By the anniversary of my TT in May 2014, I felt physically better than I had in over a year. I have so many necks now and its so uncomfortable. I had a PT last week and I have that same swelling, and the pain from sneezing or coughing is worse than the surgery. I was given a dose of Levothyroxine without knowledge of my labwork. There is a lot of tightness and pain when moving my neck, especially if moving my head up. After this test, the doctor reduced my dose to 125 mg and I had the second follow up test on April 16, results below: Is this normal? Is this normal? Neck Swelling after TT - Thyroid cancer Inspire Thyroid Cancer Connect Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer (differentiated) Thyroid Cancer Connect Thyroid cancer support group and discussion community ThyCa Website Support Services Conference Donate Join Inspire Create a post Neck Swelling after TT kimcam (Inactive) Types of Thyroidectomy Traditional Thyroidectomy. Blood test taken in Mar 2013 showed thyroglobulin at 2.9 (limits 2.0 - 70.0). An official website of the United States government. Heres how long botox tends to last. These signs dont necessarily mean that you have thyroid disease. the leak healed. Surgeons perform thyroidectomies to remove goiters and thyroid nodules and to treat thyroid cancer. 8 days post total thyroidectomy-swelling? - MedHelp Surgery. It could be an infection. I have also had numerous ultrasounds of my neck which showed the reactive lumph nodes he took out(they also came back clear) and a chest xray(also clear). (TT was February 7th). He asked if I had a fever, which I don't (unless you count 99.4, which I don't think is a big deal), and whether I could breath normally, etc. I too have been doing some things I probably shouldn't have. Lump under the chin: Symptoms and causes - Medical News Today {P.s. Triad of exophthalmos, pretibial myxedema, and acropachy in a patient with Graves' disease. J Am Acad Dermatol. For example, more experienced surgeons may agree to take on more challenging cases that are likely to have a higher complication rate, and less experienced surgeons may limit themselves to low-risk cases. Braverman, MD, Lewis E., and Robert D. Utiger, MD. Thyroid storm, also called thyrotoxic crisis, is a life-threatening medical emergency caused by very high levels of circulating thyroid hormone. It feels uncomfortable to touch, like size of golf ball and seems to swell even more when touched making it odd to swallow.is this normal? I wanted to see how any of you guys fared with recovery and swelling of the neck? Less hair on your legs, arms, and other areas, Thick, dry, and brittle with visible ridges Complications are uncommon, but the most serious possible risks of thyroidectomy include: While these complications are rare, theyre more likely to happen if: If youre concerned about possible complications of your surgery, talk to your surgeon. Some of these require prompt treatment, so it's important to be aware of them. I am having my post op apt on Wednesday this week. This is so disturbing. Ice packs make me comfortable but once ice wears off, then it stings again. As with any surgery, it's normal to have questions, concerns, and maybe even feel a little bit of anxiety going into it. I questioned whether I would be a candidate w/out previous RAI -- no answers in the research. I have my post op on Friday but its worrying me so Id thought Id ask you all beforehand. Thanks. Background: 3 0 obj I went to see my surgeon, and he said I should massage it daily, and that it would go away eventually. The neck is put in an extended position during surgery, and many people avoid moving their necks afterward. I was hypocalcemic last Sunday and woke up today with major neck swelling. I went back to work 17 days after my TT and my swelling looked fairly close to normal. Looking great now! Did you also have lymph nodes removed? These glands are responsible for controlling the body's calcium levels. Curved with swollen fingertip and thickening skin above the nail. The Best IOL for 2022 RXSight Light Adjusted Lens, Will refractive surgery such as LASIK keep me out of glasses all my life. Thyroid surgery: common questions and concerns. sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal While Im eager to get RAI behind me, I want to be sure Im healed enough to handle the process well. Most of your thyroid (near-total thyroidectomy). Itchy skin without a rash But as it grows, it can cause signs and symptoms, such as swelling in your neck, voice changes and difficulty swallowing. Have any of you had an increasing feeling of a lump in your throat at the surgery site the farther out from surgery you get? It takes time, lots of time. Swelling after thyroidectomy??? - Thyroid cancer - Inspire I'll say it's not quite golfball size but close. But if severe symptoms occur, intravenous calcium, which is delivered through a vein, in the hospital may be required. So that was the plan, but as fate would have it I mentioned the treatment plan to a pathologist friend of mine who just happened to know Dr. Hay at Mayo and within weeks I found my way to Rochester, MN (I looked no further - never did go to Washington Hosp. Re: when you lay down, and I know this is something just psychological, but I found that having a gentle fan blowing on me helped me to feel less short of breath. Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. I came down with the flu yesterday and now my sinuses are completely shut, so combined with the feeling like someone is squeezing my throat, its super hard to breathe. OMG! US showed a 1.7cm nodule on my left thyroid lobe & a few swollen LNs on the left of the neck. Because he withheld information from me earlier, I decided to get 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinions, and finally found a great thyroid surgeon who I can trust. Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying. Having a total thyroidectomy on tuesday for gd but ptu (propylthiouracil) has caused low t4/ft3 (ft3 0.8) i know i can't have the surgery hyper but is hypo a problem. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It may last for up to six months. Symptoms may include an area of firmness and swelling on the front or side of the neck (usually beneath the incision), neck pain, and symptoms of airway obstruction such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or stridor (a high-pitched wheezing sound that's usually most noticeable with inspiration than exhalation). Its a part of your endocrine system and controls many of your bodys important functions by producing and releasing certain hormones, which are often referred to as thyroid hormone. Any advice will be much appreciated as I am scheduled for vocal cord surgery on Wednesday! No labwork has been done since I left the hospital. I have also been sleeping 10-12 hours a night, blurred vision, and missed my period (first time ever - although I am 47 now so that can happen). I have had two pretty severe choking episodes, one of which I thought I was going to have to call 911 because I could barely get any air in. My surgeon has a really thick accent, so I still am not sure exactly what he said he didbut I *think* he said he took out the front lymphs. Last night I kept waking up thinking I was choking. I sent pics to my doc just in case. While the fluid is often reabsorbed by the body, large seromas may need to be drained. I was thinking it was lucky I didn't get sick closer to my TT. Post operative expectations. Post surgery and Endo calls were virtual or just by phone. I constantly suffer from feeling alot of tightness in my throat. Surgery to remove your whole thyroid may take up to four hours. I spoke with the Doctor on-call and he said that if I go to the ER it will be 6-7 hours of waiting. World J Clin Cases. This is very common and expected during the first week or two after surgery. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help My doctor and staff keep assuring me that this is all normal considering the extensive surgery that I had. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted I would have thought I was bleeding internally. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Did any of you guys experienced similar problems? I was basically cut from ear-to-ear plus another cut on the left side neck almost perpendicular to the main cut. Thanks for listening, If you experience itching, applying scar gel or aloe may provide relief, but talk to your surgeon before doing so. It was fluid from the void where my thyroid used to be. But MAJOR discomfort for awhile after that. My doctor told me the swelling will go away but You've attached to a thread from 2009 and none of the previous posters are, currently active on the site, at this time. Waiting to start Synthroid and try to get back to a normal routine! The surgery sounds involved. ", Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Pn9/@RHw\F7F).z^t6qmk\[Ry)&:r6{[;12+W;5Rl@|CFzB^ if;Qeh;a]e]O[r w{>) K}Rx((- +pKP-1X"LkJ o Kim, I am so sorry for your discomfort but thank you for sharing. will there be complications with surgery? Yippee! Avoid any activity that raises your blood pressure for one week (eg. It produces hormones that control the body's growth and metabolism. I'll try icing it and not doing anything today. Your provider may check your vocal cord function. You should wait at least 10 days to two weeks before returning to vigorous sports and activities, such as swimming and heavy lifting. Achesbadly, is probably more accurate. Partner with the expert for the best care. Oh no! Did he put in drainage tubes? it feels like there are hands wringing my neck at all times, and its hard to move my head. Prediction of permanent hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy. Thanks for sharing your "swell" stories with me! stream My concern now is that it's been 2 month and 5 days and my neck is still swollen. It is hard to describe like the area is swelling and like it is being squeezed at the same time. I went to minute clinic today because I feel like I have a ear/sinus infection. BMI has dropped from 26 to 25. Redness or warmth at the incision site. If not, you should call and get an appointment to have the area checked to make sure it's healing as expected. Ai J, Leonhardt JM, et al. If your healthcare provider prescribes thyroid replacement therapy, be sure to have a conversation with them before leaving the hospital about when to start the