Thyroidectomy coming up - your experiences please.

[babymutha]

After putting it off, and trying other treatments, and hoping, it has finally become clear that I need to have a thyroidectomy (I'm hyper, and not responding well to PTU). I am also desperate to have another baby, but so scared of being hypo/infertile/miserable and fat. How did your surgeries go and what was life like afterwards? Happy and horror stories welcome - thanks.

My Auntie had a thyroidectomy, years ago now - possibly 40 years ago, for similar reasons to you.

I can't remember if it was pre or post her having children so don't know if it affected her fertility but otherwise she is slim, happy and has a great life. Afaik she recovered quickly and well from the op too.

Hope things go equally as well for you and that someone comes along with more up to date experience.

Hormone imbalance can create havoc with your thyroid - have a look at this website, it's all about bio-identical hormones and the effects of oestrogen dominance, I have been using their natural progesterone for menopausal symptoms and it's really helped. Might be useful - :www.wellsprings-health.com

sorry :www.wellsprings-health.com

www.wellsprings-health.com

Sorry again, wrong website , try www.progesterone.co.uk

Hi
I had a thyroidectomy almost exactly twelve years ago! The procedure was fine - dont remember ever feeling like I was in too much pain - IIRC I did have a drain in for a day or so but was not in hospital long. Scar is fine and i don't ever notice it - only fellow thyroidectomists notice

I had it done pre children and have had loads since then I have had miscarriages too but my thyroid levels have never been given as a reason and I have never considered them to be a factor.

I think it took about a year to get my levels just right and they can still fluctuate a bit. My biggest issue was weight gain - but to be honest, I probably use not having a thyroid as an excuse for being greedy.

I had this op about 7 years ago. Had thyroid tumour and only half the thyroid removed and function nicely with the half left so no advice re meds or stuff BUT after being more terrified before the op than I thought it was possible to be, I woke with no pain, a neat row of staples and was up and eating brekkie the next morning. Felt sore, like brusing sore, but not pain that I expected. Had a drain which was removed after a day I think, staples out after three days, and then home. Couldn't drive for about a month as couldn't turn my head properly or quickly. Felt sore and bruised for a couple of weeks. Scar, hardly noticable. All in all, nowhere near as a horrific experience as I expected. I just can't watch "The Weakest Link" anymore because that is what I was watching just before they came for me!!! LOL

Good luck, keep calm, all will be well.

Had sub total thyroidectomy because of severe graves and the fact I was just engaged and wanted to start a family within a few years. The surgery was absolutely fine, scar now almost invisible. That was almost exactly 18 years ago. Have never had a days trouble - I am, of course, now hypothyroid but have taken 100mcg of thyroxine since, have a blood test once a year and no probs at all. Had DS 15 years ago and dd 11 years ago. All good - no health probs. The thyroxine is fine by me because it simulates a natural hormone and just replaces what the thyroid can't do.

Good luck OP

Thanks for all the feedback lovely mumsnetters - and cantseeforlooking - am pretty sure I have hormonal imbalance, but endocrinologist says the surgery will correct that... so fingers crossed.

My Dad had his thyroid completely removed about 15 years ago (it was producing thyroxine very erratically and growing to the extent it was interfering with his breathing, but not malignant). He took maybe a year for the dosage of his tablets to be absolutely "right" but even in that adjustment period he was much calmer/healthier. He does have a scar; however rather than staples he had stitches done on a single strand of "cotton" (or whatever they use) with wierd "bead" things on the end sorry, I don't remember what it was called). He used to LOVE pulling it to gross me & sis out - so my advice is, if you don't want a scar, don't keep playing with it :)

Had this done two years ago but because I had an underactive thyroid and my thyroid gland was very enlarged. I was shitting myself before the op I have to say but it was all very undramatic. Not much pain afterwards, quick recovery and I went on to get pregnant with no. 2 child pretty easily.

Now my scar has faded pretty well, I have a slimmer less hippo-like neck than before the op and I actually think I feel better all round than I did with that gammy enlarged thyroid still inside me.

However I did have a paralysed vocal chord after the op and was most concerned the damage was going to be permanent. My voice did return to full strength 3 months after the op - phew.

Good luck with your operation.

Im undergoing treatment for hyperthyroidism at the minute, but have been told its looking like I will need surgery or radiation treatment in the future as I dont stay in remission. Can I ask if you were offered a choice of surgery or radiation?

Hello 4+1. Yes I was offered the choice but when I was diagnosed as hyperthyroid, I was 31 and about to announce my engagement and knew that dp and I wanted to start a family soon after getting married. Because I was not convinced about radioactive iodine and the effect on my gonads (ovaries) or dp's gonads (testicles) and couldn't quite get my head around the advice that I shouldn't use the tube for a week to protect everyone else's gonads, yet there was no risk to ours, I went for a sub total thyroidectomy. If I had been 10 years younger it probably wouldn't have bothered me to have the radioactive iodine; likewise had I finished my family it wouldn't have bothered either.

The surgery worked well for my circs and have never had any problems. BTW eventually got two lovely dc and had no probls conceiving - just a bit of trouble keeping them in until term but don't think that necessarily had anything to do with the underlying thyroid trouble although I do believe there is now research to show that thyroid probs have a link to higher miscarriage rates and dd was my 5th pg.

Good luck with your decision.

Total thyroidectomy in the New Year then levothyroxine for the rest of my life. Would be fair to say I am scared. But as I seem to be developing osteoporosis and am at risk of a thyroid storm and a heart attack at any moment I don't seem to have any option. you gotta laugh. Surgeon also said DD is a 'miracle' baby as he has never seen anyone else with my condition sustain a pregnancy, and he's done over 5,000 ops. She is a miracle. Knew she was.

Thanks all. Had op. Now no voice and feel 93. But I know that's temporary and just got to get the levels of levothyroxine right. Am much happier than I've been in years. Have lots of support and looking forward to some time in next 6 months to a year when I will wake up and be me again, only better.
I LOVE my surgeon. Whom I'm off to see in a little while on Valentine's day!

i had mine out 10 years ago. was a nice size 8 before it now a 14 and not a chance of shifting it, but that is much better than being dead i guess.

it is major surgery so did not feel good after it but they sure do give you a lot of drugs for this op.

i also found my neck was a bit stiff for a while after the op but went to a student party one night and had a few drinks and it was much better after that.

i have had to go to natural thyroid extract which for me works way better than thyroxine.