Five weeks post op total thyroidectomy here. I, too, have this tight feeling and fullness on my neck, reflux is a bit more tolerable compared to the 2nd week after the surgery. At least, my ENT was bold enough to tell me that the tightness i feel on my neck is normal. I am still trying to learn how to accept this new normal feeling though. I know someone who has had her thyroid removed way back 1988 and told me she felt the same but assured me that those uneasy feelings will just go away in time. I thought maybe she meant i will get used to it in time. She adviced to keep my chin in a level position where it doesn't feel like you are looking upward and avoid downward looking movements as possible where your chin is almost near your chest and strict voice rest must be observed which I am finding so hard to do since I have two little kids. I just wish that these doctors will be able to set patients' expectations before performing the procedure. But then maybe, us patients will have second thoughts of going under the knife, don't you think so? I read somewhere that we have to make the scar flexible so doing tolerable chin rotational movements from time to time is a must. I started mine about a few days ago, also added side to side head movements as i swallow, but making sure movement doing it gradually because it might do me harm than good. Like you folks, i hope to feel the same, but i guess these neck muscles will never feel the same because of the incision that was made. Even if it was sewn back by sutures, doctors did not accurately realigned these muscles back to its original state. Hope i am making sense.
Have you heard of a goiter? Might want to look up that. Hope you feel better soon.
I'm experiencing the same strangling feeling as the rest of you. I had TT 2 months ago and this choking sensation happened the morning after my surgery and I still have it. My concern is flying. Have any of you flown since you TT? I'm concerned if the cabin pressure or altitude will make this worse? Please share!!
I also have the same symptons the tightness is irritating how long does it last due to return to work Oct 5 been almost 2 weeks since my surgery any suggestions only thing helps sometime is a pain pill
Going through the same thing need some relief know one seem to have an answer tightness is very irritating any one have any answers
My ENT said that it's the natural result of the procedure since the area needs to be cleared of muscle in order to gain access to the thyroid gland. She says the muscle is either stretched or cut. She advised me to let it rest for a bit. I know I had the same feeling of being choked after she removed a cyst I had. It later resolved itself.
I'm experiencing the same feeling now as I'm swyping. I'm trying to assess what can possibly bring it on. It's not always present.
I'm experiencing the same feeling now as I'm swyping. I'm trying to assess what can possibly bring it on. It's not always present.
2 months post thyroidectomy. I thought I was alone in my suffering, tightness, chocking. Constant, soar neck muscles, will try oil massage and see an ENT next.
Advil - no help
Tylenol - no help
Xanax - no help
Might try muscle relaxants next.
Chris
Advil - no help
Tylenol - no help
Xanax - no help
Might try muscle relaxants next.
Chris
I am 1 and a half
years post -op and still can not sing,even talking is hard. Have your issues been resolved?
Thanks !
years post -op and still can not sing,even talking is hard. Have your issues been resolved?
Thanks !
How are you feeling now? Did those neck massages help?
I think it has to be understood that as your skin has been cut and sewn back together, such as sewing fabric together, you lose that fraction of skin.
I feel the same, choking, strangling feelings, soreness of scar and am at 5 weeks. My family thinks I am moody, scatterbrained and lost in my thoughts.
Too, I also have hiatal hernia, acid reflux, good vocal cords but they now always feel strained. I feel like I force air through to talk.
I do not lift my head higher then looking straight ahead and partially sideways. I was also told no sunlight for 6 months or expect skin discoloration. I am weak. I cannot do in a day what I used to be able to although the last couple months before surgery I was rapidly losing weight, skin turning grey, and getting very tired.
Am also having issues with painful teeth which might be caused by sinus pain as I have had nerves cut, should not have feeling. I did not have any pain in my tooth since the surgery until now. Have read a lot about thyroid cancer and see many studies relating dental work to cancer.
Anyways, when I first came home I was scared to go to sleep. The moment of falling asleep I literally felt like I was falling down backwards and I would wake up immediately, I think some of what I have read here is unconscious feelings we have from surgery. I wasn't afraid to have surgery until right before I was to breath in the mask. Then I broke down. Also, everybody is so different, and so many are saying repeatedly visiting the doctors to no avail. There is no documented reason. Anywhere. I have researched countless hours and am not a doctor but nobody's dr has reasons either.
A body has to heal. Figure out a way to make it the most comfortable. If your scar smells: go to dr cause it's infected. Otherwise get mobility as much as possible and don't let it drag down your life. I had my surgery because of cancer the day before my 38th birthday and I am cancer free. I will deal with the choking feeling every day I get to spend with my children.
I feel the same, choking, strangling feelings, soreness of scar and am at 5 weeks. My family thinks I am moody, scatterbrained and lost in my thoughts.
Too, I also have hiatal hernia, acid reflux, good vocal cords but they now always feel strained. I feel like I force air through to talk.
I do not lift my head higher then looking straight ahead and partially sideways. I was also told no sunlight for 6 months or expect skin discoloration. I am weak. I cannot do in a day what I used to be able to although the last couple months before surgery I was rapidly losing weight, skin turning grey, and getting very tired.
Am also having issues with painful teeth which might be caused by sinus pain as I have had nerves cut, should not have feeling. I did not have any pain in my tooth since the surgery until now. Have read a lot about thyroid cancer and see many studies relating dental work to cancer.
Anyways, when I first came home I was scared to go to sleep. The moment of falling asleep I literally felt like I was falling down backwards and I would wake up immediately, I think some of what I have read here is unconscious feelings we have from surgery. I wasn't afraid to have surgery until right before I was to breath in the mask. Then I broke down. Also, everybody is so different, and so many are saying repeatedly visiting the doctors to no avail. There is no documented reason. Anywhere. I have researched countless hours and am not a doctor but nobody's dr has reasons either.
A body has to heal. Figure out a way to make it the most comfortable. If your scar smells: go to dr cause it's infected. Otherwise get mobility as much as possible and don't let it drag down your life. I had my surgery because of cancer the day before my 38th birthday and I am cancer free. I will deal with the choking feeling every day I get to spend with my children.
I had 1/2 removed because it was enlarged and had a few nodules. My hormones have always been fine. I requested they remove it to eliminate future problems. They seemed to believe me that it was affecting my swallowing and voice but there was a big difference between what they saw on imaging and the severity that I was reporting. Once it was out, the surgeon was shocked. The bigger nodule was much larger than thought, was pressing on my vocal chords and throat, and that side of my thyroid was filled with scar tissue. She was shocked and said no wonder you felt that way. You'd think it was hachimotos, but we ruled that out immediately because I had no hormonal changes nor most symptoms. Hope you've been successful, if not keep trying.m Not everything fits into a box or can be seen in tests.
Ughhh, I have the same thing. GI said could be scar tissue. Sometimes i feel like I struggle to swallow when eating certain foods. Its kind of scary.
This sounds great. Thanks for sharing.
I am going through the same thing I feel like there is something stuck in my throat and I feel like I am suffocating sometimes it also comes and goes every now and then I also feel like I am always trying to get things up I had my thyroid removed a year and a half ago going to see ENT on Friday I hope they can tell me something because I can't stand this anymore
The Medical College of Wisconsin gives lots of info for before and after surgery. This page has a link to a pdf for "gentle neck exercises" about 3/4 down the page:
http://www.mcw.edu/Surgical-Oncology/MP/Endocrine-Surgery/Before-After-Surgery/Parathyroid.htm