I had gotten a lot of advice to not have surgery also, but I had no choice,
I could no longer swallow solid foods. I did not have cancer. I had
Hashimotos and the surgery took all the scary symptoms away.

As for going back to work on Monday, I kinda doubt that you will be able to.
I had my surgery on Friday and I was only supposed to stay in the hospital
overnight but they bruised my parathyroids when they took mine out (remember
I had to have it all out and actually my doc said when they do a really good
job and get it all, they sometimes bruise your parathyroid) so my calcium
levels dropped and as I live over an hour away from the hospital they kept
me until Monday to monitor. My calcium went up as my parathyroids healed
and I have had no more problems. The three days in the hospital were so
boring because I actually felt better than I had in months. I think this
was due to breathing better and getting more oxygen in my body. I really
waited too long to have surgery as I dreaded it so bad. Looking back, I was
silly because it really was not bad at all.

I was never sore and the only problem I had with the incision was incredible
itching while it was healing. I used mederma on the scar and it is not bad
at all.

Again, best of luck to you.


>From: Dawn Dingeldein <spiritsk@...>
>Reply-To: ThyroidDisease2@yahoogroups.com
>To: ThyroidDisease2@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: [ThyroidDisease] Thyroid Surgery
>Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 11:50:57 -0700 (PDT)
>
>
>I was sore after the surgery. I had trouble getting
>up from a laying position because you do use alot one
>muscles in your neck when you do try to get up. I
>only had an overnight stay in the hospital and went
>home the next day. I took prescription painkillers
>for a few days. As for getting back to normal it took
>me about a week or a little over that. Looking up and
>things like that was a minor and I just adjusted to
>how I did things. I have a child that is 9 yrs old so
>she did get to help me some.
>
>Your doctor may not let you go back to work so soon.
>I stay at home and I babysit for other families. I
>watched a 2 yr old 3 days after each surgery. I did
>adjust how I did things but it worked. I had to wait
>2 weeks to do such things as sing and play music. I
>play handbells and sing in a choir so I had to take a
>break from that. But now I am good as new. One thing
>I experience is that when it is chilly at night my
>neck will get stiff, like you have a charlie horse,
>but once I move my neck I am fine.
>
>Like I said I have learned to live with it. But since
>my thyroid does not work I have to take a thyroid
>hormone.
>
>One thing I found out when I was told I had ancer was
>that my surgeon said it is common to find cancer
>during surgery and that if you are to get cancer,
>thryoid cancer is the best one to get since it is
>usually slow moving.
>
>I was told by a friend I should not have surgery but I
>did my research and followed my heart. I felt surgery
>was best for me and good thing I did.
>
>Keep us informed on your decision and how you are
>doing. I know it is not easy and we have dealt with
>this een with 2 girls in our home.
>
>Dawn
>--- Lily Chiu <lilychiu@...> wrote:
>
> > Thanks Dawn and Dottie for your responses. How did
> > you feel after the
> > surgery? I'd like to know what to expect...if
> > that's possible. I've been
> > told that I only need to stay in the hospital one
> > night. Does that mean
> > that I will be able to function pretty well after
> > that? I had been planning
> > on scheduling my surgery for a Thursday or Friday,
> > and then going back to
> > work on Monday. Is that a reasonable expectation?
> >
> > The doctor makes it seem like it's no big deal...but
> > then I've read stories
> > that are really scary. On a different board,
> > everybody is telling me not to
> > even do the surgery.... but I would feel pretty
> > stupid if I actually had
> > cancer and chose to ignore it. . . at the same time,
> > I feel really
> > conflicted about the idea of getting half of my
> > thyroid removed just to find
> > out it's benign. The nodule itself is not bothering
> > me at all...
> >
> >
> > On 9/7/06, Dottie H <dottie_123@...> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I had my thyroid removed in May and the scar is
> > just a thin, white line
> > > now.
> > > Most people say they don't notice it, unless I
> > point it out. My surgery
> > > was the easiest surgery I have ever had. I did not
> > even have to take pain
> > > pills after. The only complication I had was that
> > my calcium dropped and I
> > >
> > > had to take some prescription vitamin d and
> > calcium for a while, but that
> > > rectified itself a couple of weeks after surgery.
> > By the time I finally
> > > got
> > > mine out (1 1/2 c), my swallowing had become so
> > difficult that I did not
> > > care about the scar. I was just ready to be able
> > to eat and breathe
> > > normally.
> > >
> > > Best of luck to you!!!
> > >
> > > >From: "lilyvc" <lilyvc@...
> > <lilyvc%40yahoo.com>>
> > > >Reply-To:
> >
>ThyroidDisease2@yahoogroups.com<ThyroidDisease2%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > >To: ThyroidDisease2@yahoogroups.com
> > <ThyroidDisease2%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > >Subject: [ThyroidDisease] Thyroid Surgery
> > > >Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:48:29 -0000
> > >
> > > >
> > > >Hi, I'm new to this group because I was diagnosed
> > with a 1cm thyroid
> > > >nodule about a month ago. I had an ultrasound,
> > TSH (.03), and FreeT4
> > > >(19) tests done. I then had a fine-needle
> > aspiration biopsy, which
> > > >showed follicular neoplasm. My doctor is now
> > recommending that I
> > > >remove the left lobe of my thyroid. I'm 26 years
> > old. I'm feeling
> > > >very nervous and unprepared for surgery, I'm
> > seeking a second opinion
> > > >to see if there are any alternatives to surgery.
> > Can people talk
> > > >about their own experience with a lobectomy or
> > thyroidectomy though?
> > > >I'm really worried about the scarring. I know
> > they find a skin
> > > >crease, but given my age, I don't have a lot of
> > creasing that would
> > > >hide a scar... does the incision have to be in
> > the middle of your
> > > >neck, or can it be off to one side? I'd really
> > appreciate your
> > > >thoughts!
> > > >
> > > >- Lily
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> > removed]
> >
> >
>
>
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>
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