Thyroidectomy Post op

Hi I had thyroidectomy last july, I'm still having problems now with calcium as went down 5 months after  stopping  supplements. I was not to bad after my surgery, I'm actually having more problems a year later. I've been referred back to ENT got telephone appointment tomorrow. It is normal to feel the way you described but I would tell your consultant. Everyone is different. Gp has put me back on supplements but still have achy legs and knee, and the odd twitch, I am finding it a bit harder at  work at the moment and my job is physical. It can be a long recovery. My advice would be to tell consultant everything. 

Hi! I am 42 M, I had total Thyroidectomy last week. I am on similar journey and I want to wish you good luck. For me, so far the only thing worrying is my shoulder and neck movements and slight discomfort while swallowing food. I looked up the internet and it seems it is due to RLN (recurrent laryngeal nerve) injury. I will be getting the dressing removed tomorrow from the GP and planning to ask them, but TBH, i dont expect much from the Nurse who might remove the dressing. 

Did you guys also face difficulty with shoulder and neck movement? How long did it take to go away?

It only took a couple of weeks and I could move neck fully but when swallowing still feels a bit tight at times that's a year later and hard to swallow when have hair washed at hairdressers. I'm now got to wait until December for endocrinology appoinment to see if calcium  problem is permanent  I'm back on supplements and latest blood test were just in range but they done calcium  check twice with 2 different results one being a bit low but no further action. I'm still got some symptoms of low calcium. Asking at medication review when I can get an appointment.  Lab would not test PTH. Are you on calcium  tablets?

Somehow, in my case they have not asked me to take any calcium supplements yet. Probably my blood test results showed normal Calcium levels for 3-4 days while I was recovering from the surgery and I am just 1 week post surgery. But, seems similar in your case, your calcium situation started 1 year later. I wish you good luck with it. 

I was on calcium  after surgery for 6 months then took me off them then 5 months later calcium dropped.

Hi lovely,

How are you feeling now? It’s a wee while since your post so you may be feeling a bit differently now but I thought it share my experience on this as it was very similar to yours, 

Before my surgery (April 2024 full thyroidectomy and R neck dissection for pap TC) I was extremely active, until my diagnosis I was performing as a professional dancer on cruise ships. After surgery I couldn’t walk to the end of my small street without stopping, which is a massive difference from being a full time athlete! Around 3 weeks post op, I tried to walk every day, sometimes I’d get as far as the end of the street,  it took me over a month to be able to walk 500m without stopping for a rest. I was also on anti sickness meds for around 6 months after surgery as any movement made me feel sick or be sick.

It takes a while to feel some what similar to your former self and for me I still don’t feel 100% but I am a lot better. 1.5 years on I have recently started teaching fitness and dance classes which I definitely couldn’t have done a year ago. You will get there it does feel impossible at the start and you’re left wondering if this is the new normal but there will be small improvements and you should celebrate all of them! 

Regards to calcium I am on mines for life. Like yourself I was on them for around 6 months after surgery, then I was taken off them for 6 months with the hope my PTH would recover and I d be able to regulate myself but unfortunately my parathyroid never recovered. I was taking these horrible chewable tablets for ages 8 times a day and was told I wasn’t able to take anything else as they’re the fastest acting. But thankfully after a bit of a battle, I now take 1 vit D - alcidol and 6 adcal d3 (non chewable calcium tablets) per day along with my thyroxine. I will be on these tablets for the rest of my life as my PTH will never recover. I feel a lot better for being on them so I don’t mind! 

You’re doing amazing! Sending you a big hug! 

Hi im OK thank you I had endocrinology yesterday, had blood test now have  to do 24 hour urine test. I think yours must be worst then mine I'm only on 2 adcal a day. Got telephone appointment on Tuesday for results. Have you done a urine test? I'm a bit worried I do it wrong and I can't get it to hospital until 4 hours after completed. If everything OK being discharged back to gp, at moment they are keeping me on 2 adcal a day, I have not been told yet but I guess its permanent now. My parathyroid did go back to normal I  january but I guess it's not enough as was at low end of normal. I still get twitches in legs and a bit of a tingle in fingers. I mentioned my stiff knee yesterday but consultant said nothing to do with it. See what results are on Tuesday. Not sure I trust gp to monitor it. I thought I would have a least one appointment a year with a endocrinologist.

Hi, I had a total thyroidectomy and lymph nodes removed 10 days ago. Told to take dressings off myself after 5 days. My wound is very raised- like a hard wedge. Anyone else had something similar? I’m not seeing my consultant for 5 weeks so no one has checked the wound and I’m wondering if it’s normal. Also on calcium tablets now which sounds like a common issue after surgery? Thanks