# Surgery in 3 weeks! tips pls!



## vivien (Dec 22, 2012)

I have done two biopsies in 2 months and both state the same thing as its abnormal, atypia. 
So ent has stated to do surgery. I am having half of my thyroid removed in three weeks.

He also said i will be on tablets for the rest of my life????? hmmm. I am already on reflux medication and birth control everyday, and now more tablets.

So how soon should i be feeling better after surgery? When can i start driving? when would the pain after surgery go away? Is it easy recovery? Tell me about your recovery also?
How much does the tablets cost monthly? Is there a anything i should know or any tips ?


----------



## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

Some people who have one lobe left produce enough thyroid hormone in that remaining lobe. So for those folks, they don't need medication for the rest of their life. I wouldn't bet on that, but it's possible.

Taking medication for the rest of your life isn't a big deal, really. Cost depends on your insurance coverage. I pay about $20 a month.

I had a trouble with the hormonal upheaval after surgery. I went through the thyroid dumping process, had hot flashes, couldn't sleep, felt anxious, etc. that passed in about 48 hours. After that, how well you feel depends on how well your remaining lobe functions and how much medication you are on. Remember for some of us, it takes a while to find the right dose.

As for actual pain, I really didn't have any. My neck was sore/stiff from being hyperextended during the surgery. I took Advil regularly, just to stay ahead of any pain and reduce swelling...but honestly, I didn't think it hurt. My husband and I started re-roofing the house the day I got my stitches out, 11 days post-op.

I would recommend getting v-neck or button up/zip up shirts, insulated cups with straws, ice packs (which I admit I didn't use), and lots of mental floss type movies (I had trouble concentrating on anything "heavy" and had a hard time concentrating on books).

Good luck!


----------



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Just a little tip, I noticed you've posted this exact same post in at least 4 different areas of the site. It makes it difficult for people to keep track and you may miss a few posts since they aren't all in the same thread, too. It would be easier to just have one thread for this so everyone can see what's been posted and add their suggestions to the others.


----------

