# HAVING partial thyroidectomy 15TH APRIL AND HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT POST SURGERY



## seastan67

Hi all I have posted previously in the newbie section with my past story under the heading-2.5cm X 2.7cm X2.0cm CYSTIC NODIULE WITH SOLID COMPONENT.
I had a lot of replys which was all great information. As I am getting closer to my surgery date I now am wondering what its like post surgery. I am having a partial thyroidectomy of my left side, and it could very well turn out that I wake up with no thyroid as I do have nodules on both sides, so I have been told untill they get in there I wont know if its going to be a full or partial thyroidectomy. I guess what I want to know know is if I have a partial will I be needing hormone replacement and if so what do any of you recommend>?
I also am getting a bit anxious about the level of pain after surgery, and how long my recovery will be etc. I know we are all different so there is no one fix to this, but just wanted some advice on what to ask my doctor before surgery espeacially with regard to hormone replacement if I only have a partial thyroidectomy. Once again thanks for all your support I would not have got this far without it. Of course the next hurdle is waiting on the path report, but surgery is in front of me next and that is next week....


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## McKenna

Good that your surgery date is so close! You'll feel better once that gland is out.



> I guess what I want to know know is if I have a partial will I be needing hormone replacement and if so what do any of you recommend>?


That will depend if the remaining half can produce enough hormone. You'll have blood level checks after surgery to keep an eye on that, but you will have to stay on top of it b/c we all know that doctors don't always do a good job with it. As for what kind, that's up to you. I'm a natural thyroid gal, and it's worked well for me. I did not do well with synthroid.



> I also am getting a bit anxious about the level of pain after surgery, and how long my recovery will be etc.


 That's where the surgeon comes in and his/her skill. How big the incision is, how he closes (stitches/glue), will you have a drain, if you stay on top of the pain with meds. Use lots of ice and have smooth cold things to drink and eat.

Will they check the half they took out for cancer while you are still on the table and then take the other half right then if you need it?


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## seastan67

Hi there unfortunately no , they cannot do that , the side I have taken out will need to sent to pathology in a different city and the wait for the result will be further 10 days, so it means if its malignant that I will have to go back for more surgery


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## lavender

Wow! my thyroid surgery was not awful, but I would hate to have to go through it twice! I have known people who have half a thyroid who needed replacement hormones for a while, but were eventually able to stop. From what I understand, the remaining half is able to grow and start doing the whole job.

Which replacement hormone is really up to you. I suggest sticking with whatever your gut reaction is. I was put on synthroid at first, and felt really awful until I switched to Armour. Armour was my gut reaction at first, but my doctors didn't even offer it, I knew it would be a fight, and I wanted to make sure synthroid really didn't work for me before I had that battle. In the end, I had to find a doc willing to prescribe Armour and to do the right bloodwork.

I have heard of people doing well on synthroid, especially if they still have a partially working gland.

As for after surgery, I drank a lot of herbal tea with honey to soothe my throat. I kept ice on the incision almost 24/7 for about a week. I needed narcotic pain meds 4-5 days from what I remember. Once I got home, I gradually reduced my dose by splitting the pills until I was taking 1/4 at a time and eventually stopped.

Do be aware that low calcium is fairly common following surgery. For me, it happened after I went home, and I had to go back to the ER for IV calcium. Be aware of numb/tingly lips/fingers and call your doc immediately if you notice any symptoms.


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## seastan67

Thanks Lavender, Thats good info , I do not know how long I will in hospital but wont be leaving there unless I feel good thats for sure. So far I have been focused on just getting this nodule out of me without thinking about the hormone levels etc, so its all going to be very new to me. Thanks again


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## lavender

I was in the hospital about 28 hours after surgery. I was supposed to stay only 23, but I had some difficulty with pain control. Not because the surgery was that bad, but because I have a lot of trouble taking narcotics.

I will say that the most helpful thing for me to have in the hospital was my ipod. I could put on music whenever they needed to draw blood or get an IV, and it let me actually get some sleep amidst the noise and bustle of the hospital.


