# 2 week update post completion thyroidectomy



## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

Hello everyone! I thought I'd post a bit of an update given that Saturday marked two weeks after my second surgery. I thought it might help others get a gauge of healing times etc, at least from my perspective.

As I have said, the second surgery was far easier than the first. From the outset I had very little pain swallowing, and pain in my neck generally. I didn't have a lot of mobility, and I did have some swelling above my incision right from the outset.

In typical fashion, I did too much too fast. I physically pushed myself a little early, and 4 days out from surgery my swelling got worse. I went back to work on Wednesday last week, and since then, my swelling as got no better at all. The swelling is weird - it's more under my chin, rather then around the incision itself. It's worse when I've been at work all day, talking my fool head off. After I've slept it's better, but it doesn't take much for it to swell up again. It's not painful, just uncomfortable - like a dull ache. I'm hoping it will resolve itself.

In general I'm feeling okay, but today is probably not a good day. I've had a tough day at work (mentally) and I feel exhausted. When I feel like this I just get a bit fed up and feel like healing is taking SO LONG. I know I need to be patient. In hindsight I wish I had not returned to work until this week.

This bloody cold I have is NOT helping. I can't shake it - it's been a week and its no better. I don't know if I feel a bit rubbish because of that, or my lack of thyroid 

I went and saw my endocrinologist last week for the first time and thankfully she agreed I wasn't on enough thyroxine. So now I'm on 150mcg per day Monday to Friday, and 100mcg Saturday and Sunday. The appointment otherwise went pretty well and we will review levels in 4 weeks.

The twitchiness subsided pretty quickly, and I'm sleeping much better now. I don't really wake up tired, I just hit a wall at about 3pm. I guess, though, at 2 weeks out that's not so bad.

I'll be scheduling RAI treatment in the next 3 to 4 weeks, so that's the next challenge!

I haven't started properly exercising yet, but I'm hoping to start light cardio this week. I'm just worried about the swelling. I did yoga on Saturday though and really enjoyed it.

So all up I'm not doing so bad. I get frustrated, but that's to do with me being super impatient more than anything else I think. Thanks again to everyone who contributes to these boards - reading your experiences definitely helps


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## Eliza79 (Jul 23, 2013)

Karen, so glad to read your update and to know that you are generally doing well. It sounds like you are on track and improving each day as well as can be expected for someone who has gone through the trauma of two major surgeries and a fairly quick return to work. I can understand and sympathize with your impatience to get on with things. I feel the same way!
I imagine that the swelling you are experiencing is very common, especially after having undergone both surgeries in rapid succession. Can you see the swelling or just feel it? Does pains relief help reduce the swelling?

I am 10 days post op for just the one surgery and have ups and downs. The morning is usually good and I get as much walking, etc. in as I can and have started doing some work in the afternoon for a couple hours. My throat area seems happiest when I am walking and not carrying anything or bending or sitting still. By 7pm or so my throat feels so tight and achy. There is a pulling sensation, like someone is grabbing my throat from the inside and pulling back on the incision. That is the only way I can describe it. But the incision looks good and everything seems fine. It just hurts. So I try to rest in bed after my kids are asleep and use an ice pack. This helps.
How are you after talking all day? Does it heighten the swelling or pain? Are you applying ice ever or taking ibuprofen for pain? I am still taking 2 Tylenol or ibuprofen 2-3 times every 24 hours and surprised that I have not yet gotten to a pain free state. Hopefully we will both be feeling better over the next couple of weeks.
Take care!


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## jsgarden1 (Aug 29, 2009)

Karen, glad to hear you are getting better! I had that swollen neck thing for a couple of weeks post surgery...my husband called it my uni-neck if that's any indication of how I looked lol. Hope you continue healing.


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## KarenB (Jul 19, 2013)

Eliza, I am so terribly impatient  I just want so badly to get back to my old self, and every day is a mental battle with myself to not overdo it. Every single person in my life is constantly at me (in a nice way) to take it easy, so I am trying to listen to them.



Eliza79 said:


> I imagine that the swelling you are experiencing is very common, especially after having undergone both surgeries in rapid succession. Can you see the swelling or just feel it? Does pains relief help reduce the swelling?


I can definitely see it, but I think it looks worse to me then it does to anyone else. Basically, if you look at my profile, everything below the scar is totally normal. There is a little 'ledge' and then some swelling directly above the incision. Also, I am generally puffy under my chin up to both my ears on both sides. Like I said, it's not crazy bad, it's just a bit puffy. When I wake up in the morning it's always better, and then the more I do and the more I talk through the day, the worse it gets. I haven't tried any anti-inflammatory pain killers - maybe I should to see if it helps?



Eliza79 said:


> There is a pulling sensation, like someone is grabbing my throat from the inside and pulling back on the incision. That is the only way I can describe it.


THIS. This is actually a really good way to describe what I'm feeling too. Only I get more a dull ache under my chin rather than any pain in the incision. I'm sure it's just our bodies healing, and I keep telling myself, pain and itchiness is GOOD because it means it's healing and I'm not still numb 



Eliza79 said:


> How are you after talking all day? Does it heighten the swelling or pain? Are you applying ice ever or taking ibuprofen for pain?


Absolutely, most definitely the thing that makes it worse is all the talking I have to do each day. The tightness and dull ache gets a lot worse, and I get some pretty bad headaches too. If I don't talk as much (like today, I stayed home from work) it's no where near as bad. I guess this is a time thing, and hopefully every week it will get better.

I am not icing any more, and I'm not taking any pain killers either. I think I probably should take them when it gets bad in the afternoon at work - I might try that tomorrow.

I am really glad to hear you're going okay too, Eliza. I think we seem to be experiencing some similar things during recovery. I have good days and bad days, and ups and downs even within the same day haha. I guess it will take a little while to sort itself out, and we just have to listen to our bodies and be patient in the meantime hugs3

Haha, jsgarden, I am not quite 'unineck' but some days after work I look a little bit like I have mumps or something


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I had the pulling sensation too. As soon as my stitches were out...instant relief!!! If you have internal stitches or glue, it might be that you just have to wait for it to dissolve.


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