Thyroid cnacer surgery

[tiredpuppy]

Hello to all...I got back my FNA results and am scheduled to have thyroid surgery in Feb. since the test came back as papilliary cancer. I just wondered how long the recovery time is before I can get back to work (Nursing). I hac=ve to lift patients etc. and wondered how my strength and stamina will be...if I am as tired and run down feeling post op as I am now I don't think I will be able to handle a 12 hour shift right away...tell me please ther is some light at the end of this long dark tunnel. Regards
Lisa

[tiredpuppy]

funny that a 4 cm tumor is not visable in the neck...you would think it would be but because of its anterior posture it is forced backward in the neck area and pushing on my crtd atery and lryng. nerves. I did see the ulrtas. as it was being done (U of M has an overhead pt. camera so you can watch. It is an irregular egg shape and appears to be attached at several points in the tissue surrounding it. I have had some lyph node soreness which may indicate it had expanded its parameters...creepy but still containable. I guess they won't know the extent of its invasiveness until I am opened up for dissection ( sounds like a highschool experiment HA HA) laugh on the outside be sober on the inside...thanks for your words of encouragement too. I hope you are recovering well after 6 days sound like you are in good spirits mentally, the physical will hopefully follow rapidly. How is the mind factor out there...anyone have or had a depression or I don't care about anything attitude pre and post op??? I have been very down. I keep telling myself to snap out of it but can't seem to. I know Hormone levels play a huge factor on this front...how are you coping with this? regards
Lisa

[utahmomma]

Sounds like you have fantastic medical care!  Kudos to you for being persistent on your health care too!  Too many give up and don't want to fight their doctors or accept the "in your head" label and ignore it.

Have you seen the ultrasound?  Do you know how close it is to the vocal nerves?  Yes, the parathyroids are a problem but you've probably been reading, and know from your training, what to watch for on the calcium drop.

Ask all the questions you want, that's what we are all here for.

[tiredpuppy]

Hello again.
yes I have a very competent surgeon, in fact he is a harvard medical & University of Michigan medical schools grad and a leader of our hospitals head and neck surgery dept. so I am quite confident. My endo I have not met yet but have been referred by my internist who I am confident in as well so I feel pretty good about my physician team. I have been feeling like **** for about 4 years now on and off. I kept complaining of chest pain and heart palpatations. My internist was stumped because he kept looking for cardio prob.s ( because I was presenting cardio with arythmia/very high cholesterol(420 total cholesterol)/numbness -tingling down the rt. arm/sharp pain between shoulder blades. etc. He found a congeital defect in my decending aterial branch and concluded this may be the problem...but it was not because my symptoms created other problems that cardio did not explain so he sent me to UofM hospital for a TBS(total body scan) I was begining to feel like a hypocondract!!! He assured me I was not nuts and that he would find out what the problem was. Well needless to say the TBS revealed the 4 cm thyroid tumor and it was the AH HA! factor that finally led to an explaination of my symptoms....thank God! I was beginning to think I was nuts. He immediatley ordered the U.S. w/RAI (cold nodule) then a week later had the FNA (11 needle asperations) with the labs coming back with early stage follicular varient papilliary carcenoma...bummmer yes gut so glad to know. I will have a TT but yes it is nearly immposible to remove all tissue and keep any of the parathyroids intact so I am expecting RAI but have not been officially told this. I will know on the 31st of Jan. my post op schedule. This is a good site cause I think family and friends get tired of talking it about but as you all know it on our minds constantly and it helps to talk and share things...even dumb things right??? so thanks again for the extra ears you provide.
Lisa

[ChitChatNine]

Just wanted to wave a big <<< hello >> and let you know I've been reading your posts.  I am 6 days post-op and lifting up my daughter's backpack this morning was too heavy.  Everybody is different that is for sure and I hope you have a very speedy recovery.  I never realized how involved those neck muscles are in everyday life let alone a career.

