Thyroidectomy and weight gain - Good stories only PLEASE!!

How did your surgery and recovery go? I was just diagnosed with papillary carcinoma yesterday after a FNA biopsy of two large nodules. I have 3 children, my youngest is just 6 weeks old. I am so scared and nervous. I can’t stop googling. I can’t stop crying. I will be meeting with an ENT soon and am just so nervous for what is to come.

Hi Leigh77, I was so happy to read your post. I am about to get either a half or full thyroid removal and I also was reading many stories of weight gain and Im terrified. I am so happy for you and thank you for the post. It makes me fe so much better.

Hello, how are you doing? I am scheduled on 7th dec for removing my half thyroid because of suspicious big nodule, I am also having small kids aged 8 mo, 3y6m. I hope everything is good with your recovery.

Hello, how are you?
My name is Alexandra, new to this community but in similar situation like everyone here. I will go to have my left half removed on 7th dec, have 2 children, youngest is 8mo. I hate the fact that mine nodule FNA was inconclusive, indeterminate, but suspicious and so having the half removed. Only after surgery they will give me result of biopsy. How is everything going with you and the children? I am upset also that I will have to interrupt breastfeeding. Hope you are ok

Hi Leigh#
It sounds like I was in a similar situation as you. Normal TSH but large nodules suspicious for ptc. I am only a week out of surgery so I cannot speak to the weight gain. Presurgery I was battling extreme fatigue and pain. However, even feeling the post surgery pain (sore throat, incision sight pain, etc) I feel better than I’ve felt in years. Walking to the bathroom was sometimes a struggle but this morning I went for a hike. I’m worried this is temporary and I am getting ahead of myself but I feel much more able to care for myself than I did before which I imagine will help with weight gain, depression, etc. I was very petite 110 lbs and over several years of persistent symptoms I have gained 100lbs and have not, despite rigorous diet and exercise, been able to loose more than 10-15 lbs. That was devestating for me but even if I gain more weight post surgery, that’s ok if the way I am feeling is the new norm. I am sympathetic to anyone who has gained weight. I went from running marathons and competitive rock climbing and in less than a year barely able to walk a mile. I spent a lot of time thinking there was a fix and realized that wasn’t going to happen. Weight and body image is very important to my family, gaining that weight was devestating and lead to a suicide attempt. I almost gave up getting a PhD because I thought I was too fat. What I have learned over the years is not to accept my weight but to accept that there is more to me than what I see on a scale. I say this because, even if you do gain weight, don’t let that be your end or even a setback. Just keep going, you don’t have to accept that the weight is permenant but it is much easier to learn how to move with it. I gave up so many of my loved activities because I thought I was too fat, and the extra weight made them awkward (yoga, rock climbing, etc.) I don’t do those things the same now but I still do something that gives me the same feelings I replaced running with biking, rock climbing with hiking, yoga with machine Pilates, skiing for snow shoeing, I even replaced swimming with watching my dog dock diving. The mistake I made years ago was that I valued myself by my weight and punished myself for not looking the way I did/should. It’s impossible not to have those thoughts, but my advice, is keep moving. Substitute and replace. I think It’s ok to mourn your body image but be ok with the little black dress becoming a floor length empire waist gown. It may never be the same as it was before you had your thyroid surgery but that doesn’t mean it can’t be great.
** I have not got biopsy results yet, almost wish I didn’t have to know, but I’m optimistic.** Hamsa!

Thank you.. so glad to finally hear a positive Story. I’m having a full thyroid ectomy on Monday and I’ve been having extreme anxiety since the weekend after finally reading online and so many people talking about weight gain and of my doctors had ever mentioned it to me so all I keep seeing is horror stories.

Try intermittent fasting

I understand this is an old post but I am literally sitting in the parking lot, 20 mins early, for a consultation on partial thyroidectomy. I’ve been on the brink of tears this past week because like you, I searched the internet and found nothing but negative forums on all of the effects of removal and your body. I can’t tell you how thankful I am to have come across your post.

I am in the same position. Have had problems with difficulty swallowing and breathing the last couple of months and through ultrasound was found to have several large nodules. Had nuclear thyroid scan a couple of weeks ago and had one of the nodules show up as suspicious so had needle biopsy last week and thankfully, it was benign. I am meeting with my surgeon this afternoon to schedule surgery because he said at an earlier appointment that regardless of the outcome of the biopsy, my thyroid would need to be removed. But after researching online, I am now completely terrified to have it removed because I am neither hyper or hypo now and the horror stories I have read have made me want to not have this surgery. But I don’t know what other options I have as my swallowing is continuously getting worse. I am terrified either way. I am hoping that my surgeon will have other options besides surgery but I’m afraid he will say surgery is my only option. But it helps ease my mind to read a few of your positive stories after reading so many negative ones. Thanks for that!! :)

I had a TT on 5/1. I too was petrified of gaining. I’ve lost pounds so far from eating clean and walking 4 miles several days a week.

Hi there,
Ive just stumbled upon your post. I could have written your exact words right now. I am about to go through a total thyroidectomy and I am so down and concerned about my weight afterwards. Im so scared. Im so grateful you wrote a follow up. Thank you. Belinda

I to have to have my thyroid out soon. I am very weight conscious and have read 100s of stories that scare me. I am 59 and have been able to control my weight with diet and exercise. Of course as I get older it becomes harder and harder. I am worried about weight gain and also personality changes such as mood swings, anxiety. Have you had any of these problems? Thank you in advance for responding. Again, I am really nervous about this to the point of canceling the surgery.

How did you do Belinda? I am scheduled for 02/21/19 and I am very anxious about the weight gain

How did you make out? I am scheduled for 02/21/19 and I am very anxious with all the stories I have read.

I HAD COMPLETE THYROID SURGERY 3 YEARS AGO, HAVE GAINED AT LEAST 30 POUNDS, AM VERY UPSET, WAS ON 100MCG'S OF LEITHYROXIN IN THE HOSPITAL, EVERY MONTH AFTER i HAD BLOODWORK DONE AND THE MED WAS TOO HIGH , SO KEPT LOWERING IT. HAVE BEEN ON 75 FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS NOW AND JUST 3 WKS AGO, BLOODWORK SHOWED THAT WAS WAY TOO HIGH IN MY BLOOD, SO NOW IT'S DOWN TO 50 MCG'S, DOCTOR SAYS I CAN GAIN MORE WEIGHT ON THAT AMOUNT. I HATE THIS WEIGHT, I AM GOING TO BE 80 IN JANUARY, ON SEVERAL OTHER MEDS, DON'T REALLY FEEL ALL THAT WELL, SUFFERING A LOT OF DEPRESSION, ARTHRITIS, OTHER AILMENTS. WOULD LOVE TO LOSE THIS EXTRA WEIGHT, IT'S VERY CLOSE TO 200 POUNDS, HAPPENED AFTER SURGERY. HELP, PLEASE!