Hi

I am 3 weeks post op after having my whole thyroid being removed after 3 nodules were found and testing positive for cancer.

I slept quite a lot after surgery and still am as I am weary. My scar line is also very tight, feels like someone has their hand around my neck. For relief I stand in the shower and soak wound and then pat gently to dry. I cant bring myself to touch it or massage it just yet.

Take the steri strips off or get someone else if you cant face it. The nurse at my GP practice did it and said they can pull and make it feel even tighter. There was some relief after this was done.

I have had complications but things will get better.

I was told my review would be 3 to 4 weeks after op and still waiting so fingers crossed will recieve it soon as the waiting is the worst.

Sending positivity

Thank you very much for your reply, that's very reassuring. I wasn't sure if it was normal or not for it to feel so tight so I feel better now knowing that someone else has experienced it too. I've made an appt with the nurse on Monday so I'll ask them to help me remove the steristrips. I'm not usually squeamish but there's something about it being on my neck which makes me feel quite queasy. I bought a turtleneck to cover the bandages for the school run but it makes me feel even worse to have something extra around my neck. 

It sounds like you're going through alot, thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me, and I really hope things get better for you soon. 

Sorry, one more question - I also have a constant cough which has come on in the last couple of days. I don't feel unwell with it so wasn't going to seek medical advice, but has anyone else experienced this too?  

Hi Helen could I ask was the lump benign and was it hard or soft to touch If it was visible I'm enquiring as I am myself going about a rather large  none solid lump base of neck I had one for 10 years but has started getting bigger 

I haven't had the pathology results back yet but the consultant said it didn't look cancerous when he removed it. I think it was solid and hard to the touch. It was growing for over 10 years really slowly - biopsy was inconclusive but in end the reason they removed it was because it was pressing on my windpipe and I was starting to choke when eating. I probably wouldn't have had it removed if it wasn't causing me any issues. 

I didn't have a constant cough but did find that for a couple of months after my operation, I got a cough if I talked for too long. This was heading into the start of covid and one time I got a coughing fit on a train and was thinking people were going to start worrying I had covid, especially as it was a strange cough, sort of hollow.

The tiredness and tearfulness could be related to your thyroid levels. I didn't have those issues but a colleague whose sister had thyroid cancer said that her sister did have those issues for a while after her operation.

Thank you, that's really helpful. It's hard to know what is normal and what isn't, they gave me a piece of paper with info about aftercare to take home but it was so badly printed I couldn't really read it. I'll check with the nurse on Monday about the cough. 

Hello there

Sorry for the delay in getting in touch but good to see some others offering their experiences here with you over the weekend.

I am sorry to hear you needed surgery and it is difficult to know what is and isn't normal after an operation.

Glad to read you are seeing the practice nurse today to take off the steri strips and hopefully this will help make you feel more comfortable.

After any operation people will experience a degree of bruising and swelling to the area, making it feel tight and uncomfortable which can also affect your swallow but this should ease as the days pass. 

Be kind to yourself your body is trying to heal itself so it is normal to feel tired and teary. Take each day as it comes, look after yourself and listen to what your bodu does and doesn't want to do from day to day.

There is information here that you might find useful reading .

Please do get back if you have further questions or want to keep chatting.

All the best

Naomi

Hi Naomi, thank you very much for your reply. It was good to get the steristrips off, though I find looking at the cut quite distressing when I see it in the mirror. I'm usually a very practical person so I feel frustrated that I'm having this reaction to it. My chest is also still really sore. The nurse said I had a temperature and sent me home with a Covid test kit. It was negative and my cough has calmed down a lot, I've just been left with this sore chest which doesn't seem to want to get better. I have asthma and my peak flow is lower than usual but that could be because of the op too. The surgeon did say the lump had grown into my chest a bit, but I don't know if that would be causing the pain or if I've got an infection. I'm embarrassed to go to the doctor about it because I might be wasting their time if it's just residual pain from the op. 

Hello and thanks for getting back to us again,

It is still early days since you have had your surgery so try not to expect too much of yourself. It is quite normal to feel very tired after the surgery and for it to affect your emotions. 

If the area continues to cause you pain and you still have a temperature it is worth having a chat with the doctor. A certain amount of pain is expected but it may be worth getting advice from your GP about whether your medication needs to be adjusted if the pain continues or you still have a temperature.

It will probably take you several weeks to recover fully from the operation. Try and take some gentle exercise each  day. We have some information on our website about recovery after an operation including a patient's experience which you may find helpful to look at. Have a look here

As Naomi said be kind to yourself and don't expect too much too soon.

If you would like to chat through any of this with one of the nurses do give us a ring. We are here Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, freephone 0808 800 4040.

All the Best,

Catherine