Aa
Maybe I am missing something.....
On Aug 5/08 I had my whole thyroid removed which came as a surprise as I thought at first they were just going to take possibly 2 parathyroid glands (possibly more). In one of the questions today I read that someone had a total removal but that they still had parathyroid glands remaining. How could that be possible if the parathyroid glands are attached to the thyroid and they removed all of it? I know this sounds crazy but I have to ask in case I missed something. I am also experiencing a very hoarse voice and a lump that is hard to swallow past. Can anyone tell me if that is part of the healing process or not? It is very annoying as I choke on anything I swallow, even liquids.Thanks for the opportunity to join your community I have found it to be very helpful and everyone so very concerned for everyone else.
From SweetG in Canada
From SweetG in Canada
Looks like you got lots of info on your parathyroids, so I think you go that question answered.
As far as the choking goes, my advice to you would be to get an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and have them take a look at your vocal cords. I couldn't swallow liquids for a month after my surgery, and was told by the ENT that it was nerve trauma. Both vocal cords were paralyzed, which affected my swallowing, breathing and speaking. It was very scary and irritating!
Unfortunately, if that's the case, it'll take time to heal. What I was told was that it could take up to a year to repair itself, but wherever it was at at one year will be as good as it's going to get. There are procedures they can do to move the vocal cords over if they won't move on their own.
Anyway, that's where you should start. I know how frustrating it is, believe me.
Lori
As far as the choking goes, my advice to you would be to get an appointment with an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and have them take a look at your vocal cords. I couldn't swallow liquids for a month after my surgery, and was told by the ENT that it was nerve trauma. Both vocal cords were paralyzed, which affected my swallowing, breathing and speaking. It was very scary and irritating!
Unfortunately, if that's the case, it'll take time to heal. What I was told was that it could take up to a year to repair itself, but wherever it was at at one year will be as good as it's going to get. There are procedures they can do to move the vocal cords over if they won't move on their own.
Anyway, that's where you should start. I know how frustrating it is, believe me.
Lori
Your parathyroids can indeed be attached to your thyroid or even imbedded in it, but it's not usually the case. That's what my surgeon told me before my TT (total thyroidectomy). Luckily, none of mine were removed during the surgery.
The hoarse voice can indeed be part of the healing process, and the swallowing, as well. Take Stella's advice and send a message to Kipland - it's always great to talk to someone who's been through it.
Good luck to you!
The hoarse voice can indeed be part of the healing process, and the swallowing, as well. Take Stella's advice and send a message to Kipland - it's always great to talk to someone who's been through it.
Good luck to you!
Hi, SweetG. Here's how I understand it:
The thyroid and the parathyroids are, as Stella said, different glands with completely different functions. Two things can happen during a thyroidectomy that can affect the parathyroids that sit right along side the thyroid.
The first thing is that in removing the thyroid, the surgeon cuts blood vessels that deliver about half the parathyroids' blood supply. The parathyroids often "shut down" after that for a while -- that is, they stop producing a hormone that, along with vitamin D, regulates calcium and phosphorus concentrations in the body. Within about a week, though, they get reoriented to receiving all of their blood supply from their remaining vessels and go back to work. (It's this recovery process that causes some thyroid cancer patients to need a special form of vitamin D and calcium supplements for a week or so after surgery. The supplements substitute for the parathyroids' usual contributions to the body's functioning.)
The second thing that can happen is that a parathyroid or two may be so embedded in the thyroid tissue that the surgeon has to remove the parathyroids along with the thyroid because cutting them free would either leave them too damaged to function or leave too much thyroid tissue behind to be safe. Since most people have four parathyroids, the glands left in place are enough to keep the body functioning well after surgery.
There's a good diagram of the neck on this webpage with the thyroid shown in pale pink and the parathyroids shown in yellow:
http://www.endocrineweb.com/parathyroid.html
I'm told problems with swallowing and speaking usually stem, in the weeks right after surgery, from damage to nerves in the neck that control the larynx. The surgeon has to scrape thyroid tissue off those nerves, and it can take the body a while to repair them, so the usual advice is to just wait to heal. Later, scar tissue forming inside the neck can sometimes interfere with swallowing.
My TT was on 7/18/08, and I'm still having trouble projecting my voice in noisy places and am very aware of each swallow -- there's a heave-ho sensation and a gulping feeling I never had before.
But if like you, I were choking, I think I'd be bugging the doctor about it. I'd probably be told it's "normal" after surgery and I'd probably invite the doctor to choke with me on every sip just to learn what "normal" means. You instead might want to tell your doctor that a rude Statie said you should say that, but of *course,* you never would. :^D
I hope Kipland can give you more specific advice on improving the situation.
The thyroid and the parathyroids are, as Stella said, different glands with completely different functions. Two things can happen during a thyroidectomy that can affect the parathyroids that sit right along side the thyroid.
The first thing is that in removing the thyroid, the surgeon cuts blood vessels that deliver about half the parathyroids' blood supply. The parathyroids often "shut down" after that for a while -- that is, they stop producing a hormone that, along with vitamin D, regulates calcium and phosphorus concentrations in the body. Within about a week, though, they get reoriented to receiving all of their blood supply from their remaining vessels and go back to work. (It's this recovery process that causes some thyroid cancer patients to need a special form of vitamin D and calcium supplements for a week or so after surgery. The supplements substitute for the parathyroids' usual contributions to the body's functioning.)
The second thing that can happen is that a parathyroid or two may be so embedded in the thyroid tissue that the surgeon has to remove the parathyroids along with the thyroid because cutting them free would either leave them too damaged to function or leave too much thyroid tissue behind to be safe. Since most people have four parathyroids, the glands left in place are enough to keep the body functioning well after surgery.
There's a good diagram of the neck on this webpage with the thyroid shown in pale pink and the parathyroids shown in yellow:
http://www.endocrineweb.com/parathyroid.html
I'm told problems with swallowing and speaking usually stem, in the weeks right after surgery, from damage to nerves in the neck that control the larynx. The surgeon has to scrape thyroid tissue off those nerves, and it can take the body a while to repair them, so the usual advice is to just wait to heal. Later, scar tissue forming inside the neck can sometimes interfere with swallowing.
My TT was on 7/18/08, and I'm still having trouble projecting my voice in noisy places and am very aware of each swallow -- there's a heave-ho sensation and a gulping feeling I never had before.
But if like you, I were choking, I think I'd be bugging the doctor about it. I'd probably be told it's "normal" after surgery and I'd probably invite the doctor to choke with me on every sip just to learn what "normal" means. You instead might want to tell your doctor that a rude Statie said you should say that, but of *course,* you never would. :^D
I hope Kipland can give you more specific advice on improving the situation.
The parathyroid are completely seperate from the thyroid itself and has no attachment.
You should PM Kipland in the swollowing thing. SHe had the same trouble.
You should PM Kipland in the swollowing thing. SHe had the same trouble.
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