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. 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. You will have blood tests to check your calcium and thyroid hormone blood levels. Any one who can give me any advice on how to make this easier would be so much appreciated!! My next is completely fine. I went back to the office the third week, and energy levels felt good, but by Friday I had to leave early and go home to sleep. Is there the option for them to do pathology on the left side while still in surgery? What I can say is that my doctor only put 2 weeks physical restrictions on me (no bending, stretching your neck, heavy lifting). I had a hemi-thyroidectomy, my levels stayed the same, there has been no effect on my weight. I have a 5cm benign nodule that grew about 50% in volume in 6 months. At this moment death would be welcome. has anyone had the experience of planning to do a partial, but winding up with a full thyroidectomy due to findings during the surgery? Your body is busy adjusting to having one lobe that now has to compensate for the missing half. Please note my Thyroid levels are normal. The small nodule on the right side has never changed in size. Hi Amelia Its only 2 months it should go away your throat is still irratated from the surgery. My job giving me a hard time about getting time off and thinks I can return the next day. You will experience some discomfort at the incision site as well as a raw or sore throat from the breathing tube that . Decided to wait and watch as my mom had the same thing and hers was benign upon removal. Did anyone have an experience like this? R01 CA201198/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States, HHSN261201800015I/CA/NCI NIH HHS/United States. That was the one thing that surprised me. Jackson Levin N, Zhang A, Reyes-Gastelum D, Chen DW, Hamilton AS, Zebrack B, Haymart MR. J Cancer Surviv. Id be happy to answer any further questions. These voice problems include breathiness with loss of air during vocalization, change in pitch, inability to project the voice, and early vocal fatigue, any and all of which can impair communication. Everyone is righttheres little pain and the sore throat only lasts 2 days. It might not, but again hoping for the best. I am 57. My TSH numbers are fantastic. I am now becoming more tired and lethargic and am constantly yawning. The standard dose for one person very well may not work for another. It was large! PMC Though thyroid levels are in normal range. I felt queasy. I caught the worlds most horrible head cold that week so I received an okay to take my normal cold medicine. Would you like email updates of new search results? Long-Term Fatigue Is Common After Total Thyroidectomy Half my thyroid was removed on Monday scared at my level of energy. I am 68 years old and NEVER had surgery; you can imagine how frightened I was. I am going to have thyroid surgery this Fall hasnt been scheduled yet. I was able to move my neck enough to drive after about 5 days. Has anyone had both surgeries at once? I dont feel i have any energy. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both). I have a 5mm papillary cancer nodule on the right side that has been under Active Surveillance for 6 years, but has now grown. Careers. My surgery was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. which meant a 7:30 a.m. arrival time. Thyroid nodules can contain anything from liquid to solid material. Ive been reading too much and have began to develop some anxiety. If you can get a second opinion, and if it will help remove any doubts, then yes get it. Energy isnt abundant. 7 months later: nodules were larger and both were now suscpoius. 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. Only 12.3% had a thyroid lobectomy. My follow up appointment with my endrocologist is 1/29 to go over everything and a plan. Its important to keep the incision area moist once the wound has closed up to reduce scarring. So take care - and just take it one day at a time. Thanks to this blog, it was a breeze. Makes sense. I had a partial thyroid gland removal on March 7th this year 2017 I was wondering if anyone has had issues 2 months after the surgery? But this will depend on how strenuous your work is. Its really calming my nerves to know that Im not alone in this. Hi, Dawn, Did you gain any weight during the wait time? Hi, Christian, I had half of my thyroid removed a year ago for a large (7 cm) nodule benign. When this benign nodule started to affect vital functions of my body I decided it was time to remove it. However, I daresay it is not worth postponing this procedure even though it can be scary. If so, what med and dosage? The BEST way to buy attraction and theme park tickets is my discounted site. Im going in on Friday morning. Apologies for the late reply. Hi