the effects of removal of the thyroid

I have read this thread with interest, I found it whilst looking for the side effects of having the thyroid gland removed.  I am 55 years old, and had throat cancer 5 years ago, and had chemo and radiotherapy to try and cure it. It came back 18 months later, and I had to have a laryngectomy, partial pharangectomy, and a trachyostomy (I now breathe through a hole in my neck). Whilst the operation was being carried out, I had all the lymph nodes in my neck removed, and my thyroid gland totally removed. I was put onto thyroxine some time after the operation, once the tests had been done to get the levels right. It transpires that some of the drugs used in my chemotherapy mix, had known side effects, these included damage to the cochlears, and kidneys. I have constant tinitus, have lost 25% of my hearing, and suffer from dizzy spells, this is due to the damage to the cochlears. The kidney damage is also a big problem, one of the effects is severe fatigue.  For the past 2 years or so, things have got worse, I suffered from incredible muscle cramps, the doctor prescribed quinnine, it helps with cramps in the lower body, but not the upper. I am on my 3rd course of anti-depressants, this time the doctor thinks I will be on them for at least 2 years. I suffer pains in my joints, and am on celecoxib (an anti-inflammatory) to ease the pain. I sweat profusely, the doctor said there was nothing to be done about that. I have put on weight, the doctors recommendation, take more exercise, but my chronic fatigue stops me from doing this (I can hardly walk up a flight of stairs). I go to a regular meeting of thracheostomees (once a month), and we exchange stories. I found out at the last one, that people who have had their thyroid removed as part of the surgery to cure throat cancer, should be on vitamin supplements, and probably calcium supplements. Having read this thread, it would seem that most of my problems could well be related to the thyroid removal, rather than the after effects of the chemotherapy. I had my 6 monthly blood test for my kidneys done recently, and at the same time my annual thyroid level check, so I had an appointment today, with my GP (well one of them, you have to see whoevers available), to see what the results were. Just to put you in the picture, as far as GP's go, the first symptons I had of cancer (5 years ago), was a niggling little sore throat, which wouldn't clear up. I saw 5 different doctors at my surgery, over a period of 11 weeks, and was prescribed 2 lots of anti-biotics, salf water gargling, soluble disprin gargling, and finally, after having blood tests done, was told, quite emphatically, that there was nothing wrong with me. I told the last doctor I saw, that there must be something wrong as I had had a sore throat for 11 weeks. He eventually said he'd send me for an appointment at my local hospital, so they could have a look, but it mioght take a while, as it wasn't urgent. The appointment came through after another 5 weeks, and I was seen 3 weeks later. In total, I had had a sore throat for 19 weeks before someone put a camera up my nose and down my throat, and said "I can see a growth, with fronds, but we can't confirm anything until biopsies are done". Needless to say, it was malignant cancer, and I was rushed into chemo and radiotherapy. Unbeknown to me at the time, the government guidelines for sore throats, was that anyone who has a sore throat for more than four weeks, should be urgently refered to an ENT department, and seen within 2 weeks, that was one black mark for my doctors surgery. The problem is, the surgery has to pay for any outpatient appointments, the hospital only cover the cost once you become one of their patients. I went back to my doctors surgery, and told them I had throat cancer, and the GP told me it was in a very unusual postion, it was much further down the throat than was normal for that type of cancer. When I saw the Oncologist, I asked him why it was so far down my throat. He asked me what I meant, and I told him what my GP had told me that it was in an unusual position. THe Oncologist told me it was in the classic postion for this type of cancer, so that was another black mark for my doctors surgery. Three months after the surgey, I was feeling so weak, I insisted my GP do something, he said it would just take time. Five months after the surgery, I could barely get dressed, went to the GP, and he decided to do some blood tests. It turned out that the GP's had been unaware of my thyroid being removed (as I must confess, I had), and that was when I went onto thyroxine, but yet another black mark for my GP. Now bearing in mind that I have been to my GP countless times in the last 2 years about all the symptons I have (which as I mentioned, might actually be to do with my thyroid gland being removed), I went along to the appointment today, armed with the facts I have gleamed from this thread.  I told him all I'd learnt. He checked all my blood tests, and told me that no test had been carried out on my calcium levels in all the time I've been going to them. He said he'd send me for a blood test to check my calcium levels, as he'd better start somewhere !

We are now placing more funds into the care of local GP's. They decide how the money's spent, they have to pay for each blood test, each hospital referal, in fact everything that is wrong with their patients. You can see how they would be unwilling to send you for tests if they didn't think it was absolutely necessary, but they are fine at telling you to take two aspirin, and if it's no better come back and see them. My faith in GP's is virtually non-existant anymore, but I do hope all of you that are suffering, can get some sort of relief, you have to just keep trying.

Hi, it was very interesting to read your post. I am 33 years old and had a total thyroidectomy last December on the 10th. They say that 3 days is standard to stay in hospital with this surgery. Not really for the wound but because there are little para-thyroids that are close to the thyroid and more than often get damaged in the surgery. They control the calcium in your body. They will do blood tests each day to check your levels. I managed the pain following surgery with panadol. It is not really that sore. the sorest part is your throat where they put the tube down. It is hard to shower and get dressed. It is very raw and you can't cough up the mucus and c**p because it hurts your wound and feels like it will burst. I wasn't able to talk for a few days and was very exhausted from trying to talk. You are not able to sleep lying down following the surgery for 3 weeks. You will need to sleep sitting up or reclining. It is really quite hard to roll in and out of bed without straining your neck. Lots of blood tests follow to get your thyroxine levels right. I am just starting to feel normal now, a year later. good luck with it all.

