Thyroidectomy

[Scro]

Anybody had their thyroid removed, or know someone that has? My wifes' family has a long line of thyroid issues, and is now having hers taken out. I've read about what we can expect, but I just wanted to hear if you've had any experiences.

[ZBlaster]

I'd like to know as well. My wife will be needing hers out shortly.

[Scro]

Where is she having her surgery at?

[ZBlaster]

Originally posted by Scro
Where is she having her surgery at?


Haven't scheduled it yet. The doctor is still having her come in every week to check her levels. Hers started as Postpartum Thyrioditis and just never improved.

[Tommy Warren]

i don't know anything about it but good luck to your wives guys;)

[Scro]

Originally posted by Tommy Warren
i don't know anything about it but good luck to your wives guys;)

Thanks.


Originally posted by ZBlaster
Haven't scheduled it yet. The doctor is still having her come in every week to check her levels. Hers started as Postpartum Thyrioditis and just never improved.

I've read that's how alot of women's problems start. My wife's started out as hypothyroidism when she was young, but has changed to hyperthyroidism recently. Since her uncle passed because of this same condition (Graves' disease) becoming cancerous, the doctor suggested we remove it to be safe. The other option was radioactive iodine, to kill the overactive part of the thyroid (from what I understand). Her dad had tried that option three times, unsuccessfully, before having his removed. It seems like the best route for her right now.

[ben300]

Originally posted by Scro
Anybody had their thyroid removed, or know someone that has? My wifes' family has a long line of thyroid issues, and is now having hers taken out. I've read about what we can expect, but I just wanted to hear if you've had any experiences.

my mother has had her thyroild out since well before i was born and i am now almost 25. really, i know in the early day she said she was tired and slightly lethargic, but basically, for my entire life, i can say that my mom leads a completely normal life, with next to no side effects what so ever.

she takes a pill a day, and seems to be fine. she has switched meds a couple of times, but that was the doctors making her change becuase of newer medications, and because one of the meds raised her blood pressure.

honestly, some days she seems tired, but that could also be because she's a 54 year old woman, who gets up to go to work at 4am, 4-6 days a week. she goes to the gym adn works out, and is active, adn does things with us, our family, my dad, her friends, and lives completely normal life..

i dont think my mom gained any weight from the removal and/or the medications, because, my momther, along like the rest of my immeadiate family is pretty thin....she has gained weight, but i would attribute it to her age and that she sits most of the day at work, and she's like a heroin addict when it comes to bread.

my aunt (moms sister) had hers removed about 12 years ago, and she lives a normal life as well....she's a little heavier than my mom, but she's also a hog........but she goes out with my uncle all the time, and lives a great life, adn is a work aholic and i dont see it affecting her what so ever...


honestly scro, i wouldnt worry to much..this, i believe anymore is almost a common surgery/problem and i believe the doctors have gotten so good at the surgery/treatments and the meds have gotten better that you and your wife shouldnt worry......id still jsut read up as much as you can, and be as upfront with your doctors as you can....my mohter has an excellent doctor so it helps

[Scro]

Originally posted by ben300
my mother has had her thyroild out since well before i was born and i am now almost 25. really, i know in the early day she said she was tired and slightly lethargic, but basically, for my entire life, i can say that my mom leads a completely normal life, with next to no side effects what so ever.

she takes a pill a day, and seems to be fine. she has switched meds a couple of times, but that was the doctors making her change becuase of newer medications, and because one of the meds raised her blood pressure.

honestly, some days she seems tired, but that could also be because she's a 54 year old woman, who gets up to go to work at 4am, 4-6 days a week. she goes to the gym adn works out, and is active, adn does things with us, our family, my dad, her friends, and lives completely normal life..

i dont think my mom gained any weight from the removal and/or the medications, because, my momther, along like the rest of my immeadiate family is pretty thin....she has gained weight, but i would attribute it to her age and that she sits most of the day at work, and she's like a heroin addict when it comes to bread.

my aunt (moms sister) had hers removed about 12 years ago, and she lives a normal life as well....she's a little heavier than my mom, but she's also a hog........but she goes out with my uncle all the time, and lives a great life, adn is a work aholic and i dont see it affecting her what so ever...


honestly scro, i wouldnt worry to much..this, i believe anymore is almost a common surgery/problem and i believe the doctors have gotten so good at the surgery/treatments and the meds have gotten better that you and your wife shouldnt worry......id still jsut read up as much as you can, and be as upfront with your doctors as you can....my mohter has an excellent doctor so it helps

Thank you. I do feel like I'm making it out to be more than it really is, but I guess it's better safe than sorry. My problem is I started googling about it. Of course, when you search something like this, you will get 10 stories about the worst case scenario, and 1 story from someone that didn't have any issues at all.

