I would say wait at least 14 days before you get into downward dog . I love to workout and do yoga, so want to go back as soon as possible. Thyroid lobectomy is a relatively safe and low-risk procedure. Wallner LP, Reyes-Gastelum D, Hamilton AS, Ward KC, Hawley ST, Haymart MR. J Clin Oncol. The camera helps your surgeon find the right area for surgery. Good luck with your recovery. My nodule was 4cm. Amanda! I found this site before my partial op in February, the article and all the comments are so great for info and support! I was surprised and relieved yet concerned to hear from my doctor that I need to have the surgery right away. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. Easy. The terribly debilitating symptoms you have still have you entrapped in your own body, you have a horrifying cut your throat scar , your medical issue is more complicated than before and according to some, theres nothing more they can do for me Is there anyone out there that may be able to shed some light on where do I go from here thanks. Needless to say, this whole process two surgeries- was not fun. You will experience some discomfort at the incision site as well as a raw or sore throat from the breathing tube that . Blood tests are used to check the amounts of calcium and thyroid hormone in your blood. But once they did, she shed the pounds without effort. I had normal thyroid levels before and after my surgery, so need no meds. I was awakened out of my sleep coughing with a burning and choking sensation in my throat. The worst thing to me has been my energy level, headaches, the constant clearing of my throat, and now what I think is acide reflux. Your body is busy adjusting to having one lobe that now has to compensate for the missing half. I am terrified. Fast forward to 8/26, and Im tingling in the fingers toes face teeth. I because really tired so was glad to have a second recovery week. Biospy FNA was inconclusive, wouldnt attempt second FNA as too vascular and dr was concerned I would hemmorage. 2) Did you need Synthroid or did the other half compensate? The features of this nodule upon ultrasound (solid, hypoechoic, hypervascular, longer than wide) indicated the possibility of cancer. Also, how long was your surgery ? All I can say is pay very close attention to what your body is telling you. Im seeing so many posts of lack of energy and the upheaval of the body that Im just not sure what to do. I wont need to take thyroid medication. There is some voice discomfort and perhaps low energy levels, but I am looking to get back into the swing of things in next week or so. Did you gain any weight during the wait time? I had migraines and nausea for several long days after the fact. Hi, Dawn, All OK (except headaches), my only concern is how the thyroid reacts to half of it being taken out. I wish I had discovered your article 2 weeks ago. My voice was very weak after surgery but its probably at 85%. You may be given antithyroid medicine to lower the amount of thyroid hormone made by your thyroid gland. However, they asked me about allergies beforehand and I know for sure they double checked and kept that in my mind. I had it Monday morning and by Thursday was feeling great but I over did it and started feeling anxiety, tired and dizzy. The surgery went well the scar like yours protrude for a while but barely noticeable. Im still recovering, I went back to work on 12/16. 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. Had my partial thyroidectomy 6 days ago due to a hyperfunctioning autonomous nodule (aka hot nodule). My voice was a bit funky for a few months but it resolved itself. Has anyone heard of this or tried it? Im scheduled for surgery August 24. Also what are the reference ranges shown on the lab report for the Free T4 and Free T3 results? I have a consult in a few weeks. I dont want to irritate it further. I have a rather large incision due to the fact that the nodule was so large. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. It was very reassuring, and I read it daily leading up to my surgery. I work at home, so worked a little during week two. That being said I exercised 5 days a week for 3 weeks and dropped the weight very easilyjust like Ive normally been able to dountil the holidays came. Endocr Connect. I had put on weight a few years back, my BP was high and they put me on meds. If you have cancer, your surgeon may also remove the tissue and lymph nodes around your thyroid gland. Its crazy! I also have a small nodule on the other side. I felt fine 2 days later. I have read so many horror stories about weigbt gain and horrid mood swings neither of which I can handle right now. The only surgeries Ive had were c-sections. Your provider will tell you which medicines to take or not take on the day of surgery. The energy takes a while but itll come back. So, if youre afraid, dont put it off! My sister recovered quick from hers and went to work 4 days later, I dont work and I cant imagine there is no way. But, theres no way that Id recommend you chew a steak or anything like that in the days afterward. or, has anyone ever had to have a second surgery to remove the other half? UGHHH I am really hoping that the nodules were causing the weight gain and I dont have to join the circus, but instead will return to my slender self again. Its just been bothering me that he wants to potentially take my whole thyroid. The scar is right in the crease of my neck and really isnt that bad. Not sure if they will want me to remove left because of cancer cells found, which by the way was stage 1. Is there any hope that Ill