All! Lt 3.9 cm nodule. How long was your surgery and how did you manage anxiety before the surgery ? This has been one of the least painful surgeries have had. I wasnt too anxious before the surgery since I had a benign result about 6 months before. I had put on weight a few years back, my BP was high and they put me on meds. Any advice pls. Dont hesitate to have this done. i wish i didnt. Thanks for sharing your experience. As with my levels, they appear normal But what is normal the standard medical range. The surgery and after period were much easier than I expected. After partial Thyroidectomy Did you have ablation done on the other side? I do agree it is not as bad as it may seem. My doctor offered a similar option. Also I have had 2 opinions so far his and another ENT as well, mentioning as well I should just need half thyroid removed. Ive certainly gone through my fair share of highs and lows since my surgery. My surgeon (Dr. Bouvet) was touted as one of the best in San Diego. Wish I could show you my before and after pics!! Molly, I had my surgery 8/22 and went home the 23rd. Let us know what your outcome is. I had a partial thyroidectomy October 4th 2016 to remove a nodule and didnt know until after surgery if it was cancer. The doctors could not recognize whether its benign or melignant . Also a lot of congestion. Now, my throat feels better. You feel a bit tired for about 2 weeks but nothing terrible. I know a lot of people travel to Tampa for him and Im having a partial thyroid lobectomy done by him on Monday. Jewels xo. Is this normal?? They want to put me on an antibiotic post surgery. The frozen pathology during surgery came back cancer free. Good luck! Endoscopic and robotic surgeries leave smaller scars that are less visible. PDF Hypothyroidism After Hemithyroidectomy: Incidence, Risk Factors I woke up and fell asleep a number of times before finally being pretty much kicked out of recovery. It was still diagnosed as benign. You may also feel a sensation of swelling or firmness that will also resolve over time. Its very manageable with minimal pain. The surgery itself is pretty easy. I can tell you that the surgery was very simple, just a sore throat for about 2 days and no pain. It was something I dreaded for ages and then all of a sudden it was done. I have my follow up on the 30th with my ENT doctor. Surgery was a breeze. Use of imaging tests after primary treatment of thyroid cancer in the United States: population based retrospective cohort study evaluating death and recurrence. Thanks for the info. It is now a little over two weeks and I feel great! Although I was terrified, I sailed through it! I have to do a lot of talking in my business and my voice gave out on me after an hour. Any words of wisdom will be appreciated! Im about to have this surgery and needed to find someones feedback about what is going to happen.I have the full understanding that everyone is different, however up til this point, Ive been coming across a lot of complaining about the process. Im only at 3 weeks and its still a little swollen. I feel a twinge when I bend or lift something. The biopsy came back as cells of undetermined significance/follicular lesions but the genetic test came back benign. I had to be at hospital at 5:30 am so got home around 11pm. With that situation, they have a thoracic surgeon on standby in case they have to go down deeper. My thyroid function tests before and just after surgery were fine and are due to be checked again 6 weeks post op. My question is: how long does it take for your body to adjust to only having half a thyroid? About eight nodules, however, the largest is on the left. Yes. They have been monitoring me for 3 years and the right has been there concern. It was so comforting to hear your experience and how similar mine is. Even if it grew slowly over the yearsI could end up with a real problem down the line. Sounds vain I know, anyone have problems with weight gain after partial thyroidectomy? I am 56 and have also been going every 6 months to have a nodule on my right thyroid drained. Some tout a minimally-invasive technique with very small incisions. Its done! I had a partial thyriodectomy on 12/2/2019. That turned out to be benign. Thyroidectomy - Mayo Clinic Hi Linda, FOIA The anesthesiologist I met with in my pre-op appointment approved Xanax on the morning of surgery. I also have normal thyroid function. doi: 10.1530/EC-21-0506. I live in San Diego (North County) and had a partial right thyroidectomy done on July 17. hi Mary, Im planning the same partial thyroidectomy surgery Thursday, and back to work on Monday, because I own a business and cannot get any more time off than that. A partial thyroidectomy means your thyroid gland can produce some thyroid hormone. INITIAL ADOPTION OF RECOMBINANT HUMAN THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE FOLLOWING THYROIDECTOMY IN THE MEDICARE THYROID CANCER PATIENT POPULATION. It was benign. In addition to accepted risk factors such as depression and comorbidities, receiving radioactive iodine and reporting low calcium after thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer were associated with reports of worse energy compared to preoperative levels; thyroid hormone suppression was associated with reports of both worse energy and substantial post-treatment fatigue. Weight gain everywhere but mainly stomach! Painful recovery but ok? Other than that, all is well. The surgery took about 2 hours and really wasnt terrible. I am going to have a partial thyroidectomy and very worried about fatigue and weight gain. But I am dreading the painful recovery, downtime, etc. Im so anxious about the whole thing. Endocr Pract. I am so very nervous about the recovery and possible complications. xoxo. My levels before were 0.3 and theyre 0.9 as of yesterday. Pain afterwards was hard for two weeks but movement is fine now and scar is big but calming down. The main indications include symptomatic benign thyroid goiter, thyroid carcinoma, and hyperthyroidism refractory to medical therapy. How is it that with all the sophisticated radio tracing equipment that shows something is present, the surgery doesnt show anything. I just had my surgery in January and it was as though you were taking the words right out of my mouth. This freaked me out a bit, but I was happy for their caution and thoroughness. I had normal thyroid levels before and after my surgery, so need no meds. My dr sent me for blood test, again it was normal. Why Is Weight Loss So Difficult After Thyroid Removal? Recovery wasnt bad as I took it easy for the first week and eased myself into working and life the second week. So far, I can tell the silicone strips are working. although Ive had some strange symptoms the tiredness is unreal. It really wasnt as bad as I thought. I had a hemithyroidectomy last September (7cm nodule, benign but large). Is Weight Gain After Thyroid Removal Inevitable? - Low Iodine Dietitian Had a partial thyroidectomy Oct 25th for initially suspected nodular Papillary/Follicular thyroid cancer. When I feel like I cant breathe, then I start to get anxious. Thank you! I have talked myself out of going through with surgery too many times to count and am very concerned about too many things.weight gain, how I will feel immediately after surgery, the biospy results of removed section, whether or not I have to go back for a second round, damaging vocal cords, will I need mediction, what probs does meds present.etc There is not much I am not worried about. I just wanted to share in case someone else is dealing with the same thing. I feel like the doctor is fishing me for surgery for no apparent reason. Has anyone experienced any other bodily adjustments during early postop. Epub 2019 Sep 30. Im so glad I just scheduled and had it done. I did stay overnight, which is standard. 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. All Rights Reserved. I am reading so many examples of benign nodules with normal hormone levels being removed Why? But how much time? At what point were you able to workout? All I can say is pay very close attention to what your body is telling you. What you guys think? I do have some underlying other health issues, so my biggest concern for this is did you feel any sort of depression afterwards and are you on medicine at this time. Complete Thyroidectomy Complete thyroid gland is removed, which then leaves the body unable to produce thyroid hormones. My experience was just like LA Jolla momsaid experience. My experience was similar to other folks I slept a lot the first week. All my TSH levels are in normal range. I had a partial lobectomy 10 weeks ago to remove a 7cms nodule. Otherwise, my surgeonsaid people are back tonormal pretty much at about the six week mark. Except the thyroid doctor. I now put Earth Science Skin Serum on it every day. It was discovered in 2011, was about 4.4cm then, and has been monitored periodically since then with ultrasounds and biopsies (benign). Has anybody here been on medication and then been weened off? Hi, Robin, I agree that the second opinion would most likely recommend the same because of the biopsy findings. Followed it up with ultrasound every 6 months. Results: Im sharing this to say you are not wrong to take seriously the difference between having no thyroid and half a thyroid. The average dose is 60 to 180 mg/day. I was on the sofa for three days watching TV but feeling better after that. Fingers crossed. Mine was also benign and 5cm when it was discovered. Im wondering what life will be like after thyroid surgery. However, he advised to have it removed. My