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?  

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.

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.