Comments on: What is thyroid surgery like and what can a candidate for the surgery expect? http://thyroidsurgeryrecovery.net/what-is-thyroid-surgery-like-and-what-can-a-candidate-for-the-surgery-expect/ Relax. Take A Deep Breath.Thyroid surgery recovery and all you need to know about it here. Sat, 24 Apr 2010 06:09:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: no_frills http://thyroidsurgeryrecovery.net/what-is-thyroid-surgery-like-and-what-can-a-candidate-for-the-surgery-expect/comment-page-1/#comment-9 no_frills Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:09:01 +0000 http://thyroidsurgeryrecovery.net/what-is-thyroid-surgery-like-and-what-can-a-candidate-for-the-surgery-expect/#comment-9 I had a total thyroidectomy (removed my thyroid) because of cancer. The surgery was done with general anethesia. Surgery was about 1 1/2 hours long, and you wake up in a recovery room. The incision is about 4 inches and the base of your neck. That evening I was only given soft food to eat, it is mildly painful to swallow the first few days. I stayed overnight and left early afternoon the next day. It is important to get a good doctor, the nerves to your vocal cords are near the thyroid, and some people (not me) experience hoarseness. It is extremely rare to have permanant damage. Maybe it took 3 days or so to be swallowing pain free, and 2 weeks to have the stitches removed. Maybe 6 months to have the scar start to fade. If you need to be on thyroid medication for the rest of your life is the toughest part of recovery. They started me and less than 1/2 my final dosage. You start off very tired. It may take 3-6 months to be properly medicated. I pushed myself back to work in less than a week, that was a big mistake. Had trouble handling the stress of work, for 2 months my routine was to go to work, and pick up dinner, and then go to bed. It has been 3+ years now, I still do not feel like I am at 100% my energy level, plus I think it is harder for me to handle stress. It is not the surgery that is hard, it is getting used to taking hormones, and that is because I now have no thyroid. I had a total thyroidectomy (removed my thyroid) because of cancer. The surgery was done with general anethesia. Surgery was about 1 1/2 hours long, and you wake up in a recovery room. The incision is about 4 inches and the base of your neck. That evening I was only given soft food to eat, it is mildly painful to swallow the first few days. I stayed overnight and left early afternoon the next day.

It is important to get a good doctor, the nerves to your vocal cords are near the thyroid, and some people (not me) experience hoarseness. It is extremely rare to have permanant damage.

Maybe it took 3 days or so to be swallowing pain free, and 2 weeks to have the stitches removed. Maybe 6 months to have the scar start to fade.

If you need to be on thyroid medication for the rest of your life is the toughest part of recovery. They started me and less than 1/2 my final dosage. You start off very tired. It may take 3-6 months to be properly medicated. I pushed myself back to work in less than a week, that was a big mistake. Had trouble handling the stress of work, for 2 months my routine was to go to work, and pick up dinner, and then go to bed.

It has been 3+ years now, I still do not feel like I am at 100% my energy level, plus I think it is harder for me to handle stress. It is not the surgery that is hard, it is getting used to taking hormones, and that is because I now have no thyroid.

]]> By: DDLynn l http://thyroidsurgeryrecovery.net/what-is-thyroid-surgery-like-and-what-can-a-candidate-for-the-surgery-expect/comment-page-1/#comment-8 DDLynn l Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:09:42 +0000 http://thyroidsurgeryrecovery.net/what-is-thyroid-surgery-like-and-what-can-a-candidate-for-the-surgery-expect/#comment-8 The hardest part for me was accepting it needed done. The procedure is pretty easy but you will need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours. They need to make sure that your calcium levels do not go so low that you have a hart attack. They can tell that with blood work. My neck was coated with super glue so the cut was well protected from infection. You will have an IV in your arm so bring something to do one armed. You may get a ton of energy and need to pace around the hospital. People react differently. Sometimes the thyroid gets stimulated when it is being removed and dumps so much t3 that you can not sit still the next day. Some people sleep. My doctor told me to do which ever I needed to do. Buy a few scarves or turtle necks to cover the scar as it heals. Most fade so that they just look like a normal neck crease. Currently use a little green make up blemish cover and light foundation camouflage it a little. It is not really noticeable but the makeup makes me fell better. It may take a while to adjust to the new medications but work with your doctor and give yourself some time. Some people get right up and going. I had to fight back. After sitting on my rear for a year and a half I finely brought my doctor a typed list of symptoms and told him that something needed fixed. I was sleeping about 12 hours a day. He figured out what was going on and fixed my meds. Things are great now. I have even joined a gym. Good luck! The hardest part for me was accepting it needed done. The procedure is pretty easy but you will need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours. They need to make sure that your calcium levels do not go so low that you have a hart attack. They can tell that with blood work. My neck was coated with super glue so the cut was well protected from infection. You will have an IV in your arm so bring something to do one armed. You may get a ton of energy and need to pace around the hospital. People react differently. Sometimes the thyroid gets stimulated when it is being removed and dumps so much t3 that you can not sit still the next day. Some people sleep.
My doctor told me to do which ever I needed to do.

Buy a few scarves or turtle necks to cover the scar as it heals. Most fade so that they just look like a normal neck crease. Currently use a little green make up blemish cover and light foundation camouflage it a little. It is not really noticeable but the makeup makes me fell better.

It may take a while to adjust to the new medications but work with your doctor and give yourself some time. Some people get right up and going. I had to fight back. After sitting on my rear for a year and a half I finely brought my doctor a typed list of symptoms and told him that something needed fixed. I was sleeping about 12 hours a day. He figured out what was going on and fixed my meds. Things are great now. I have even joined a gym. Good luck!

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