Dr assures me that within time it wont be noticeable as he positioned it in a crease of my neck. No less than 50spf suntan lotion if I do, for at least a year! It did take a few weeks to feel back to my normal self. Lisa, I hope you went thru with the surgery. It kept growing little by little to about 5.2cm in 2018. I know its only been a week but Im sure hoping I have better days to come. Im actually still tired 4 weeks out, but I think I need to have a thyroid test to make sure my right lobe is functioning fully. Two weeks is about right. Its been almost 5 months since my surgery, and the scar is hardly noticeable. I know Im overdue for another ultrasound. Your incision will be closed with stitches or surgical glue and covered with a bandage. The surgeon said I wouldnt need pain meds beyond Tylenol after the first few days. so Im about to do Fraxel lasers and whatever it takes to minimize it. Any reader going through this, take a deep breathe and get your nodule/tumor taken out. That did it for me. And before rushing to anything drastic, I tried in vain natural remedies. LOL! Thanks so much, Linda. I have to say that my surgeon did a great job. I wish I had realized how different I was. I have always been a very joyful person and after my surgery I notice that I am more irritated and tend to be more harsh on myself than I need to be. Now Im really struggling because Im nauseous and weak all the time. :) I'm not on any medication because the doctor said that we should test whether the left side could take over the functions of the right side(the lobe I had removed).All in all - I think I am coping very well. Doing well, as well as to be expected. 2022 Oct;30(10):7903-7911. doi: 10.1007/s00520-022-07225-w. Epub 2022 Jun 21. Its itchy. The post op biopsy proved it was negative so it ended up being the right choice. Thank you again. After you enlighten yourself with the research you will be more confident about your situation and better able to consult with your doctor. Your metabolism becomes reduced to a crawl and can lead to low energy levels. Even though Im scared, I hope I can get surgery to remove this thing asap and not have another long wait. My problem is I tire easily and I have not gotten my voice back, however, its getting there. 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. This was partly out of exhaustion (was still needing an occasional nap 2 weeks post-op and Im 42). Im almost a week post-op. For those who have had cancer though, did you have to do radioactive iodine. Few months back has to have a CT-Scan with contrast and it lit my thyroid on fire cause of the iodine and since then had the problem of recurring tiredness, unable to sleep etc. Thank you for any input. The surgeon said its one of those miraculous things where they cut the nerves there during surgery and by the time you heal, theres no pain. Surgery lasted 2 hours and went fine (so far hapenned yesterday. You and your surgeon will decide the kind of surgery that is right for you. Sometimes I just get anxious out of the blue. This low free thyroid hormone concentration in the serum may be one of the causes of depression, weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, and so on that many patient's experience after the procedure. I am glad you are okay. I had surgery on a right nodule, which turned out to be benign! Affirma Gene testing said 40% chances cancer, but ruled out aggressive cancers like MTC. Chronic Fatigue After Thyroidectomy: A Patient-Centered Survey Dont hesitate. Did you have a hoarse voice for awhile? My complaints is Im not sleeping well at night, my nose is a little runny and now I cough more. You will be O.K.! I recently had mine removed and a neck dissection, apart from post surgery tiredness during immediate recovery I'm fine in that respect now. to La Jolla Mom and everyone for posting this. It is uncommon, but when it occurs after thyroidectomy, it is usually associated with Grave's disease. Thanks for all the tips. then since my left love didnt have cancerous cells i need the right side taken out & that will be on May 17. so just stock up on apple sauce, jello, soups etc. These were due to my body getting used to having no thyroid and to the medication. Being a new patient it could take months to get an appointment. Im 50 years old and not nearly as fit as you are. A couple years ago doc switched me to Levothyroxine as TS Just got tested and I have a free t4 of 1.6 (0.8-1.8) a total t4 of 13.9 (4.9-10.5) and a tsh of 0.4 (0.4-4.5). 