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## seastan67

Well its 3am in the morning and I cant sleep, worried about tommorrows surgery, I will post back here in a few days after surgery, thanks for all the support, Tanya:hugs:


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## lavender

You'll do fine. Check in with us when it's over.


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## seastan67

Ok for those who need to know about the surgery....I arrived at the hospital on the Friday Morning and went straight through preped for surgery etc. I was feeling a little anxiuos still but just kept reminding myself that I needed to know what this lump is and the only way for that to happen was to let the surgeons take it out. So with that said I asked my anesthetist to please take good care of me and while she put me to slppep we played a game where I would try and fight it off for as long as possible and try and count to 10. I didnt even get to 3 .lol SO the surgery itself lasted 2 and a half hours and I woke up in recovery. I was a little confused in recovery and reached for my neck to see if surgery had been done as it seemed like a split second ago I had gone to sleep. The nurse stopped me from grabbing my neck and assured me surgery had been done.
I was vomiting a little after surgery but that is quite normal for me after surgery and did not hurt my neck at all. After about 2 hours in recovery I was taken up to the ward and was made comfortable. Now with regard to pain I didnt think it was painfull at all on the first day, it was the morning of the second day when I felt a little sore and sorry for myself, but thats due to bruising etc, and I have been using ice packs etc. But on a scale of 1 to 10 Deb, 10 being child birth, this is very minor discomfort , say a 4 or 5 at its worst. Actually even though its only been 3 days I am feeling like I have more energy already....
THINGS I TOOK TO THE HOSPITAL AND RECOMMEND YOU TAKE TO THE HOSPITAL WITH YOU ALSO ARE:
2 X ICE PACKS- although hospital will have them dont be without them.
Your favourite bath products , shampoo and conditoner, that first shower after surgery is just devine.
Notebook and pen, in case your voice is a bit wonky afterwards, and you need to write something down to your husband- like honey make sure the house is clean before I get home , that type of thing lol....
Your own Pillow from home - I found this to be the best thing I did as the hospital pillows are not that good.
Phone and phone charger- you will want to tell everyone you made it afterwards and also received messages of support etc.
I found eating a little difficult but not impossible after surgery and was eating soft things with no problem, my particular favourite was the chocolate easter eggs lol, Three days after and I am now eating toast and things like that with no problem.
I cant tell you the relief I feel in knowing that all I have to do now is wait for the results and tackle the next hurdle- to be honest having the surgery has been the smallest hurdle for me in all of this, the waiting and not knowing about the cancer is by far the hardest part.. I wanted to post a pic of myself on here but cant seem to figure it out lol. will try and do that. Take care xxx Tan

HERE WE GO HERE IS AN IMAGE THIS IS 5 HOURS AFTER SURGERY
http://s1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb363/seastan67/


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## McKenna

I posted on your other thread, but I'll post here too. I'm glad you are home and doing well!

Lavender brought up a good point about calcium. Did your surgeon put you on a supplement? Or say anything about your parathyroids?

You might feel some weird hormone fluctuations during the first week or so, from dumping and general "disturbing the flow" of things. Mine hit me a few days after surgery and started with hot flashes.


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## seastan67

Actually no , he did not say anything about calcium supplements for my parathyroids. I have had a bit of tingling in my fingers the last day since surgery,if it doesnt go away I will ring him this afternoon. I am due to see him in 2 weeks time, so I will have a lot of questions then about whats next etc. I have just been feeling very tired one minute and the next minute feel like I am ready to run a marathon, I am getting plenty of rest though so am just counting the days down till I get my results. Oh yes Ice packs are the most wonderful invention everhugs6


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## cglackin

Thanks so much for sharing your pic after surgery! I am waiting my FNA and thinking even if it's OK I might have my thyroid taken out because I am choking and having trouble breathing with shortness of breath, even swallowing is hard sometimes.

I am apprehensive about surgery and the drain afterwards though~

C


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