shortness of breath and upper chest tightness after total thyroidectomy

So im not the only one who thinks that patient who had total thyrOid surgery is having problem with breathing. My mom just had a total thyroid surgery on july 6 2013. The doctor said that she should recover after 3 days surgery. But now she's stuck on the hospital because of the breathing problem. She's feeling very weak right now, she just got the feeding tube in. Doctor prescribed nebulizer to help her breathing problem and the O2 consumption is up and down between 2 litres to 3 litres. She cant get proper Sleep at night because she couldnt properly breathe. Is there any suggestion to help with the breathing problem?

When I first got out of surgery I had severe breathing issues and they gave me Heliox, which is a mixture of helium and oxygen - it's lighter and easier to breathe then regular oxygen. I also had a lateral modified neck dissection because my cancer had metastisized - did she have that too? She probably had nerves injured in the surgery and they will take awhile to heal. Was she having problems eating? swallowing? I was told I could eat right away...I couldn't even drink water without choking - I also was in the hospital for 4 days. Everything had to be pureed or mashed. To this day, I can't have mayonnaise (soy products no good), vinegar products, wine, etc. It causes laryngeal spasms where my throat locks and I can't breathe - keep an eye out for this once she gets out of the hospital. If she has a problem drinking water, add a little bit of orange juice or milk or anything to flavor it so her throat will recognize it. Just for my info, where did she have her surgery? Sometimes the condition is due to the anesthesiologist and the tube in the throat. STAY ON TOP OF IT. DEMAND TO HAVE A PULMONOLOGIST SEE YOUR MOM!!! Good luck to her..she is in my prayers.

OMG I felt like I was reading my own post.

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Thanks, Missy.
Kerry

The answer to your post about people who never post again and did they get better? It's been 11 months post surgery for me and I still have issues, but I am told I am still in the "early" stages of recovery. My throat is still numb, I still have problems eating and swallowing, my voice is still hoarse a lot of the time, I still suffer from depression on and off (I have found that taking Vitamin D and multi-vitamins helps with the depression. I have looked up almost every nerve that could have or was damaged during the surgery, the vagus being among the first, and in the long term - does it really make a difference what was damaged? There is no going back so we have to go forward the best we can. My new endo tells me I need to lose weight and walk more - it's in the high 80's and 90's and humid, I can barely walk the dog without collapsing!! Regarding sleeping - sleep with lots of soft pillows surrounding you and the upper portion of our body so during the night you can raise or lower your head for easier breathing.

Try the brand name Synthroid rather than Levothyroxine - there IS a difference no matter what anyone says - look it up online.

Having problems with friending you - it keeps kicking me out. Anyway, not sure what friending has to do with anything anyhow, just thought since we were feeling the same things it might be helpful to us both to chat. I don't care if its public or not, just don't like keep having to re-do my password every time I sign in.

The bowel urgency sounds like you need to up your Synthroid if that's what you're on. It's a common symptom - I have had it a lot before they upped me to 175 mcg. I went to a neurologist at a top hospital. He took a long wooden q-tip broke it in half and poked around my neck (which is numb after TT and left lateral modified radical neck dissection) and asked "can you feel this? can you feel this? can you feel this?" That was the extent of the exam. TOP hospital in NYC. I told him I felt my pleasure center in my brain had been affected by the surgery and he looked at me and said "Pleasure center? I have never heard of this.." and then he asked if I wanted to see physiologist, when that was what was he was called under his name: a neurophysiologist - a neurolgist who deals with nerve issues.. I bet we have the same head and neck surgeon because he told me I should stop looking online too. If I hadn't looked on line, I would probably be dead from hypothryoidism I was so high..... I dislike most cancer doctors. They all say "not my fault" or " certainly not a rsult of this surgery."

Hey Utahgirl1970,

It does show us as friends but apparently you can't send private messages which is pretty dumb. 

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I guess I'm always searching for the "why's" hoping it will lead to a treatment solution or at least hope that it gets better. You're the first person I've found whose symptoms are closest to my own. I hope we heal. 

