[amosmcd]

in reply to: My total thyroidectomy journal #1178837

Okay, I am now a little over 5 weeks post-TT!

Changes are coming slowly now. The hard ridge under my incision is really going down. I expect it will be completely gone in another month. The incision itself looks great! Just a thin line. I use Vit E oil on it once a day.

With the sunny weather finally hitting Seattle this past week, and going on a sun-filled vacation, I’ve been worried about sun exposure to the scar, which my surgeon told me to avoid until next year, to avoid making the scar permanently red.

So I’ve ordered flesh-colored zinc oxide sunblock from Zinka.com which has a SPF rating of 50. It’s water-resistant. I’ve also ordered 2 neck gaiters from 2 different companies. One is Coolibar, and one is Ex-officio. They provide UV protection at 50spf. My surgeon said its better to cover it up than to use sunscreen. So I have the two options. I don’t like having stuff around my neck when I’m hot, so Ill see how the gaiters go and let you know. I’ll be trying all this out as soon as it arrives, which should be next week. In the meantime I use 70 SPF sunscreen and try not to be outside too much.

Okay, aside from that, I’m still waiting for my energy level to get back to normal. I get my labs drawn on Tuesday and see the endo on Friday next week. Haven’t been able to get back to my normal walking program. I’m not sleeping well. Not sure how much of that is related to my surgery or just because I have a lot on my plate right now.

My voice is about the same. If no improvement, I’ll see my surgeon after my vacation. I’m not worried about it. Still early days.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: My total thyroidectomy journal #1178836

Hi, Boomer!

I missed this post of yours for some reason. It made me LOL, but not too loud, lest I frighten the neighbors.

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Gabe’s Total Thyroidectomy Journal – 5/31/13 #1179615

Hi Karen–

I’m so glad to hear your recovery is going well! I hear you about the anxiety with the “what-ifs”. It’s frustrating to have to wait to see what the final result of the TT is. I’m going to be glad to be on vacation in a couple weeks to take my mind off it for a while.

Seeing my endo and surgeon post-op made me feel a lot better. I’m sure seeing your endo next time and getting new labs will help with anxiety.

Take care,
Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Gabe’s Total Thyroidectomy Journal – 5/31/13 #1179603

Hi, Karen!

I’m so glad things went well! Swallowing will get better soon. I’m glad you were able to eat and had no nausea–YAY!!

I worked in the yard yesterday and today loaded up a bunch of stuff for 2 trips to the dump. I had plenty of energy, and it’s just been 5 weeks. So there actually is life after TT!

Take care and rest up. Thanks for sharing your journey!

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Newly Diagnosed, Reacting to MMI and Starting PTU #1179584

Hi!

I started out on MMI, but after 2-1/2 months I had to switch to PTU. I wasn’t allergic to MMI, but it made me feel sedated, exhausted, brain dead and very fatigued. My endo said the same thing could happens with PTU, but it didnt. Neither drug controlled my thyroid levels on a consistent basis, and I was worried about long term use and liver problems, which is why I chose to have TT.

Hopefully the PTU will work great for you. Only annoyance for me was the very bitter taste, but not everyone tastes that.

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: To Boomer #1179540

I’m with everyone! Come back, little Boomer!

You are missed! This forum needs your humor. Wow, you really lit up the place and it’s dimmer since you left.

You need us, too. Don’t be alone with your Graves’. It’s a hard thing to go through alone.

Abby-normal Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Gabe’s Total Thyroidectomy Journal – 5/31/13 #1179587

Hi, Karen–

Will be saying a prayer for you! Don’t forget to ask for lots of popsicles!

I hope you have an uneventful surgery and speedy recovery. Having family to help out is so important.

Your biggest fear is the fear I have, too. Nothing to do but wait and hope, but I think time is on our side.

I’m 55 and menopausal, too. Aren’t we just so lucky–NOT!

Looking forward to your post-op posts. Don’t feel like you have to post right away. Rest, rest, rest!

Here’s a cyber hug for you {{{{{HUG}}}}}

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: My total thyroidectomy journal #1178834

Hi, Karen–

Glad I’m not scaring you! Had to LOL at your singing comment. If I listen to my iPod with headphones on and sing along (pre-TT) my boys would tell me to stop because it sounded so bad. Insensitive louts! I keep singing anyway. heheheheheh!

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: My total thyroidectomy journal #1178833

Hi, Bill–

I hope you get more energy back soon. In spite of thinking it’s just a little thyroid gland, it is major surgery, and that takes a toll on top of what Graves’ has done to us to get us to the point of needing a TT!

I felt better the first time I walked after the 2 or so weeks I had stopped. Like, “okay, I can do this–yay!” I’ve cut down by 2/3 what I had normally been doing. If you’re worried about your cycling, you can always hop (crawl?) back on your bike and just go for a spin around the block, just so you know how it feels. Definitely err on the side of doing a lot less than you usually do.

Thanks for your posts as well. It’s nice to have others with me on this journey.

