Recovering from full thyroidectomy and right side neck dissection

Hi Snowyseal, I'm sorry to hear about the constant nausea with your calcium levels. I can't help with that as thankfully mine were ok. But I can certainly empathise with your question about your neck.

I had total thyroidectomy, bilateral neck and chest dissection. Like you mine was found to be worse during surgery and I was in hospital for 7 days aswell. I felt a strangling from the minute I was awake. I panicked it felt so bad and queried it with the Drs in the hospital and my surgeon when I saw him. They scoped me 3 times over the week and couldn't see anything amiss! I was told it could just be due to swelling inside. If I were you I'd mention it to your team, just in case there's anything they can suggest. For most people this improves as the swelling inside goes down, it's such a sensitive area. I'm sure it will for you too. Ibuprofen can help if that's one of your meds.

My neck is tight like yours aswell, all seems to be the norm after neck dissection and you're very early days post op. They take alot of stuff out and nerves get bruised too. I massage and moisturise mine every day and I can feel it's tighter when I don't, so do keep that up and the exercises they give you. Keep it warm when you're outside, the cold makes mine tighter. I'm still wearing woolly scarves! 

Did you get any arm weakness? A referral to physio helped me regain my arm movement but it's a slow process while everything heals. Rest when you're body tells you to aswell.

Hope that's been of some help. Any other questions do ask and I'll do my best to answer. I'm sure someone who's had experience of the calcium will be along soon.

Hello K9crazy,

It is lovely to hear from you and thank you for taking the time to message me. 

I will go ahead and speak with my team, I have an appointment coming up next week. I’m hoping I don’t need a scope for another while as I really hated it last time  I am taking ibuprofen as well the pain is the same as it was straight after the surgery it hasn’t eased, I’m probably just being very impatient in the healing process!  I haven’t been given any exercise so will definitely ask for that, thank you. 

I had problems with my arm strength to being with I couldn’t open water bottles with caps or with turning lids, thankfully that is fine now. Glad to hear you’ve regained movement in your arm.

Thank you again for your message, I’ve felt very alone in this time not knowing anyone who’s going through this kind of cancer. I am 25 and it’s been a massive life changing experience, I normally work as a dancer on cruise ships so it’s been a tough change being stuck in one place but I’ll get there slowly but surely. 

Oh gosh you are young and what a fantastic job you have! I think there's a “diagnosed at a young age” forum on here aswell that might be of help. There are a few younger members on this thyroid forum too if you wanted to connect with them in a new post.

Your age and fitness should help you heal well and I'm sure you'll soon get your fitness back. I got very frustrated with what I thought was my slow recovery and it took a while before I just accepted it will just take as long as it takes. These are invasive operations in areas full of nerves and add to that getting the thyroxine levels right again, so don't be too hard on yourself.

That's good you've got an appointment coming up, make sure you write any questions down, I always forget mine and have to look at my notes but that's probably my age haha. Also don't be afraid to contact your Clinical Nurse Specialist with any questions in between consultant appointments, I've found mine a Godsend. I reiterate, do tell them about these symptoms you have posted about, they will give you good advice. They know your diagnosis and surgery the best. Ah yes the scope isn't pleasant is it but I found when my consultant did it, I hardly noticed it! The Drs in the hospital were a bit hit and miss with it though lol.

Do also consider the Macmillan counselling sessions if you think you need them, you get 6 free ones. I was shocked how much it all affected me and didn't want to upset family by off loading too much on them. This forum's great for that too, invaluable to have real people who have been through the same or similar thing.

Can I ask what variant of thyroid cancer you had? Mine was medullary.

Do post anytime and don't ever feel you are alone, there's a fair few of us on here that will always try and help x