[ben300]

Originally posted by Scro
Thank you. I do feel like I'm making it out to be more than it really is, but I guess it's better safe than sorry. My problem is I started googling about it. Of course, when you search something like this, you will get 10 stories about the worst case scenario, and 1 story from someone that didn't have any issues at all.

ya, to be totally honest....i know she goes for her check ups, and like takes the meds...but its such a non issue (knock on wood) anyore...that i really, honestly, can not remember teh last time i heard her or my dad talk to us or each other about it!

i imagine there are some bad cases, but thyroid problems tend to run in my moms family, problaby similar to what it does in your wifes family....and otu of the whole family..we never really hear much about it...so...im just giving ya our experience with it



one more thing...when i was younger, i was lethargic (7-10 years old) and i seemd ot go through puberty a little early and they thought i had a problem with my thyroid because of my families history with it...turned out i was a carrier for a genetic deffect in the petuitary gland (which is is i guess linked to the thyroid), called adreanal hyperplasia (spl?) ......anywho, when you are a carrier, you can exhibit very very small cases or symptoms of it, hence early puberty.....anywho..i took medication for it to be safe, and had check ups every 3 to 6 mohts at a specialist from age 9-16, and i am completely healthy and fine now, other than a dirty mouth, and the super human ability to get crunk as mother ****er at the bar :devil: ..and you'd never know...but if ever have kids, i have to have my wife/or partner tested to make sure she's not a carrier as well (its like a 1-70,000 odds).....

[buck440]

before my aunt had hers removed the past couple years she has been acting kinda weird and hatefull. if i'm correct it also effects your thinking in some way? about a week ago she had her thyroide removed and it is so close to her voice box that they took some of it too.

they also had alot of swelling and had to make a incision in her neck and stick a tube in so she could breath. she will also have to use one of them voice boxes that, that one dude from south park uses too. she is still in the hospital due to breathing complication and low bp.

that's the situation were going through right now but maby your wife will do better lol.



i do remember her taking a few trips to the dr. and they stuck a needle in her neck with some liquid that shows bloodflow and they will put you in a mri machine and they can see the thyroide better.

[KXRida]

Most of these guys pretty much hit it. They can take it out surgically or chemically with radioactive iodine. Regardless most people require a TSH substitute such as synthroid to be taken daily. Most doctors will monitor your TS3 and TS4 levels and adjust your dosage from there. Ofcourse there are issues that can arise later (as with any procedure) however if you are having such issue's with hyperthyroidism (grave's disease and hopefully not to the point of thyroid storm) it would most likely be beneficial to have it removed seeing how both of the above stated issues can be very severe and at times life threatening.

[400grl]

I had a parathyroidectomy about 12 years ago.....the parathyroid glands are tucked in behind the thyroid gland right up against the windpipe. The surgery itself wasn't bad at all.....if you get a good doctor, they can make sure you don't even have a scar. I had an incision clean across my neck, but no one can even tell I ever had surgery.

Medicine is so advanced these days, I'm sure she'll be fine.....it's amazing what people can live without these days! :)

[Scro]

Just a little update for those interested. The surgery was today, and went very well. They glued the incision up, so scarring is going to be minimal. The doc didn't give us any diet restrictions, and pretty much said she can do whatever she feels like. So far so good! I guess we'll see how the next couple days go.

[KXRida]

glad to hear. Keep us posted

[Tommy Warren]

Originally posted by Scro
Just a little update for those interested. The surgery was today, and went very well. They glued the incision up, so scarring is going to be minimal. The doc didn't give us any diet restrictions, and pretty much said she can do whatever she feels like. So far so good! I guess we'll see how the next couple days go.

great news! tell her the ATVriders are wishing her a speedy recovery:macho

[quad2xtreme]

Glad to hear it.

[Jimbo M]

I work in the medical field (ultrasonographer) and have performed many thyroid ultrasounds. In my old office we did ultrasound guided thyroid FNAs (fine needle aspirations) every day. Really not that big of a deal now-a-days having your thyroid removed. She'll be on synthroid for the rest of her life. Even if her thyroid was malignant, very very high cure rate. Very good friend of mine had thyroid cancer - had it removed - and is doing just fine. They'll have to figure out her synthroid dose and she'll do great. I wouldn't worry about it - its something I see all the time.