To ask has anyone had a thyroidectomy? I'm so scared!!

[ILoveHuskies]

I'm booked in on Saturday, I'm shitting it. The reason is because I have thyroid nodules that have gradually caused my thyroid to go overactive. This also makes my neck look slightly swollen which I hate. I'm actually having to go private due to being on the nhs wait list for over a year and I just couldn't carry on waiting indefinitely

Although I've had a chat with the surgeon etc and he was very reassuring and is very experienced, I guess I'm scared of something going wrong, and on a more shallow level i am worried how my neck will look (I do have health anxiety though)

So I'm hoping for some positive thyroid removal stories to reassure me if possible please ? Tia x

Not me but my mom a few years ago. She was 52 and recovered remarkably quickly and you can’t even notice she has a scar. Good luck and speedy recovery

@WomblingKnobhead

My scar. I can't remember the actual recovery but I had it under local (a nerve block) which I wouldn't recommend

Oh wow honestly cannot see it at all!

@CiderWithLizzie

I hope it all goes well. Can you have only part of your thyroid removed? I ask as I’m hypothyroid (under active) and it was dreadful getting my levels sorted. I didn’t react well to thyroxine but am doing well now on a combination of T3 and T4.

Thank you ! Yes apparently you can just have some removed according to my surgeon. However apparently they remove the whole thing if you are overactive and or have nodules as there's a risk of the bit left behind become over active and or growing again .

I'm glad you're doing well now

@NCsobroke

Not me but my mom a few years ago. She was 52 and recovered remarkably quickly and you can’t even notice she has a scar. Good luck and speedy recovery

Ahh that's great to hear, I am glad she recovered quickly I'm a bit younger (42) and pretty fit and slim etc so hopefully I'll be the same

Just a quick bump for the Friday crowd ...in less than 19 hours time I will be in hospital. honestly I'm beyond nervous now I'm bricking it and feel sick

So any more positive stories would be super helpful 🥰

Had a partial 11 years ago. Tbh I don’t really remember much about the recovery, except I had a reaction to the dressings which was horrible. I was back at work full time with a 60 mile commute within 2 weeks and you really have to struggle to see any scar. Surgeon helpfully ‘cut along that crease line you’ve got’ 😁. The only thing I do remember is that it took a while before I felt psychologically comfortable bending my head back, just in case they hadn’t fixed it back on properly 😂

The other thing I wasn’t expecting is that they used staples rather than stitches. Apparently it heals better with less scarring.

Used scarves for a month or two to cover the scar but was pretty much not noticeable after that so dropped them (I’m not a scarf person)

You’ll be absolutely fine. It really is a pretty routine surgery nowadays x

@HidingFromDD

Thanks for your story. Eek I'm sorry to hear you reacted to the dressings, that sounds horrid. But glad you had a good recovery etc

I'm taking two weeks off work afterwards too, the surgeon advised at least ten days. I am praying I'll be ok for work after that time, as im self employed and absolutely rammed until Christmas (I am a semi permanent make up and microblading artist so as you can imagine everyone wants their brows done in time for Christmas )

(I also love your username and completely relate to it btw 😂😫)

I'll be thinking of you OP - but I'm sure it will go great. I was hugely anxious about mine as well but it was 10 years ago now and all is well, and my scar is less noticeable than my real wrinkles! It's the fine line in the centre of the photo.
My parathyroid got freaked out during the surgery and stopped working for a few days so I had to have intravenous calcium, but it recovered totally and no issues there now at all.

Best of luck tomorrow, OP.

You will be fine. Enjoy the rest afterwards.

@CiderWithLizzie

I hope it all goes well. Can you have only part of your thyroid removed? I ask as I’m hypothyroid (under active) and it was dreadful getting my levels sorted. I didn’t react well to thyroxine but am doing well now on a combination of T3 and T4.

I keep asking for a combo of t3 and t4 from my Consultant but he keeps saying no. He made it sound as it was quite unusual. How did you get the combination? I find thyroxine very hard.

I had my op in two halves. Had staples and stitches.

I was moving about in bed in hospital and as long as took pain killers was ok.

My scar is barely visible and matches my c section scar!

I too was scared of GA. but it was ok- don’t remember a thing after they gave me it. Within seconds!

By all accounts it’s pretty routine, take care x

Another hemi here, had it done 6 years ago. It is so nerve-wracking on the day but it was honestly fine.
I spent one night in hospital with drains in, home the next day & I had a bed on the settee for about 5 days & 2 weeks off work.
I was really surprised how pain free the whe thing was & that I could eat normally afterwards.
Mine was removed because I had a large cyst wrapped around it & it was very good to get rid of that as it was dragging my neck quite a bit.
My scar is minimal & as I've become a bit more wrinkled pretty unnoticeable!
Good luck with your op!

@Femwitch
Oh wow you cannot see it at all

You have a lovely smooth neck, (I notice these things so much seeing as mine is a bit lumpy)

Thanks so much to everyone who posted

Its really really helped me. Off to bed soon as gotta be at the hospital for 7am so will be up at 5 as it's quite far. Thank you all again

good luck for today.

Thank you. I'm just waiting to go down to surgery now

I feel oddly calm 😬

it'll be fine. You'll be in recovery before you know it.

Best of luck OP!

Glad you’re calm.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

All done ✔️

I was in theatre by 9.30am but had to stay in recovery room for longer than usual as my oxygen levels were low
I’m a bit sore and extremely exhausted but so glad it’s done now.

Thanks again for all the comments on my post - it really helped

Remember to cover the scar and protect it from sun for a good half a year or so. I wore neck scarves for a year and you can't see my scar. A friend didn't bother with sun block and hers is a lot more noticeable.

Oooh yea I will do @KatharinaRosalie
I always wear factor 50 on my face and neck anyway in a lame attempt to stave off wrinkles 😂

@KatharinaRosalie my scars still pretty new Should I be using spf even in this weather?

kimlo yes, my doc told me to use sunblock and/or cover at all times, even in winter.