start feeling better on my own? Quick question- did you have yours done by Dr. Clayman? I found this article sometime after I found out I had a goiter after a year or so with visiting an ENT after messing up my one of my ears. Thanks!! If it wasnt for that, I think Id have been off the heavy duty painkillers within a couple days of the surgery instead of taking them for a week. Could I have Hoshimoto's with normal antibodies? Hi, I am planning to get my partial thyroidectomy done soon for my indeterminate thyroid nodule on my right lobe. Nervous and anxious is an understatement. The biopsy came back as cells of undetermined significance/follicular lesions but the genetic test came back benign. Ive read so many scary posts about managing hormone levels and poor quality of life issues after full thyroid surgery, etc. Surgery to remove all or part of part or all of the thyroid gland is commonly needed to treat both benign (noncancerous) and cancerous thyroid disease. Im very nervous about this surgery on Monday, so any tips I need to know would be appreciated! I just had a partial thyroidectomy yesterday. Thank you all for this thread especially the one that started it. I have had unexplained anxiety for the past couple years and a matter how many therapists are doctors I go to they all seem to tell me they think its related to my thyroid. I too had a large nodule left love growing down into my chest wall pressing and pushing my treachea. That is far too long to have to wait for followup testing. Recent check up showed development of 4 nodules with complex vascular supply. I have had swallowing problems for years and recently it has gotten so bad that I am choking and coughing daily. And God forbid I cough swallowing is still a little tender. While partial thyroidectomy is a fairly routine and simple (relatively speaking) surgery, surgeons seem to have different incision sizes. Two weeks is about right fir recovery as LaJolla Mom said. Any reader going through this, take a deep breathe and get your nodule/tumor taken out. And I wanted to know if anyone has experienced being slightly depressed after having the surgery. I like to do either Barre or Power Yoga daily and will really miss it. Linda, how long after your surgery did you have to wait until were you able to sing again? It is not near as bad as it seems. I guess my biggest fear is that it wont keep up and I gain an enormous amount of weight. Some would say that is more scary than thyroid surgery. In general, thyroid surgery is well tolerated and the vast majority of patients will have a smooth recovery. I, too, have a need for a partial thyroidectomy and am pretty scared, unsure what to expect, etc. Post-surgery day 3 and I feel ready to go by to work. 2019 Jan;25(1):31-42. doi: 10.4158/EP-2018-0253. I just ordered ScarAway today. Your thyroid gland makes hormones that regulate your metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate. On the table he offered me the option to take the half, do a test there and if it was bad or unsure, that he would take the whole thing. And what do you mean about experiencing things with the second surgery? I really didnt want to because I am claustrophobic, but was assured that it was very quick (21 seconds to be exact). ultrasound result is with cslcification. My right ear also had weird sensations. Health Sci Rep. 2023 Jan 10;6(1):e1018. Your levels need monitoring as I am checking mine every two months via blood work. A month later I ended up in the emergency room because I hadnt been unable to catch my breath since this surgery, and I was so frustrated. I will do a blood test in a few weeks to determine whether the remaining portion of my thyroid is functioning normally. Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. If so, what med and dosage? I feel like the doctor is fishing me for surgery for no apparent reason. I felt really comfortable with this new one. If you have a sedentary job fine. I would say to get it done. well the lump was getting bigger and it coke was gone so i decided to go straight to a head & neck specialist. That is when they removed the strips. I had the right half of my thyroid removed on 04/10/16 due to a Hurthle Cell Adenoma. Thank you for the advice and for sharing your experienced Linda.. Did you end up having the surgery? I just need to hit the gym! If hormone levels are normal and a module is present and monitored regularly with ultrasound and biopsies, Im curious as to why they would need to be removed, I am such a case. The main indications include symptomatic benign thyroid goiter, thyroid carcinoma, and hyperthyroidism refractory to medical therapy. Epub 2019 Jul 6. All I can say is dont worry. Thanks Karla and Linda so much! Pain afterwards was hard for two weeks but movement is fine now and scar is big but calming down. The worst part for me was that they to put a drain in and overextended my shoulder in the process. So far, my levels have been fine. Good luck! Thanks to this test they were able to see that although the cells in my nodule were not malignant yet, that they were mutating and had a 60 percent chance of becoming cancer; which is why my endocrinologist felt the need to approve my surgery. Now there is a suggestion that I do a CT to see better whats going on. he hardest thing about the surgery is having to sleep sitting up, i the hydrocodon also makes my nausceous abs dizzy, i wish i could just get a good nap. The surgery took about 2 hours and really wasnt terrible. They also tell you that you might be tired for a few weeks. You must know your hormones are at a stand right