9 Days Post Thyroidectomy

Update time...

I went to see my lovely specialist today (gosh it really does help if you like your specialist!!) Today is a good day as I got all my histology reports back today.  My man basically said I am one very lucky girl who had my ugly horrible thyroid taken out in good time.  I know I have already told you how brilliant my docs are but thought I would let you know who they are in case you are looking for an Auckland specialist, then I would highly recommend these awesome people!  I have been so well treated, never rushed and most importantly all my concerns and questions answered with great patience and care. Click on the AH&NS to be linked through to their contact details.

9 Days Post Operation

My results showed the dissected thyroid wanna see?  Will post it further down so be warned!!! (Although not nearly as gory as the the picture from my last blog!) My specialist said I had a number of things going on, thankfully the thing I was most worried about I have escaped and that's any form of cancer.  Although pre-cancer cells were found this procedure was done early enough to save me from the complication of any malignancy.  All of the thyroid was removed along with any nasty cells, so worry over :-)

They did find that I have Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroditis which I believe is a sub type of Hashimoto's disease usually the type found in children....which made me laugh.  For my fellow thyroid sufferers my report said my assessment reveals a multinodular goitre consisting of variably sized follicles, some forming colloid cysts with associated fibrosis, haemorrhage and focal calcification.  Frequent lymphoid aggregates also appreciated, some with reactive germinal centres. Hurthle cell changes is minimal.  There is no evidence of malignancy. No parathryoid tissue is seen.  I was very happy that no parathyroid tissue was found and thankfully my calcium levels remain stable.

My specialist also mentioned that the largest of the lumps was burrowing backwards towards my spine through the gaps left by my last spinal surgery six years ago.  I might be wrong but it was this he seemed most relieved about and mentioned that this could have been a really nasty complication left any longer.

Histology of the Thyroid

So all in all I get the feeling I am one lucky girl and although I am not feeling on top of the world at the moment.  I need to thank my lucky starts that this was caught when it was and not in a year's time when the outlook would not be nearly so bright as it is today :-)

Recovery is long as I am finding out and my goodness you do have to be patient with yourself.  My moods are all over the place and I find myself swinging between wanting to burst into tears over the smallest things and being full of energy.  I suppose an exaggeration of what I was suffering with before but amplified.  The tiredness is overwhelming and by two o'clock most days I am totally wiped out and want to crash for a few hours.  I find it all very frustrating and I just want to get back to life. I am at least off the painkillers now so feeling less foggy and so far I am in a good rhythm with taking my thyroxin with the help of a rather clever app for my phone!

I am still getting quite bad headaches, not as many as before and thanks to a tip the surgeon gave me a couple of capsules of magnesium really are helping.  I think I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel but as the main man told me today it will be at least three months before all my levels stabilize and I will start to know whether I am on the right amounts of thyroxine.  It's hard to hear that though, the problem with me is I want my health back now, right now, none of this waiting around lark!!

In conclusion at this nearly ten day post op point I am struggling with my energy levels and being a bit over emotional but you know what it's not going too badly, not really.  I am learning to take each day as it comes and remembering to be kind to myself.

One thing that really did make my week was starting back with my kids learning.  The girls only missed five days and I have tried not to worry about it too much, we generally work through school holidays anyway, so probably do considerably more time 'in school' than most school children.  With the Holidays starting next week instead of working all the way through like we normally would I will take another weeks break in the middle and work through the other two.  So we will still get an extra week's learning in even with my operation :-)  Just maybe not quite so much going on in the afternoons for a few more weeks, so lots of independent play and sewing will be going on in our house!!  Charlotte's shop will be overflowing with creations!




Well have done really well today after our six am start but at four pm I am now absolutely sold out and it's time to put the computer down and close my eyes.  For all you fellow thyroid sufferers out there I am thinking about you and hoping your path is simple, easy and you get well soon.


Kate x

I wish I hadn't had to have my thyroid out at all and that I had taken my problem more seriously earlier.  If I had found out about the Thyroid factor I would have tried this than surgery!