I'm 21/2 years out of surgery and your experience is almost identical to mine. In addition the surgery severed the nerve that works my right vocal cord. I developed sleep apnea within 6 months of surgery. After a sleep test, I've been sleeping with my sleep apnea machine.
My breathing is fine at rest, but with very little exertion, my breathing becomes labored. I'm living with it, but want answers. Is there a fix to this? It's not COPD from smoking... I never smoked and have been in great breathing environments my whole life.
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Your experience is such a parallel to mine.
Additionally my right vocal cord does not work because the nerve was severed during my TT.
Six months after surgery I couldn't stay awake and My ENT had me do a sleep test and now I have been on a C-Pap breathing machine for almost two years. This has cured my being tired problem and sleep like a baby. Also, it has a built in water resevore so you are breathing moist air resulting in no sore throat.
I'm having the same weight problems that I see on post and am currently on the upper TSH normal putting me in the Hypo side so I'm going for a increased thyroid dose... Did the med brand change help with any of your symptoms ?
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LJ..
It's been over a year since you posted this so I don't know if you'll read it but my mouth was hanging open as I read your story. It could have been written by me! I'm an RN and also the mother of a toddler and an infant. My SOB started about 3 weeks after total thyroidectomy. My FNA & US was exactly like yours & intra operative pathology also showed no malignancy, thank god! I was home (alone) with both kids when the SOB started. I was so scared that I almost called 911. I had the phone in my hand but was able to come around after some deep, slow, breathing. I could feel my heart beating so rapidly and I knew I was having PVCs every 10 beats or so (confirmed after listening with stethoscope). Also, I felt like I couldn't draw in a full breath. Almost like my lungs were partially collapsed. It's hard to explain to anyone but I see that you know exactly what it felt like. My husband, a physician, thinks it was a panic or anxiety attack. I was not anxious at all. I was sitting on the couch watching TV when it started. Since then I've noticed that bending or lifting the kids or any vigorous activity makes me short of breath. My surgery was textbook. I had no hypocalcemia or any issues besides always feeling like I had a lump in my throat when I swallow. I'm on generic synthroid 0.125mg. All my symptoms seemed so vague & kind of hard to explain until I read everything you wrote and all the replies. Have you had any relief or Dx? I am not an anxious person and I just don't believe that I had an attack while watching tv.
Thanks,
TN
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16 months post surgery and still have shortness of breath and suffer from laryngeal spasms where my throat locks up and no air at all, not even a wisp can come in - it can go out, but not in. Happened first time while bending over fixing a blanket cover - SNAP! Just like that! I really thought I was going to die. Then I sounded like a severe asthmatic when the air started again. I still start to have the throat lock ups, but now I can sense when they are coming, usually when I am eating, so I quickly spit the food out, go "into" myself, work on total relaxation and block everyone and anything else other than breathing, and most of the time, now, I can stop it before the "gates close' as I call it. I am on Synthroid brand 175mcg - maybe you need to go on brand - a lot of people have problems with generic. I had a pretty severe surgery but still, didn't know it would be like this. Just started yesterday taking a good multi vitamin supplement. Hopefully that will help me. But can't walk up stairs or carry heavy things or sometimes even talk and eat without losing my breath...I don't have an answer and it seems to have gotten worse over the fall and winter so maybe it's allergy or weather related.
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Has anyone had any luck in getting resolve to the breathing problems and chest pains after thyroid surgery? I had my surgery 3 weeks ago. I woke up from the surgery having a hard time breathing, but they said it was from the swelling. Still having trouble. I was a lunch today with a friend and I started feeling like my throat was closing. I then got all sweaty and thought I was going to faint. This is the 3rd time that has happened. I also get the feeling like their is flem in my throat and have to clear it constantly. It is soo annoying. Wishing I did not have this surgery! Dr. said I am right on track for recovery. What's up with that??
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These are symptoms of hypothyroid, I have them also one year post op. Only someone who has experienced can understand.....
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Not great news...had my thyroidectomy for the exact same symptoms as you ...multinodular goiter. Complications of a vocal chord stuck to a nodule and the vocal chord is now paralyzed. This was in March of 2006...I continue to have breathing issues occasionally. I waas sent to breathing specialists and all told me I was fine and my 02 numbers were good. The feeling was of not getting enough air in my lungs. Finally I broke down at the doctor's office in an emergency walk-in and I was given a rescue steroid nebulizer treatment which immediate helped...sometimes I have to use an inhaler. I don't know why I had to act like a nut and suffer for weeks before someone tried the nebulizer. My guess is that the medical community pretends complications don't happen to avoid malpractice. I didn't want anything other than oxegyn. I've had a scope...it's been blamed on a prior smoking habit that I quit in 2003. Prior to surgery I ran 6 miles a day without any issues with my breathing at all. People should be told breathing issues are an absolute possible side effect. This terrifies me after burying my mom 2 years next month from COPD. I hope you have better luck undoing this damage than I've had.
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Graylon M
Jan 28 2014 I had the same surgery, and the same problem you're having.
I'm to meet with my surgeon on the 21st of Feb.
Hope to get answers.
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Yes I do..it's been a month since my surgery and I'm short of breath, tightness in chest, wheez at night. I do have Asthma but this is diff. got worse after the surgery. I still also have pain when I cough and in my neck!
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Hi I also have have some problems I had my whole thyroid removed on 17th Oct 2014 I had a very hoarse voice and am still having to take calcium as my levels are not right get pins and needles all the time but I still have probs complained to doctor about extreme tiredness and shortness of breath he sent me for a chest X-ray but that was clear so now made another appointment to go back I have shortness of breath difficulty swallowing sometimes I feel like I am chocking and some thing is stuck in that area going to ask if a scan would show any problems have read somewhere that it could be nerve damage and I am always tired x x
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You know how it is when you've cried a lot and your like trying to catch our breath? Well it's kinda like that. It's like a reflex thing.
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I'm gonna talk to my Doc. I do the same thing or I will be talking and lose my breath or not be able to say the word...like my voice just won't work...scary!
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Hello I was diagnosed in December with thyroid cancer 3 nodules and the center one being the cancer nodule. I've been on thyroid medicine now for a few years and I'm 45 years old. No huge problem. Some weight gain, dry hair no huge deal. On march 12th 2014 I had a complete thyroid ectomy and ever since I have shortness of breath. My surgeon seem to act like its no big deal, but walking talking and everyday activities effect my everyday life. I wish I would have never had this surgery. My regular family dr seems to care and suggested going to an ear nose and throat specialist. Also my regular dr seems to think maybe there can be some nerve damage and if so how long until that repairs itself? If anyone has been through this can an ear nose and throat specialist see this damage? It also feels like mucus is caught in my throat, but I can't cough anything up. I've taken mucinex for over a week now and no improvement. Any suggestion are so appreciated.
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My surgery is 3 weeks ago and I have exactly the same thing. I came out of surgery not being able to breath. Three weeks later here I am it's hard to breath in. I get short of breath. I feel like I have flem in my throat and can't cough it up.
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