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Total Thyoidectomy for Substernal Goiter
My TT for substernal goiter is quickly approaching (next Tues, May 16th) and would appreciate any information from those who have gone through this surgery re length of surgery, pain, recuperation period, and any other general information to calm my "frazzled" nerves !!!
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
Hey - I've been taking the medicine when I first wake up too - maybe I will try tomorrow to take it after I've had breakfast. Thanks for letting me know that! It's nice to have input from others that are going through the same thing!
Can't wait to try it differently tomorrow! Thanks for the advice!
Can't wait to try it differently tomorrow! Thanks for the advice!
Hey-
I felt nausaus, too, every day since the surgery.
The doctor thought it may be that I have Crohn's but that doesn't make me nausaus. I asked about the throid med's and they said it wasn't that.BUT, I had been taking them at 5 am when I first woke up in the morning. Everyday.. nausaus. TODAY, I tried something. I waited to take it until 2 hours after I ate breakfast and I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.I am not nausaus for the first time since surgery. At first I was so tired I was in bed alot during the day. The Dr. thought it could be from the anesthia. I asked him if it could be from the amount of thyroid meds and he said I still have the thyroid hormones from before the surgery and it will take 6 weeks for my levels to be accurately measured. In fact, I don't see him again until 6 weeks from the surgery.
I went to a well known teaching hospital and he is head of the clinic so I know he is a very qualified surgeon. I hope your stomach is feeling better. I wouldn't want to be catching a stomach flu right now or you either!
I felt nausaus, too, every day since the surgery.
The doctor thought it may be that I have Crohn's but that doesn't make me nausaus. I asked about the throid med's and they said it wasn't that.BUT, I had been taking them at 5 am when I first woke up in the morning. Everyday.. nausaus. TODAY, I tried something. I waited to take it until 2 hours after I ate breakfast and I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.I am not nausaus for the first time since surgery. At first I was so tired I was in bed alot during the day. The Dr. thought it could be from the anesthia. I asked him if it could be from the amount of thyroid meds and he said I still have the thyroid hormones from before the surgery and it will take 6 weeks for my levels to be accurately measured. In fact, I don't see him again until 6 weeks from the surgery.
I went to a well known teaching hospital and he is head of the clinic so I know he is a very qualified surgeon. I hope your stomach is feeling better. I wouldn't want to be catching a stomach flu right now or you either!
Hey - you sound like you've had a rougher time of it than me, so far at least. I do know what you mean about the pain with burping. Also, yawning hurts bad too!
I only had to stay overnight the 1st night after surgery. Today, I actually am feeling nauseous and thought it may be from the Synthroid but the Dr.'s office said there's a stomach virus going around so that may be what I have because Synthroid shouldn't cause nauseau. After reading your post, I'm wondering if I'm still having effects from anesthia too, I also was nauseous a little bit a couple of days ago too.
Are you feeling tired because you're adjusting to the thyroid medicine?
Glad you're feeling better and hope you keep it going that way every day!
I only had to stay overnight the 1st night after surgery. Today, I actually am feeling nauseous and thought it may be from the Synthroid but the Dr.'s office said there's a stomach virus going around so that may be what I have because Synthroid shouldn't cause nauseau. After reading your post, I'm wondering if I'm still having effects from anesthia too, I also was nauseous a little bit a couple of days ago too.
Are you feeling tired because you're adjusting to the thyroid medicine?
Glad you're feeling better and hope you keep it going that way every day!
HI! I am so sorry you both have to go through surgery this week. You will be fine. It just isn't very fun! I had a total thyroidectomy 2 weeks ago today. I am feeling ALOT better now.
I didn't stay in the hospital. I left the hospital at 8PM that same day. Staying overnight probably would have been good except now the hospital has whopping cough so I am glad I didn't stay! The 3rd day was the worst for me. I just felt lousy. THe pain isn't that bad. I was only on the pain med's for 3 days and now I take a little Advil but mostly for my headache!
The weirdest thing for me was the frozen neck and lower lip.
It didn't hurt so much, it was numb from the surgery.It went away after 1 week. It is all OK now. But after a few days I got gas in my chest and I couldn't burp since my throat area was numb. I got a bit of anxiety about that but my husband would burp me like a baby and then I would be fine. So for the next 3 days I would need to get burped! I fet crummy from the anestistia for the first 10 days and then it lifted. I ate a little soup for the first 3-4 days and scrambled eggs tasted great. I made chicken in the crock pot so it would be real soft .Then I could eat anything I go out once a day now, starting at 1 week. I feel OK for an hour out and then I get very tired and come home and rest. I am due to start work tomorrow part time. It will probably be exhausting. I don't know with this list if we are allowed to give out our email addresses but I would like to stay connected the total thyroidectomy people so we can help support each other.
GOOD-LUCK WITH YOUR SURGERIES! Sending lot's of healing thoughts and blessings.
I didn't stay in the hospital. I left the hospital at 8PM that same day. Staying overnight probably would have been good except now the hospital has whopping cough so I am glad I didn't stay! The 3rd day was the worst for me. I just felt lousy. THe pain isn't that bad. I was only on the pain med's for 3 days and now I take a little Advil but mostly for my headache!
The weirdest thing for me was the frozen neck and lower lip.
