Leave after Thyroid removal

[Lissaok]

How long were you in hospital & off work after a thyroidectomy please?

[Hay2016]

In overnight. Wasn’t working but was back running in a week. I had thyroid cancer and that was only hemi, completion was same and took two weeks off running.

No nodes and thyroid normal size apart from a lump inside. 😀

[DoeStewart]

Things are so different now as to the speed you are chucked out of hospital. I had 7/8ths thyroid removal over 30 years ago, was in hospital for 5 days. I had the wound stapled on the outside so the staples were taken out in two stages. I went in hospital on a Monday, had operation Tuesday, first half staples removed Thursday and second half Friday morning. Home Friday afternoon. Was out shopping the next day as I had a 15 month old to take care of.

[Bettle7]

Hi Lissaok, I had total thyroidectomy in 2017 and I was in hospital for 3 days as my calcium levels were too low otherwise it would only be overnight stay. I was signed off by my surgeon for 2 weeks but I decided to take an additional two weeks off. Four weeks total. I felt back to normal after a few days but I decided not to rush back to work.

[cjrsquared]

Had TT 4 years ago, in hospital overnight, was off work for a month as I have an active job otherwise would have been 2 or 3 weeks. You are not allowed to drive until you can turn your head both ways, which was a fortnight for me but 6 weeks for a colleague. Truthfully there is a lot of variability, how difficult and lengthy the operation, blood loss and bleeding post op, whether their are any side effects including damage to the parathyroids, how your body responds to thyroid replacement, whether the dose needs to be adjusted. I would assume a minimum 2 weeks if everything straight forward but don’t go back to early, listen to your body. Good luck.