Your incision is red, swollen, or draining pus. My voice is not completely back to normal (I sing) but its getting there. Why Am I Losing Weight After Thyroidectomy? | Paloma Health Did everyone else need to do this as well? I had the needle biopsy prior to the surgery and it came out as benign. I did eventually feel better but it took several days or a week cant remember. I took a decent amount of pain meds for the first week and ate mostly soft foods. I find that Im slightly hoarse due to breathing tube irritation and Im also very tired. Im sleeping much better. Should I still scar,there are lasers that help and steroid injections should the scar pop out. My surgeonsaid that if I had a full time job outside the home, I should take off two weeks and if I worked from home on my own time, a week would probably be okay. I have no dressing on the wound and I have to say my surgeon did a great job a neat cut on a natural crease. I had to stay overnight, which is normal. I am retired, but if working I would say that you may need 2 to 3 weeks off. Have it removed while it is still benign and fine. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for posting your experience. This test is great on identifying benign or malignant masses. How long does the swelling and your neck go down it feel like some of the goiter is still there. I have three small children under the age of 6, and know I need to do this. I had a 5.3 cm module removed on January 3rd. With a thyroid operation, there is another reason for tiredness. Hi, Molly, I agree with your doctor. I would get a second opinion. I used to tell my husband that I feel like Im going to die at night I felt like I was suffocating and I didnt know why. So far post surgery, have felt pretty good and think a lot depends on the experience of the surgeon and personal care. I had the hemi-thyroidectomy last September. Needless to say, this whole process two surgeries- was not fun. Thanks so much for your replies- I really appreciate it and find it helpful. Hang in there. There has never been any signs of cancer, but I wonder if it could turn cancerous if I dont have it removed? I go back to work in about 3 weeks, and Im worried about being able to do the job. I went for a partial thyroidectomy for a tumor that they said was benign (one FNA came back benign and the other was inclusive). One surgeon told me that my down time would be 2 days (which is a complete crock, on hindsight). I wasnt too anxious before the surgery since I had a benign result about 6 months before. My throat hurt quite a bit, and my neck was stiff. I didnt have these problems before. I was pretty much useless during the first week. My hormone levels all test within normal range and I have half a thyroid. See this image and copyright information in PMC. Thanks! I was 22 at the time. Surgery was quick and surprisingly painless as I did not have to take even Tylenol after surgery. My recheck visit where theyll test my thyroid levels is in January. I do spin class 4x week and run 2 days.this is just to maintain my weight since I ran a marathon last Oct. What to expect after the operation Royal College of Surgeons I had my partial in February. It was discovered in 2011, was about 4.4cm then, and has been monitored periodically since then with ultrasounds and biopsies (benign). I just wanted to update that I am post surgery. I caught a terrible flu/cold during my 2nd week of recovery just as I was ready to return to work. Prevalence and predictors of psychological distress among patients with thyroid cancer during transitional period in China: a cross-sectional study. It went pretty well but I am surprised by the amount of pain I still feel. Thanks. Thank you for posting about your experience. 11 Thyroid Fatigue Solutions: - Suitable Nutrition thank God my insurance paid for it. I have multiple nodules on both sides of my thyroid with my largest nodule on my left which has doubled in size since February 2016. xoxo. (Then). Also, make sure you ask all your questions and have family member go with you for the surgery. They did biopsy on my solid nodule and came up inconclusive Im worried aboit gaining uncontrolled weight. Has anyone ever heard if this happening? Did this affect your weight? Thankfully since I worked in healthcare, I recognized the symptoms after a day of being home and my doctor saw me right away and gave me a prescription. I did stay overnight, which is standard. ANY advise or words of encouragement would be appreciated. But Im hoping that every day it will get better! My doctor offered a similar option. Partial Thyroidectomy In this procedure, only partial portion of the gland is removed, the remaining thyroid is active and produces normal quantities of the hormone. Rationale: Contraindicated after partial thyroidectomy because these foods inhibit thyroid activity. By week two you will be fine. Im Vegan so this brand is safe if that is a consideration. No nausea. But youll get there, just try to allow yourself a generous amount of time to heal. I trust the surgeon but Im still breastfeeding and am concerned about the possibility of a cancer diagnosisI really dont have any symptoms of the cancer that people have been mentioning. My PTH has been elevated as well as my Calcium. Again happy birthday!!! How is the weight management going after surgery ? Partial or complete thyroidectomy is performed to relieve compressive symptoms of thyroid hypertrophy, prevent sequelae of thyroid carcinoma, and achieve hormonal control of hyperthyroidism. HISTORY hope the best for you. The biopsy came back negative but I was advised due to its size that I might want to have it removed because they couldnt guarantee it wouldnt keep growing. God Bless. Even a lump that is not cancer can grow large and cause breathing problems. After two weeks everything was totally back to normal. So far, my levels have been fine. I like to do either Barre or Power Yoga daily and