now for still for several weeks. I am going to have thyroid surgery this Fall hasnt been scheduled yet. Learn how your comment data is processed. The surgery went very well, I felt great after three days even went to lunch Etc. Rationale: Maximizes supply and absorption of calcium if parathyroid function is impaired. My dr says they will evaluate me but I will be having a portion of my thyroid out (where it is suspicious). Alongside this I had heart palpitations and anxiety because of my experiences. I was on the sofa for three days watching TV but feeling better after that. My family is filled.with different types of cancer. The site is secure. Never weight for a perfect season to get any surgery that was deemed necessary for you. They gave me Norco for pain but the pain is less troublesome than the effects of the Norco for me. THE SURGERY & recovery I just had my right section removed. No throat irritation (except the day of surgery) but Im having trouble singing. I am in San Diego, who are the top surgeons here? Im just wondering how necessary it is. Had partial thyroidectomy 11/28/16 after the exploratory did not find anything. You may be given pain medicine after surgery. Ive certainly gone through my fair share of highs and lows since my surgery. You might increase 15 mg per day every 2 to 3 weeks until you feel your best. Basically, the early hospical arrival involved checking in, changing, reviewing medical history, meeting with the surgeon one last time, and getting hooked up to an IV. undergoing partial thyroidectomy remains unclear. Mine was 7cm benign. Hang in there. My thyroid levels are good and I finally got up enough nerve to have a biopsy done. Im very swollen also but no pain. The scan showed that my trachea was being pushed out of place which freaked me out. Studies show that long term fatigue is common after thyroid surgery. While it doesnt seem like much, seeing it actually on your neck after the fact is quite a shock. That makes a huge difference. It is comforting to hear other stories and know others out there have gone thru the same thing. Mine was 7cm x 4cm x 5cm on the right side. Before My next is completely fine. Hi Everyone, i had partial thyroidectomy last 4days ago.everythings turn out great. How did it go with your voice? I have three small children under the age of 6, and know I need to do this. If you are really concerned, speak to your physician and ask what he/she thinks. Just over half were treated with radioactive iodine therapy (56.7%) and thyroid hormone suppression (50.2%) after the thyroidectomy. The doctors could not recognize whether its benign or melignant . Hi Its itchy. So far so good. This is 10 months out from hemi-thyroidectomy. I had the surgery on February 9th. Yes. Is this a specialty of Dr Bouvet? Having my partial lobectomy on Tues April 18, 2017. So much helpful information. Minimally-invasive is worth looking in to if youre a candidate. This freaked me out a bit, but I was happy for their caution and thoroughness. Your voice may be hoarse or weak after surgery, and this may become a long-term problem. I agree that if you need this done, then do not delay because of fear. I really appreciate it. Epub 2019 Sep 30. Change in worry over time among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer. My doctor had be do a biopsy, the radiologist said it looked cystic to him, and then it came back with a suspicious for malignancy diagnosis. Doc suggested I have total thyroidectomy. So its been about a month (28 days) and I feel pretty normal. In February 2017 I went to the emergency room they did a cat scan and said that I have a large heterogeneous goiter on my thyroid. Thanks for sharing your experience. You are right this forum has been a godsend and you have been so amazing, compassionate and kind. We are scheduled to go on vacation to Florida (live in Ohio) June 25th we are flying. Im scheduled for partial thyroidectomy on Monday. Hello-I love this thread. So thats without pain meds from 7:00 am this morning! Reading this site has been such a relief for me. I am sure it will all heal but will take some time as I am 53. Some tout a minimally-invasive technique with very small incisions. For me, I have a 5cm benign cyst that Ive had aspirated but it immediately filled back up and grew. Hopefully the exercise and eating healthy routine will keep my weight stable. This has been one of the least painful surgeries have had. Thanks so much for posting your experience. My right lobe was 7cm x 5cm x 4cm which is huge. I am petrified of surgery, however, it needs to come out because people can see it now protruding in my neck. Thankfully, it was removed easily and didnt require separating the sternum. You may need to take medicine daily to keep your thyroid hormone level steady. Im sleeping like a newborn baby. Happily, mine was benign despite a previous needle biopsy show8ng an inordinate number of bad celks, including Hurthle cells. Dont play on driving for at least a week, if not a little longer. Good luck. My surgery is 10 days away and this whole thread has been so helpful in getting me mentally prepared for it. The problem with a large nodule is they cant be certain its benign. 