Total Thyroidectomy

Hello, 

I had a partial thyroidectomy a few weeks ago where the nodule turned out to be cancerous. Because of the side of the nodule they removed on the right side, they're advising me to go for another operation to remove the rest of the thyroid. This could be similar to you, but also possibly not everyone will be different! 

Best advice for you is to probably ask your doctor or nurses about the full thyroidectomy. 

I know when they gave me the news about the cancer they didn't tell me a massive amount about the full thyroidectomy because of information overload. Since then I've slowly been reading the booklets and leaflets they gave me which has helped. 

Thank you so much it really helps when I hear from someone who has been in somewhat a similar situation even though every case is different. I have a pre-assessment on Monday with the nurse and I shall ask her more details

Thank you for sharing your experience

I had my diagnosis on Monday and only started to think of questions to ask now to ask my nurse!

My main questions are going to be how long will it take to get the thyroxine doses sorted and feel normal again. They've said (and I quote) that I'll feel really crappy after the full thyroidectomy, and I want to get more details on what that means, like is it going to be fatigue, nausea etc or something else. 

I hope it all goes well for you!! 

My consultant was supposed to call me and let me know the results of my second FNA - instead, he called and said that I will have to go for TT on Monday the 30th.

The date of my 1st scan, blood, FNA and second scan second FNA and now the surgery is all happening within 35 days of 1st seeing my consultant., so its been too much info in such short time and hubby and I are overwhelmed

Every time I ask my consultant ..how or what..not much detail is given but just that I have to have a TT. My results are benign on the right side and thy3a on left and initially, they said lobectomy was all they would do. When the second results came out the same as first they said well best to remove it and check if it turns out cancerous.

I just feel I was not given enough time to decide or ask anyone else for a second opinion and my husband and I have no family in the UK just two of us and our 10yr old daughter. so breaking the news to family back home was difficult and they are all so worried.

I hope to get more info from the pre-assessment on Monday and i hope they give me a clearer picture.

Completely understandable about being overwhelmed. That's how I've felt all week. I've found talking on here quite useful, it starts to feel more normal the more I talk about it rather than keeping it hidden from people. 

Breaking the news to my parents was the worst part, and I'm meant to be moving from NI to England in 3 weeks! The "good" thing about thyroid cancer is that it's not aggressive, and in the vast majority of cases completely curable, so you can reassure them you have nothing to worry about. And plus, curing thyroid cancer rarely rarely requires chemo, surgery does the trick. 

I was given the option to either remove the rest of my thyroid, or leave it in and go for scans regularly. I'm thinking I'll just get the TT because once it's out I don't have to worry about it again, and having thyroid cancer doesn't increase risks of developing any other types of cancer later in life. 

I do feel much better sharing it. I can understand the stress you must have gone through and how overwhelming it must have been for you. yes, I read and did quite a bit of research on it. well, research meaning googling info. Google has been helpful and scary at the same time. but nevertheless, I was told by my consultant and have read that it's 99% curable. MY husband and I think the same as what you mentioned better take it out than have it in.

 you must be excited about moving to England and am sure all will work out well for you. 

Hello, I hope you’re okay. I’m in the exact same position as you right now. I was told I have thyroid cancer on Tuesday after having a PT out on the 5th of November. The consultant has advised they are confident they have got all the cancer but I have been told I need a CT scan and need a TT. I was given the news over the phone and I was on my own. Like you, I’ve read a lot online. I really don’t want a full TT but the consultant has said I need to...when asked why she said it’s because it’s the type of cancer I have, Papillary, slightly confused. I understand you’re thoughts of just having it all out but I’m so concerned about the side affects of medication and also as you’ve mentioned, getting the dosage right. My head is a bit all over the place. I’ve just turned 36 and had planned to try for baby number 2. I’m no spring chicken and I’ve had 2 miscarriages before I had my son,l. I feel time is against me 

Hi CAW 84,

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it's really horrible being told on your own isn't it!

I have follicular cancer, so slightly different to you, but I don't think there's any difference in treatments. 

My head was all over the place too. When I first got told about the cancer and told about the option of a TT or leave it in, my first thought was take it out. Later when I was talking to friends, a few of them were saying why didn't I just go for thr regular scans and save myself another operation and having to sort out the dosages after. And that confused me more because then I started doubting my decision. But, I think its hard for them to know how they would feel in the same situation. You think you know what you would do in a certain situation, but you only know once you're in it. Also, I went for multiple scans and biopsies, and it wasn't until they actual done a PT that they knew it was caner.my worry is that might happen again. 

The reason I'm going for the total thyroidectomy is I'm quite an anxious person, and the background worry of keeping an eye on my thyroid would be too much for me I think. I'd rather the peace of mind that there won't be any cancer if I just get a TT. A few months of feeling like crap until thyroxine dosage is sorted isn't too much to pay for a lifetime of not worrying about it. That's what my mind thinks. The only thing you might need to think about more is your child, if you're extremely fatigued for a few months, do you have that support around you that other people can help when you're too tired. 

I'm 23 and don't have kids yet, and my worry was how thyroxine would affect trying later in life, but they've assured me it makes no difference, so don't be worrying about that, and time is absolutely not against you! 36 is not old, my mum had me after she was 36, and I'm the eldest of 3! 

So sorry to hear about the difficult news people are receiving. It''s very tough.

I had a hurthle cell carcinoma earlier this year, found after a hemi-thyroidectomy. Had completion surgery in May, and no further treatment was needed. It's a big relief. Do hope you all have similar experiences. It's better that these things are found and dealt with, but it's an emotional rollercoaster that's for sure.

Warm wishes to everyone.

How did your surgery go PK?