Re: What was your experience after surgery?

[Guest guest]

Oh my goodness, Angel, your email was soooooooooooooo appreciated. Wow, not sure what to do now...Surgery date is COMING VERY SOOOOOOOOOOON.Angel wrote: Cindy I know how you feel, don't you worry as I know your surgery will be a breeze and you'll be on the road to recovery soon. I'll say a prayer for you. Angel mrstezee <cathouse6 (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote: Angel, I will be real glad when mine is over too!! Probably the worst thing about surgery is you don't know what to expect. My surgery is this coming Tuesday. Cindy> >> > Hello...> > I just want to share my experience with those who are going for > total thyroidectomy which I had mine 5 months ago. My surgery was > estimated to be 2.5 hours to 3 hours but it took longer than 4

hours > which scared the daylight out of my family members. My surgeon told > me that my goitre was deeply embedded therefore he had to be > extremely careful not to damage any of the nerves so that explains > the longer time taken. > > > > After I woke up from the surgery in a groggy state, I was > shivering and trembling from head to toe and the nurses had to keep > me warm with layers of blankets as well as turn on the heater for > approximately 20 minutes before I stopped shivering. > > > > I had tubes and inserts (for drainage) around the surgery site > and these were only taken out on day 4. Although I did not lose my > voice, I could hardly speak and my voice was hoarse. This went on > for about 4 to 6 weeks until 3 months later, I regained my original > voice back. I was on a liquid diet for about a month as anything > that

needs to be chewed and swallowed was quite a challenge for me. > > > > The scariest part after the surgery was when I had a sudden drop > in calcium and I had a seizure. At that moment, my whole body went > numb and I felt tingling sensation all over my body. My fingers > cramped, my mouth clamped up I could hardly speak, I felt trapped > inside my own body. I was given an immediate injection of calcium > and after about half an hour, everything went back to normal. It > was very scary as I have never experienced a seizure in my life > before and thank God it happened in the hospital.> > > > I am now on thyroxine for life and I make sure I take it between > 6am to 7:30am as I find that if I take it after 8am, the numbness > and tingling sensation will worsen. I am also on calcium but am > slowly weaning myself off it. I will have to do blood test every 6

> months to keep myself in check. One more thing, my surgeon is so > skillful that my scar (measuring about 7cm long) is healing so well > that if I don't tell people that I have a surgery scar, they don't > even notice it!> > > > I do hope that you find my sharing useful. All the best to > those who will be going for their surgery soon. > > > > Warm regards.> > Angel> > > > > > > >> > > > > > __________________________________________________>

[Guest guest]

Cindy I really wish you the best. God blessmrstezee wrote: Angel, I will be real glad when mine is over too!! Probably the worst thing about surgery is you don't know what to expect. My surgery is this coming Tuesday. Cindy> >> > Hello...> > I just want to share my experience with those who are going for > total thyroidectomy which I had mine 5 months ago. My surgery was > estimated to be 2.5 hours to 3 hours but it took longer than 4 hours > which scared the daylight out of my family members. My surgeon told > me that my goitre was deeply embedded therefore he had to be > extremely careful not to damage any of the nerves so that explains > the longer time taken. > > > > After I woke up from the surgery in a groggy state, I was > shivering and trembling from head to toe and the nurses had to keep > me warm with layers of blankets as well as turn on the heater for > approximately 20 minutes before I stopped

shivering. > > > > I had tubes and inserts (for drainage) around the surgery site > and these were only taken out on day 4. Although I did not lose my > voice, I could hardly speak and my voice was hoarse. This went on > for about 4 to 6 weeks until 3 months later, I regained my original > voice back. I was on a liquid diet for about a month as anything > that needs to be chewed and swallowed was quite a challenge for me. > > > > The scariest part after the surgery was when I had a sudden drop > in calcium and I had a seizure. At that moment, my whole body went > numb and I felt tingling sensation all over my body. My fingers > cramped, my mouth clamped up I could hardly speak, I felt trapped > inside my own body. I was given an immediate injection of calcium > and after about half an hour, everything went back to normal. It > was very scary as I

have never experienced a seizure in my life > before and thank God it happened in the hospital.> > > > I am now on thyroxine for life and I make sure I take it between > 6am to 7:30am as I find that if I take it after 8am, the numbness > and tingling sensation will worsen. I am also on calcium but am > slowly weaning myself off it. I will have to do blood test every 6 > months to keep myself in check. One more thing, my surgeon is so > skillful that my scar (measuring about 7cm long) is healing so well > that if I don't tell people that I have a surgery scar, they don't > even notice it!> > > > I do hope that you find my sharing useful. All the best to > those who will be going for their surgery soon. > > > > Warm regards.> > Angel> > > > > > > >> > > > > >

__________________________________________________>

[Guest guest]

I have to agree with Jackie on this.