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. A few days ago, I have been feeling pressure in my throat, some difficulty swallowing and realize I keep having to catch my breath. Good luck! Anyone feel like you have a constant thing tied around your neck thats the only thing thats bothering me. Most people are able to go back to work about 2 weeks after their operation. She wanted to rule out anything else, so I went for Ultrasound that showed nodules sent me for biopsy that showed suspicious for Papillary [something with thyroid]. I think a week would be a bit quick depending on the operation and the size of your thyroid. Why am I feeling bad after thyroid surgery? - EmpowHER Yes, however 5 months post op and it burn/stings more now then it did. Ive been having both sides ultrasounded for about 5 years. Recovery after partial thyroidectomy - Thyroid UK - HealthUnlocked Today he suggested I get the right thyroid removed. Its crazy! Loving all the comments on this site. No throat irritation (except the day of surgery) but Im having trouble singing. I slept for a couple days and now feel tired in the afternoon and evening. I was pleasantly surprised that the surgery and recovery was not bad at all. Easy for your Endocrinologist to say, he doesn't have to live with your symptoms that are most likely due to inadequate levels of Free T4 and free T3, which are the biologically active thyroid hormones. I slept sitting up in the lazyboy for the first two nights, but am able to sleep in bed now. Unfortunately, I caught a horrible cold during week four and the coughing really irritated my surgical site. But I am suspicious of the pain, etc., that will be involved. I had PT left lobectomy Nov 14for suspicious Hurthle cell cancer was scheduled for follow up with surgeon Nov 30 and was told to schedule with Endo one week after surgery date but only date available was same Nov 30. 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. Wishing a good recovery to all! It is such a relief not to feel the full feeling in my throat. My nodule was 5cm only on the right, so I only had that side taken out. It was always in the back of my mind. My biopsies came back indeterminate and I did the ASPIRE test, which revealed a 50% chance of malignancy. The nodules can also contribute to excess/deficient hormone levels (hypo/hyper thyroidism), and though many have no hormonal changes with the nodules, you can end up having symptoms that mimic one or the other or have one but the symptoms mimicking the opposite. Hello, Loving your news from across the globe, although not great to hear you had thyroid surgery, I do hope you are on the mend. Other than feeling like I have a slight sore throat, and more coughing, it doesnt really bother me. Its very frustrating and definitely not as easy as people told me it would be. I get tested every 6 months. I am not in the greatest shape, but this will be different for everyone. Epub 2019 Jul 8. My thought its the healing process. With a nodule of that size, even though my 3 biopsies showed benign, there was always the question. I have a solid nodule 1cm only. This was so helpful to me, I went into hospital so much more relaxed. They dont want to see me for a year now as my tests all came back normal (even before I even went under) Not even for blood checks etc, which I find a bit weird. I dont know much about the pathology indetermine, but what I was told was that if it wasnt pure benign they would recommend removal. Returning to work the next day is simply not possible. I would say wait at least 14 days before you get into downward dog . Be prepared to feel a bit tired for a week or two. Thyroid levels are normal. I had partial thyroid removal one week ago today. I think would get another opinion. I am tired ALL of the time, constantly on the verge of tears, have slight muscle spasms all over but mainly in arms, and heart palpitations..My doctor does not want to entertaint he thought of medication until my "body adusts"in 3 months. This was such a great article. My hormone levels all test within normal range and I have half a thyroid. It is hard to find any comments from men having thyroidectomy so thanks for sharing. Available for Android and iOS devices. Your incision is red, swollen, or draining pus. Although my thyroid levels are fine, my CO2 levels are apparently really low. Has anyone else experienced difficulty breathing after this surgery, or an increase in anxiety? Anyone have similar experience? Thyroid Surgery Recovery, Side Effects, and Complications - Verywell Health I can drink and eat as normal. 2022 Jun 28;13:875325. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.875325. I would not wait if you have a large nodule, it gets more difficult to remove the larger it gets. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Extent of surgery for low-risk thyroid cancer in the elderly: Equipoise in survival but not in short-term outcomes. Thank u for your insight. I had one prior to my surgery and it was good that I did. My thyroid levels are good and I finally got up enough nerve to have a biopsy done.