# Hanging on for Surgery This Week



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I think there are a few of us scheduled for surgery this week, so I wanted to wish us all luck!! :hugs:

I am pretty much hanging on by a thread and just trying to get through each day until Thursday. I think my thyroid figured out last week it's about to be removed and sliced and diced in pathology and it's pitching the mother of all fits, lol!

I have not felt this bad in a very long time and it's a wonderful mix of the worst hyper and hypo symptoms I've ever had. I've got insomnia, but can't sleep at night; wicked, wicked heartburn (I pretty much have to sleep sitting up); muscle aches in my chest and shoulders; heart palps and an increased heart rate; and just flat out exhaustion. The heartburn was so bad last night I worked myself into a nice panic attack and had to take an extra beta blocker to calm down. I'm actually looking forward to surgery now because I will finally be getting some sleep!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jenny v said:


> I think there are a few of us scheduled for surgery this week, so I wanted to wish us all luck!! :hugs:
> 
> I am pretty much hanging on by a thread and just trying to get through each day until Thursday. I think my thyroid figured out last week it's about to be removed and sliced and diced in pathology and it's pitching the mother of all fits, lol!
> 
> I have not felt this bad in a very long time and it's a wonderful mix of the worst hyper and hypo symptoms I've ever had. I've got insomnia, but can't sleep at night; wicked, wicked heartburn (I pretty much have to sleep sitting up); muscle aches in my chest and shoulders; heart palps and an increased heart rate; and just flat out exhaustion. The heartburn was so bad last night I worked myself into a nice panic attack and had to take an extra beta blocker to calm down. I'm actually looking forward to surgery now because I will finally be getting some sleep!


{{{{jenny v}}}} You are going to do great and it won't be long until you start on the healing pathway. I am so glad that your doctor has agreed that that nasty thyroid needs to come out.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Pamper yourself with a pre op massage to help your body calm down.

I was taking Lorazapam the week before my surgery as I was a wreck - more worried post op life would be worse than graves/Tapazole life. I was totally wrong - post op life is awesome!!

Post op my neck and shoulders were so tight I needed several chiropractic and massages to get out of pain.

Stress is your enemy - try and do something to de-stress as not to tighten yourself into a knot.


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## Kenwood (Aug 18, 2013)

Lovlkn said:


> ... - more worried post op life would be worse than graves/Tapazole life. I was totally wrong - post op life is awesome!!


I'm one month post TT....and post op is not as bad as you imagine. Treat yourself to something before your surgery...you have earned it!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Best wishes, jenny! Sending positive vibes your way...


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## bw40 (Sep 21, 2013)

Only the best for you Jenny. Once you get it out, I wish you a good nights sleep.
BW


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

Lol we all wish for a good night's sleep while in the hospital bw. Who in the world paired the term "rest and recovery" with hospitals anyway? 

Best wishes Jenny, see you on the other side!


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## Ginav (Jun 7, 2013)

Best wishes - I go on Nov 1. Let us know how you do!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Just got the call--surgery tomorrow is at 2:45pm, although I could go in a little earlier if his second case is canceled.

Good luck on Nov. 1, *Ginav*!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

You're almost there!!! And that means you're almost on the other side of surgery!!!!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Good luck!!! :-D


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I made it through! But, I'll be honest, it was a lot tougher than I thought it would be.

1. First, the anesthesiologist apparently didn't believe me when I told her I get carsick very easily and I was incredibly nauseous for the first 4-6 hours after surgery. I managed to avoid throwing up but it was touch and go for a while. She actually came in the next morning to apologize.

2. I had a drain coming out of one end of my incision, which was so, so gross and hurt like crazy. Luckily, it was removed after 12 hours but it pulled and felt disgusting the entire time (and it was not fun to have removed).

3. Guess who's allergic to steri strips?? My incision site is still swollen and I have hives around it because I'm apparently one of the rare people who is allergic to either the surgical glue or tape. I still can't turn my head really well due to the swelling and the inflammation around the incision. I'm hoping to see the surgeon today to have the strips removed early (I'm supposed to have a post op visit on Wednesday).

On the plus side, the pain isn't bad and I can breathe easily again. The surgery took 3 hours because while the larger left side popped out easily, the right side was so scarred and disfigured from being attacked all these years by my body it was like a sticky wad of gum (my surgeon's words). It had grown back in my throat and was pushing into my esophagus; the surgeon said my esophagus had a kink in it.