Having a " bad " experience waking up from surgery can, quite often, be

attributed to a reaction to the anetheisia drug that they used.

If you wake up cold, immediately tell the nurses and they should pile

on the heated blankets.

If you wake up nauseous, tell the nurses immediately.

If you start to feel any cramping, anywhere in the body, tell the

nurses immediately.

If you, or any of us, have a " bad " experience waking up, God help us,

before you leave the hospital, have someone find out what anethesia

drugs were used, keep a record of it and have it on hand if you ever

have to go in for some other surgery. And ask for these drugs not to

be used on you again. Be sure to tell the anethesiologist to his/her

face that you had a bad reaction and not to use the same stuff as

last time and hand him/her the paper with the drugs listed on it.

Have someone with you who can be a witness if need be that you told

and handed the anethesiologist this list on a piece of paper. Of

course, by the time you see the anethesiologist you should have told

jsut about everyone you see about this unwanted drug reaction and

thus it SHOULD be on your chart...

Gossimer

>

> I had terrible sweats followed by shivering after a surgery that I

had and it wasn't even my thyroid that was removed. My bed had to be

changed throughout the night and I had to wear several blankets

although that really didn't do the trick. I never did find out what

it was, but thankfully, I got past it!

>

> ---------------------------------

>

> On another site I found an article that had useful tips for

surgery. It did talk about the shivering after surgery. (I remember

doing

> that after my kids were born too, thank goodness for those warm

blankets!)

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, First off, I wish you the best during the surgery as well as in

the outcome.

Second, all of this is IMHO and from my families experiences with

surgeries and recoveries. ( And please forgive the spelling mistakes,

its late here and I really should be sleeping by now...)

I am sure that the surgeon will tell you:

NO food 24 hours before surgery (this is so that you don't throw up

while under anethesia). (Try to make sure your bowels are empty as

well...some of our muscles just simply " relax " and let loose when

we're " sleeping " )

NO water 12 hours (at least) before surgery (same reason).

During the first day or two after surgery I would recommend pureed

food, depending upon how your throat feels. Then soft foods...and

then gradually experiment with harder foods...just make sure that its

well chewed before swallowing.

Drink plenty of water. Milk causes a flem to form at the back of the

throat with some of us automatically clear our throats or coughing to

get rid of...not good when one is dealing with surgery around the

throat.

Sometimes, on the first day, sucking on an ice cube is about all one

feels like having. this is okay, just try to take in as much

water/fluid as possible that first day...you are trying to get the

body to start the healing process as well as flush out the crud left

behind from the anethesia drugs.

I don't know about your doctor and his scar care, my doctors on both

of my surgeries recommended Vitamin E oil be gently dabbed onto the

cut and stiches...for me it helped keep the scabs soft as well as

kept the redness from forming. And my scars are not noticable as a

result of the Vit E oil. I got the oil right from the capsules of Vit

E oil that I swallow...jsut pierce the end of the capsule with a

needle and squeeze out what you need for the dabbing.

Now, expect that in the future there will be more adjustments to your

medicine levels of the T4/T3 replacements that you are currently

taking. They may lower the dosages, they may have to raise it...just

keep an eye on the Free T4 and Free T3 and calcium levels...For the

first year get tested every 6 weeks for the Free T4 and Free T3 and

calcium. Then, for the second year get tested every three

months...and eventually every 6 months to one year. And whenever you

start to feel like shit for longer than a week.

For me, I have to take, what for some would be, a huge dose...however

it works for me...its kind of nice to feel almost human now...even if

the Doc has to be just about forced to give me these prescription

levels of Armour...

Just remember, for future knowledge, its your body, not the doc's

body that this has happened to. And you know how your body

feels...fight for your right to be properly medicated at the levels

at which you function best...not what some old poop of a doc says the

test says you should be at.

Remember, your throat has to last you your life time...no need to

rush it or push it during its healing process...you can always talk

or sing in a few weeks...now you can rest and allow yourself to be

pampered by your husband (lucky gal that you are to have one who

understands so much!).

God Bless!!!

Gossimer

>

> Hi,

>

> You have all been so helpful in educating me about my thyroid. Now

> I need to know more!!!

>

> My synthroid dose is 112 mcg daily and cytomel 5mcg 2x day. I have

> just started on cytomel, and my symptoms have not gone away. So

> based on the dose of meds I am taking and the fact that I have

> Hashi's they decided to take out the whole thyroid. (Thanks to

> someone who suggested that).

>

> Anyway after the surgery, what can I expect? Will I be able to

> eat? (Thinking I need to stock the house up before the surgery)

> Will it be painful for a couple of days or not at all? Will my

dose

> need to be changed? How long after surgery will my levels need to

> be checked? What happens with my dx of Hashi's. Since it won't

> have a thyroid to attack, what does it do?

>

> Not sure what questions to ask, so can you just tell me what

> happened after your surgery.

>

> Cindy

>