<p>This surgery is in my future. Would love to hear from anyone who has had their thyroid removed–cautions, tips, post surgery issues and recovery time, experiences with taking thyroid replacement pills for life, etc. I am pretty bummed about this, even though I know of all the possible medical problems out there, this one is not a biggie. Thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve had a partial thyroidectomy due to nodules caused by Hashimoto’s - happened 20 years ago. I still take Synthroid even thought I have half of my thyroid left. We tried one time to see if the half left would be enough to function, and my numbers really dropped, so back on it I went. They removed half because they really felt like they needed to rule out cancer, despite biopsies coming back negative. The half that is left has a couple of small fluid-filled nodules, and I hope I don’t ever have to have that half removed. I see an endocrine surgeon once a year for follow ups - he does an ultrasound and exam every year.</p>
<p>So… surgery-wise - it’s a pretty basic surgery - done all the time. That being said, I did decide to go to a teaching hospital to have it done by an endocrine surgeon. That might have been part of my mistake. In a large teaching hospital, my simple thyroidectomy did not warrant the after-care attention that I thought it needed. The worse part for me - and I’ve had this confirmed by another friend who recently had hers removed (had thyroid cancer), is the absolute miserable sore throat I had afterwards, I’m pretty sure due to the intubation tube down my throat. I’m guessing when they are moving your neck around during surgery, that tube gets rubbed around against the esophagus and that’s what led to the pain. I did have a drain in my neck immediately after surgery, but it was removed the next day, and that didn’t hurt. The incision itself really didn’t even hurt, either. Again, my neck was a little sore, probably from being hyperextended during surgery, but that pain was pretty easy to take care of. </p>
<p>I remember my throat being so sore one night, that I called the nurse to ask for pain medication, but my throat hurt so bad, I couldn’t swallow the pill she brought me. The nurse stood over me saying, “I can’t stand here and babysit you while you wait to try to swallow that pill.” Yea, so not a good experience. I don’t know why they couldn’t deliver the pain through another route so I wouldn’t have to swallow. Also, they provided a humidifer for my room, but it would run out of water, my throat would dry out, and it would take forever for someone to come refill it. All these are things that I think can be avoided if you make it clear ahead of time you are concerned about them and/or have someone with you in your room as much as possible. My kids were little at the time and it was hard to find someone to stay with them during the day while H came to visit me, so whenever he came, he had to bring them with. And the hospital was a good hour way without traffic.</p>
<p>My doctor wanted to take mine out, but I refused. Mine was hyper. (Actually, he mentioned using something radioactive to kill it.) I continued on the medication for a little over a year, and it eventually returned to normal and has been fine for over 3 years now. </p>
<p>^^ I’m in the same boat as Toledo - my endocrinologist suggested thyroid surgery but I declined. In my case, I had a greatly enlarged thyroid due to Hashimoto’s (think goiter, but not quite) and the surgery was suggested to reduce the size of my thyroid - plus, the thyroid wasn’t/isn’t working any more, so why keep it around?</p>
<p>I’m a big wimp when it comes to surgery, though, so I chose to shrink my thyroid using radioactive iodine instead. It worked great (my thyroid is back to normal size and no scar!) I’ve been on synthroid for over 25 years now, so to me, the replacement therapy is really no big deal. The hardest part was finding the correct dosage (lots of blood work and doctor’s appointments) but it’s all good now. YMMV, of course - some people do have a harder time adjusting to the medication regimen. </p>
<p>The only time I had problems with the medication, was when I wasn’t taking it on an empty stomach, and was taking it with other medication. When someone told me the correct way, and I started taking it that way, I became hyperthyroid, and had to lower my dosage. I’m actually on .88mcg., four days a week - M, W, F, and Sa. That’s what it took to get me in the proper range where I felt good.</p>
<p>I had a hemi-thyroidectomy ten years ago for multi-nodular goiter. The other hemisphere of the thyroid works fine and I don’t have to take Synthroid. </p>
<p>The surgery was a one-night hospital stay. The scar was visible for about a year. </p>
<p>Check to make sure your surgeon has done this procedure many, many times. It is a five hour operation and involves coming very close to the nerves that control the vocal cords. Damage to those nerves could mean that you whisper for the rest of your life. The first thing my surgeon said to me when I was waking from anesthesia was “Sing me a little song” and I did! That was her chief worry regarding complications. </p>
<p>^^ That’s what worried me, TatinG - the possibility of nerve damage. As I said, I am quite the surgery wimp…</p>
<p>I had mine out, completely, 40+ years ago, radioactive iodine did not work. I was closely monitored by an endocrinologist through pregnancies, no changes in medication that entire time. I view myself as pretty stable and don’t worry about frequent monitoring, minimal works for me. Really thyroidectomy was no big deal, I would only be concerned about the surgery & anesthesia parts not the part after recovery.</p>
<p>Yes, I saw an endocrine surgeon - that’s the only surgery he does, and again, it was at a large teaching hospital.</p>
<p>I had a ginormous goiter 30 years ago – think, tennis ball in the neck – but was simply treated with Synthroid. Took a while to get the dosage right, but I now take 175 micrograms every day. Life is good. </p>
<p>Good luck with your surgery. Taking the replacement hormone is no big deal. </p>
<p>My thyroid hormones were fine. I just had nodules of unexplained origin that were interfering with swallowing. Efforts to drain them were unsuccessful, they just came right back. </p>
