Hi - TT and neck dissection op due next week

Hi

I had never had surgery before and it's better than I expected however it's good your on here because some of the surgeons don't tell you much which could be a good thing as you may well sail through with no complications, however I felt horribly unprepared for mine and thought i would be like a friends 80 year old mum who sailed through having her thyroid removed, however thyroid cancer means more than just having your thyroid removed so don't compare to someone who has had this procedure

I have just had my second thyroid surgery, it's also in my lymph nodes which means a neck dissection as well as thyroid removal.  I was told recovery in two weeks but I reacted quite badly to the anaesthetic, it made me very sick so it took me alot longer.  My fist surgery had complications which meant it took much longer than anticipated maybe this is why I had a longer recovery.

Be prepared that your voice might be affected, stock up on soups in case that is all you can manage after in case your throat is sore.  I had the second surgery last wednesday and was fine this time to speak and can eat pretty much everything.

The main things I felt I was unprepared for was the exhaustion, I was also not warned about nerve damage, (this is due to the neck dissection) I was very numb all around the area, a very strange sensation that travelled up to my ears which ached, the numbness meant less pain but as the sensation returns your neck might feel tighter, even after a month it felt like I had a rope around my neck.  As I say I had more procedures and complications so it's not like this for everyone.

Be prepared to have to sleep upright for a while to aid drainage and reduce swelling. in the hospital they put these pump things on for the first night onto your legs to prevent a DVT, then you need to wear support stockings until your up and about, but you should be up and about pretty quickly, generally it's a one night stay.

There will be a drain from your neck for the first 24 hours which you have to carry round with you, this is a bit uncomfortable but not does not really hurt

I was told to massage the wound after the dressing was removed two weeks post op, I recommend a vitamin E oil, it felt weird to touch but did loosen the scar, I did get puffiness above the scar which is where the fluid can't drain away, having had a second op I don't know if this would have resolved.

Most of my mobility returned after a few weeks., full fitness took around 6 weeks.

Make sure if no one gives them to you to ask for neck exercises these can be done almost straight away, I was not given these the first time and think that delayed things returning to normal.

I had quite a few problems with my voice and was referred for speech therapy, so that's an option, but it's rare that your voice is affected after the first week or so.

Wishing you all the best and sending you positive vibes

Vicky x

Hi. (TT and cantral and left side neck dissection April 22)

The best advice I can give you is not to compare yourself to others. I have read some people were out and about in 2 weeks after surgery. I was literally floored to the sofa for full 2 weeks. And after that another 5 weeks when I was weak. It was a major surgery with plenty of lymph nodes removed and thankfully my mum came to stay with me and my family and it took good care of me. I would not be able to for sure. I went back to work after 7 weeks and looking back it was too soon but I knew I will have RAI so wanted to spread the 12 paid weeks for both occasions. It did worked out but this Feb I had another surgery as one more lymph node found and needed removal so this was just SSP which is ridiculous. This surgery was small. I was driving by myself 12 hours after it. Same scar used to remove that bloody lymph node.

I remember that I was in loads of pain and strangely not on the wound but my throat was killing me for a month. Surgeon said that they used the biggest intubation tube so that's probably why. No painkillers touched the pain. Before second surgery I mentioned to the anesthesia doctor that I am scared to have that pain again so he said he will use much smaller tube this time which he did and I didn't have any pain after.

I was not ready for my shoulder to go weak. I was not ready for my neck, ear and half of face will go numb for months. I would advice to buy V shaped pillow as the ones in hospital are rubbish. 

You need to be advocate for yourself and if you are in pain do moot hold back and ask for painkillers. Nurses have plenty of patients to look for so sometimes we need to remind about ourselves. 

I had damage to my parathyroid gland. One definitely was gone. For a month after surgery I was on both Vit D and calcium tablets and loads daily to the point I felt sick. But my calcium was playing up so had to stay in hospital for 2 night after surgery. Some people will have to stay on calcium supplements indefinitely. I stopped and my bloods are OK. 

I find it hard to get in contact with specialist thyroid nurse. I have their number but they are hardly ever responding so any questions I might have I am not able to check with them. Please make sure you have contact details to the ward and to your surgeon secretary as you might need to use them. Email would be the best as what I mentioned above, sometimes it's hard to get through on the phone.

If I remind myself of any other things I would like to know I will post another answer. Take care xx

Thankyou for your reply. I'll look into getting a V neck pillow. Thanks for the tip.

Thankyou for sharing your experience. Hadn't even thought ahead to managing the scar - so I'll get some Vitamin E oil this weekend.