Hemithyroidectomy for Thy3F nodule

[Rory1978]

I’ve had a diagnosed thyroid nodule since autumn 2023. It was biopsied Jan 2024 and classified down from a U3 on ultrasound to a U2 on biopsy. I had it re scanned and biopsied this January with a view to discharging me. The ultrasound showed it to look much the same, no real change in size or appearance however I just got the biopsy results back and this time they’ve left it at U3, specifically thy3F which I’m rather wishing I hadn’t googled and the letter says in this situation they recommend a hemithyroidectomy.
Fortunately I already have a consultant appointment booked for 10am tomorrow so I don’t have very long to wait, but I’m struggling with this unexpected turn of events and spiralling a bit.

I don’t have time for surgery and recovery, we have so much going on at the moment.
I had surgery last spring (entirely unrelated) and was so poorly from the anaesthetic so I’m worried about having another… in face anaesthetic in general terrifies me, what if I don’t wake up?!
what if it does turn out to be cancer. My children are young, I just want a normal childhood for them!

See, told you I was spiralling!

Practically, for anyone with experience, I have a few questions:

1. How long were you in hospital for?
2. How bad was recovery/side effects?
3. Have you needed thyroid hormone replacement?
4. How long did you have to wait to find out the results?
5. If it was cancer did you then need the other half of your thyroid removed?
6. Again, if it was cancer, what other treatment was needed?

Question for those who’ve been through this. How should my scar be looking 9 days post? The centre part looks fine, but one end especially is puffy. It almost feels like there’s fluid under it. My husband keeps telling me it’s fine and it’ll go down but I’m worried I’m going to be left with this raised bump forever.

I’ve just had a look through my photos, I had an infection so I’m probably not a good comparison but this is mine 13 days post surgery the first time, and the second photo is 7 days on from the total thyroidectomy.

This was first surgery as well

You will have a lot of swelling still so early on, it’s redness and heat that I think you need to watch for. When are you seeing your team next? My scar is still really lumpy but I needed the drain and my infection complicated things I think. If you can’t see anyone on the ward, the nurse at my gp was brilliant for checking mine over for me. How are you feeling in yourself?

They said I’d get an appointment around 4 weeks post surgery so probably still just under 3 weeks to wait. I did have a drain for the first night. No heat, and just a little redness around the first stitch but it’s not sore and I’m feeling fine. Just a sore throat and hurting to swallow. I also still don’t feel like my swallow is completely safe. It’s better than it was, but I really have to concentrate especially when drinking. I saw my GP and he wasn’t super concerned, said to keep an eye on it.

So. Today the pain seems to have relented and it no longer feels like I have a golf ball in the left side of my throat! However my neck feels so tight. It feels like it’s really stretching my neck k/throat when I swallow and I can actually see a visible puckering of my skin where it’s being pulled. Trying to trust this is just another part of the healing that will resolve…

Did anyone get thethering afterward? After a bit of googling this is what I think is happening. Swallowing feels difficult and literally like some is stuck together on the inside. It’s about 2 inches above where my scar is