Thyroid cancer

[Wali1985]

Hi everyone
I have just been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and will be getting the surgery in a months time . Doctors advised to remove the whole thyroid along with neck dissection since cancer speak to lymph nodes .
I would love to hear if anyone has had this in the past and done the surgery .
I am very scared of surgeries and general anaesthesia in general I don’t know how I’m going to cope on the day . Forgot to mention that I am a very anxious person I have very bad anxiety attacks on most days for no reasons .
any experience here or messages will be appreciated

thank you
w

My mum had this done in the 90s. Aside from daily medication, she is fit as a fiddle in her 70s.

My friend had it done ten years ago. She was in her twenties. She had a very quick recovery and is doing very well now.

Hi @Wali1985 I'm sorry to hear you are going through this and hope you make a full recovery. Like you I’m very anxious about health & currently under review for a neck lump. I have an mri coming up and have been unwell since November would you mind if I ask your first symptoms of the cancer?

Hi jaydep
thanks for your message
I have no symptoms and I still have no symptoms , I just went for a blood test then the doctor/gp said she thinks there is a lump in my neck that I can’t see or feel then they sent me hospital for ultrasound then it was suspicious then biopsy then confirmed papillary cancer . It’s shocking because I have no symptoms what so ever . Everything just happened so quick and now I’m waiting for surgery .
hope u get ur results soon and hope it’s nothing . Xx

I had the surgery 25 years ago.

I had serious complications from anesthesia because I fall into the 0.5% of people that have serious complications, but the hospital handled it just fine.

I lost 3 of my parathyroid glands and the remaining one doesn’t function very well. That caused some serious issues in the days after my surgery and I had to be readmitted. That was frightening for about 2 hours, but once they got the iv calcium going I felt great. That has honestly caused more issues than losing my thyroid, but it’s very manageable.

back then everyone had to go hypothyroid for 6 weeks and then do radiation. Having a tsh over 100 is a living hell. I could barely stand up and I was in unbelievable pain. My endo tells me now if you need radiation they artificially induce hypo.

thyroid cancer is scary, but it’s also one of the cancers with a very high rate of recovery.

my scar has faded to the point that it is barely visible. I wore necklaces for a few years while it was still healing and I felt self-conscious about it. I was in my 20s in my defense. At this point in my life, I have enough scars that i wear them with pride.

I was diagnosed 8 years ago
I was stressed out about the surgery too but when I came round I was so blissed out on drugs it was amazing lol
Anything else you worried about ?

I had half my thyroid removed (not cancer, a benign growth). Very little pain after - good recovery and the scar is now hardly noticeable.

@Wali1985 wow that’s crazy! Can’t believe they just knew like that x

Hi debska
what drugs was it ? Was it before the surgery ? Thanks

I had the same diagnosis about a decade ago. 2 lots of surgeries as they weren’t sure. Cancer confirmed then had to have second half removed.

My biggest issue is thyroxine, not a fan until the dose is right. Talk to your doc about thyroxine dose of you don’t feel ok.

i was scared too as it was my first general anaesthetic. They asked me to count to ten. I can’t remember counting beyond 3!

It seems like a lifetime ago now!

Is there anything specific you’d like to know?

I had papillary thyroid cancer. Picked up by accident on the edge of a CT scan checking my chest out for something else. Then USS, several biopsies. They initially did a hemothyroidectomy, then decided the cancer was a bit bigger than they'd thought, so a couple of months later went back in for the other side, and then radioiodine in the recovery phase. Good surgeon, who managed to leave me with my parathyroid glands, which helped avoiding complications in recovery, and the anaesthetist was lovely both times. Scar healed really well, and they followed a natural skin crease, so can hardly find it now. Thyroxine wise gave me quite a lot on the first couple of years, to make sure I didn't make any thyroid stimulating hormone to drive on any remaining cells, but these days aiming for the normal range, which is easier on the body. For me, it really helped that I knew several people who had been operated on by the same surgeon, and rated him (and he's actually also a lovely chap). Both times, the anaesthetist listened to my specific concerns, and was happy to modify things just slightly to make me feel happier. And both times paid really exquisite attention to analgesia and anti emetics, so no pain or nausea on waking, and the pain kept under really good control afterwards.

If there's something in particular that's bothering you, tell them. They know a lot of people get nervous, and they want this to go as well for you as possible.

Hello Wali
I'm not sure what drugs but I went out like a light and was beautifully relaxed and happy when I came round. The growth had been pressing on my windpipe and affected my breathing and it was brilliant to be able to breathe again .
Let them know how anxious you feel.
Have they talked about radio iodine treatment yet ?

Hi
can I ask the name of the surgeon who done your surgery and which hospital
?
thanks