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. Hello, I am on day 6 of recovery from a left thyroid lobectomy. But they got it all, great news. I have the option of general anesthesia or local sedation and wonder if anyone has had this surgery with local sedation since I think it would make recovery faster and easier. Support Care Cancer. government site. Two questions for those on the other side of this 1) How/when did you take off the glue strip? Appreciate all the comments, because I feel more informed and calmer. You may be told not to eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of surgery. I had to stay overnight, which is normal. Molly, Am I doing surgery for no good reason? Dont delay a thyroidectomy or partial thyroidectomy because youre scared. I do get tightness sparingly but it seems to happen less and less. This can cause your calcium levels to drop too low. My partial surgery was 9 Feb 2017 ; tonight had to do back to ER for neuropathy left hand, wrist while cooking me a lite supper . This is my first surgery ever but i didnt do well w/c section an anesthesia. What was your experience with the necessity of pain meds? It is such a relief not to feel the full feeling in my throat. I had a follow up visit at my doctors office one week after surgery. . New fatigue was evident in 61% of respondents within a year after TT or lobectomy. So, I went to my general practitioner who referred me to an endocrinologista specialty here that books out months in advance for an initial appointment. I am having a large 6cm thyroid nodule removed at the end of this month, along with a suspected parathyroid tumor. Good luck to all. Im about 5 months post-op now and feeling great I enjoy yoga even more now because I dont have that heavy nodule getting in the way during any type of head inversion. Im on day 6 in post op from having a partial thyroidectomy. You might also have to take supplements after thyroidectomy to balance your calcium levels. I had an appointment 6 months post op to have my levels checked. I wish I had realized how different I was. long story short i was back to zumba in 3 weeks. I still have not needed medication though there are times Ive wondered if I do, but my schedule is also a lot different now (more active) so I wonder often if Im just plain tired like a normal person. Good luck with your decision. Thoughts? With that said, I have only taken Tylenol for pain. I went back for my post op appointment to find out that all was benign (!!). Thank you. I recently had mine removed and a neck dissection, apart from post surgery tiredness during immediate recovery I'm fine in that respect now. Waiting on the biopsy. When I eat or drink anything I feel pain in my throat as I swallow just wondering if this is normal and will it go away on its own? I wasnt able to eat or drink anything from midnight onward. Rationale: Contraindicated after partial thyroidectomy because these foods inhibit thyroid activity. Recovery wasnt bad as I took it easy for the first week and eased myself into working and life the second week. Thank you so much! Thank you Mary & Linda for replying and advice. I needed a hemi-thyroidectomy (left side) due to a large multi nodular goitre that was suspicious after FNA. Yes, I slept in my lazyboy for a couple of nights because it was more comfortable that laying down. Thank you for posting your experience. Having said all this, I am firm believer in keeping your thyroid. With that situation, they have a thoracic surgeon on standby in case they have to go down deeper. With a thyroid operation, there is another reason for tiredness. I can drink and eat as normal. That did it for me. Similarly, correlates of substantial fatigue included younger age, more comorbidities, history of depression, and thyroid hormone suppression (odds ratio 1.63 [confidence interval 1.34-1.99]). Everyone is righttheres little pain and the sore throat only lasts 2 days. Hoping this helps someone. Had my partial lobectomy, The right lobe and the isthmus removed. Health literacy and fatigue, anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma from West China: A cross-sectional study. I had 1/2 my thyroid removed 10/25/2018, waiting for test results. Good luck! I am 57. So yes, I would much rather have had one surgery and have been done. Even though benign, I would have been scheduled for an ultrasound and biopsy every six months. It shocked me. The anesthesiologist I met with in my pre-op appointment approved Xanax on the morning of surgery. I think one important thing to note is now they offer genetic testing called the Afirma testing. It helps to read the experiences of othersboth positive and negative. if there is i need to wait like 3-4 months and get th other side taken out.. hopefully that doesnt happen & i can move on with life. He explained to me that I had German Shepherd trying to get out a cats door and he had to make 6 inch incision. After parathyroid glands are removed, the remaining parathyroid glands may take some time to work properly again. I have been having tingling in my left foot and my left hand. Took 4 hours on table some if which was to determine before closing having pathology to detetmine if there was any signs of cancer though biopsy was negative. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Thats when they found nodule 1 2.5 cm at the time, and nodule 2, 1.2 cm. Its very manageable with minimal pain. And even when I know Im about to be mean and snappy I cant help but continue with the attitude. I would get a second opinion. Conclusion: There is a certain finesse involved in pulling the sample and staining it promptly. Everyone made it sound like this surgery is no big deal, and for the most part things have gone well. The pain is fairly intense for sure. I read this site before my surgery and it helped calm my nerves. I have swelling and redness, as well as a major bruise (black and blue) all the way down my chest. Thanks all so much!!! I feel so much better having the nodule out. Id personally rather do it once. The nodule on my left side was 7cmthere was hardly any thyroid tissue. My thyroid levels are still fine. since the surgery Ive had mixed emotions. Good luck and wishing you all the best. I had a partial thyroidectomy on June 12th, about 7 weeks ago. Im so glad youre having minimally invasive. Even though the fluid was always benign, I lost my mom & brother to cancer, so didnt want to take any chances. I was worried that might be too soon, but when I went along she said the clips were definitely ready to come out. It is time to take it out. The incision is about 1.5 ins and its healing well. I had no pain, just a bit of a sore throat for a few days from the tube during surgery. My first thyroid level tests have shown that my levels are good. Im looking for a specialist that does partials with minimum surgery. Stayed home for a week, but then was I fine. Its done! Your email address will not be published. My throat always seemed goopy and I would take menthol cough drops to help clear it. You feel a bit tired for about 2 weeks but nothing terrible. Mine usually last 5-6 days and Im currently on day 12. There is always a possibility that they find cells not found on the needle biopsy. If you can, try to make Monday as easy as possible! Abstract Background: Fatigue after thyroidectomy is common, but there is a paucity of data regarding its prevalence and duration. Why take a nodule out if this one is benign? I had my left thyroid removed in December, 2008 because of a nodule. I was driving within days, I didnt have the problems with turning my head but my throat was really sore so I was on soft foods for a week. I just remember hoarsley saying to the nurse when I got up, I dont sound like a man, yay! Lol, I am so happy to see this thread! If so what antibiotic did you take? . I do keep getting mild headaches and Im still a little tired. I sometimes have no energy or motivation to do anything at all. I was really tired for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Endo/surgeon says I am so borderline hyper its not worth mentioning. I have no sex drive, very depressed and I'm always hungry Anyone else have these symptoms. Recently a mass 5.5cm found on my left lower thyroid gland. Two, he says its not going to get smaller and I might as well remove it now. Careers. I have a 5mm papillary cancer nodule on the right side that has been under Active Surveillance for 6 years, but has now grown. But youll get there, just try to allow yourself a generous amount of time to heal. Good luck to you. I am not one who works out like you do and I am 64. it all started with a swollen thyroid gland my primary dr said it was no big deal that it would go away after my cold was gone. It was benign. 2022 Feb 28;11(2):e210506. Time is really of the essence because, in some cases, it can become cancerous. . I couldnt turn my neck very well for almost two weeks. I am not convinced. Scar is healing nicely too. I laughed and said that I had my thyroid removed 18 years ago and have been on synthroid since. I ended staying overnight at the hospital for observation. You helped me decide I needed 3 more days off work and I was thankful I did that. You should be able to swallow pretty much anything but your doctor will tell you what youll be capable of. I was totally fine post-op butfor the past 3 weeks Ive been very fatigued (I wake up tired even after a good nights sleep and I cant stop yawning). Both were non concerning, I received a diagnosis of postpartum thyroiditis but fast forward 6 months and my blood work is normal again, and Im 1 year postpartum. Mine had pushed my trachea out of line and I was unable to swallow. I pray I feel like me and require no permanent meds. Have they done a chest X-ray to see if it is substernal? I also read a lot of horror stories so thank you everyone for writing your experiences. 2 years ago I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I was super anxious all month, but so far, Im ecstatic that its out! Results: 2. The .gov means its official. I wish you all the best! Than you, I had my surgery yesterday, and just like you, I was born in the Chernobyl area and have allergies to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Once you recovery and the problem persist would advise to get a consult for an endocrinologist. My voice was fine after surgery, just a bit scratchy. The comments are encouraging me that not everyone finds out its a cancer diagnosis after the partial removal. Your parathyroid glands may not work as well as they should after surgery. 200 mg synthroid And what things? I had surgery last September and you cant even see it. Jennifer. Did the tumor grow at a fast rate? How is the weight management going after surgery ? 8600 Rockville Pike Getting mine out in January, partial, i hope. Thank you so much for this article. I was depressed, devistated and angry . Im kind of nervous, but I hope it will be OK. I did this. I feel so very cold and sleep with my electric blanket on, but if I get too hot the breathing is made worse. (Then). My right lobe measured 6.1 x 3.8 x 3.1 cm. This is a good blog. Hi Linda, Text Size. I guess as long as long as you dont notice any other symptoms, you might be okay. I am retired, but if working I would say that you may need 2 to 3 weeks off. My levels before were 0.3 and theyre 0.9 as of yesterday. My endocrinologist wants to put me on medicine and I guess I am trying to avoid a medicine that I might not need in a few more weeks. Thoughts?? I really had not post op issues. My surgery was about 1 1/2 hours.