Back From Parathyroidrectimy

MattyBoy100

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Back From Parathyroidrectimy

« on: December 15, 2007, 09:42:09 AM »

I know there is a section in this in Dialysis Questions but as I have just had the op, I thought it was relevant to put this here and the mods can move it if it is in the wrong place but this is quite an important subject and I hope they don't.

I had my parathyroid glands removed on the 6th December. It was done under anaesthetic and I didn't know anything about it until they woke me up after the procedure. I admit, I was a little spaced out by it all and things were fuzzy. What I do remember is that swallowing was sore and my throat felt very tight. I avoided the natural process of swallowing until I absolutely had to. When I did swallow, it usually came after a cough to remove plegm from my throat.

I had dissolvable stitches in my throat, and one long stitch along my neck which could be removed quickly for emergency access should any emergencies arise such as swelling of my neck etc.

I was given a syringe of calcium gluconate through a line in my hand which was supplemented by various other calcium alternatives which I could swallow in liquid form.

It entailed a week's stay in a "surgical high dependancy unit" at the hospital.

One of the glads (or a bit of one) was implanted in my left thigh which is held together by staples. I had 8 staples in total in my leg (I am aware that there are alternative places for the implant on the body ie, arm, underarm etc). The reason the gland is implanted elsewhere is that the thyroid itself can grow over the area where the parathyroids have been removed from thus making it hard to find and awkward to remove should this be necessary later on.

I had the stitch in my neck removed yesterday which was painless - I had to ask the nurse to slow down as she was pulling it out due to the friction it was causing.

I also had four staples removed from my leg. The staples only went 1 or 2 millimeters deep which suprised me as I thought they were in deeper than that. The nurse used a pair of tweezers to squeeze then pull the staples out. I won't lie and say it didn't hurt but it stung a little bit. The remaining four staples get removed on Monday.

I am able to walk about and drive a car with manual gears. I don't go long distances but I am still independant.

I have been signed off work for another month but if my leg heals quickly, I expect it to be only 2 weeks.

I feel ok and am bored at home twiddling my thumbs and miss my workmates.

I know everyone is different and people on here always seem to forget if there was any pain involved etc and don't write things in detail when they have had things done to them. I remember people on this site as well as people in my unit saying that their fistula op didn't hurt! What a laugh, coz mine did. My arm was painful afterwards for about a week.

I want to tell people the reality of things. My throat hurt for 2 days then, it was uncomfortable for another 2 then, within 5 days it had eased off, within 3 days of the op, I could eat a dinner, taking small bites and a lot of chewing before swallowing. I was able to get up and walk a short distance to the bathroom and back within 3 days of the op.

Now, I am at home and waiting for my leg to fully heal before going back to work.

NB: In the UK it is spelled PARATHRYOIDECTOMY not PARATHYROIDECT(i)MY


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