will really miss it. I had a 4cm nodule which by needle biopsy was benign. It is 6cm and am having it removed in 2 days. Its easy to cover the incision with a scarf or turtle neck in the winter, plus staying out of the sun will reduce scarring. R01 CA201198/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States, HHSN261201800015I/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States. I had migraines for a few days after and still have a slightly hoarse throat. I would check my "hemocrit" levels just to make sure that you are not anemic. I dont know much about the pathology indetermine, but what I was told was that if it wasnt pure benign they would recommend removal. The procedure can be performed in two ways: 1. or, has anyone ever had to have a second surgery to remove the other half? This site was so helpful for me as I mentally prepared for my partial thyroidectomy. The .gov means its official. I had multiple nodes on mine, and had been having them drained for the past 2 years. This was partly out of exhaustion (was still needing an occasional nap 2 weeks post-op and Im 42). Hi! My nodule was benign as well, but continued to grow so I wanted it out. The fatigue was debilitating and I couldn't leave the house on my own nor do basic things in the home without feeling completely exhausted. I am wondering if anyone has had the same symptoms and procedure with any weight loss afterwards. General anesthesia is usually given before a partial thyroidectomy. I also have a toxic multi-nodular goiter and thus have very high T3 levels, and weight gain is a concern of mine because I was told if I only had half removed, the remaining half should be able to keep up (in theory). 2019 Aug 20;37(24):2152-2161. doi: 10.1200/JCO.18.02228. Let us know what your outcome is. An official website of the United States government. It has now been 7 days. It is quite common for the correct dosage to be found to fit an individual. It is found in the front lower part of your neck. government site. I have always been up for hanging out with friends but all of a sudden its as if I have lost interest in doing anything. Let me know if you have any other concerns. My incision? It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. Molly, I had my surgery 8/22 and went home the 23rd. No pain afterwards. Even if you cannot see the doctor right away,push to get the tests done now. If the small nodule seems stable, Id be inclined to leave that side in. My experience was very similar to yours. How is it that with all the sophisticated radio tracing equipment that shows something is present, the surgery doesnt show anything. I was worried that might be too soon, but when I went along she said the clips were definitely ready to come out. Hi Dawn Do NOT worry. Im very nervous about this surgery on Monday, so any tips I need to know would be appreciated! Im thinking of trying it. Results: For those who have had cancer though, did you have to do radioactive iodine. Thanks. For those of you who had the surgery did the doctor prescribe antibiotics ? Keep recovering, My first parathyroid surgery was November 2015 and within 6 mos, the symptoms came back but with like a crazy rushing tornado. Im very torn on what I should do. I tell him Im looking foward to it! my surgery was this year in Jan. The surgery itself is pretty easy. However, he advised to have it removed. It kept growing little by little to about 5.2cm in 2018. My job giving me a hard time about getting time off and thinks I can return the next day. It really wasnt as bad as I thought. The normal job of the thyroid gland is to produce thyroid hormone, which helps control the body's metabolism (how the body uses energy). Do whatever it takes not to get sick for the first two months after surgery because it will set you back. Im going in to have my left lobe removed next week and I wondered if anyone had problems with weight gain after their surgery? Im going to have a partial also and Im really concerned about my voice changing. Banerjee M, Wiebel JL, Guo C, Gay B, Haymart MR. BMJ. These were due to my body getting used to having no thyroid and to the medication. Surgeon giving me the option of a partial or full thyroidectomy says its up to me. You will feel such a huge sense of relief once the procedure is over so look forward to that. the only thing is the my 1 inch insicion is super itchy sometimes but i keep out of the sun & use a light scarf.Best of luck on your surgery, think positive & take care of yourself ? Parathyroidectomy cures almost all cases of primary hyperparathyroidism and returns blood calcium levels to a healthy range. honestly, the recent biopsy was more painful than id expected and i was swollen for a week. Incision is about 6 cm long. I had to be at hospital at 5:30 am so got home around 11pm. My voice was fine after surgery, just a bit scratchy. im not tired, not crabby, my hair doesnt fall out. What was your experience with the necessity of pain meds? I think a week would be a bit quick depending on the operation and the size of your thyroid. Hi, Dawn, I would stay off of other websites. I told him I wanted to wait and lets monitor every 6 months since its small and no symptoms. They were able to remove it through my neck without having to open my sternum which I was thankful for. I have a small nodule on the left so my concern is they may decide to take the whole thyroid. I lost my mom & brother to cancer, and my dad had his thyroid removed. Stay strong & healthy!! Its so helpful and calming to hear from people with positive experiences and that Im not crazy for wanting to get this removed. Otherwise, my surgeonsaid people are back tonormal pretty much at about the six week mark. Fast forward to 8/26, and Im tingling in the fingers toes face teeth. I am hoping it will all go well and now that I know this, I can make more mindful lifestyle changes. of Synthroid daily. Amanda! I did gain a few lbs but think it was more because I was conscious of being tired and didnt want to push myself to exercise. I love to workout and do yoga, so want to go back as soon as possible. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. Thank you Jewels x, Hi. That was my reaction 3 years ago, when it was brought to my attention that I had a nodule. My sister recovered quick from hers and went to work 4 days later, I dont work and I cant imagine there is no way. Its been a bit more than a year and my thyroid levels are still fine without medication. My surprise theres no pain..im healing well..hope everythings will work out fine for you guys. Thank you so much for this article. I took 1 pain pill when I got home because we had a 4 hour drive due to very heavy traffic. You could not see it because I am a big guy. The reported incidence of hypothyroidism ranges from 5% to 49%, with most between 15-30%. I wasnt sure if it was from low calcium or what. I also work full-time and have no idea what to say to my office. About eight nodules, however, the largest is on the left. I really didnt want to because I am claustrophobic, but was assured that it was very quick (21 seconds to be exact). Getting more tired and fatigued - Macmillan Online Community All I can say is pay very close attention to what your body is telling you. They said its for precaution. I am not on any thyroid medication. exclusive discounts on theme park tickets, 13 Benefits of Drinking Warm Lemon Water in the Morning (Its Good for You), 20 Fun Beach Games and Toys That Make Sand Play Awesome, Turmeric Lemon Water: Your Daily Detox Drink, 15 Health Benefits of Cucumber Water Plus Recipes & Helpful Tips. My sister asked where my scar was the other day because you cant even see it now. Partial thyroidectomy and so many emotions | Cancer Chat I find it a little odd that your doctor doesnt want to test for again for another year. . Then, if the pathology showed cancer cells, he would re-operate to take the other side. Could I have Hoshimoto's with normal antibodies? Hi Raquel, I was advised to have them monitored, blood work, scans etc on a regular basis. Since your calcium and PTH is still high, it sounds like you might have had a second one that is still in there, or perhaps a healthy gland was removed and the original adenoma is still present. Hi, Robin, I agree that the second opinion would most likely recommend the same because of the biopsy findings. I had my left thyroid removed in December, 2008 because of a nodule. I had a semi thyroidectomy of a giant 6cm nodule in late November. Tiredness ,lethargy after partial thyroidectomy - MedHelp Partial Thyroidectomy - What You Need to Know - Drugs.com Between the two years of pondering whether or not I should do this, biopsies and appointments with various surgeons, nothing really prepared me for how it really would go for me, which may be differentfromhow you will recover. Having some problems with my face feeling flushed. The worry is that it will grow probably and that youll never be as healthy as you are at present time to handle a surgery. Hi, I am planning to get my partial thyroidectomy done soon for my indeterminate thyroid nodule on my right lobe. No problems with voice or weight gain. the thing is, its possible the second biopsy could also be inconclusive and he agreed with me on that. Tools and a small camera are put into the incisions. Really cant tell you how much I appreciate hearing your stories. In the end, the nodule came out fine without the assistance of the thoracic surgeon. Has anyone heard of this or tried it? It has grown since than to a current 3.9cm. Scar is 5cm, but I did not see it yet. Minimally-invasive is worth looking in to if youre a candidate. Your thyroid gland makes hormones that regulate your metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate. Is there the option for them to do pathology on the left side while still in surgery? Losing weight to get control of blood sugar. Blood tests are used to check the amounts of calcium and thyroid hormone in your blood. The other nodule apparently grew 1 mmso now 1.3 cm. Take it easy longer than you think you have to. I wasnt able to eat or drink anything from midnight onward. I had a hemi-thyroidectomy, my levels stayed the same, there has been no effect on my weight. That leads me to another important thing, you should always have a team. Cant get in to see the surgeon for one month . In 2013 had a right thyroidectomy with a removal of a large non-cancerous follicular mass that 7cm4.5cm5cm. Ive had a great surgeon and actually just had my blood work done today praying for good results. Had I waited 6 months to have this surgery, I wouldnt be able to breathe. For the benefit of others here are the details. Plus, Im getting married next year and dont want to deal with weight gain or a scar. The energy takes a while but itll come back. It is comforting to hear other stories and know others out there have gone thru the same thing. Things were super easy with the surgery and recovery, except my energy has not returned. I had a Thyroidectomy on May the 12th, Less than 2 months later I had an appointment with my surgeon on July the 10th and he was amazed to see that my scar is almost none existent. I can tell you that the surgery and recovery were very easy. Basically, if half was removed the other side needs to work harder. The doctor said that with the size of the nodule (7cm), its possible that this side of the thyroid had not been functioning for some time. Sorry for the delay in response it was benign even though it was big! If you have a partial thyroidectomy, your thyroid may adjust and make enough hormones on it's own without medication. My right ear also had weird sensations. Did it kick in? I had my right thyroid removed 2 weeks ago today. Thanks in advance for your time! Anyway, I started using Scar Away as soon as the post-op bandage (which was waxy) flaked off completely.