Hey 
First of all I want to thank you all for creating such a supportive and encouraging environment! I’ve been on this forum so many times already and have found great comfort in reading your stories and advice / support.
I guess a little bit about why I chose to finally take the plunge and post on here instead of just watching from the sidelines! I'm 31 and have recently been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer, specifically on the right of my isthmus (the centre part of the thyroid).
When I had my most recent Drs appointment, I was told that it had been recommended at my MDT meeting that I either have a total thyroidectomy or partial thyroidectomy (the right side and isthmus removed), but that the choice as to which was up to me.
I’ve chosen to have a total thyroidectomy and am largely confident in my decision - due to where my cancer is, the chances are that they could do a partial thyroidectomy and still need to go back in and remove the rest at a later date anyway, meaning two surgeries and a longer wait.
What’s really been playing on my mind are the risks. This is my first major surgery and while I know they have to share the risks with you, they’ve not stopped going round and round my head on a scary and nerve wracking loop. Not helped by the fact that the risks are apparently doubled if you have a TT.
I would therefore love to hear people’s positive experiences of having a total thyroidectomy, especially if your cancer happened to be located in a similar place to mine!
Also interested to hear from other people who were given an option between total or partial thyroidectomy and if so, which they chose and why.
Thanks so much 
I’m so sorry it’s taken me ages to reply 
It’s been a tough couple of weeks between the craziness of the last few months finally hitting me and trying to get some errors with my medical record corrected!
They didn’t really say much initially about why I’d be having the RAI but after speaking to a Macmillan nurse, it’s seems to be quite a common thing to do after a total thyroidectomy just to ensure at there’s no thyroid / cancer cells remaining and to help lower the risk of recurrence! I’ve not had a chance to ask about risks etc but should have an appointment with the Dr where I can go through all of that before the treatment 
How are you and how are you healing? I hope it’s all going well 
Ahh my throat felt awful for about a week but I’d been warned beforehand that it would because the breathing tube they use is larger than normal as it has sensors on to help them during the op! My 
roat is still tight occasionally now too. I found that holding I’ve packs on my neck helped and plenty of cold / warm drinks 
️
I stuck to paracetamol too and found okay, although wish I’d kept taking it consistently for longer 