<p>Thanks all. My situation is two large nodules that are making me hyperthyroid, and apparently there’s no way to successfully remove just the nodules and leave behind a functioning thyroid. (Can we get the medical community working on that, please?) My doc feels that the radioactive iodine route is too slow and can be ineffective, and the effects of my hyperthyroidism (atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure) are too dangerous to delay. There’s a med I’m taking to impede thyroid production pending surgery, and it’s working, but apparently it shouldn’t be taken indefinitely because of potential side effects–which I guess need to be measured against side effects of a lengthy–3 or 4 hour–surgery. Gah! I think a second opinion is in order. </p>
<p>I can’t help feeling a little distraught at the idea of removing a part that produces something necessary for life and replacing it with a synthetic alternative. I’ve clearly done too much reading, but there are a lot of complaints out there in the cyberworld from patients whose thyroid levels never normalize after the surgery or who are resistant to the synthetic hormone (it’s not hard to imagine that a synthetic will never behave exactly the same as a natural hormone) and end up gaining large amounts of weight and feeling sluggish permanently. </p>
<p>I will definitely seek out a surgeon who’s done this a few thousand times–I know that’s the way to go for any surgery.</p>
<p>About the only issue I have no concerns about is the surgical scar–I’m totally at the “who cares at my age?” stage when it comes to my neck!</p>
<p>Actually, my surgical scar can be barely seen. Most people have no idea I had surgery there; it really is a very unnoticeable. You have to really look, or have me point it out. I didn’t even have sutures… just steristrips. </p>
<p>IME, the “synthetic” hormone is just fine. I remember when I started taking it, I asked the doc if I could drink while on this hormone. His comment: “Of course. You’re just replacing what’s in your body naturally.”</p>
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<p>If I’m not mistaken, the “synthetic” replacement hormone you’ll take after surgery is exactly the same as the “natural” hormone your body once produced on its on. Same chemical structure - no difference. The problems can occur when you’re trying to determine the precise dosage of hormone that you’ll need - sometimes it takes a while to figure that out.</p>
<p>Some people claim that certain brands or types of replacement hormone work better for them than do other brands or types. Personally, I’ve never had any trouble and I’ve switched several times. If someone is consistently gaining weight while on replacement hormones, they could be hypothyroid still. </p>
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<p>Yes, my endocrine surgeon was VERY particular about which one he prescribed for me for many years. He insisted on Levoxyl. He was not a fan of synthroid because he’d actually visited the plant in Puerto Rico where they made it and had concerns about the consistency of the drug. But Levoxyl was discontinued due to some manufacturing issues, and after many years, he revisited the plant in Puerto Rico, and now has no qualms about the product coming out of there, so I’m on synthroid… I think it’s about the cheapest generic drug out there anyone can buy.</p>
<p>Physician here. For cancer you definitely need the surgery, sooner rather than later. For a noncancer diagnosis I would want the second opinion. All we can offer here on CC are anecdotes. All surgery has risks as well as benefits.</p>
<p>btw- Synthroid is a brand of generic levothyroxine and is more expensive than the no name $4 drugs offered at Walmart (no problems with their generic). The levo stands for the left chirality (dextro is right) of the thyroxine molecule- same formula, mirror images. Technically we produce two thyroid hormones but one is converted to the other by our bodies so just giving one works just as well. You can look up a ton of information online these days.</p>
<p>Never heard of an “endocrine surgeon”. Endocrinology is a subspecialty of internal medicine. Both ENT and general surgeons can perform thyroidectomies, choose one based on their training and expertise (in the old days general practitioners would do them- a true see one do one and an example of the “practice of medicine”). Neither surgeon type would follow the patient for long term thyroid replacement therapy.</p>
<p>He is a surgeon that only does parathyroid and thyroid surgery; he did two surgical residencies at the University of Chicago. I suspect he discharges patients who he does surgery on that involve complete thyroidectomies to the care of endocrinologists; but for people like myself, who keep half their thyroid, then develop nodules on the remaining thyroid, better to see him for follow ups, so he can do ultrasounds/biopsies, etc. when warranted. It was overkill to see both him and an endocrinologist. </p>
<p>My H has been on low dose synthroid for years since he was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. He sticks with the brand name, which is quite affordable and has had no problems. The doc periodically checks his thyroid levels to be sure his dosing remains appropriate. His doc (internist) warned him against switching brands of thyroid supplementation, as he felt it could cause goiter.</p>
<p>Agree that if you’re unsure, it could be reassuring to get a 2nd opinion. Good luck!</p>
<p>I had my thyroid removed due to nodules with some concerning cells that came back from a biopsy. Pathology reports later showed that it was pre-cancerous and that I also had Hashimoto’s. I woke up from the surgery with the worst sore throat ever. I also felt like I had laringytis, as my voice was very soft and I had difficulties projecting. With pain meds, I didn’t feel that bad. I had planned to spend just one night in the hospital, but had some difficulties with low calcium following the surgery and needed to stay another night to get it regulated. I used a general surgeon for the surgery, who had performed many removals. My scar looks great - although it took awhile to heal. My voice became stronger within a week or so, but I wasn’t able to sing a tune (not that I can sing anyways LOL) or yell for about a month. I was off work for two weeks or so. The hardest part for me of the surgery was regulating my thyroid medication the first few months to find the right dose. I found an excellent endocrinologist who worked it all out and I have had no problems since. At this point, I only need to see him every 6 months for bloodwork to make sure I’m within the proper ranges.</p>