I had a kidney stone which led to the discovery of parathyroidism. As the only cure for it is surgery, I had it and my surgeon could only find one enlarged gland. He removed it, and elected to take half of my thyroid in case the other parathyroid on the same side was hiding away in it. I did not experience severe pain but was left with no voice.
Pathology discovered that in addition to parathyroid disease, I also had thyroid cancer :-( . I was back in for the removal of the remaining thyroid a week later.
Evidently, there was much tissue trauma, inflammation, & swelling following the second surgery. When I awoke from surgery I could not breath, making this loud (what they called 'strident') sound. I still make that sound when I sleep or if I get too winded. I don't dare cry :'( or it cuts off all breathing.
I had to go on a no-iodine diet to prepare for an all-over-body scan which I had no notice of, so no prep time. It is VERY difficult to find foods that do not contain iodine beyond fresh fruits and vegetables and eating out is impossible. The thyca website has a cookbook, which everyone should know about in advance. This type of eating made me very weak.
Already weak from surgeries and not much food, I had to have two doses of radioiodine which made me feel somewhat sick. A little over a week ago I started thyroid replacement therapy, which has really helped me to regain engery.
I will not have another body scan for a year, in which to check for residual thyroid tissue lingering behind. Hopefully, the radiation already received will kill it completely.
As per my surgeon & an ENT, it may be 6 months from surgery date (9/10) for breathing & strangling issue to correct & voice to return. Will return to endocrinologist 11/10 to check thyroid replacement medication correctness; not sleeping much, hot flashes, rapid heartbeat, & indigestion/heart burn, which I experienced none of before. My main concern going into this would be that my voice would be lost !
All prayers will be GREATLY appreciated! :-)
Pathology discovered that in addition to parathyroid disease, I also had thyroid cancer :-( . I was back in for the removal of the remaining thyroid a week later.
Evidently, there was much tissue trauma, inflammation, & swelling following the second surgery. When I awoke from surgery I could not breath, making this loud (what they called 'strident') sound. I still make that sound when I sleep or if I get too winded. I don't dare cry :'( or it cuts off all breathing.
I had to go on a no-iodine diet to prepare for an all-over-body scan which I had no notice of, so no prep time. It is VERY difficult to find foods that do not contain iodine beyond fresh fruits and vegetables and eating out is impossible. The thyca website has a cookbook, which everyone should know about in advance. This type of eating made me very weak.
Already weak from surgeries and not much food, I had to have two doses of radioiodine which made me feel somewhat sick. A little over a week ago I started thyroid replacement therapy, which has really helped me to regain engery.
I will not have another body scan for a year, in which to check for residual thyroid tissue lingering behind. Hopefully, the radiation already received will kill it completely.
As per my surgeon & an ENT, it may be 6 months from surgery date (9/10) for breathing & strangling issue to correct & voice to return. Will return to endocrinologist 11/10 to check thyroid replacement medication correctness; not sleeping much, hot flashes, rapid heartbeat, & indigestion/heart burn, which I experienced none of before. My main concern going into this would be that my voice would be lost !
All prayers will be GREATLY appreciated! :-)
I have just read all of the posts here and am feeling pretty confident now. i was diagnosed with under-active thyroid in December 2000 and Hashimoto's diagnosis was in November 2005. the right side is enlarged to the point where it is impacting on my trachea/breathing and my Dr has said that i should think about having it out. i have said that i would so next step is finding a good specialist. after reading the posts on here i realised that i might be able to lose the excess weight after the surgery. That would be fantastic.
I am not really worried because I am just looking forward to feeling "normal" again after so many years of tiredness. I have been on Thyroxine daily since December 2000 so that is not an issue. It was always going to be a lifetime thing so that is no drama.
I am not really worried because I am just looking forward to feeling "normal" again after so many years of tiredness. I have been on Thyroxine daily since December 2000 so that is not an issue. It was always going to be a lifetime thing so that is no drama.
I just had a total thyroid removal on October 30,2008. I was in the hospital for 1.5 days and sent home. My thyroid was underactive and the size of a softball (a major goiter)when they removed it. I had trouble swallowing and breathing. Its been about 2 weeks now since I had it. I came home not taking any pain meds except they did put me on calcuim suplements and ritorcal. My calcuim levels where low. I am still taking my thyroid medicine, have been since I was a young teenager. I am still tired but not like before.Other then that its awesome! Im sleeping alot less, I have a better appetite and not gaining weight. My skin,hair and bags under my eyes are improving daily! I will be returning to work shortly, been off 2 weeks. My scar is long, probably about 7 inches because of the size of my thyroid when it was removed. Stitches have been out and its not as bad as I thought. I thought I would be able to run for Bride of Frankeinstin! I will be putting cream on it to fade the scar, but its right in the crease of the neck so I have faith it wont be noticable in a few months! Just make sur eyou take your med and getting blood work done as the doctor prescribes!! I had a fantastic surgeon!! Research for a surgeon very well! Dont go with just anyone. I talked with several before I decided on Dr Nauidi. Very glad I did!!!! Fantastic surgeon! Dont be afraid!! I feel like I got part of my life back I lost years ago.More energy , this may sound silly but my memory even seems to be getting better!!!
It's been 6 years since I had a total thyroidectomy and I continue to have to see an endocrinologist at least twice a year. Before the surgery, I didn't take any medicine at all...zero...and now I take 26 pills a day, all due to problems related to the surgery. My thyroid levels always seem to be fine; it's my calcium and potassium levels that are difficult to keep in the 'normal' levels. I now have high blood pressure, which I never had before, and am on three different types of medication for that. I don't seem to gain weight, but I can't lose any, either. I worry about the long term effects of taking so much calcium and potassium, but my doctor doesn't seem concerned about it.