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: My total thyroidectomy journal #1178830

It’s been just a month since my TT and thought I would give another update.

Since dropping my levothyroxine from 100mcg to 75mcg, I’m feeling a little better. The anxiety has really dropped, heart rate good, palpitations gone. It took about 4 or 5 days to notice a change. Still not having a ton of energy. I had stopped walking because I just didn’t have the oomph to do it, but am now forcing myself to walk for 30 minutes every other day, because I don’t want to get out of shape. I’m not quite sure why I’m still not feeling energetic like I was before, but what’s the buzzword?…oh, yeah–patience!

My incision continues to heal well. I think the swelling will take another month or so to go completely down. It’s not soft tissue swelling, but a hard ridge, which is why it’s taking a lot longer than the soft tissue swelling you get immediately post-op to go away. I’m using Vitamin E oil that I got at Fred Meyer (Kroger’s) without any allergic reaction. Still massaging the incision. As I mentioned in another member’s thread (Cyclist?–sorry, can’t remember the exact name!) my incision is still very tender. I’m getting ready to go on vacation the last week of June and bought some V-neck tops, which don’t rub on the incision like a regular t-shirt does.

Speaking of vacation, not sure how I’ll do this year. Last year was very active (it’s a camping vacation) with hiking, kayaking, swimming in the lake, tons of walking everywhere. Not sure how much I’ll be able to do this year. Going to bring more books and maybe just hangout at the lake and read and relax. Have to avoid the sun to prevent permanent redness of the scar. Sunscreen will help, but the surgeon said to cover it up. Can’t cover it with any sort of fabric since it’s so tender, so maybe a large adhesive bandage that doesn’t stick to any part of the incision. I’ve seen some.

What else? Well, my voice has definitely been affected by the surgery. I have trouble with raising my voice at work if I need to call to somebody across the room. My voice isn’t weak, it just isn’t strong enough to do that. Normal volume is fine. My voice seems deeper, and it will break if my voice jumps up to a “high” note while speaking some times. Also, singing, which I enjoy doing but am not great at, is proving hard right now. Can’t hit high notes, but can hit notes lower than I’m used to. I am not allowing myself to freak out about never being able to sing again, because my surgeon told me pre-op that most patient’s voices are fine in a few months and she’s never had a patient go past a year with any voice problems. Definitely will be seeing her when I get back from vacation if my voice continues to be an issue then to make known it’s an issue. I plan on bringing a whistle with me on vacation so if I need to get my friends’ attention and they can’t hear me unless I shout, I won’t have to shout loudly, since I can’t.

I’ve noticed that I’m not gaining weight, but am putting on a tiny bit of fat around my waist. I think it’s mostly because I’m not exercising anywhere near as much as I was, but I’m still eating the same! I’m really not wanting to gain any weight or fat, but I’m very slender since losing the 36lbs I lost before being diagnosed with Graves, and I like it. And if one more person at work tells me I need to gain weight, I will scream (hoarsely, but I’ll scream!) I’m 5’=6″ and weigh 125lbs. Healthy BMI. I was too skinny when I had gotten down to 120lbs. But I gained that back once I was on ATD’s.

So just waiting to get my energy back, and trying not to feel discouraged. It’s a journey and again, I need to be patient.

For those with upcoming TT’s, or are just post-TT, don’t let what I’m going through scare you. I’m gradually feeling better, and my endo told me I would start feeling a lot better after a couple months, and it’s only been one month. I have no regrets.

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Cyclist post-TT #1179459

Hi, Bill–

Those first few days after surgery are not fun and joy, are they? I had forgotten that I had a calcium worry of my own. I felt tingling inside my mouth at the base of my lower front teeth. Was sure it was low calcium, even though it wasn’t in my lips. Even though my calcium levels had been checked twice at the hospital and were normal, and I was still taking calcium at home. I finally told myself that tingling would not go away if I took some Tylenol, but if it was a nerve tingling it would. So I did and it did. Turns out when I would stretch my neck out (like when a guy goes to shave under his chin) that would make that tingling happen. Apparently there’s a nerve in our necks that connects to our mouth. Weird.

I think by the time we Graves’ patients make a big decision like RAI or TT, we are already half insane, so what you went through actually sounds kind of normal for us-lol! Add the post-op period to that, and we are basket-cases! Even though I had a pretty smooth immediate post-op period, it caught up to me anyway.

Also, maybe not in this thread, but another of yours you mentioned the incision being tender. I’m a month out today, and my incision is still very tender and doesn’t like having anything rub against it. I try to avoid t-shirts. I only have one V-neck shirt, but I have other tops I can wear. I tried wearing a lightweight scarf, but even that rubbed when I’d turn my head. I finally got over my self-consciousness at the scar, and people have not stared or anything. And within 10 days the swelling went way down. I rub Vitamin E oil on it to help with scarring and healing. My doc also told me to do gentle massage to it three times a day for a few minutes each.

Take care, and keep posting!

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Cyclist post-TT #1179461

Hi, Sue–

I hope you don’t mind if I jump in and answer some of your questions since I saw them.