I'm just waiting on the pathology report and to get these stupid strips off so the swelling will go down.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

jenny! Welcome to the "other side"!!!!

Despite everything, are you happy it's over?

Can you take some Benadryl for the allergic reaction?


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Oh, no! Jenny! Hang in there...the fist few days after ANY surgery are the worst.

I'm usually allergic to everything so I feel your pain.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jenny v said:


> I made it through! But, I'll be honest, it was a lot tougher than I thought it would be.
> 
> 1. First, the anesthesiologist apparently didn't believe me when I told her I get carsick very easily and I was incredibly nauseous for the first 4-6 hours after surgery. I managed to avoid throwing up but it was touch and go for a while. She actually came in the next morning to apologize.
> 
> ...


{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{jenny v}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Oh, my goodness!! I am sorry to hear about the troubles but the good news is you have it all behind you now.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew; who wants sticky chewing gum in their neck?? I know you are glad this is over with!

Now you just take it easy and follow doc's orders to a T. Can you take Benadryl for the allergic reaction to the steri-strips; I wonder?

We miss you, girl!! A whole bunch!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Thanks for the kind messages, everyone!

I'm starting to feel more normal each day and I have an appointment this afternoon with the surgeon to check on the allergic reaction to the tape. I can't take Benadryl unfortunately because it interacts with my heart meds and I'm pretty much comatose for hours.

I picked up some Chloroseptic (sp?) spray this morning because any time I lay down (even on an incline) I get horrible coughing spells. I think my throat is still irritated by the breathing tube but the coughing is really painful and annoying. I had to sleep sitting up in a chair last night.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

jenny v said:


> Thanks for the kind messages, everyone!
> 
> I'm starting to feel more normal each day and I have an appointment this afternoon with the surgeon to check on the allergic reaction to the tape. I can't take Benadryl unfortunately because it interacts with my heart meds and I'm pretty much comatose for hours.
> 
> I picked up some Chloroseptic (sp?) spray this morning because any time I lay down (even on an incline) I get horrible coughing spells. I think my throat is still irritated by the breathing tube but the coughing is really painful and annoying. I had to sleep sitting up in a chair last night.


That was a good idea to sleep sitting up. That will help the drainage also.

How is the coughing today? Hopefully better?

Uh, oh.........................no no on the Benadryl! Yikes!!


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## melissafitz (May 5, 2013)

Oh goodness, I am sorry that you had to go through all of that! I am glad that you have started to feel better and hope that you just continue to feel better and better!


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## Ginav (Jun 7, 2013)

So glad to hear that you are well and that you have the surgery behind you. Thanks for sharing your experience. My surgery is coming up on Nov 1. and it helps to know what others go through. Take care and heal yourself. Gina


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I was able to see my surgeon yesterday and he removed my surgical tape early because I'm allergic to it! It was not fun to have it pulled off and I have to be careful about turning my head too far so I don't open up the incision, but it already feels so much better and the itching is all but gone. It's still a bit swollen and I'm pretty much one big bruise all along the front of my neck, but I'm very, very pale and bruise easily, so I'm not too surprised.

*Ginav*, good luck! I had a few bumps in the road that most don't have so I'm sure your surgery will be much easier than mine! I know I'm still in the early days, but I haven't felt this good in a very long time. My swallowing is better, my heart hasn't pounded in days and my body feels "calm" again. I know it probably won't last, but I'm enjoying it while it does!


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## Kenwood (Aug 18, 2013)

Glad your doing so much better.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

Glad this is behind you! May you have much rest and improvement


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Got my pathology report back and all nodules were benign! No sign of cancer, just evidence of years of Hashimoto's destroying my thyroid.

I've been doing really well so far, although I did hit a wall yesterday and went to "rest my eyes" and ended up accidentally taking a 3 hour nap! My neck is still really swollen and I've got a red, hard patch above my incision that looks kind of nasty. I'll be wearing a lot of scarves when I go back to work next week. I do two week labs next week just to see where things are and then I do "official" labs at the month-past-surgery mark to see if I need any medication adjustments.

I'm not sure how, but the constant ringing in my right ear that I've had for years is 90% gone and I haven't had any chest pains or pounding heart issues since my thyroid was removed. After 10 years of thyroid problems, I've become a pessimist and fully expect for those symptoms to return, but right now it's nice not to have them!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You sound like you are on the road to recovery, Jenny. Good for you! And yay for no cancer!


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