 

 

 

oh im there too under the same name!!! how bizarre is that!! lol!

@utahgirl

Is there anyway we can contact each other?

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 Give me a holler if you can? I think i need more advice from you.

Hello my name is Ashley.  I had TT on 17 June 2013.  I have the very same symptoms you are complaining of.  It has landed me repeatedly in the ER with SOB.  I hand a CT scan, just found out that I have several metal clips left in place.  I was not informed by my surgeon of these clips.  I believe that these clips are causing my problems with SOB.  Perhaps I am allergic to these clips. 

You may want to find out of clips were left in place.  I was told only suture were used, Chromic Gut sutures, so as not to cause any Sinus at the site in incision.  Hope this helps.  I have also, been referred to Pulmonology and Cardiology, since surgery I have had an abnormal EK elevation of T wave.  Would like to know your progress. 

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 I have some knowledge of whay is going on with my body as well, since my departed husband was a Medical Doctor.  BUt, Doctors nowadays do not listen to their patients complains like my husband did with his patients.  Hope you recover soon. 

I have the very same complications you are having. The Doctors want to make me think that it's all due to anxiety. But I know better. All they can do likewise is refer me to Pulmonology, and Cardiology. Since my TT on 06/17/13, I have had to make five visits to the Emergency Room, to no avail. On one EKG they did find an abnormality if the Tall T wave, and my sodium, potassium, and calcium, were a bit low.

I have also had severe tightness, and compression of my trachea after I had Radio Active Iodine treatment. All my X-Rays and CT scans come back normal.

I spoke to Nuclear Medicine Department, all they can say is perhaps I have sub thyroid tissue. You may want to ask your Endo, about Sub Thyroid Tissue.

I had my thyroid removed with 2 surgeries. One in Jan. and one in Feb. my was cancer and I also had the RAI pill. First surgery was good. I have felt like c**p ever since seco d surgery! Shortness of breath, no voice, no answers! I finally convinced my surgeon todo vocal cord injection after 7months. Which did help my voice a lot. Still SOB. 2 scopes done-everything Looks fine. Well it's NOT!

I am on month 5 after my thyroid removal. I'm also having problems, and my doc says 'everything is fine.' I can talk but if I try to get loud my voice gets lower and by the end of the day I'm almost in a strain to talk. My breathing is awful! If I get excited or busy, even as simple as taking a shower or getting dressed, I feel like my air stops at the base of my throat. I can't sing anymore, can't yell at my teenager, or call my dog..lol. It is making me very depressed! I have no idea which direction I need to turn..so we just pray.

I AM SO SORRY THIS HAS HAPPEN TO YOU!!!!!! I AM SO DEPRESSED FROM HAVING MY THYRIOD TAKEN OUT. MY LIFE AS I NEW IT IS KNOW LONGER. I CAN NOT TALK. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS. I CAN NOT EAT WRITE MY FOOD COMES BACK UP AND I CAN NOT BREATH RIGHT. I SING AN I AM A SPEAKER AN KNOW I HAVE TO SIGN. I WANT TO SUE THEM ALL.I FOUND OUT KNOW LAWYER WANT TO TAKE MY CASE. WHO PAYS FOR WHAT DOCTORS DO TO PEOPLE AN TAKE THERE LIFE AWAY FROM THEM I CRY EVERDAY MY MOTHER DIED AN I COULD NOT SAY BUY TO HER I WAS SO SICK I COULD NOT TALK TO HER THEY TOOK THAT AWAY FROM ME I WANTED TO SAY TO MY MOTHER HOW MUCH I LOVED HER SHE JUST LOOKED AT ME AN AT ME TEARS RUNNING DOWN HER FACE,,, AN OTHER DOCTORS DO NOT WANT TO TOUCH YOU WHEN YOU ARE SICK WITH THIS.THE HOSPITAL WAS LOMALINDA HOSPIAL. THEY WAS SUPPOSE TO BE THE BEST.