# Surgery tomorrow



## Rhonda (Apr 8, 2010)

My surgery is tomorrow morning and I'm getting nervous. I'm actually only nervous about the IV because I really hate having IV's in my hand. I'm just glad that I am finally getting the surgery because I had a MRI last week for neck issues and you could see how my trachea is being pushed to the right because of the cyst in my thyroid. I also hope my doctor is right about the fact that the cyst is the cause of my weight gain and the other issues I'm having because that would mean that I will be feeling better after the surgery.

I was just wondering if anyone has had staples instead of stitches? My doctor said he usually uses staples and after looking at some pictures online I think I would rather have stitches. How long do the staples usually stay in place?

Rhonda


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## GD Women (Mar 5, 2007)

I had staples. Not for thyroid. Only about 4 or 5 though. They weren't uncomfortable while they were in and I only felt a little pinch on a few when they took them out. However, neck might be a little more sensitive.

Good luck tomorrow. Don't think about the IV or even look at it. As they say, out of sight out of mind. Tomorrow at this time the operation will be all over and on your way to healing. That has to be nothing but good!


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## Phoenix (Mar 20, 2010)

Hi Rhonda,

I have had both stiches and staples, though neither for thyroid.

They used staples when I had my hysterectomy (a total of 37), and I had no problems with them. In general, they stay in about the same as stiches would... about a week.

The only problems I might see with staples for thyroid would be if they are in the crease of your neck... that might make them a bit more uncomfortable, and they can leave a bit more scaring than suture, because they make larger holes. It's been five years since my hysterectomy, and you can still see every place there was a staple.

I wish you the best of luck with your surgery, and do let us know how you are doing when you can.

:hugs:

Phoenix


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Rhonda said:


> My surgery is tomorrow morning and I'm getting nervous. I'm actually only nervous about the IV because I really hate having IV's in my hand. I'm just glad that I am finally getting the surgery because I had a MRI last week for neck issues and you could see how my trachea is being pushed to the right because of the cyst in my thyroid. I also hope my doctor is right about the fact that the cyst is the cause of my weight gain and the other issues I'm having because that would mean that I will be feeling better after the surgery.
> 
> I was just wondering if anyone has had staples instead of stitches? My doctor said he usually uses staples and after looking at some pictures online I think I would rather have stitches. How long do the staples usually stay in place?
> 
> Rhonda


Rhonda; I did not have surgery so I can't answer your questions. I do however, wish you all the best tomorrow. You will be in my thoughts and prayers big time.

You will feel better; wait and see. I am sure of it.

Hugs,


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Hi there!! Best of luck to you!! I actually had a running subcutaneous (under the skin) stitch with steri-strips (butterfly stitches if you will) on top. You can see pictures on my blog. I'll be thinking of you today!!


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## Rhonda (Apr 8, 2010)

The surgery went really well yesterday. My doctor used staples and sutures. I have to go in tomorrow and have half of them removed and then on Monday they are going to remove the rest.

I'm still in a lot of pain which I really didn't expect. In the past when I have had surgery I really didn't experience pain that was horrible like this surgery. It hurts to even move my tongue. I think it may have to do with the fact that I have a Harrington Rod in my back so I can't move the way that most people do so it really pulls on my neck when I get out of bed or off the couch. My chest and scar are really hot to the touch but my temperature is only about 99.2.


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Keep a close eye on that temp. You really shouldn't be running any kind of fever. They gave you antibiotics during surgery, I'm sure. Did they send you home on any? I didn't have much pain as far as my neck went, but the inside of my throat was pretty sore. Which area is hurting you? What does your actual incision look like? Is there any way you can take a picture and post it here? I'd like to see it and I can tell you more that way.


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## Rhonda (Apr 8, 2010)

Right now my temperature is 99.6. My normal temp is usually 97.6. The incision and the area under it still hot. I have an appointment tomorrow at 8:45 to have half of the staples removed so I will talk to my doctor about it then. They did give me an antibiotic in the hospital but they didn't give me anything to take at home other than Vicodin.


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## chopper (Mar 4, 2007)

Hi Rhonda, I am of the worry wort variety so take this with a grain of salt but from the photo at least, that vein running into your chest and up your neck appears to be popping out quite a bit. I am on my tiny cell phone viewing it so it could just be due to my tiny screen but at first glance it appears a bit swollen like there may be an infection there. Of course you just got out of surgery so it could be normal but I don't like the fever either. Please do have your doc check it out as soon as possible just to be sure.


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Thanks for posting that!! Ok, I feel much better now seeing that. Here is my opinion (remember, just a nurse, no doctor!!!): Your incision looks fantastic. The skin around your incision looks perfect. I'm betting your elevated temp is going to be normal. See, a fever is the body's way of "healing". It is part of the fighting process. Surgery is an "attack" on the body. It must heal. Even though there isn't an infection going on, there still is a break in the body's defence mechanism (i.e. the incision in the skin) and the body must do something to fix that. I'm thinking that your elevated temp is going to be just the normal part of post surgery. HOWEVER, if that temp goes above 100.4, get on the phone with your doctor. You don't want to let an infection get a foothold.

Now, the incision, like I said, looks fabulous right now. If you notice any pulling apart between the staples, drainage from the incision, new swelling to the area, or the incision and surrounding skin turning bright red, call the doctor. That's usually a sign that something is going on.

Do let me know what the doctor says!!!

Oh, by the way, where is your pain? Is it the incision/front of your neck, or is it down inside your throat??


