the parathyroids are not damaged, and the surgeon takes special care to leave them intact. Before surgery, my surgeon informed me of the possibility of parathyroid damage, but he also said that it's rare. After my surgery, he told me that he saw two parathyroids intact, and had to "re-implant" a third. He just never saw the fourth. I did have a side-effect of low calcium; the parathyroids went into shock and stopped functioning properly for a while. But in the vast majority of cases (I don't have the figures), the parathyroids remain intact and function normally. Perhaps your sugeon was trying to inform you of a worst-case scenario?
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