I'm wondering if anyone here has gone through this or knows anyone who has. I'll be getting the right side of my thyroid removed on the 23rd being as there is a mass over it and makes my neck look swollen. I deal with anxiety, mostly whenever I go to the doctors or whatever. Just wondering what I should expect possibly. I have an idea from what my doctor has told me. I should be home the same day of surgery as long as all goes well and I'm relatively healthy aside from this.

My mother had a complete removal.

Don't overdo it after. Likely you won't be wanting to jump and shout for a few days but don't let the pain pills lie to you. It'll take at least a week, possibly a bit more to really get back to feeling normal.

You should be able to eat or drink just fine, although 'want to' and 'can' are two very different things.

If you have a dressing to change (I can't remember anymore, sorry) you want to keep that fresh.

You'll probably be hoarse for a little bit.

After you've healed continue to pay attention to your neck. Goiters can regrow. My mother had a partial, and then a complete, because within a year she was full of goiters again. So just be aware.

EDIT: And just as a reference, if in the future you do have to get a full removal, it is totally okay. :)

Thank you! My doctor has told me pretty much the same thing, so I hope it goes as well as he said it should. I'm also going to have a drain for a couple days, not really looking forward to that or even how I'm even gonna try to sleep.

There's a small chance I might have to get a full removal depending on how the testing goes on the part they remove. So far the mass is benign, but I know the biopsy could have possibly missed something.

Buy a couple large pillows in advance if you can. If you prop yourself up it may be easier. It'll likely be more comfortable than being flat.

If you do have to do full removal, you can live a full and healthy life. It just means a daily dosage of thyroid meds to keep your body functioning. Which sounds spookier than it really is. Your body warns you in advance if anything is wrong.

My uncle had his completely removed (and I may eventually have to go the same route when I'm older) and it took a while for him to get back to normal from it. Just take it easy and you should be relatively okay.

The worst that should come out of it is that you'll have to take synthyroid the rest of your life but if you're at this point, you probably were already going to be. If you're not already on the medicine: it's a tiny, tiny little pill that's about the size of a mini M&M and they don't taste funny. I've been on synthyroid since I was sixteen so well over a decade now and I have a huge aversion to medicine, synthyroid is just a normal part of everyday life for me now.

Annnnnd... relax. With thyroid things, once you're put on the medication (again, this is assuming you aren't already), the worst you'll feel if you miss a dose is a little funny and probably really tired. If you're an hour or so out from your normal time (you'll want a normal time), take it. Remember to follow the directions and wait at least two hours before eating anything.

OH AND LITTLE TO NO SOY. Soy inhibits synthyroid from being absorbed in your bloodstream right. A little won't hurt - soy's in certain milks, chocolate, certain drinks, some chips, etc - but you will feel it when you start getting larger doses of soy. Read labels and no problem.

Best of luck. c:

Thank you both!

I'll look into maybe getting some more pillows. It sucks I don't have a recliner I could sleep in, would make it so much easier.

I'm not on any thyroid medication and so far I won't have to take any as long as they don't have to remove the rest of my thyroid later. Time will only tell though.

So they're taking out part of your thyroid without having managed any of the symptoms prior? That's kinda a little more than messed up. :I

On my papers from the dr, it's listed as a benign neoplasm (tumor) on the right side of my thyroid. Aside from blood work and biopsy, there was an ultrasound done to help determine the diagnosis. So I guess he wants to remove all of that in hopes of no regrowth. I haven't really experienced any symptoms that would cause me to be on thyroid medication at this time.

EDIT: It's also large enough that it should be removed anyway.

Ohhh. I see.

So my surgery went well and I've been healing nicely, although it does not matter too much because I have to get the rest of my thyroid removed on Wednesday. The mass they removed actually came back cancerous. Quite shocking, but we knew there would be a slight chance since my dr did say they would test it more after removal to make sure as the first biopsy could always be wrong. Now to remove the rest of my thyroid in case it has spread to that side at all. Of course I'll be on thyroid medication after this, although I don't know all of the details about that yet.