Is your calcium high or low? Have you had your parathyroid hormone level checked or were parathyroids also removed? Your symptoms sound a lot like parathyroid symptoms. You might want to check out parathyroid.com.
I had half of my thyroid taken out in Jan. of 2007. with it the doc took one of my parathyroid glands a lymph node and part of my thymus gland. I had a small nodule at the age of 25. I found out I have Hashimoto's disease which I guess is another hurdle. Since then I've felt like c**p. No energy, gained about 60 pounds, lost hair and still do. Because my tsh levels are.9 (within normal levels) they leave me at this. My advice to anyone is to use all of your options before surgery -(IT HURTS LIKE HELL) and if needed make sure you have the right dosage of medication. Trust me, when they have to put you on water pills because they can't "fix" the thyroid issues life isn't much fun.
I had my thyroid removed on 10/10/08. The surgery went great. No pain, very small scar. I was home the very next day. I felt fine for the first month. However the past two months have not been that great. I am currently taking 125mc of Synthroid, my dosage was upped from 100. I have gained weight and have been feeling very depressed. My hands are tingly and sometimes I feel like it's hard to breathe. I'm due for blood work again in 2 weeks. I'm just not sure how long to expect to feel like this. I feel like i'm in a funk that I can't shake!!!!!
hi iam 36 year's old and had my whole right side and half my left side of my thyroid removed in dec of this year, and i have been so depressed and tired i started having panic attack's. i feel worse now than ever, i couldn't swollow before but now i regret letting them do it, iam taking the med's but not sure if it ill ever feel normal again, iam extremely emotional, and have no want or need to to do anything. i fall asleep if i sit to long , but have no desire to get up. i wish they would of told me this prior to surgery..will i ever be normal again.
I was terrified, could not find anyone who had been through it. Just to let you know, I would not want to do it again....., but I am alive "cured" and still kicking..... my only problem now is the weight again which is pretty extreme, I was not think to start.... so that is my goal for 2009, to get a hancle on my weight. I am happy to share the experience with anyone who is facing the surgeries and radiation etc....... AnneMarie
I had my right side of my Thyroid taken out last 08/08 , I am taking Levothyroxine 1.0 mg. I just would like to know if lowering my dosage will keep me from gaining weight. I gained 20lbs after surgery. My hair is dry, I feel tired, hands tingly. I have my thyroid tested every 3 months. Not fun at all. I dont regret having the thyroid taken out since they thought it was cancer, I just want to go back to normal again.
I had a total thyroidectomy in May of 2005. I still cannot get back to normal. My thyroid levels are kept purposely low in case the cancer grows back, they'll catch it. I gained 30 lbs, I'm tired and cranky all of the time. I have tried several anti-depressants and nothing seems to work. I am absolutely miserable, where I wasn't this type of person before. Every time they do blood work it is something different. My levels swing up and down. Any suggestions, I have 3 kids and I need to be normal again!
hi i did removed all the thyroid since almost 4 years , in the beginning it was difficult to adjust with the amount so u need to do blood test every 2 month it take almost 2 years to know exactly my body need , no i,m doing well , about the surgery it takes i week in pain that is all after that it was only they way it looks , now i can say their i sno mark left the only prob i,m facing is i,m still so moody that is mean depretion plus weight control , all the best for every one
i have already had half of my thyroid removed about a year ago now. I am 19 y/o i have nodules on my thyroid and this is why the doctors have opted to remove. Another nodule (4cm) has appeared on what is left of my thyroid...and I am due to go into hospital this Thursday to have it removed once and for all. I believe it is the best option as I have a huge lump growing on my neck with the possibility of cancer. Any advise would be appreciated.
Thanks
Siobhan
Thanks
Siobhan
Hello Siobhan, I am in question about alot of things as well...I just had a Hemithyroidectomy done on 2/23/09, a week ago today and go tomorrow to see my Surgeon for pathology results. I am a little nervous about the findings because my biopsy came back inconclusive prior to surgery. I asked my surgeon just to do a TT and he declined stating that he doesn't like to do TT unless necessary. The size of my Nodule was that of a ping pong ball.I was always feeling sick prior to the surgery but symptoms have got worse after surgery.It was a outpatient surgery and I am not on any meds. I am worried about the results tomorrow and just PRAY all is well. I would hate to have to go through this surgery all over again so soon. If anyone has any advice please post it for me.
Thanks and Good Luck with your situation.
Thanks and Good Luck with your situation.
I had a total thyroid removal in September 2007 due to being hyperthyroid with massive nodules.I had been on Carbimazol for 5 years and the nodules just kept growing - not cancerous.
The operation went very well. About 3 weeks after the op I realised that I could no longer sing as my higher notes had become flat. They still are. My voice has been generally affected, in as much as I now sound aggressive and hectoring when I am having normal conversation. I also cannot shout.
I stil lfeel as if there is a belt around my neck and take 125mg Levothyrox. I did not put on weight (I was already obese) and did not notice hair loss, massive tiredness or any other horrible symtoms like mood swings.
I had my stitches out after 10 days.
I have now had a stomach bypass inSeptember 2008 and feel fantastic!
Good luck to you.
The operation went very well. About 3 weeks after the op I realised that I could no longer sing as my higher notes had become flat. They still are. My voice has been generally affected, in as much as I now sound aggressive and hectoring when I am having normal conversation. I also cannot shout.
I stil lfeel as if there is a belt around my neck and take 125mg Levothyrox. I did not put on weight (I was already obese) and did not notice hair loss, massive tiredness or any other horrible symtoms like mood swings.
I had my stitches out after 10 days.
I have now had a stomach bypass inSeptember 2008 and feel fantastic!
Good luck to you.