Thyroidectomy - Preparing for Thyroid Surgery

A subtotal or total thyroidectomy may be done for certain thyroid conditions such as thyroid cancer, painful thyroiditis, goiter, hyperthyroidism caused by a nodule, or other conditions when considered beneficial or necessary to your health and well-being. If your doctor is recommending that you have a thyroidectomy done, it is good to know what to expect before the surgery and how to be prepared. The steps before your thyroidectomy may not be exactly the same as mine, but they will probably be similar to the following.

Making the Decision to Have a Thyroidectomy. After four and a half years of being sick from Hashimoto's, thyroid medications not working for me, and not being able to do Radioactive Iodine treatment, my regular doctor recommended that I have a total thyroidectomy. After being sick for so long, I was ready to have my thyroid removed. I talked to my endocrinologist and she agreed with my regular doctor, so I searched for a surgeon experienced in doing thyroidectomies and made an appointment for a consultation.

The Consultation Appointment with the Surgeon. The surgeon went over my medications and allergies, my thyroid history, and my treatment options with me to make sure I was making an informed decision and knew that I didn't have to go forward with the surgery if I didn't want to. I explained that other treatment options had been tried for four and a half years without success, that my body wasn't going hyperthyroid in order to be able to do Radioactive Iodine treatment, that I had been sick most of the last four and a half years, and I was ready to move forward with surgery as treatment for my thyroid disease.

Once he knew I was making an informed decision and that I wanted to have a thyroidectomy done, he examined my ears, nose, and throat and went over the details of the surgery. He told me there was a very small risk of the parathyroids and the vocal cords being damaged during surgery and what steps he took to prevent that from happening. I would be having a total thyroidectomy, but he would leave a very small amount of thyroid tissue by the parathyroids to prevent any damage from being done to them. My vocal cords would also be checked and tested throughout surgery.

He also informed me that general anesthesia would be used and that I would be staying in the hospital overnight for observation after the surgery. I was concerned about the anesthesia because I had problems waking up from the anesthesia I had with a surgery done twenty years earlier. He assured me that the anesthesias they use now are more mild and easier to recover from and that there shouldn't be a problem. By the end of the appointment, I had a confidence that he knew what he was doing and that I would be in good hands during my thyroidectomy.

After talking with the surgeon, the nurse came back in to schedule the surgery. She also told me to not take any aspirin or ibuprofen for ten days prior to the surgery.

Pre-Op Phone Calls from the Hospital. A couple of weeks after my surgery was scheduled, I received a call from the hospital for pre-registration that only took a few minutes and involved going over my insurance and contact information.

About a week and a half before my surgery, I received a second call from the hospital. This call was more in depth and involved, confirming what surgery I was having done and the doctor doing it, and then going over a lot of information like my medical history, allergies, any problems with anesthesia or family history of problems with anesthesia, what surgeries or procedures I've had done, what medications, vitamins, and supplements I was taking, and what health conditions I currently have. I was told to stop taking my fish oil supplement for at least a week before my surgery because it thins your blood and raises the risk of excessive bleeding during surgery. I was also told to make sure I took my metoprolol succinate to keep my heart rate and blood pressure down for surgery.

We then went over when and where to check in for surgery, as well as where I would be for surgery, recovery, and the overnight stay. I was told not to eat or drink anything after midnight the night before the surgery, not even water. The only exception to this was a sip of water to be able to take my metoprolol.

I was told I could shower as usual before the surgery, but to "come as you are", to not use any hairspray, gel, etc. in my hair, not to use any lotions or creams, and not to wear any makeup, nail polish, or jewelry. Last, but not least, they said to wear comfortable clothing that would be loose around my neck and easy to put on since it would also be what I would wear home.

Pre-Op Physical. One week before my thyroidectomy, I had to see my regular doctor for a pre-op physical to be cleared for surgery. We went over my medications again and my regular doctor also stressed that I make sure I took my metoprolol before surgery because my blood pressure or heart rate going up could delay the surgery. She did an entire physical, asked me a lot of questions about my current health, plus did an EKG to check my heart since I have a history of tachycardia and palpitations. Everything was perfect and I was cleared for surgery.

Pre-Op Blood Tests. A few days before my surgery, I had to go to the hospital for blood tests so they would have my blood type on record in case I needed to be given any blood during or after surgery. They also did a pregnancy test that is required for women before having surgery and checked my thyroid levels. When I went in for the blood tests at the hospital, an identification band was put on my wrist that needed to stay on for the day of surgery so they could match it up to my test results to make sure there were no mistakes on my blood type or other test results. Now I was set and all that was left to do was wait for the day of surgery.

Related Content:

Thyroid Disease Information - Hashimoto's, Graves, Signs, Symptoms, Tests, Treatments, and More

Sources:

EndocrineWeb.com - Thyroidectomy