medication, which medication you need, and at what dosage. Using an over-the-counter (OTC) numbing throat spray, such as Chloraseptic, or numbing lozenges, such as Cepacol, can help with the discomfort until you are healed. was removed. Lumps on discolored skin that feel hard and waxy can be a sign of thyroid disease. Youre undergoing a second thyroid surgery. You have a large nodule or goiter thats compressing your trachea or esophagus and making it difficult to breathe or swallow. Incision not red or infected. Today I woke up feeling a bit stiff right under my earlobe down to my neck and a few hours ago the whole area swelled up. which I can. Dr. Alan Feldman answered 43 years experience If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Thyroid cancer support group and discussion community. Its very expensive, but so is lymphedema treatment. I told him I went shopping for several hours with the family yesterday. hashthy I had a TT a week ago and developed a large bump about 1/2" above incision site. I love it and my insurance paid for it. While complications can affect anyone, there are some risk factors that increase the chance of the adverse effects. 1 Complications occur in only about 3%-5% of patients after thyroidectomy, with tracheal perforation occurring in approximately 0.06% of cases. Did you do massages on it? It looks as if I had tracheostomy done. The content on this site is for informational purposes only. Same answer as last Sunday with the calcium stuff. In thyroid cancers over all prognosis is excellent.. There are many symptoms of hypothyroidism, but some of the more common ones include: Side effects of thyroid surgery are common and often include neck pain, a sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and hoarseness. -Mk. You have a large goiter that goes below your collarbone into the top of your chest (substernal goiter). Thank you for this. Policy. Possible complications of general anesthesia may also occur since most thyroidectomies require it. There has been some controversy over inpatient vs. outpatient thyroidectomies, especially with the recent trend toward same-day surgery. To learn more, please visit our. This study analyzed the incidence, pattern, and predictive factors for lateral lymph node (LN) recurrence in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) without clinical evidence of lateral LN metastasis. American Thyroid Association statement on outpatient thyroidectomy. Did you find any tricks to help it go away? Anyway im back out having had some very limited bloods done. Right now i am so confused and angry and wish I had more definite answers on the prognosis. The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. /V+ofquw=8NvsFX8v#fw5hUQepb:E\% SjHZb&BYp# `|zBONA2&6c~ ,8hb2MT}%T>ZzeTvrK]y[I%z{&sTVc[-\LzbdB*Y'rI\rd!%rK&=;>5%`-+gx+ T| My surgeon prescribed thyroid replacement meds and I had to have my blood pressure medicine changed due to a recall. Are there any clear guidelines anywhere for when swelling crosses the line from normal to abnormal? Surgeons perform more than 150,000 thyroidectomies in the United States each year. Post-thyroidectomy patients have a central neck scar. As of today I can only swallow the very smallest pill without it getting hung in my throat. And then there is Dr. Hay - who is incredibly brilliant and so patient focussed --it is really beyond belief. Your provider may ask you to temporarily stop taking blood-thinning medicines. And all the cases I had read about had tried RAI before. In the mean time put a wet warm washcloth on it at least 4 times a day to see if that reduces the swelling, or brings puss to the surface of the wound. You can ask your surgeon about this prior to your surgery. Both surgeon and Endo (at the time) did not recommend RAI - so no RAI. Alopecia areata (autoimmune disease that causes hair loss). Painful Hashimoto's Thyroiditis as an Indication for Thyroidectomy Where has this man been my whole life? The excess activity could increase your chance of developing a hematoma or keep your wound from healing properly. Types of partial thyroidectomies, which involve removal of part of your thyroid include: A total or near-total thyroidectomy is the surgical removal of all or most of your thyroid tissue. I hate the thought of more surgery after going through TT and neck dissection. Complications are rare but can be serious and even potentially life-threatening if they do occur. Thus, many "recurrences" are really just lymph nodes that were effected by cancer cells seeping through the back side of the thyroid and into the lymph node(s) behind it. Swollen incision site. I have loss of voice function (mostly producing volume) and problems breathing upon exertion. I'm sorry you are having the swelling and pain. Treatment includes immediate surgery to remove the hematoma and address any areas of bleeding. -FT4 = 2.41 ng/dL (0.89- 1.76) After my TT, I had a TG of 70 un-stimulated, so did RAI at 100mci. Thank you Katie! 