My Experience

I went to the doctor for trouble with sinuses/allergies and during the exam, which included a neck palpation, the doctor felt a nodule in my thyroid gland. He ordered an ultrasound that showed several nodules. A biopsy was recommended and performed under ultrasound guidance. The results were inconclusive so the doctor performed an additional biopsy in his office. This biopsy revealed Hurthle cells, a type of thyroid cell that carries a risk for thyroid cancer. The doctor recommended a thyroidectomy. I discussed the diagnosis and treatment recommendation with my primary care doctor who agreed with the surgeon.

I had a right thyroidectomy and a partial left thyroidectomy. The surgery was uneventful. I felt fine after the procedure except for a little neck stiffness due to positioning of the head during surgery; this neck positioning was explained to me prior to surgery. I had no nausea after anesthesia and recovery went well. On the third postoperative day I seemed more tired than on the second day.