Hi i am 49yr lady and I have suffered with recurring thyroid nodules since 1998. My ENT has aspirated multiple nodules and examined them for cancer that has all came back negative thankgoodness. But i've experience weight gain, night sweats, heavy menstrual period and mild depression. Now again nodules have re-appear again. My ENT has scheduled me for a thyroid biopsy only on the largest nodule on my left. No one seems to answer why nodules keep re-appearing, but my ENT mention that proper synthroid tx wouldn't shrink them but stop nodules from growing. Is that the experience of anyone out there? My primary has me on COMP THYROID (T4/T3) 90MG I had never heard of it. All i know it has not stop my nodules from reoccurring, tsh levels are low and symptoms continue.

Homeopathy can help

Look for a classical homeopath

symptoms that can occur after removal of thyroid

my thyroid was removed because of cancer. I was interested in finding out what symptoms can occur . I have to have radium isotope next week and then will be put on medicine

My symptoms before my surgery in Aug, no sleep, heartbeat 144 beats per min., diarrhea , and blood sugar 386. After surgery I had about 12 hours of post op pain, and after that it was no more painful than a sore throat. I had half of my thyroid removed. After six months I feel great, my blood sugar is back to normal, so is my heartbeat. The only thing I have had problems with is hair loss. About half of my hair has fallen out, but is growing back. I think the hormone swing did it. Good luck

IM FITTER THAN EVER AFTER MY THYROID SURGERY .ITS BEEN 8 YEARS NOW

Hi,

Just read all comments and wish to add mine, had my thyroid removed in november 2011, tired at first but in a few weeks picked up.  No side effects, 16 staples removed in about 10 days, no problem, no pain.  Recently had follow up radiactive iodine treatment, hospital isolation 4 days, no immediate side effects, was told salivary glands could dry up but nothing, however discharged on 100mg thyroxine and extremely exhausted, blood work done 3 weeks later, doc has upped thyroxine so hoping to improve soon.  Realistically, I expected mood swings and hot flushes etc as it is a hormone gland and have had that too but realise its temporary.  Stay positive, remember the cancer has been removed!  You are on the road to recovery.  I am 58 and looking forward to a long productive life. Oh, and by the way, I pray a lot to my heavenly father for his healing touch and he has given it.

Blessings

Soo

I had a thyroid totally removed, march 6, 2012 only problem i'm only having is the weight, before the surgery i was cold, eyebrows, hair fell out, memory loss, no sex drive. Now all that has come back just can't lose the dam weight. I'll lose 2lbs then couple of days later i'll gane 3lbs, so i'm just going to stop eating alot of meat, when i didn't no i a thyroid problem when i stoped eating meat i lost weight fast. So that's my story

I had a thyroid ectomy when I was 15 yrs old,I had 4 daughters ,and I had fast delivery's.Don't let anyone tell you that u can't have kids!

i had a total thyroidectomy almost 2 years ago. other than not being able to lose the weight i gained from my thyroid being over active before the surgery and then goin underactive after. i gained about 40 lbs after the surgery and i have lost almost half of it. i do get dizzy on rare occasions usually around the time of menstration. i have very abnormal and heavy periods. but i also had abnormal ones before my surgery as well. im 22 now and we are trying to have kids. only been tryin for a couple months though. it seems that everyone has a different story for their experience. i was out of the hospital the next morning the drain tube was takin out in less than a week and the staples mayb a week later. i had some tenderness and a sore through but no real pain. overall however i feel much better now that i had the surgery than i did before it minus the weight gain

Hope everything turned out ok!

Had my thyroid removed in April of 2007 due to Thyroid cancer.  Pretty much since the beginning, weight gain (80 pounds and counting...although I eat right and do tons of exercise), fatigue (it's a struggle to make it through the day) and depression are the norm.

My doctor has me on Synthroid and says my TSH level is low, so my dose is being consistently lowered.  I asked about other thyroid hormone therapies and was told Synthroid is what I need.  As for the weight gain, she says with my diet and exercise I should be losing weight, but contends that it's NOT a problem with my Synthroid levels.

Thought about switching doctors, but finding one is a challenge.  Many of them don't want to mess with you if you have had your thyroid removed due to cancer and have other complicating factors.  My current doctor is a specialist in that area.

I've felt completely lousy (to put it mildly) for the past 5 years.

I have also developed hyperinsulism, due to the weight gain and the effects of digestive changes that sometimes happen as a result of a thyroidectomy, further adding to my misery.

Sometime I wish I had just lived with the cancer (would have killed me in several years).  That might have been better than the life I am now forced to live.

I thought all these things that I feel was just me going crazy. It's like I am fine in minute andso angry the next. My head fels funny and I am tired etc. My surgery was two years ago now. I am better and thank God for that but I still feel like I will never be the same.

My daughter seems to be the one that gets the full bulk of my mood swings. She says that I am so mean and hateful.( she is an adult not a child BTW)

All I know is I wish I could feel better. I am already large lady I have NOt had any wieght gain since the surgery. the weight came on before the removal......