2020 Jan-Dec;19:1533033820969451. doi: 10.1177/1533033820969451. Thyroid Surgery Recovery, Side Effects, and Complications - Verywell Health I have my first blood test on Friday which is about 5 weeks post surgery. Autoimmune thyroid diseases: etiology, pathogenesis, and dermatologic manifestations. J Am Acad Dermatol. Then no talking for a week. Help, I don't want to be a lumpy neck (especially with my already short neck) forever! Hormones are chemicals that coordinate different functions in your body by carrying messages through your blood to your organs, skin, muscles and other tissues. I have been massaging it for 2 days, and it helps for about 3 seconds, and then i can just feel the fluid pool right back into the neck. Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief. Sometimes when we tell doctors there is swelling they think we are just one of those whiney women who over react. Any thoughts on why I am having severe fatigue? I just had a total thyroidectomy in March/2016, and have been on 125 yrs old crippled with osteoarthritis , had a thyroidectomy 10 years ago following uncontrollable NW London Hospitals Referring Patients to 'liothyronine with Statins - get informed and know the risks, Absolutely no apetite after thyroidectomy. Kate- what day did you notice it seemed smaller? 2 0 obj Last week I talked with my surgeon's office at MD Anderson. Be patient 2 weeks is not very long you have quite a while of healing to go. Thyroid surgery: common questions and concerns, Impact of potassium iodide on thyroidectomy for Graves disease: Implications for safety and operative difficulty, Factors associated with neck hematoma after thyroidectomy: a retrospective analysis using a japanese inpatient database. I switched Endos a few months post surgery and she worked miracles for the next 6 months to abate most of my symptoms (weight gain, fatigue, hair loss, emotional imbalance, heat/cold intolerance etc) by combining Synthroid with an NDT (first tried Armour, then Nature-Throid) and going after my Vit D and B-12 deficiencies as well as anemia. Difficulty swallowing. I had the same thing with a huge double chin and choking feeling. Has anyone else had this type of papillary thyroid cancer where your thyroid was normal and they could not locate the primary tumour? Thyroid cancer support group and discussion community. There are a number of short-term side effects that people may experience after thyroid surgery. These glands control the calcium levels in your blood by releasing, You have an invasive tumor and/or the cancer has spread to nearby. A swollen fingertip, curved nail, and thickening skin above a nail are often signs of thyroid disease. When you have your follow-up appointment, your surgeon will check your blood calcium level. And every day after that got a tiny bit better (though I noticed more of a difference after every few days). Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Thanks! In some cases, more than one lump may develop. Everything was in check - and I was off for my ablation. Im so discouraged. Recurrence-free survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods. If not it does take some time for the body to absorb the fluid. You should not submerge, soak, or scrub your incision, and bathing in a tub should be avoided until you see your surgeon. They sent me to a lymphedema therapist as they call it which has only been in existence for three years as I was told. Protruding eyes Size has not grown since. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. <> -TSH= 0.010 muIU/mL (0.550- 4.780) Video chat with a U.S. board-certified doctor 24/7 in less than one minute for common issues such as: colds and coughs, stomach symptoms, bladder infections, rashes, and more. Caught early, treatment can prevent complications. Lateral lymph node recurrence after total thyroidectomy and central If the nerve was injured, more severe symptoms may be noted after surgery. Is it normal to be still swollen after 6 days? There is no relationship between when you take Provera and have a thyroidectomy. Your provider will give you specific instructions. To help with swallowing I would tilt my chin down while swallowing and "hard swallowed" to help alleviate my issues. Occurring in roughly one in 300 procedures, most hematomas occur within 24 hours of surgery, though research indicates they may occur later in 10% to 28% of cases. Oh and how long did your coughing last. My left vocal cord nerve had already been invaded and stopped working prior to surgery. There is still some swelling and redness and it just seems to bother me a lot more. Muscle cramps. The surgeon says they may not find anything but because my thyroid is out there is a better chance of picking up something. He didn't tell me that there was a possibility that I could form lymphedema if he made a incision in the same incision that was done four years ago when I had spinal neck fusion. HealthTap uses cookies to enhance your site experience and for analytics and advertising purposes. After surgery, your voice may be hoarse or whispery, and it may feel tiring to talk. This is excessive swelling and should be seen asap. Ask your provider which medicines you should still take on the day of surgery. How will my life be different after surgery? Dermatology. I went to a very prestigious doctor in NYC Weill Cornell recommended by my endo at Sloan. A seroma is a fluid-filled pocket that can develop after breast surgery. Thyroid Surgery Recovery, Side Effects, and Complications. What Do Herpes Sores Look Like at Different Stages. 