This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy. Thank you for your support!
For those of you who read my earlier post or follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know that I underwent surgery on my thyroid last month.
One thing I noticed when frantically googling in a pre-op panic was there didn’t seem to be much information on people’s personal experience with having a thryoidectomy.
I don’t know if I was just looking in the wrong places, but for those of you who are facing a similar situation to me, I wanted to provide an insight into my surgery and my personal experience of having a thryoidectomy (thyroid removal).
I’m sorry for those of you who think it’s slightly irrelevant and a deviation from the coeliac theme of this blog but hey, variety is the spice of life!
After suffering years of an over-active thyroid, which can be linked to coeliac disease, I finally had my thyroid removed on 14th December.
Because I had a bit of a goiter (lump) where my thyroid was – a big part of the reason I was having it removed – the incision ended up being relatively low down on my neck – nearer my collar bone.
The transformation has been amazing – I may have a scar (which is healing remarkably well) but for once I feel like my neck is normal and there’s no lump!
I stayed in hospital for four days, had half of my staples removed the day after my op and had the other half removed a few days later along with my drain.
For those of you that are curious (as I was) having staples removed sounds far worse than it actually is – I couldn’t even feel half of them coming out and the relief I felt afterwards made it worth it!
The drain however, was slightly less pleasant and having that removed was probably the worst part of my experience!
Now, three weeks later, my scar has improved a lot – I still have some numbness around that area and it’s still a bit sore but I figure that’s only to be expected after having major surgery!
Bio-Oil has also been my saviour – I would DEFINITELY reccommend this to anyone as it has stopped my scar itching or hurting as much and it is healing up so well already, I can’t believe it.
It took about two weeks for me to be able to drive and move my head properly again. Now I still have a little trouble moving my head enough to reverse and if I’m around a lot of people I can get a bit of an achey neck but I’ve found moving it has helped a lot with feeling better.
So there you have it – it’s not the most comprehensive view on my surgery (I didn’t want to bore/scare you all!) but I am feeling so much better for it and now I only have my coeliacs to think about!
If anyone has any questions or wants to share their experiences of thyroid surgery, comment below or email me on: [email protected].
I forgot to say I put vitamin E on all day every day and its worked wonders.
Hi Lorraine,
I am just happy to hear your good experience and as you correctly said there is no good experiences mentioned anywhere and a detailed explanation of yours step by step experiences.
I was exactly looking for the questions which you had answered in your expereince like weight gain and all.
How are you doing now ?
i have hashimotos and your symptoms like chest congestion and breathing problems are all which i relate to. But my ENT surgeon told me that he cannot guarantee that even if the surgery is done the chest congestion will go away and i was shocked to hear that. I am thinking to consult one more doctor. May i know your doctor was ENT SURGEON or what qualification he had. I am not getting proper doctor who is ready to offer me time to answer my questions and to give me understanding of the procedure.
This is the first time i am writing and asking online since your experience has helped me a lot . Before surgery do you use to get shoulder blade pain or pain in the back of the chest, shoulder pain,neck pain , pain in the ear socket I am asking you because my doctors are giving me individualized diagnosis going to gastroentologists, orthopaedic for acidity , shoulder pain and all that is normal. You mentioned you use to have burning in eyes at night time do u use to get during day time..
How are doing now on calcium and other problems like fatigue, digestion , metabolism and all.
I would appreciate your any response if time permits.
Thanks to SARAH.
I am having a hemithyroidectomy next week and have also been experiencing the shoulder blade pain. Did your doc comment on that at all ? I didn’t even think to mention it but it is not going away both front and back. My tsh levels are high and I have gained quite a bit of weight this past year, I am hoping I don’t have to wait 6 weeks to go on the meds ?
I opted to have my hyperparathyroid removed and they found a rock hard mass in my thyroid. Parathyroid is a gland that sits next to the thyroid that creates the hormone that makes calcium when its hyperparathroid there is to much calcium in the blood which makes you very sick. I had my surgery 3 weeks ago I feel a little tired the doctor wont put me on a normal dose of medication until I drink the radio iodine. But I am on 90 milgrams of armour its a bio identical hormone. I have spoke with folks that went on the pharmaceuticals thyroxine or what ever its called and then they switched to armour and felt much better. I am so glad I did the surgery I can not believe the doctors that tried to talk me out of it, telling me it was dangerous. My scar is 3″ long and I did not have stitches I was an outpatient. I did gain about seven lbs, however I am not regular with my medication yet. I did spend a lot of time finding an ENT that was skilled. I interviewed five of them.
Thanks Sarah,
Your right! There isn’t much info out there on how to prepair for, or what to expect after :!
I’m 55 and having the total thyroidectomy day after tomorrow. We are different in that I have hypo- with a Huge Goiter.
I’m not even sure if 4″ will be large enough to get it out. My right lobe is 10 cm & the left is 11 cm.
I will be so glad to get rid of this “bowling ball” in my neck, but am a bit worried about scarring. I’m not too vain but it is a concern. What is Bio-Oil?
Also did you have unexplained weight loss or gain afterward?
Thanks sweetie,
Kathy
Here is the link to the bio-oil website so you can have a look Kathy 🙂
http://www.bio-oil.com/uses.html
good luck with your op, I am sure it will all go well 🙂
I didn’t have any weight loss or gain at all – initially i lost a bit because I wasn’t eating but as soon as it became less sore after a couple of weeks I went back to normal!
I have found that going in the sun (with a high factor suncream on my scar so it doesn’t burn!!) has definitely helped me see an imporvement in the healing but you need to be VERY careful it doesn’t burn – I literally slap on the factor 50 and go out for half an hour a day! Also put bio-oil on twice a day – my scar has healed a lot over the last few motnhs, will post a more recent picture up soon.
Good luckw ith your op – would love to hear how it goes!
Best wishes,
Sarah
mine is the same kathy and i am due to have mine out after xmas after having a baby in me throat i am willing to suffer a scar i can hide with necklaces and scalfs
Kathy – how did it go for you?