What should I expect after surgery: I am having... - Thyroid UK

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What should I expect after surgery

Susanoa profile image
11 Replies

I am having all my thyroid removed after 3 years of suffering with over active thyroid. Does anyone know what type of things I should expect after surgery, I hope with taking thyroxin after I will feel back to normal or am I duluding myself. I chose surgery rather than radio active Iodine treatment as RDI is not always succesful the first time and I have an old Yorkshire terrier that needs contact and I read that some pets had died as a result of owners having this treatment this treatment.

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Susanoa profile image
Susanoa
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11 Replies
hypodi profile image
hypodi

My friend had this done and hates it, i am under active, she was over active and im sure she wishes she had never had it done, di

Susanoa profile image
Susanoa in reply to hypodi

Thank you for your answer, although it has shocked me, I had been told by my doctor that I can't stay on the meds i'm on forever he also said it would be easier to control with surgery. more confused than ever. sorry.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to hypodi

I have just read Chapter three of Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield's book on overactive thyroid gland and its treatment. It is in his book "your thyroid and how to keep it healthy" - the great thyroid scandal and how to survive it". You can purchase it from ThyroidUk or Amazon.

Find out as much as you can before you take the final step although I can understand you want to feel better after 3 years but as you can surmise from most of these blogs thyroxine is not the best way to recover one's health.

Stopthethyroidmadness may also have some info.

Susanoa profile image
Susanoa in reply to hypodi

I will certainly find out as much as I can so I can make an informed dicission. Thank you for your comment.

Hi,

Well you may be OK, but if you have Graves, which is the usual reason for hyper, it doesn't go away when you have the thyroid removed, so be prepared to still have Graves related problems.

You may not do well on Thyroxine alone, people who have been hyper seem to develop a resistance to T3, so they need more than they can convert from T4 alone. Dr Peatfield says in his book about thyroid, that after thyroidectomy people are never really well until they have natural thyroid , so this might be worth considering.

Ten out of 10 for not going down the radio active route, breast tissue picks up the radioactive iodine too, you don't want to go there....... :( If it can kill pets who haven't actually injested it, what do you think it can do to you?

My friend who had her thyroid removed about 9 months ago, still has no proper voice, she wasn't warned there was a risk of a paralysed vocal chord.... this has led to further problems....... Just be aware...... do you do badly with block and replace? - you can stay on block and replace for years...

Nel.

Susanoa profile image
Susanoa in reply to

I don't have Graves, but toxic multy nodule goitre, I hope this makes a difference to your response, I have been told that my voice my change to an octive lower but as I can't sing I was not that worried. I was told that I could not stay on the meds forever as this could cause other health issue problems in the long term. I was told that having the surgery would be easier to control having no thyroid than how it is at the moment. If you have anymore advice or questions I should be asking before I have or not have surgery i would be most grateful. thanks for your response.

Birdy profile image
Birdy

Hi

I appreciate you have had a lot of replies, but wanted to say something positive. I had thyroid cancer had to have three ops, yes there is a risk re loss of voice and my singing voice has changed, but it is easy to monitor my thyroid level. I dont have the issues of a thyroid kicking in when if wants to like a friend of mine.

Good luck what ever you decide

Adele x

Susanoa profile image
Susanoa in reply to Birdy

Thank you for your comment I do hope you are feeling better now.

Birdy profile image
Birdy in reply to Birdy

Fantastic thanks! x

cas012 profile image
cas012

i have had three surgeries, thyroid cancer and having RDI next month. i cant comment on your individual case but am having it as surgeon didnt take all of thyroid out cos he didnt want to damage the vocal cords.

as for the surgery itself it is a walk in the park. felt a bit tired for a coupla days, but think that mainly the anathestic. scars are much tinier now, and even tho i have a collection of three, they arent that noticable.

good luck x

Susanoa profile image
Susanoa in reply to cas012

Thank you so much for your comments to my question. I hope your RDI goes well and helps you feel better.

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