2017;76(5):871-8. All went well with the surgery, although it was a LONG one (over 10 hrs). Good luck to you and keep us updated on your progress. When I took the outer strips off and tilted my chin up, it seemed like all of my insides (whatever is left) was pushing towards where they did my TT. I am very frustrated with my voice and breathing issues but its not all the time, I can speak well when rested and during regular conversation. The only thing that's resulting from this is soreness and stinging on each end of the incision, plus it appears to look more swollen afterwards. Does it get better? When I smile, my lower left lip doesn't operate and I pretty much have the appearance of a stroke. They asked if I could come back this week to see speech therapy for swallowing and to go to their lymphedema clinic. Especially, extranodal extension of a metastatic central LN (OR, 38.82; 95% CI, 5.71-264.10; p<0.001) was an independent predictor of lateral LN recurrence. It could be normal swelling + extra fluid from being sick = crazy swelling. American Thyroid Association. . Xu S, Huang H, Huang Y, Wang X, Xu Z, Liu S, Liu J. BMC Cancer. I am just curious as to if this is only temporary and how long I should expect it to last. Has anyone else experienced swelling in the neck region so soon after their surgery? I have developed a lot of swelling above my incision and tightness in my neck (similar to whiplash). Injury or trauma can be treated based on the cause and symptoms of the injury. STIs are the most common cause of genital sores. 1. Have you been scheduled for a follow up with your doctor? Lymphedema of the Neck after total Thyroidectomy - Thyroid cancer - Inspire I will when she calls with my lab results from today. Hi, I'm 4 months out of surgery, TT and 143 lymph nodes removed from my neck with 26 being cancerous. myramarie. He said that obviously if I have trouble breathing or swallowing I need to get in immediately. I just looked at my Tg results and I'm really happy that number dropped from 20 back in April to .6, which is where my Tg was at its lowest after my TT and central neck dissection. Follow up.they put me on 112mcg of synthroid; my Endo used the algorithm method (using weight as a factor in deciding on doseage). Most of these will be temporary, but some may persist. Conclusions: The ablation procedure is much like an FNA, though my tumor was deep and it was pretty painful. Symptoms usually improve in the first few weeks but may persist up to six months after surgery. MeSH Yellowish-orange color on your palms and soles As far as safety, a 2018 study suggests that outpatient surgery may be safe, but the researchers admitted that the study may be biased (people who were are at greater risk are more likely to be hospitalized, whereas those at lower risk were more likely to be offered the procedure on an outpatient basis). Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked. I'd say things didn't settle completely for me for about 4 months out. I need to get educated on the different blood test readings, I'm very tired and my sleep pattern is totally destroyed. However, it is now May 2016 and my neck in that area still feels very odd. Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them. 2017 Jun;69:128. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2017.04.006. I realize I am only about a month out from my surgery, so I just wanted to gauge how long before most of the swelling goes away and I start to look more like my old self again? Copyright 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. So I decided to visit an ENT specialist who first did a fine needle biopsy (which i found out later after asking for the actual results on paper had suspected thyroid cancer and even suggested he do further testing which he ignored and lied to me about) he told me all the liquid in the lump was drained out from the biopsy so all will be fine, 4 months later the lump had returned. I'm 5 weeks post TT and very little swelling left (really only noticeable to me). You poor thing! Dermatologic manifestations in patients with systemic disease. In: Bolognia JL, et al. My concern is that in the last few days I had swelling pop up below my collar bone. -FT3 = 3.72 pg/mL (2.30- 4.20) I tried heat, ice, gentle massage. -TSH= 0.03 muIU/mL (0.550- 4.780) Thanks. At what size is it re My mother has hyperparathyroidism. Hi, Im looking for some experiences or insight. If a specially trained and experienced surgeon performs a thyroidectomy, its generally very safe. While there is no specific treatment for this hoarseness, it's helpful for your loved ones to be aware of the problem so that you don't feel the need to talk loudly or more often than is comfortable. Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. Fascinating. Over the past month or so I am noticing a swelling in my left neck. I am hoping someone here can shed some light, share some insight or has been down a similar path and they all talk - ongoing talk - just about you! Keep in mind that pain medications can cause constipation, and your healthcare provider may recommend a stool softener and/or laxative.