Thyroidectomy and breastfeeding

[Going211]

Does anyone have experience of having a thyroidectomy whilst still breastfeeding? I was wondering if they had any issues following surgery and also while recovering and possibly while starting thyroxine.

hi there, I don't have any direct experience but I sympathise. I'm due to see my endocrinologist tomorrow who is suggesting I have a thyroidectomy sometime soon and my baby is only 5 weeks old. I'm on carbimozole and breastfeeding but its a very low dose so nobody is too concerned about it. Have you had the op or about to? I don't want it at all really - i'm hyper but have no symptoms and I'd really just like to leave as it is….

Hi, I will be having it after my baby is born, suspected thyroid cancer. If it is cancer the whole thyroid will be removed. If not cancer just the half, but they cannot determine if it is cancer until they first remove the half.

Goodluck with yours, it must be hard to know what to do, especially if you are having no symptoms

And good luck to you too. It must be horrible having that hanging over you while pregnant.

I've had a little look on the message boards here and there are some posts about thyroxine and breastfeeding - mostly saying that all is fine so long as they get your levels right, and they tend to be pretty vigilant of that when you're breast feeding (i guess cos nobody likes to feel like crap when they have a newborn around the house). I imagine recovering from the surgery is going to be pretty much like any other operation - just make sure you have as much help in place as you can.

Best of luck with it all x

I didn't have my thyroidectomy whilst breastfeeding but prior to children, was a total one and no thyroid left.

I take thyroxine daily and now they have got my levels right I just have to have a blood test once a year to check if right, the GPs know I'm breadtfeeding DTS and don't seem to want it checked any more than usual.

Good luck, do you have support to help following surgery xx

I didn't have my thyroidectomy whilst breastfeeding but prior to children, was a total one and no thyroid left.

I take thyroxine daily and now they have got my levels right I just have to have a blood test once a year to check if right, the GPs know I'm breadtfeeding DTS and don't seem to want it checked any more than usual.

Good luck, do you have support to help following surgery xx

Thanks system can I ask how much support you think I will need post surgery? Doctors aren't very clear about what the recovery will be like so I'm a little unsure about how will be?

Really sorry about late reply, Been a hectic week or so!

I bounced back quite quickly although was in late teens with very little responsibilities then. Out of hospital within 2 days and back to school after 2 weeks!

I would give yourself approx 3 weeks of taking it easier than normal with soft easy to eat food on standby. I was very tired after surgery and neck was quite stiff.

Going just out of interest why does half the thyroid need to be removed to even if it isn't cancer? Is it a very big nodule? I am in a similar position and my team have been very clear they do several biopsies (after I give birth) and won't remove anything diagnostically, only if they detect something.

I put a post on here a few days ago, it was quite reassuring - thyroxene is fine to breastfeed on apparently.

Here is my other thread which has some info on BFing and thyroxene. Hope it's helpful www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/2178759-Goiter-to-be-biopsied-and-breast-feeding?

Thanks system that is helpful :)

Hi squizita I guess it is fairly large (3.5cm) which might be why they need to take half of the thyroid. Also they will be examining the half as well as the nodule to determine if it cancerous or not. I have already had a fine needle aspiration done ( using ultrasound) on it which has already shown atypical cells, so it's considered suspicious. Have you had one of these yet?