Today was the first endeavor at driving the van.  I dropped the kids off at school but that is it .. nothing beyond that quite yet.  Certainly not on a highway or focused driving with swift movements; my Mom is taking me today back to surgeon to have stitches out .. maybe that will ease some of the pain as they probably hold everything closed while I move the neck LOL!!

I am sorry it is 4cm's and possibilities of voice disruption, etc.  The very first words they had me repeat in the OR upon awakening were, "pls. say the vowels and repeat after me a, e, i, o, u" .. I guess they wanted to ascertain voice control immediately after surgery.

Please keep us updated,
Cheryl

[utahmomma]

Hi again Lisa,

SO your tumor is estimated at 4cm?  Yeah, I'd say it would be difficult to swallow and speak.

Is your surgeon a pro at thyroid surgeries?  As you know they will have to leave some thyroid tissue but will zap it with RAI.  How long have you known you have this nodule?

BTW:  Midnight shifts are better than overdoing it and complicating your recovery.  :-)

[tiredpuppy]

thank you all for your encouragment and support. I am covered by short term benefits provided by my hospital so money isn't the primary factor in getting back to work...but job security is...if I don't go back with in the alloted time I lose my great days position and may be stuck back on midnights aghhhh! took me a long time to get off of those. I don't know about Radiation therapy yet...I have an appointmnet with my endo and surgeon on Jan.31 to disscuss post op treatment and medications. I will know more then. At this point in the game its like "hurry up and wait!!!" I hate it. I will keep you posted tho as far aswhat comes...the worst part is my tumor is affecting my vocal cords 4cm left lobe anterior. Makes it tough to swallow and speak. I have been forwarned that I may have some nerve damage in the dissection process which may impair my ability to speak. we'll see...keep you in the loop as I know thanks again for the answers
Lisa

[utahmomma]

I had a busy desk-type job and was back to work within four days of both of my surgeries.  I didn't have my stamina back for about 3 months though.  It was tough because I was working 6 days a week and going to grad school.

My daughter and my sisters all had similar recoveries and were up and around (but drained of energy) the next week.  

I would think that having to bend over to patient beds and lift them would be very difficult for a few months - there are a lot of muscles and nerves that get damaged in the surgery.  I wasn't allowed to lift more than 20 lbs for a few months.

Since you know it is papillary carcinoma (I'm sorry!), talk to your doctors about getting your RAI very soon after surgery.  It's easier to just stay off the thyroid replacement for a week or so after the surgery than it is to go off it in a few months.  Think you have no energy now, it's nothing like going off your meds for the RAI.

Please keep us posted!

[Jenipeni]

Hi tiredpuppy,
Every body is different.  

I know of a Theatre nurse who had thier thyroid removed and couldn't return to work for over 2 months because they didn't have the stamina to keep pace.

I had my TT almost 7 weeks ago and I am going to try a 3 hour shift this Friday and then Saturday - we'll see how it goes, money is the motivation.  I don't have the stamina to work a full shift yet.  My thyroxine levels may not be right yet (going to have blood test this Thursday) as in the week following surgery I went hypo.  While waiting for the biopsy results I had no thyroid and wasn't given the thyroxine medication until I had the all clear, my TSH went to 15.5!

Are you going to have RAI?  If so they will want you hypo for this.  After the RAI treatment is over it is usually a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks for thyroxine medication to build up in your system.  And it seems to be rare that the initial dosage is the right one.  

While it seems like it could be a recovery that takes anywhere from weeks to months, what you have to remember is that the cancer will be gone!!!  As you would know cure rates are excellent for thyroid cancers.  I know you have a career that you probably love and rely on and then there is the money issue!  Argh! It's not easy but you are worth the trouble and the time to get it right!
There are many here who have/are experienced in what you are going through and are happy to share their stories and give support.  You have found a good place.  
Let us know how you go - February is not far now.  
Best wishes.
Jenipeni

[bizwiz12751]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but my surgeon told me not to lift anything heavy up to a month. Thankfully, I am a manager and do not have to do any physical work but if you have patients that need you to put in some muscle to move them.......I think you'll have to be really careful. Good luck and listen to your doctor.