Looking for tips to make thyroid lobectomy surgery recovery easier

I will be having a right sided thyroid lobectomy on Aug 24 due a suspicious nodule with pet scan activity. During the surgery they will be using nerve monitoring. Any tips for a smooth recovery.

I had my whole thyroid taken out. Throat was very sore . I needed to sleep propped up to be able to sleep and needed soft foods for a week or so. I had a tablet crusher so meds could be powered.
My surgeon used the nerve monitor and I would not have surgery without it. Just that extra bit of insurance and peace of mind. Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery.

I had 1/2 taken out and it was a piece of cake. Two weeks of soreness but really, compared to other surgeries, you will be fine.

@amm97 Good luck with your upcoming surgery. I think I recall hearing that they used nerve monitoring during my surgery. I thought this was great since the surgery is right near the laryngeal nerve which is very important for speaking so you always want them to know what is going on with it when they are removing the lobe; and all the facial nerves nearby certainly need to be monitored!
It does sound concerning when they mention things, however they monitor your heart, your breathing and every other aspect….nerve monitoring seems like just one more machine:)
Good luck!

@amm97, good discussion to ask for tips. I updated the title of the discussion to reflect the conversation. I hope you saw the helpful tips from fellow members @koh @mikaylar and @poppy07.

Amm, what questions do you have as you prepare for your surgery?

Mainly what will the recovery look like and what can I expect pain wise.

No pain, just soreness. You will be surprised how easy it will be. Also, do what they say about massaging the scar and using scar cream for 3 mos. It works. No scar!

I had a right sided lobectomy, and did not feel pain after. I did not take any of the pain medication they prescribed. But I did take Arnica 200 (available at Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods and online as well) 3 or 4 times a day for the first 4 days. I was eating normally from the second day onward. I did feel a lump in the throat for more than a week, and my voice was a little hoarse initially. I was trying to talk less as a result, but my surgeon reminded me that the nerve monitoring showed no vocal cord damage and that I should try to talk, project my voice, sing just normally and that it was good exercise for my voice so that it would come back to normal soon.

My scar though is still dark 6 weeks after the surgery. I have never exposed it to the sun, and it seems to have gotten darker than when the steri-strips were taken off. (by the surgeon)

On a separate note - is surgery absolutely necessary in your case? If RFA (radio frequency ablation) is being offered to you then do consider that option.

RFA wasn’t offered to me, so I’m assuming surgery is the best option.

Since RFA is still not very common in the US, we the patients have to specifically ask the doctors about it. A surgeon who is also trained in RFA will be able to tell you if one or the other is a better option. Most surgeons (especially those not trained in RFA) will only offer surgery and will not bring up RFA unless the patient asks about it.