Thyroid surgery

[sandyg45]

Hi Everyone,
   Well I am having surgery in one week to remove my rt lobe, cyst recent had thyroiditis. I have two nodules on left lobe, one with small calcification. My neck swells and neck hurting again. I must say I am nervous. The Dr. will determine during surgery if left lobe will come out, will do biopsy then. How long is recovery, what should I expect?
I know I will stay for 1-2 days if no complications, just having second thoughts, but know it needs to be done.
Thanks for any words of wisdom. I am sure I will update next week.
God Bless.

[pippy2]

I am researching to find a top thyroid surgeon in PA, NY, NJ area.Any suggestions? I'm looking for someone who does minimal invasive, minimal scarring and not in a hurry to cut. Very Leary about having surgery.

[sandyg45]

Hi nice to hear from you, the pain in neck and shoulder has left, I still have a golf ball size knot in throat, seems to swells by end of day, trying to behave.
I am blessed and really watching my eating, I have lost 5 lbs. I go tomorrow for my stictches to be removed and also visit my Endo. to discuss blood work from the other day, today I have felt good. updata ya tomorrow.

Do you have lots swelling in throat? just checking if normal.

[Kimmydee2]

Oh and I forgot to add.......today was my one week follow up and I gained 11 pounds already......Be careful resting and eating too much.....LOL.....but Yoga is a good exercise post surgery because it is low impact and good for healing.......I'm gonna start back tomorrow.....and its really hard to live without that overactive thyroid that was keeping me thin......

[Kimmydee2]

Hi Sandyg45, we could have almost been roommates in the hospital....LOL....I had my TT on Tuesday 6/1/10 just a few days before you......so I had mine on tuesday and went home on Wednesday.....Just  a quick note that my surgeon opted for TT because I had nodules on both sides and I have Hashimoto's so it was only a matter of time before the other side enlarged....The right was 2.3 cm mass follicular adenoma (benign).  My tingling started in the hospital....doc suggests just like everyone else eat Tums till it goes away....although, I have had better luck with chewable Caltrate +D.....The D helps with absorption.  I am on 125mcg Levothroid because of TT and feeling super on that dose.....a little tired and I do have a "foggy head".  No real pain to speak of and if any I just need a Tylenol.  Cant say that I had the shoulder pain.....but my ribcage and sternum were a little sore as if the doc used them as a "workbench"......LOL......But for the most part I feel great......My joint pain as disappeared too which was part of the autoimmune Hashimoto's.  They also said the "foggy head"  is residual anesthesia and will take a few more weeks to clear......doc said today that after thyroid surgery rest as much as your body needs and don't rush or overdo things like alot of people do.......Wow, I kinda feel like we are sisters having surgery the very same week.......Feel free to keep in touch with any recovery updates and I will keep you posted too......Blessings and hugs, Kimmy

[mrsomes]

Had a TT one year ago.  I had muscle aches, tiredness, weakness, brain fog, dizziness etc for a week or so after my surgery.   Each day got a little better but your body goes through a lot when you have any type of surgery.   Couple that with surgery to remove a gland that controls everything and you're quite likely to feel like crap.   I slept a lot that first week.  Just tried to listen to what my body was telling me.  My calcium levels were at the low end of normal after surgery but my endo had me take supplements for about 3 months anyway just to prevent any sluggish parathyroid issues.   You may find that the calcium helps with some of what you're feeling.   I found that the more you  try to get back to some normal degree of activity, eating etc the quicker you'll recover.  I felt almost like myself at about the 3 month mark and things are really much back to normal now.  Good luck

[sandyg45]

I have been reading about the B12, I have been having fatigue, lightheaded and want to sleep, wonder if I could be a little anemic, today I woke up with a buzzing in left ear, sometimes feels like a humming too, drive me crazy this morning, hope I am not being a pain, but I get better answers here than to call the Dr. office. I will pay it forward I am sure. God Bless Sandra

[sandyg45]

thanks, started some calcium yesterday, feel weak when I walk, still have some strange feelings in rt arm, I guess the tiredness and weakness is normal, did anyone have the muscle aches from neck to the shoulder,

[Smilerdeb]

Great to hear all went well and its now over for you! (((hugs)))

Usually Calcium drops after any sort of thyroid surgery so I suggest that you see your Doc about getting on some and also get your Vit. D, B12 levels checked too.

[MANmom]

Yes, you need to worry about calcium, keep some tums nearby and take a couple if you feel tingley, you can't take too much.  Probably just some "shock" to your parathyroids, they should kick in eventually.  If you ever have another surgery, tell them you were nauseous and they will give you something for it with the other drugs and you won't get nauseous...personal experience.  I hope they are benign and you feel better soon.

[sandyg45]

hello, had surgery on thursday, home yesterday. Only took rt lobe, first biospys all benign, last test come back in couple of weeks, doing okay. really tired had a lot of nausea after surgery, today just feel weak, dizzy little and some tingling in rt arm, do I need to worry about calcium? or strart taking some, any other suggestions.
Thanks,
Sandra

[stella5349]

No,  some surgeons feel a liability is more important and can valiate legally easier if they take the "low road" and do just minimal surgery with cause.

Insurance can play in it too.

Anything can happen and many removals are done in the same way you are in. Unfortuanately, and I hate to add this - over half - usually get the other side done within the first year after their first surgery due to other issues popping up or screened. Then you are forced to do it all over again an sometimes that's mentally challenging for the patients.

Utahmomma here is a big supporter of total Thyroidectomies and for good reason. After years of her ordeal - she seems better at knowing how to help patients almost persway converstions with the surgeon to "entertain" the whole TT and get the whole thing done at one crack.

Maybe messge her for some support here too. She' a doll!

[sandyg45]

thank you, ya know when I went to my surgeon I talked to him about doing a TT because of family history, he said he could not justifiy taking both sides unless he had a reason, the two nodules are on the left, he will do a quick freeze biospy on both sides, does he need to just say that because of insurance? or not to worry me, wanted to know if anyone else was told this before they went in.

[stella5349]

good decision TDC... sandy if its at all comfort to do even with an un-dx'd cancer theory.. remember: thyroid cancer is so treatable and is usually encapsulated so spreading is rarely common.

[TDCRose]

Had a tt on a Monday and was back to work Saturday.  Was weak from low calcium but lots of calcium supplements helped.   My right side was swallon but left side was not-but had been before synthroid treatment.  I opted to have both sides out as to not the have to go through surgery twice-both my endo and ent agreed that it was the right thing to do to remove both sides.

[MANmom]

My sister found out she had the same cancer after I found mine, another sister is being watched, two brothers and my dad all have Hashimotos, as did I...it does run in families.

[sandyg45]

thank you, I think not really knowing if cancer is or not there is more bothersome, since my sister has thyroid cancer. i will just be glad to feel better than I have the last 6 months. the forum has been great to just know what to look for and be prepared for.

[MANmom]

I had the surgery twice, both times it was a piece of cake, with the exception of vomitting the first time...they fixed that the second time.  I was up and walking 2 miles within three days.  A number of my symptoms including swallowing difficulties, hoarseness, and tendonitis in my elbows all went away after removing my thyroid. They did find cancer, so I was glad to get it out.  

[stella5349]

Looking at any surgery is fearful and I have to think - as you do the doctor feels this is the right choice.

Its a pretty mild surgery in the realm of all others to have done and thinking more could put more stress on you than you should allow.

Recovery is all based off how you do and what your doctor and you work out. Take this week and learn about right treatment options after the surgery. Learning and working with a doctor open to right treatment is how you can speed the recovery,.