Tightness, fullness, painful neck post Thyroidectomy

Marsha · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 16

I am 8 month Post Thyroidectomy (Large Substernal with deviated Trachea. Immediately after surgery I began feeling tightness, pressure fullness and a pulling and stretching in the entire neck area. It is still the same today 7 months later. I have had numerous post op visit with surgeon along with 2 additional second opinions; 1 GI consult with barium swallow that showed a hiatal hernia and GERD; modified barium swallow and larangoscopy; plain management with injections into the scar because it is tight and painful - I can feel the entire incision. I have been on prilosec, doesn't help any and I'm getting ready to see another GI Dr. and have an MRI. Today my neck is much tighter and fuller. The feeling is as if there is a tight band around my neck and throat. My swallowing is not normal but very exzagerated. Can anyone comment. I don't know what else todo. Is is possible that the wrong sutures were used internally. 3-0 Vicryl and 4-0 Vicryl internally witn subcuticular closure or scar tissue is causing this continued misery?

Marsha · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 16

Can any one help me on this situation??

Guest · Guest

I, too have been experiencing the same problem Marsha. Worse still is that small birthmark like bumps have begun forming around the scar. It is uncomfortable to sleep and wearing a necklace or a shirt that even grazes the scar is out of the question. The only explanation I've received is that the healing process for everyone is different...which is a doctor's way of saying "I have no idea".

Marsha · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 16

Still experiencing the same tightness in my neck 1 year later since Total Thyroidectomy. No doctor can tell me why??

Any thoughts?

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vcheng79 · Newbie Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 7

I had my TT about 2 months ago and I too am feeling tightness at the surgical site. At first, I thought it was food allergy because the tightness seems to be worst after I eat nuts. However, the site of tightness is getting smaller. At first, my entire neck would become tight, and then just the front half and now it's just around the surgical site. I was hoping it would eventually go away. I read it some where that rubbing moisturizer would help because the rubbing would losen up the fibers inside but then my scar is still too painful to really touch it. When I touch my surgical site, it's all numb and painful. The feeling's just kinda weird. I can only wear v-neck shirts now because it hurts when the collar rubs against the scar...so frustrated

Marsha · Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Posts: 16

I have had every thing imaginable including PT without any change. I've had all kinds of injections into the scar without any sucess. They now want to try Botox. I will not continue to be experimented on. Someone should be able to give me a definitive answer as to why my neck is still the same as it was when I came out of the surgery (very tight and full). After over 1 year my scar is also still sensitive.

Maybe something went wrong during the surgery?????

Thanks for listening

gizzie · Newbie Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

Guest · Guest

Its been 5 weeks since my total thyroidectomy. I am also experiencing the tightness, pulling and stretching feelings in my throat, at times it feels like there is a choke hold around the base of my neck. One of my recurrent laryngeal nerves was damaged, so I am hoarse but my ENT scoped my throat and said the nerve does have movement and is not permanently damaged. He also monitored it during surgery and knows it is still intact. As a side note, I still have puffiness around my scar, but have been applying Mederma and massaging it as my ENT recommended, the incision area is not painful. However, at this point I don't really care what my scar will look like, it's the constant feeling of being choked that has me alarmed. Could this choking sensation be related to the damaged RLN? I was perfectly fine before this surgery, and only had it to remove numerous abnormal growths on my perfectly good thyroid! I will be seeing my ENT this Tuesday so he can scope my throat (again) to try and figure out what is wrong, and may send me to a specialist. I am very concerned when I read posts where this choking sensation and feeling of tightness has not been resolved after months! Has anyone gone through this and finally found the cause and relief from these symptoms? I am very scared this is going to be with me the rest of my life. I cannot find my symptoms described as a complication of thyroidectomy on any medical website. Please post if you are going through this or have been through this and found the cause and relief. Thanks.

Splendid · Newbie Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 1

have any of you had ultrasounds of the neck to look at the scar tissue? Have the doctors recommended neck stretches (I suppose that would be physical therapy). Perhaps we have to keep our necks flexible and the scar tissue stretched out. I also notice some tightness in my neck and I wonder if it is scar tissue.

I wonder if massage and warm compresses would help. Have you tried something like ben gay (or tiger balm -- a liniminty type thing)?

Tightness, fullness, painful neck post Thyroidectomy

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