# Prep for post surgery recovery



## VFRgrl (Feb 15, 2015)

Hi All; So surgery for a total is scheduled for June 10. Due to the size and complexity of my thyroid nodules- the surgeon thinks it will be a difficult surgery  I'm prepping stuff NOW for post surgery recovery.

#1: Post surgery foods. I'm on a calorie restricted diet due to my weight and I absolutely CAN NOT gain after surgery.

I DO NOT EAT: Gluten, simple carbs or baked gluten replacements, soy, corn, artificial sweeteners, juice, sugar, added sugar food, artificial preservatives, simple carbs, dairy. Just about 95% of what I eat now will be difficult immediately post surgery- suggestions?

#2: Pain management: I do not take anti inflammatories or pain meds of any kind for any reason ever. I am irrationally terrified of killing my liver. My baby sister had a liver transplant at 32.

How bad is the pain post surgery? I had a collarbone repair plate/surgery that took 4 hours and was brutal and I only took pain meds post surgery for a day.

#3: What else should I have ready post surgery? I have a neck pillow- anything else?

#4: Back to work: I KNOW everyone is different, etc but I have to return to work 5 days after my surgery. I do not have sick time and have not been with the company long enough to get FMLA. Additionally my boss is NOT sympathetic to what I'm going through and couldn't care less. I have a job where I can be at my desk on the computer and I don't have to talk either- how difficult will this be?

#5: Exercise post surgery: Surgeon says no heavy lifting post surgery but how soon were you able to return to normal exercise?

Thanks!!

Lori


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Hi Lori,

I will discuss the post op pain. Mys surgery was 1.5 hours and nothing out of the ordinary. They kept me in the hospital overnight and I was released in the morning - 27 hours total including the 30 minute drive each way to the hospital.

Post surgery I am not fully aware of when they gave me pain med's but I remember asking at 11 P.M for some - the nurse left and never came back. I figured I was not allowed to have any so I did not make a big deal about it. This was about 12 hours post op and I was entering night sleep time. I did not receive pain med's until 5 a.m. that morning and I was in excruciating pain - in tears when the nurse finally walked into the room. I honestly do not know how you would be able to do this surgery without pain med's. I had 2 c-sections and have a fairly high pain threshold.

By day 2 I was taking 600mg of Motrin and eased off as soon as I could. I was driving by day 5.

For me personally post surgery I struggled with fatigue. I was also found to be Ferriin and Vit D deficient which obviously contributed.

As far as food - I ate normal food post op - had fried pork chops which I made the day I came home from surgery.

Has anyone mentioned when you will begin your replacement med's? I would push for a prescription to have on hand. 1.7 mcg per kilogram is the manufacturer recommended dose so figure based on your current weight and insist for that dose. Most doctors try to start everybody at 100mcg - just a heads up.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

#1 - food...applesauce and scrambled eggs. It's not really as bad as you'd think. I had three large nodules, three smaller ones, and had a central neck dissection. The morning after surgery, I had french toast, rice crispies, orange juice, and a chai. I ate slowly and cut things up in to little bites. It' hard to describe...I had virtually no pain, but the muscles in my neck felt weak so I just had to be careful. I would plan in eating what you eat now, but just focus on smaller, easier bites. Soup is great. I needed straws to drink and live on cool drink that I sipped from insulated cups with straws.

#2 - I had virtually no pain. The admissions nurse told me I'd likely have very little pain, but she told me that if my pain was indeed zero, just to say "two" (on a scale of 1-10) to get me through the night. So I did and honestly, it wasn't needed but the buzz I caught from the fentanyl was kinda fun.  Same thing was the morning after...I had no pain but the discharge nurse was worried because I had an hour long ride home and she was really pushing me to take a lortab. So I did and had a nice warm and fuzzy ride home. I have a herniated disc in my neck. I did take advil because my neck (where the herniation is) was sore. Not because my surgery site was sore. When people ask me about pain, I say I had essentially none. Some people will advise icing -- that was one thing I could not tolerate. Anything on my neck was uncomfortable.

#3 - See above. I couldn't tolerate the neck pillow. It wasn't pain, it just felt like too much pressure. I wish I had stocked up v-neck shirts, button up shirt, or zip up shirts.

#4 - I have a desk job. My surgery was on Monday and I was back to answering email and phone calls from home by Wednesday. It would have been different if I had a physical job.

#5 - Depends on post-op medication. I didn't have any because I needed follow up RAI. So that messed me up for a couple of months.


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## VFRgrl (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the responses! I'll have to make up some homemade applesauce to have on hand. Scrambled eggs I can do. Can't do juices unless homemade- so I'll get prepped for that ahead of time.

Lovlkn: My Endocrinologist said yesterday I'll start replacement medication the day after surgery (my surgeon doesn't manage post surgery med). I'll make sure the dose is appropriate though- thanks for the heads up.

As far as pain goes- I guess we will see. My left side nodule is now at 6cm and is spread from top to sternum- not sub sternum yet though. It is a complex nodule and surgeon anticipates my surgery and recovery will be more extensive than a routine TT. I'm just paranoid about pain meds but will take them if I need them.

Thanks everyone!

lori


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Not all pain meds are processed through the liver, right? There has to be something you can take... I truly believe you will want/need something.

Out of curiosity, what prompted your sister's need for a liver transplant?


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Scrambled eggs! I lived off of scrambled eggs for the first few days (I tried yogurt, but it made me nauseous).

Definitely v-necks shirts and comfortable pants. For the first 3 days I laid around the house in a big v-neck and yoga pants. I also felt better sleeping propped up for the first week or so; it helped with the swelling and also made it easier to get in and out of bed (your neck may feel really weak for a while, esp. the first time getting out of the hospital bed).

I have a ridiculously high pain threshold and I only took one hydrocodone in the hospital and then Tylenol afterward. You should ask your doctor about any pain med options that aren't processed through the liver if you're concerned. Also, make sure you hammer home to your anesthesiologist if you are sensitive to any meds or get car sick easily. My anesthesiologist didn't believe me and I ended up so sick from the anesthesia for the first 12 hours after surgery. That was the worst part and could have been easily avoided if she hadn't been such a jerk doctor. She actually came to my room the morning after to apologize and if I hadn't still been so sick I would have thrown something at her.


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi

Just had my surgery april 9th. Right side only. Not much pain at all. Just ate soft foods for the first two days. Eggs, soup, smoothies. My normal diet is high protein low carb so I make protein smoothies.

I felt pretty good for the first 3 weeks then what I called crashing came around the third week. I was not on any meds at the time. That did give my doctor a clear picture of my numbers. Just started on 125 levo a week ago and I'm still not up to energy level. So if you work I would make sure the you give you prescriptions before leaving hospital. 
Vitamin E has done wonders for my scar
Hope all goes well


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