# What to expect right after surgery?



## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

I have posted on the newbie board before but haven't been on here much. 3 months ago my Dr put me on levo 25 mcg to see if my thyroid would shrink and it did not so now I will be having my right side removed - my left side is only the size of a pea. 
I'd like to know what to expect directly after surgery. 
Thanks

TSH
0.35 - 4.94 uIU/mL
Nov 15, 20110------1.850	
Sept 23, 2011--------- 2.350	
Oct 10, 2014 ----------2.32 
Jan 10, 2014----------1.47

Free T4
0.7 - 1.5 ng/dL
Oct 2014-------1.0	
Jan 2015 -------1.0

Oct 2014
ANTI THYROPEROXIDASE	0.0 - 34.9 IU/ML	104.0


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I am not exactly sure what you are asking but...your throat might feel a bit tight and scratchy. It is not a bad surgery, as far as surgeries go. You'll want to have some V-neck tops to wear. Some people have found drinking through a straw was helpful. I drank a ton of ice water. Best to you!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Not a whole lot, honestly.

The night after my surgery, I had symptoms of "thyroid dump" (where excess thyroid hormone is dumped into your system during surgery), so while I had no pain, I was jittery, anxious, had hot flashes and heart burn.

In the days following, I had a sore neck (not the incision, but my actual neck from be reclined in surgery for four hours), was a little groggy and out of it from the surgery, and couldn't really concentrate, but all in all I was fine. I had no pain, did light housekeeping, worked from home etc.

I was one of those who needed a straw to drink. I did eat a lot of soft foods (scrambled eggs, soup, yogurt, cottage cheese) but I was able to eat a panini four days after surgery as long as I ate slowly and took small bites.


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## KeepOnGoing (Jan 2, 2013)

I just remember feeling remarkably well, considering!

I had a little pain (but nothing the painkillers couldn't cope with) but the anaesthetic was definitely the worst part, and left me feeling very tired and "drugged up to the eyeballs" for a few days. Watched fairly mindless TV and couldn't concentrate on the pile of books I'd gathered together.

Straws were good for drinking but I found I could eat pretty much anything I liked straight away. V neck tops were a must - I couldn't work out how to get a jumper on or off for a few weeks!

So, overall, not half as bad as I expected!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

As long as your pain meds are dialed in - it's no big deal. They got behind on my at the hospital and it was quite painful.

I left the hospital and whole experience door to door was 27 hours.

I cooked a full fried pork chop dinner w taters that evening.

I don't know your story - is there any concern of cancer? I personally would ask for them to remove the other side as well as a pea size 1/2 a gland won't produce enough thyroid hormone.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I also was not able to concentrate to catch up on my reading. i did make a quilt though.


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Thanks for the replys 
Seems like it's a pretty easy recovery. I'm glad of that. Not sure on the cancer, there is an internal nodule that they will check. I have a goiter that goes underneath my collarbone. The first Endo that I had back in 2011 told me that they'd have to break my collarbone to remove the goiter and at that time I said no thank you. I since have moved to anther state and I think I have a pretty good Endo who refered me to an ENT that has done may large goiter removals and he only had to open chest cavity one time cause the goiter went all the way down to the heart. I could just tell from my initial visit with this surgeon that I will be in good hands. 
As far as the other side - they are hoping that it might produce enough for me not to be on meds- I don't like taking meds.

I also noticed that my TSH number went down , is this normal on levothroxin 25mcg?

Did you still take your meds that your on before surgery right after surgery?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> As far as the other side - they are hoping that it might produce enough for me not to be on meds- I don't like taking meds.


Highly doubtful. You will have 1 pill for sure and possibly more if you do not convert properly. I take 4 doses ( Unithroid 125mcg and 12.5mcg Cytomel split into 3 doses) - it becomes a part of your normal day.



> I also noticed that my TSH number went down , is this normal on levothroxin 25mcg?


With a goiter as large as yours - is , anything is possible.

Have you ever had TSI antibodies tested?


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

No on the tsi - just anti thyroperoxidase. What is the difference between the two?

What do you mean convert properly?

This is a part I do not understand- the medication process


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Once you begin thyroid replacement which is usually a T-4 only medication, it is suppose to naturally convert to T-3 hormone.

Some people do not convert properly and continue to have a low FT-3. I for one am one of those people and the only way yo feel your best is to add some T3 which is Cytomel.


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## JadeAngel (Dec 18, 2014)

I just had my 2nd surgery yesterday. The 1st only 6 days earlier. I stayed overnight at the hospital both times.
After the first I couldn't move my neck at all when I came home the first day. I gradually gained mobility over those 6 days. After my 2nd surgery, I didn't have the same inabilitly to move my neck. I can move it pretty much as much as before I went in the 2nd time.

I get what Joplin is saying because I had that jittery feeling for a while too. Though I would go up and down. for an hour I'd be super hyper and not want to sit still, then for an hour I'd be so fatigued. I got heart burn the 6th night after the 1st, and I have it horribly right now (night after my 2nd).

I only took the painkillers they gave me a few times. The incision might only hurt for a day, (though the tape itches me sometimes a bit), but it's more the muscles around the incision that feel bruised or sore, as they have to essentially pry those aside to do the surgery... and muscles don't like being manipulated like that XD . Mine had to deal with it twice in 1 week, so they are pretty sore right now, but the incission itself doesn't hurt at all now.

I think it's just 1 or 2 days of mild-moderate pain, then a few days of a stiff neck and sore muscles, then the up and down frm energetic to exhausted, and heart burn in my case. Oh, and the 1st surgery I didn't get any sore throat from the tube at all. This time it seems to be irritated when eating rougher food. But it's still not a full out sore throat, just mildly.

I was able to walk around fine the day after each surgery, though it is a bit awkward walking around when you can't turn your neck in any direction, lol.


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Sorry you had to go through that twice.
I have been waitng on my surgery date and have a tentative one for March 20th
I'm not very good at waiting for things like this. They were scheduling two others on the same day so had to wait until they found a date that worked for the others. I just say get it done. Lol
I am experiencing the heart burn now and acid reflux. Yuck.


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## simplyjill (Oct 19, 2011)

Update: had my right thyroid removed on April 9, 2015
Surgery went very well and the healing process has been pretty easy. 
I am at my 4th week and about 3 1/2 weeks in I felt like my body crashed. I was feeling very weird and extreme fatigued. I had some labs taken last Monday- ( a those numbers I don't have a copy of as of yet) but my Endo Dr described it as extreme Hypo. She has started me on 125 levo or synthroid. She gave me both prescriptions to see which was the best cost. I decided to try the levo because it was free. Synthroid was about 30.00.

Does anyone have comments on Which one is better?
I've been taking it for 3 days now and I find that early afternoon I get that feeling of crashing again. 
Thanks


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Neither is better. Some people have better luck with synthroid, some with levo. You just have to experiment.

I'm glad to hear surgery wasn't too bad.


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