Any one gone through a thyroidectomy and parotidectomy together?

AI Overview

Parotidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the parotid gland, one of the major salivary glands located in front of the ear. It's typically performed to treat tumors, chronic infections, or blockages in the gland, as well as to manage other parotid gland problems.

@dave68, was cancer found in both your thyroid and parotid glands? Or are you having them both removed for a different reason?

How did your procedures go? I am having both done in about a month.

@artishot92, welcome. Can you share a bit more about your diagnosis?

@colleenyoung
I had a large nodule on the right side of my thyroid that had an FNA that was suspicious for cancer. I also had a cyst on my parotid glad that reacted to the core needle biopsy and grew fast two months after the biopsy. Dr. Moore and his team was amazing. I am about 5 days out from surgery and am improving. I typically have a lot of anxiety when it comes to to medical procedures, but it didn’t ever hit me. Everyone at the Mayo was amazing and I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else for a procedure. I really felt listened to as well as all the professionals that I encountered reassured me that they knew what they were doing. I never felt like a burden and I felt like everyone was there to help me. Everyone there is a saint doing God’s work. Truly amazing. And Dr Caswell and her assistants, Jake and Jaclyn kept me calm and safe and gave me the right meds to help me not feel nauseous one bit. I think as my husband wheeled me to the car I said, I feel really good. 😊

My thyroid incision hurt quite a bit when I woke up, but they must have given me something through the iv pretty quickly to help it and I’ve just been taking Tylenol and ibuprofen since. I’m so thankful that I can still smile, but I do have a lot of eye weakness and everything around my ear is numb, so the parotid surgery feels more annoying than painful. Although my jaw did hurt when I was eating Mac and cheese and chewing maybe a little too much. I’m still sticking to applesauce, protein shakes l, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs.

The anticipation of the surgery was definitely worse than getting through it and being on the recovery side. I’m grateful to have lots of rest and lots of help.

Oh and all the pathology came back benign, so that is reassuring that this is all one and done even with a small Nadine on the other half of the thyroid that is still there.

@artishot92
Dr Moore is also 1 of my drs at Mayo. Totally agree; he's a saint. I had a tumor removed from neck carotid artery last July. At followup, suggested FNAs as I have non-normal thyroid nodes. They also removed an oversized lymph node when they took the tumors. My next visit is in a month; FNAs planned. Originally, Dr Moore said I don't have salivary glands issues, although its felt like mumps since way before the paraganglioma was removed by him & Dr Link. The painful swollen lymph nodes feeling is now also on the other side, and can feel something enlarged in thyroid area in front neck. How long were you in the hospital after surgery?

@gangcarotid1
It sounds like you have something more complex going on than I do/did. I was only in the hospital a few hours after the surgery. They discharged me to the care hotel across the street, which was really nice to be not in the hospital setting. But I did have drains in both my incisions and that was tricky and I’m so thankful my husband helped me with emptying them and just generally watched over me. The care hotel room had an electric recliner which was sooo very nice.
I don’t think the two masses I had removed are related to each other, unless maybe it’s systemic from perimenopause, but probably not. I know I’m in good hands at the mayo and trust their conclusions and recommendations. I hope all goes well for you. With the paraganglioma did you have lots of pain? It sounds like something my uncle had where his blood vessel was right up next to a nerve and every time his blood pumped he had shooting pain.

@artishot92
No, not alot of pain b4 resection of the tumor. Was small, benign. The autumn before, I had 2 tumors removed from a kidney that they'd found because the endocrinologist Dr Bancos said I had too many symptoms for a small benign tumor so she ordered a full body CT scan where they found the tumors. After
my neck tumor was removed, I also had a drain which was removed the following morning when I was released. Dr Moore also removed a large swollen lymph node, and suggested FNAs of thyroid area because I do have some larger nodes. Now, I also have plenty of swollen, painful lymph nodes on both sides of my neck--the other side developed lymph nodes about a month ago. The day before my carotid tumor surgery, I had a coil placed to reroute the blood away from the tumor. I had to be awake (barely sedated) during it. I can say it was Hell. They went through my groin, and through my wrist artery with coil in 1 and guider in the other. Throughout procedure, they asked me various questions as they went past various parts of my brain, checking to make sure no damaging any part of my brain. Dr Moore said the vagus nerve was uninjured during the tumor resection, but it 'pitched a fit' for months afterward, missing its close neighbor the tumor. Still trying to manage the intermittent dysphagia, which ive had since the day before when they placed the coil. Anxious for next appt. Also will be checking kidneys; unoperated kidney was suspicious for neoplasm in Oct checkup, but labs were good. At any rate, I have 100% faith in Dr Sharma, Dr Moore, Dr Link for whatever we decide is next.

@artishot92, @gangcarotid1, I would like your permission to share your comments about Dr. Moore and team with them. 🙂

I'm ok w that.