I had to take all my medication by mouth once I got to my hospital room. Including the huge calcium pills they gave me. I was able to do it, but I had to drop my head down and take a big gulp of water to do it. Each time got easier. All the other pills I took were a lot easier. It took me about a week before I could drink water out of a bottle. Lifting my head up to drink and then swallow was too uncomfortable. It gradually gets better.

I ate a soft dinner the night after surgery in the hospital. I had cottage cheese with peaches, chocolate pudding and and scrambled eggs with cheege, and a smoothie. I was VERY hungry! I ate soft food for about 4 days, and then was able to eat regular food.

I work in a post-op unit in a hospital, so we see a lot of patients with nausea after surgery. I was not nauseated, but if you have a history of it, I would definitely mention it to your surgeon AND the anesthesiologist and any nurses to make sure you get something for it in your IV once you’re awake and before you get up to your room. They can also give it to you once you’re up in your room. I would think throwing up after a TT would be very painful and uncomfortable, and not something your surgeon would want to have happen.

Hope this helps!

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Cyclist post-TT #1179460

Hi, Bill–

Glad to hear your surgery went well. I know it’s really weird the way one feels right after you wake up. I don’t even remember my time in the recovery room aside from being painful and maybe they gave me ice chips?

I’m glad you haven’t had issues with pain. Definitely discomfort is a good way of wording it. I had a lot of discomfort with lifting my head up and down, and swallowing, but definitely popsicles helped with the swallowing discomfort!

My only advice now that I’m almost a month out, is to really take it easy. I felt so good before and right after surgery, that I did too much. Especially my first full week back, I had appts scheduled before work (I work evening shift) a couple days that week, and it made for a very long day. By the end of that week, I was completely wiped out.

Assume you might feel worse before you feel better. (Well, re-reading your post, I see that you are feeling worse–d’oh!) I wish my docs had told me that. Or maybe they did and I forgot. My memory is not the greatest! But try not to be discouraged if you do. I felt so good after surgery, I thought that was that and life is great now. But then I crashed when the surgery caught up with me and my thyroid levels went a bit hyper. I think the surprise of that was the most discouraging part. But as I’ve learned from the great people on this forum, you have to be patient, patient, patient.

I hope you recover from the worst of the post-op period quickly, and that each day brings you new strength.

Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Do I need a Psychiatrist too? #1179424

Also agree. Wow.
Amy

[amosmcd]

in reply to: Post-surgery pain questions #1179391

Hi, Boomer! I’ve snuck my answers in after your questions:

Boomer wrote:

Good evening all,

As a recovering addict I’m very concerned about pain medication following surgery should I go that route. If any of you good people who have had thyroid surgery could answer a few questons for me it would be a tremendous help.

My questions are as follows:

1. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain ever, how would you rate YOUR pain levels immediatelty after the operation? A week later? A month later?

My immediate post-op pain was an 8/10. They had to give me something strong in my IV in the recovery room. Once in my hospital room (I stayed overnight–considered a 23-hour stay) I got Oxycodone. Not sure how often. I was allowed 2 pills at a time, but only wanted one. I may have taken a second pill once when the first pill didnt help. It’s kind of a blurry time. Went home with Oxycodone, but stopped taking it after 3-4 days. I was only taking one pill twice a day. Pain went way down after the first day. A week later just twinges when looking up or down. Sore throat from breathing tube went away in a few days. Sore neck within a week or so. Niw 3 weeks out just have tightness in my neck muscles when swallowing now and then.

2. Did you use opiate/opioid (aka narcotic) pain meds? If so please include name of medication, dosage, duration of use, and effectiveness if possible.

See above. I take Tramadol 50mg 2-3x/day for chronic back pain, which is probably why I have a lower pain tolerance. Once I quit the Oxycodone I went back to taking the Tramadol, which also took care of any residual surgical pain. I think plain Tylenol would have taken care of that.

3. Did you have satisfactory results using over-the-counter pain meds such as Aceteminophen (Tylenol™, et al), Ibuprofin (Motrin™ et al), Aspirin, etc. instead of narcotic pain meds or in addition so the same?

I was instructed to NOT take any NSAIDS like Aleve or ibuprofen for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery to reduce the risk of post-op bleeding.

4. Did you use any other pain managment techniques such as meditation, visualisation, etc., instead of or in addition to medication and did you have positive results?

Ice pack in the hospital, which was useless. Would have helped a lot if it got cold enough. Popsicles practically non-stop while in the hospital due to sore throat from breathing tube.

I’m sorry if these personal questions are beyond the scope of this public forum. If your privacy is a concern I welcome private messages (to be deleted upon my reading) as well as posts here in the forum.

I’m fine with publicly announcing I’m a weenie when it comes to pain. I am also very careful with pain med usage due to addiction and alcoholism that runs in my family. You are wise to take your own history into consideration.

Hope this helps!

Amy

Peace and health to all,

Boomer

[Author]

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