What are the side effects of a thyroidectomy?

What happens to your body after total thyroidectomy?

After a total thyroidectomy, you will take lifelong thyroid hormone replacements. Because your entire thyroid gland is removed, it will no longer supply you with the hormone you need to control your body's metabolic processes. You might also have to take supplements after thyroidectomy to balance your calcium levels.

What is a common complication following a thyroidectomy?

Major postoperative complications include wound infection, bleeding, airway obstruction (compressing hematoma, tracheomalacia), hypocalcemia, thyroid storm (uncommon, usually associated with Grave's disease) and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury.

What is the most serious complication of thyroidectomy?

The most devastating complication is bilateral partial injury that can result in immediate postop stridor and inability to breathe.

Does a thyroidectomy shorten your life?

We have also shown that treatment per se (thyroidectomy, high-dose radioactive iodine and thyroid hormone medication) is safe and does not shorten life expectancy.

Life after Thyroidectomy

Is having no thyroid a disability?

To qualify for disability benefits, your thyroid gland disorder has to be severe enough to make you permanently and completely disability. Benefits are not available for partial disability. The thyroid is a small gland at the front of your neck.

What is life like without a thyroid?

Aside from having your thyroid levels tested regularly and taking medication daily to give your body the thyroid hormone it needs, people without a thyroid live an otherwise normal life. Adjusting to life without your thyroid means taking medication and checking in with your doctor. Most people adjust easily.

Do you gain weight after thyroid removal?

Patients with hyperthyroidism commonly experience weight gain after thyroidectomy. This occurs due to the reduction in circulating thyroid hormone, thus ameliorating the weight-lowering effects of elevated thyroid hormones (4,5).

What should I monitor after thyroidectomy?

It is important to monitor both calcium and magnesium levels after total thyroidectomy and to correct deficiencies to facilitate prompt resolution of symptoms.

What should I check after thyroidectomy?

Why do you breathe hard after thyroidectomy?

Common causes of this complication include compression due to formation of a hematoma, tracheal collapse, laryngeal edema and bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and they should be taken into consideration to ensure prevention and/or timely treatment of dyspnea (1,2).

Why am I so tired after having my thyroid removed?

After any operation, your body is using a lot of energy to heal itself, so you will feel more tired than normal.

Does having a thyroidectomy affect your immune system?

Thyroid disease is not known to be associated with increased risk of viral infections in general, nor is there an association between thyroid disease and severity of the viral infection. Many people are asking whether having autoimmune thyroid disease means you are immunocompromised. We can confirm it does not.

How long will my neck hurt after thyroidectomy?

Neck Stiffness

You may experience stiffness/soreness in your neck, shoulder, or back and may experience tension headaches. These may take a few days or weeks to go away completely.

How long after thyroidectomy Will I feel better?

Most people who have thyroid surgery will feel better within 1–2 weeks, but recovery may take longer for some people. For more on this, see What to expect after thyroid cancer.

How can I not gain weight after thyroidectomy?

Upping your fiber intake: Getting a good amount of fiber is one of the basic tactics you can employ as a thyroid patient if you want to lose weight. It can come from high-fiber foods, supplements, or both. Limiting simple carbohydrates and sugar: Try following a low-glycemic diet to avoid high blood sugar.

How can I speed up my metabolism after thyroidectomy?

Add intervals to your aerobic exercise

For even more metabolic benefit, incorporate high-intensity interval training into your favorite aerobic exercise, like running, biking, or walking. Intervals are an effective way to burn more fat and increase your metabolism.

Can having your thyroid removed change your personality?

Hypothyroidism and hypoparathyroidism consequent to total thyroidectomy may lead to neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and rarely mania and psychosis.

Can a thyroid grow back?

A recurrent goiter is the regrowth of thyroid tissues after thyroidectomy. This may occur after surgery for benign disease or malignancy of thyroid. While recurrence after surgery for benign disease should be preventable, recurrence after malignant disease depends on many factors.

Can you drink alcohol after thyroid removal?

Your throat may feel sore after the surgery. Eat a light meal and drink plenty of water for 1 or 2 days after your surgery. You may eat what you normally eat at home once you are feeling better. Do not drink alcohol for 48 hours after surgery or until you have stopped taking your prescription pain medicine.

What happens if you don't take levothyroxine after thyroidectomy?

Skipping or stopping your antithyroid medication or thyroid hormone replacement will lead to undesirable and possibly dangerous effects. Not taking your medication also increases your risk of fatal conditions like myxedema coma if you are hypothyroid, and thyroid storm if you are hyperthyroid.

Can you get Social Security for thyroid disease?

If your thyroid disorder is not severe enough to meet the requirements of a disability listing, you may still qualify for benefits. The SSA will use the medical evidence in your file to determine what your residual functional capacity (RFC) is. Your RFC is the most that you can do in a work setting.

What should your TSH level be with no thyroid?

TSH normal values are 0.5 to 5.0 mIU/L. Pregnancy, a history of thyroid cancer, history of pituitary gland disease, and older age are some situations when TSH is optimally maintained in different range as guided by an endocrinologist. FT4 normal values are 0.7 to 1.9ng/dL.

Does thyroid removal cause mood swings?

The data show that there was a 68% increased risk of depression before a partial thyroidectomy and an 81% increased risk of depression before a total thyroidectomy. However, at 1 year after thyroid surgery, only patients that had a total thyroidectomy experienced higher rates of depression (11% increased risk).

How can I boost my energy after thyroidectomy?