It didn't hurt so much, it was numb from the surgery.It went away after 1 week. It is all OK now. But after a few days I got gas in my chest and I couldn't burp since my throat area was numb. I got a bit of anxiety about that but my husband would burp me like a baby and then I would be fine. So for the next 3 days I would need to get burped! I fet crummy from the anestistia for the first 10 days and then it lifted. I ate a little soup for the first 3-4 days and scrambled eggs tasted great. I made chicken in the crock pot so it would be real soft .Then I could eat anything I go out once a day now, starting at 1 week. I feel OK for an hour out and then I get very tired and come home and rest. I am due to start work tomorrow part time. It will probably be exhausting. I don't know with this list if we are allowed to give out our email addresses but I would like to stay connected the total thyroidectomy people so we can help support each other.
GOOD-LUCK WITH YOUR SURGERIES! Sending lot's of healing thoughts and blessings.
Hi - I just had a total thyroidectomy last Wed., May 3rd. I'm doing fine. I would be glad to help you with your questions about the how you feel afterwards and the recovery. I have to say, the first night in recovery for me was the worst. Every day since has gotten better. You will be very uncomfortable for the first couple of days, but make sure you have someone to take care of you. The hardest part for me was finding the right pillows to put behind my head so my neck didn't feel any pressure. I'm 40 years old, married and I stayed with my parents for the first 2 nights after surgery. By Sat. I went home and was much much better. Tomorrow is a week since my surgery, I'm eating whatever I want now, the first couple of days I didn't even want to eat, and I'm feeling so much better. I go back to the surgeon on Thursday, he told me to stay out of work for 2 weeks after the surgery, but I'm already going crazy with boredom.
If I can be of help to you, please feel free to ask me. I don't want to scare you about the first night of recovery. For the most part, I was sick from the anthesthia, so that was why it was so bad for me. Once I got transferred to my own room, I didn't feel any pain from the neck because of the pain killers they gave me. Once I left the hospital, I only used the pain killers for 2 days after that. Good luck to both of you!
If I can be of help to you, please feel free to ask me. I don't want to scare you about the first night of recovery. For the most part, I was sick from the anthesthia, so that was why it was so bad for me. Once I got transferred to my own room, I didn't feel any pain from the neck because of the pain killers they gave me. Once I left the hospital, I only used the pain killers for 2 days after that. Good luck to both of you!
hi-
I had not been on Synthroid before the surgery.
The reason for my surgery was that I had tumors (nodules, maybe??) in both sides of my thyroid that kept growing.
I had a FNA and they had a solid componant to them. The biopsy came back that they were hurthle cells looking like they were follicular tumors. But they couldn't tell if they were benign or not. I got the biopsy results back 10 days after the surgery and they were all benign. I really don't understand in this day and age of medicine why they can't tell from the biopsy if they are malignant or not. Surgery seems so extreme to have to do if it isn't cancer.
I, too, told the surgeon that I wish they hadn't done the surgery and he said "they needed to come out, they could change to cancer and they were growing would evertually have to come out."
Karmike- the directions for taking the Synthroid are to wait 2 hours after your meal so if you do try taking it after breakfast, make sure you wait the 2 hours. I haven't felt nausaus all day for the first time since surgery. I was out for a long time today taking my dog to the chiropracter and I am unbelievably tired. But I did alright taking him alone and driving 1 1/4 hours to get there. He has a partially torn ACL poor guy).
Oh, my surgery took 2 1/2 hours. I have had quite a few surgeries.This was definately the least painful. The pain really isn't that bad. Oh, there is one other thing to expect. There are 2 different pains the 1st 2 days. One is the incision. The other is a medium sore throat from the tube they put down your throat during the surgery. The pain killers took that sore throat right away. The 2nd day I was only taking one of the painkillers and I was feeling pain still. So my neighbor a nurse told me I should take 2 like they prescibed and it helped alot more. By day 4 I only took one at night and then none.
Glad to ease some worry. The anticipation isn't fun. Try to take your mind off of it and it will soon be over and you'll be on the mend again.
I had not been on Synthroid before the surgery.
The reason for my surgery was that I had tumors (nodules, maybe??) in both sides of my thyroid that kept growing.
I had a FNA and they had a solid componant to them. The biopsy came back that they were hurthle cells looking like they were follicular tumors. But they couldn't tell if they were benign or not. I got the biopsy results back 10 days after the surgery and they were all benign. I really don't understand in this day and age of medicine why they can't tell from the biopsy if they are malignant or not. Surgery seems so extreme to have to do if it isn't cancer.
I, too, told the surgeon that I wish they hadn't done the surgery and he said "they needed to come out, they could change to cancer and they were growing would evertually have to come out."
Karmike- the directions for taking the Synthroid are to wait 2 hours after your meal so if you do try taking it after breakfast, make sure you wait the 2 hours. I haven't felt nausaus all day for the first time since surgery. I was out for a long time today taking my dog to the chiropracter and I am unbelievably tired. But I did alright taking him alone and driving 1 1/4 hours to get there. He has a partially torn ACL poor guy).
Oh, my surgery took 2 1/2 hours. I have had quite a few surgeries.This was definately the least painful. The pain really isn't that bad. Oh, there is one other thing to expect. There are 2 different pains the 1st 2 days. One is the incision. The other is a medium sore throat from the tube they put down your throat during the surgery. The pain killers took that sore throat right away. The 2nd day I was only taking one of the painkillers and I was feeling pain still. So my neighbor a nurse told me I should take 2 like they prescibed and it helped alot more. By day 4 I only took one at night and then none.
Glad to ease some worry. The anticipation isn't fun. Try to take your mind off of it and it will soon be over and you'll be on the mend again.
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