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## GD Women (Mar 5, 2007)

Hey, your looking good. Hope your are even better today. You are going to have a natural neckless - thats neat! Hope you have a fast healing and a healthy future. Keeping hanging in there. I think you are a brave lady, braver than me.:hugs:


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## Phoenix (Mar 20, 2010)

I'm glad your surgery went well, but I hate to hear that you are having so much pain. It could be from the position they placed you in for surgery... did you tell them about the Harrington rod before you had surgery?

Hope you feel much better soon.

hugs2

Phoenix


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## Rhonda (Apr 8, 2010)

hillaryedrn said:


> Now, the incision, like I said, looks fabulous right now.
> 
> ?


Thanks for the comment about the scar, I was worried that it looked worse than other people's so it's good to know that it looks normal. I guess it was just surprising to me as far as how big it is. The doctor took out half of my staples today and I go back on Tuesday to get the rest removed. He wasn't worried about my slight fever or the fact that the area feels hot to the touch, he said what you did, that it's part of the healing process. He thinks that I am in pain because of the way that I have to move due to the Harrington rod in my back so I may be pulling more at the scar when I get up or turn over.

I also saw my endocrinologist today and he put me on synthroid for the next 6 weeks. He did a blood test but that was mainly for the calcium levels because he said my thyroid levels wouldn't be abnormal yet since I just had the left side removed on Wednesday. He felt it is better to start me on medication instead of waiting until I bottom out. He said he will check my levels in 6 weeks and adjust as necessary.

The biopsy came back negative for cancer so that is a big relief. I'm already feeling a little better because I don't feel the pressure on my trachea like I did before from the cyst so I hope that cures the constant nausea and vomiting that I have been having for several months.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Rhonda said:


> He thinks that I am in pain because of the way that I have to move due to the Harrington rod in my back so I may be pulling more at the scar when I get up or turn over.
> 
> *My neck was sore for several weeks after the surgery so I had several massages to release the muscles which helped tremendously. *
> 
> ...


*As far as your incision size you will be amazed how nicely it will heal up - the incision looks very good - straight and in time won't be hardly noticeable.*


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## hillaryedrn (Dec 14, 2009)

Fantastic news!!! Hooray for you!!

I'm hoping, then, that your incision pain decreases soon. I didn't really have much incision pain, just itching once it started healing. A nice soft ice pack works WONDERS!!!!


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## Rhonda (Apr 8, 2010)

I had my 6 week follow-up last week and all of my levels were very low so my doctor put me on Synthroid. He also did an ultrasound and found a really small cyst (3mm) in my right thyroid. He said we will keep an eye on it. I just really wish that they would have taken out the entire thyroid since I have to take medicine anyway and if the cyst gets bigger I will have to go through another surgery.

I am having surgery on August 20th to fuse my C5, C6, & C7 vertebrae because of my cervical spinal stenosis. I just hope I don't end up getting a lot of scar tissue build-up in my neck, especially since I may also have to have some lymph nodes that have been enlarged for over 6 months in my neck and clavicle region removed but the neurosurgeon wants me to wait until I have healed from my August 20th surgery because he doesn't want to have to risk cutting through scar tissue from that surgery.

I'm just really sick of surgery!


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## Rhonda (Apr 8, 2010)

GD Women said:


> Hey, your looking good. Hope your are even better today. You are going to have a natural neckless - thats neat! Hope you have a fast healing and a healthy future. Keeping hanging in there. I think you are a brave lady, braver than me.:hugs:


LOL @ the 'natural necklace', I always try to look at the bright side of a situation. I think it will eventually fade because since my surgery I have met a couple of women who have had the surgery and I couldn't see their scars and they both said their scars looked just like mine did the first few months after surgery. I am a bit self-conscious about it thought because I have noticed people looking at it, but I know that I would probably do the same thing. I've even had a couple people say something along the lines of "Oh my god, what happened'. I would wear clothes that cover it up but I don't like anything touching the scar because it irritates it.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Rhonda said:


> LOL @ the 'natural necklace', I always try to look at the bright side of a situation. I think it will eventually fade because since my surgery I have met a couple of women who have had the surgery and I couldn't see their scars and they both said their scars looked just like mine did the first few months after surgery. I am a bit self-conscious about it thought because I have noticed people looking at it, but I know that I would probably do the same thing. I've even had a couple people say something along the lines of "Oh my god, what happened'. I would wear clothes that cover it up but I don't like anything touching the scar because it irritates it.


I know it's hard to believe now but it will fade and eventually nobody will notice it.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Rhonda said:


> I had my 6 week follow-up last week and all of my levels were very low so my doctor put me on Synthroid. He also did an ultrasound and found a really small cyst (3mm) in my right thyroid. He said we will keep an eye on it. I just really wish that they would have taken out the entire thyroid since I have to take medicine anyway and if the cyst gets bigger I will have to go through another surgery.
> 
> I am having surgery on August 20th to fuse my C5, C6, & C7 vertebrae because of my cervical spinal stenosis. I just hope I don't end up getting a lot of scar tissue build-up in my neck, especially since I may also have to have some lymph nodes that have been enlarged for over 6 months in my neck and clavicle region removed but the neurosurgeon wants me to wait until I have healed from my August 20th surgery because he doesn't want to have to risk cutting through scar tissue from that surgery.
> 
> I'm just really sick of surgery!


Oh, Rhonda! You sure are going through it big-time. I am glad you popped in and paid a visit. I was wondering where you got off too! Now I understand.

Just know you are in my thoughts and prayers.


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