Partial thyroid removal

Hi Daisy7 and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

It's natural to be scared when you're about to have surgery but perhaps you could tell the other members why you are worried that you have made the right choice. They would then be able to share their experiences of a partial thyroidectomy with you.

While you're waiting for replies, it would be great if you could pop something about your diagnosis and treatment so far into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

x

Hi Daisy

I was just about to message the same! It would be helpful if you could tell us a little more about your decision. Lots of us have had hemi and total thyroidectomys, myself included, and although any surgery is scary, for me it was absolutely the correct thing to do. 

Hi, how lovely to see some replies, I have tried clicking on profile and just get a blank page, no where to add anything, think I must be missing something.

Sounds like you have really been through a lot, cancer is such a scary word but I am discovering that so many people live with cancer, it's just the gremlins that get to me at night

Thank you for your positivity. x

Hi Marg

I wish that the surgeon had just told me what to do instead of leaving the decision to me, The cancer is on one side and the cancer is 2.1cms, I also have a lump that they are going to remove which I think is a cyst filled with fluid, he says that could be cancer too but they are not worried as they will remove all of that.

I have opted for the partial in the hope that my thyroid will still work but the temptation to have the whole thing taken away is there.  It would be great to find out what has happened to others who opted for the partial and if their thyroids worked normally after.  Another big question I have is if anyone is on HRT, I am and the surgeon said I could carry on for now and we would discuss it after the operation.  So many questions buzzing in my head!

Also a bit freaked out that my surgery in the afternoon and there is a risk if any earlier surgeries have complications mine might get delayed, I have been waiting for over a month for this and hate the thought that all this time the cancer is growing inside me.

Bit of a major offload here, feeling not scared but just really tearful

Glad I found this space

X

Hi Daisy7 

To complete your profile you first need to go to your profile by clicking on your username or icon (in your case it's a chair).

Then select 'edit profile' which should open up a box for you to add details about your diagnosis, etc. When you've finished click 'save' and, if you want to edit it the future, you just repeat this process.

You are right that so many people are living with cancer and I think you just have to get your head around that idea, easier said than done I know.

I've had all my treatment so I intend to live my life as normal and not worry about recurrence as it may never happen. A much wiser friend once said to me that "worrying won't change anything but it will ruin the present" and they are right.

Wishing you all the best with your upcoming surgery

x

Hi Daisy 

I know it’s easy to say but try not to worry. It’s quite a long surgery - I was the only one on the list for my morning surgery so it’s probably just you for the afternoon or maybe one other. The surgery isn’t too bad, my two caesarean sections were far worse, and the recovery is fairly quick. I’m on hrt and it’s never been an issue, I decided to move from tablets to patches so my liver wasn’t involved but that was totally my decision and wasn’t even suggested by my consultant. Hope this helps

thank you, that does make me feel better :-)

Hi Daisy, just wanted to say hello.  I have read the thread and understand that you are worried about making the right choice between a partial or full thyroidectomy.  I have read many messages on another site about people who have been faced with the same dilemma and for some they chose to have a partial and then have had to have the other side removed at a later date, but not everyone.  It must feel like an impossible choice and I can't help you make that unfortunately.  I wasn't given that choice and had to have a total thyroidectomy and also had 60 lymph nodes removed with cancer being found in 14.  If they are giving you a choice then that is a good sign that yours hasn't spread and you could have half a functioning thyroid should you wish to go with a partial op.  Good luck with whatever you decide and I hope your operation goes well x

Hi Petal, thank you for the reply just waiting to go in for my operation, now panicking that I am the last of the day and it might get delayed!  My mental health is taking a bit of a battering with it all but I am getting there, it's lovely to be able to contact people who have gone through it all x

Hi Daisy7

If you look at my profile- you can read my back story. I so know how you feel when you say that your mental health has taken its toll! At times this is worse than the physical aspect. I was not given the option of maybe surgery or not although there are cases where a “wait and see” approach is given. My fabulous consultant said that what I had was better out than in! I am now living life as normal and taking my Levothyroxine and life is good but it has taken me since January 2022 when I had my surgery to feel like my old self. Well maybe a different self! I am a keen runner and have just had a knee replacement 9 weeks ago and this is harder to get over than my TT! However a cancer diagnosis can wreck havoc for a while until you’re back in the road! You will get  there. I hope it all goes well. Stay strong and stay connected to family and friends. I have never had so many coffee catch ups in my life but it’s good to talk. This platform is great to do just that. Take care xx