Total Thyroidectomy: What to Expect the Day of Surgery

Once you've made the decision to have a total thyroidectomy done and you've been to all the necessary pre-op appointments, you are left waiting for the day of surgery. If you're anything like I was, you're nervous, even somewhat scared, about having your thyroid removed. It may help to have an idea of what to expect on the day of your thyroid surgery. The following is my personal experience with having a total thyroidectomy done. Your surgery may not be exactly like mine was, but there will probably be a lot of similarities.

Arriving at the Hospital. At the hospital where I was having my thyroid removed, a total thyroidectomy is considered a "same day surgery", but I would be staying overnight for observation to make sure there were no complications. I had to check in one and a half hours before surgery. Since I was pre-registered, they just verified my name and birth date, the surgery I was having done, and the doctor performing the surgery.

The Pre-Op Room. After only a couple of minutes in the waiting area, a nurse came to take me back. We made a quick stop at a scale to get my weight, then headed to a pre-op room, where I was asked to change into a gown. Then the nurse came back to check my blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. She also went over my medications and allergies and asked me a bunch of medical history and current health questions. Then another nurse came in and hooked me up to an IV. Next, they put special circulation boots on my legs to prevent blood clots during and after the surgery.

After the nurses were done, the anesthesiologist came in. He went over the anesthesia and asked if I'd had problems with anesthesia in the past. Then he looked inside my throat to see what it would be like to put the breathing tube down it later. He said my throat would make it a little harder than normal, but that there shouldn't be a problem. Then he asked if I had any questions.

Next, the surgeon came in to see me in the pre-op room to quickly go over the procedure again, ask how I was doing, and see if I had any questions. He then looked at my neck for natural creases to make the incision in so it would be less noticeable. After a quick look, he marked a couple of areas with a marker.

Then I watched TV for a little while until the nurses came back in. One of them gave me a shot that was part of the anesthesia to relax me and help me get sleepy. Then they put a hair net on my head and wheeled me to the operating room on the bed.

On to the Operating Room. I got really nervous when I arrived at the operating room with the big lights and all the equipment. Everyone was very friendly, talking to me and joking around, trying to keep the atmosphere light-hearted for me. The anesthesiologist and surgeon were there and I was introduced to two more nurses that would be assisting the surgeon. I was asked to "slide over" from the bed to the operating table. My legs were strapped down so I wouldn't roll over onto my side when I went to sleep from the anesthesia. I was asked to place my arms out on little pieces extended to the side of the operating table. Then a nurse placed a mask on my face and told to me take deep breaths, and moments later I was gone.

Waking Up in the Recovery Room. I don't remember anything until I woke up in the recovery room about four and a half hours later. I was really out of it when I woke up. I saw a nurse taking care of me and realized I was in a bed again. I looked around a bit and realized I was in a different room. I could hear the noises of monitors and machines running and saw other beds and nurses and knew I was in the recovery room.

My nurse started to talk to me and asked me how I felt and if I was in pain. I said yes and she gave me a shot of pain medication in my IV. I asked her how long I had been there and she said about an hour. I then asked for a drink of water and it really hurt to swallow.

I kept falling asleep and waking back up for about another hour. I could hear my nurse talking about how I was doing, how much pain med I had so far, and about a room for me. At some point, I realized the boots on my legs were hooked up to a machine and were filling up with air and massaging my legs. As I became more awake than asleep, I asked for more pain medication and got a second shot in my IV.

Staying for Observation. It wasn't long before the nurse said they had a room ready for me. I was taken up to the observation unit on the bed I was in in the recovery room. After I was wheeled into my room, a nurse and tech came in to introduce themselves and take my vitals. Then, without even ordering anything, a tray of food from the clear liquid diet was brought for me. It still hurt to swallow, but it wasn't as bad as before.

I felt pretty weak, so a nurse helped me walk to the bathroom and back each time I had to go for the rest of the day and through the night. By the next morning, I was able to walk by myself.

About an hour and a half after getting to my room, I asked for some pain medication and was given a prescription pain pill. After that, I was fine with only acetaminophen.

One of the main concerns after having a thyroidectomy, is low calcium levels due to damage done to the parathyroids during surgery. A lab tech came in to take my blood at specific times in the evening, that night,and the next day to check my calcium level to make sure it wasn't dropping.

That evening, I was able to order dinner from the full liquid diet and had cream of chicken soup, jello, yogurt, a milk shake, fruit ice, and pudding. I was amazed that it was already getting easier to eat and hurting less.

After dinner, I watched part of a movie and tried to sleep. Don't expect to get a lot of sleep while you're in the hospital because the nurses have to keep coming in to take your vitals. I also got a roommate shortly after falling asleep. I slept on and off through the night and part of the morning.

The Next Morning and Discharge. When I had breakfast in the morning, I was able to eat a ham and cheese omelet, thin oatmeal, and a yogurt. Later, the surgeon came in to see me and approve my discharge. He said I wasn't having any problems with low calcium and that everything had gone well during surgery. I was instructed to keep the steri-strips on my incision dry and to come to his office in a week for a post-op check up and to have a stitch removed.

I was then able to get dressed and call home for a ride. A nurse went over my discharge papers with me and then took me down in a wheelchair to meet my ride and head home.

Related Content:

Total Thyroidectomy: Making the Decision to Have Your Thyroid Removed

Thyroidectomy - Choosing a Thyroid Surgeon

Thyroidectomy - Preparing for Thyroid Surgery