Time off work for thyroidectomy

How long did everyone have off work after a total thyroidectomy. The nurse told me I will need at least 6 weeks off but most websites say 1-2 weeks.

[Nanaedake]

Take the nurse's advice. Maybe some people bounce back and can cope but the upset to hormone levels takes time to normalise. It can take longer than 6 weeks. Get your essential vitamin levels tested first before thyroidectomy and make sure they are optimal. Supplement if necessary. That's vitamin D, B12, folate and ferritin. If they are low then you may well crash after thyroidectomy and feel extremely unwell. Check out SeasideSusie's posts to find out what optimal vitamin levels are.

You might be lucky and very healthy but it took me over a year to start feeling well again.

[MissGrace]

Look after yourself and take the time and rest you need whether it be 2 weeks or 12. Be kind to yourself. Good luck with op and wishing you a speedy recovery. 🤸🏿‍♀️🥛

[Argie1]

I felt worse than I thought I would. Everyone is different but I felt awful for 3 weeks. Gradually felt better after that. Also depends on your job. I work in a preschool and have children climbing all over me and pulling me so definitely 6 weeks for me. Good luck! Listen to your body and definitely rest when you can x

[cbraffe]

I was off for 10 weeks and returned to work still feeling rather unwell. I had not realised than although I had informed the ward that I was lactose intolerant, I was put on Levothyroxine. Most of my symptoms were allergic related. I spent time going back and forth to my GP who put me on antihistamines after coming out in hives and very terrible diarrhoea following surgery rather than checking the medication. It was only after I read the leaflet and realised . This was in my 6th week post surgery. Apart from that I believe it should have been less time off work if had been put on the right med. Good luck.

[Arlenka]

Although my surgery was over 40 years ago, after surgery I lost all the calcium in my body and it needed to be replaced intravenously. Due to that and to the fact that it is major surgery minimum of six weeks and if there is any physical lifting I would recommend much longer. Wishing you all the very best with your surgery. xx

[SilverAvocado]

ShAzZy83, I was told 2 weeks, too, in a leaflet from my hospital. But 2 weeks is an incredibly short time, I think they are thinking more about the wound recovering and not about getting settled on thyroid hormone.

Even 6 weeks is quite short, as you almost certainly won't be on the correct dose of thyroid hormone in that time, it can easily take 6 months to get back to roughly where you are before the op. And that assumes that you're one of the lucky ones who gets better easily. I'd say take 6 weeks if you can, but go in prepared to take longer if necessary.

This is a serious operation and living without a thyroid is a life changing chronic condition. Don't walk into it expecting it to be a quick in out job that won't impact your life.

[Batty1]

I was off for a couple of weeks and didn’t start meds until a couple of weeks after surgery...probably reason I struggle 3yrs later.

[Chunipet]

Hi

I was off work for two weeks after surgery and was fine - I worked in a college library at the time so fairly active work. However, it’s taken years to get my hormone levels right though and I still find I’m having to make adjustments! The biggest breakthrough came when I was finally offered T3 on the nhs and I’ve definitely felt more ‘normal’ since then.

Hope it all goes well for you.

[Fizz70]

I was off for 6 weeks, partly because I do a lot of driving for work. I’d suggest you just see how you feel 😊

[Mnmnmn]

Depends on how you feel. I was like in another planet for 1 month until replacement hormone kicked in (brain fog, super tired, weird feeling of reality), then slowly started to feel normal again and was ok after the last dosage adjustment (approx. 12 weeks post op)