day by day bow of what to expect starting the day of surgery

[cfarris]

It's sunday night.5-8-12.  i was diagnoded with papillary thyrpoid cancer about a week ago and am scheduled for a total removal Wed the 11.  I go for pre op tomorrow.  I am totally surprised, had no idea i had a thyroid problem.,actually 2.  One it is hyper and  also it has a cancerous nodule on my right lobe 1.6 cm (about 1/2/inch)  doctors say its very small and the most common kind that is most treatable and curable.  I'm 51, very active, very young at heart, always on the go, in good shape physically.  This past year I have suffered with some dizziness that never really got doagnosed, finally ended up saying it was MAV miagraiane associated vertigo, put me on a beta blocker - Inderal - and for the most part has cured it by slowing down my heart rate and pressure. neither was really high before. What do I expect with this surgery, total removal.  What do you feel like and for how long?  I will have to do the rai pills not sure when, a few weeks out I think. Can someone give me a "normal" play by play for the first few days?  When can you feel safe that it is really gone?

[MANmom]

I had much the same, but I was 46 when diagnosed.  My biggest tumor (I had 5) was 1.5 cm, that put me in the Radioactive Iodine Ablation category, you will probably get the same.  The worst part is waiting for that, they will let you get extremely hypo before they give you RAI.  You will feel aweful, tired, dizzy, clumsy, you name it.  You will probably gain weight, lose hair, and just feel crappy.  I went 7 weeks without any thyroid hormone, my TSH hit 186 the week before ablation.  The next day I got levothyroxine starting at .125 mcg...that is a lot, but my doctor understood how active I was prior to thyroid cancer, and wanted to get me back on track more quickly.  It took two more adjustments after the initial dose, I am up to .1875 mcg of Levothyroxine daily, which for most people is a lot, but I am very active.  It took me almost a year to lose that extra 20 pounds I gained, then my doctor went overseas and I got a new doctor who could not believe that I needed that much.  He lowered my dose and I gained 10 pounds back before he realized he was wrong.  Now I am struggling to lose that weight again.  My best advise is that the doctors don't always know best, you have to advocate how YOU feel.  It takes time, but I stress you have to advocate for yourself.  

[Vuz]

Hi...

I am now 7 days post op from a tt.... it has been an experience.  I was diagnosed with multinodular goitre 13 years ago and have been going through blood tests and ct scans and ultrasounds 6 monthly since then.  I finally found an ENT Surgeon who said enough was enough (I am in Australia).  We have a family history of papillary cancer and hashimotos in my family - cancer on dad's side Hashi's on mums

As I said... 7 days post op...   The first few days are a blurr... I woke up in recovery after my op with a drain in my chest and that was all I knew, they got me to speak to check my voice... I was okay... more pain relief...  

Day 1 post op was okay, lots of pain relief... Dr was pleased with my surgery... thyroid looked ok under the microscope and all my parathyroid glands had been preserved... no issues with calcium... biopsy would be back in a few days

Day 2 - Dr came in again... stay another night - the drain could come out - all was good....
  this was probably my worst day - nausea and vomitting, felt like total crap

Day 3 - Dr came in and said I could go home - yay... I was ready for my bed.

Day 4 and 5 at home were quiet.  I don't feel like doing much and a bit emotional - this is supposed to be normal....

Day 6 - stitches out yay... still a bit emotional and tired... more blood tests to check TSH ordered (still not on thyroxine or anything like that)..  BIOPSY results came back and it was all clear... no need for RAI and my thyroid is all gone so the fight is over FINALLY

Day 7 - still feeling tired and 'distant' for want of a better word.  My neck is still sore and uncomfortable but I am on the home stretch.

I have good days and bad days at the moment - I am 41 and fairly active.  I was doing 6 ZUMBA classes a week prior to surgery and right now I still don't feel up to anything physical....

I don't know if this will help you but this is how I am feeling and  now.... good luck with your surgery... good luck with the recovery....