1 month hospital appointment

Hi everyone!

I had my one month post-op appointment yesterday (06/07/16) at the hospital and thought I would update you on the results.

In my 1 month update I discussed all the things I am still struggling with so if you haven't already read it, make sure that you do before starting this post.

As you may know, I have been struggling with my parathyroid glands and calcium levels since I had my thyroidectomy last month. However, today I got the good news that my calcium level is within range and my parathyroid function is slowly coming back. The doctor (I didn't see my surgeon but I saw a doctor whom I saw and spoke to during my stay in hospital) told me that I should begin weening myself off my alfacalcidol tablets and the sandocal calcium tablets. I currently take two alfacalcidol, which is basically Vitamin D, per day and one sandocal tablet twice a day. So, for the next week, I will stop taking my afacalcidol and continue with the sandocal, until the week after when I will cut my sandocal dosage down to one tablet per day. I will then have my blood tested again in two weeks and they will let me know if I need to continue with my calcium supplements or stop those completely also.

He says that my thyroxine levels are well and my TSH is within range as well. I have been very lucky because they started me on a dose of 100 micrograms of Levothyroxine a couple days after surgery and it seems to have been the perfect dose for my body. I don't feel tired or sluggish at all and the doctor said he sees no need to alter it, which is very good news. I have had a loss of appetite recently which I thought might be due to my thyroxine being too low but he told me that it is probably my body just trying to regulate itself again after going through the trauma of surgery. It should come back slowly, which I have seen evidence of as I can now finish a plate of food - instead I simply don't feel the need to eat until my tummy starts grumbling uncontrollably.

In terms of my scar, he had a look at it and said it was healing well. I told him I put coconut oil on it and he said that was fine to do but some people have sworn by Vitamin E type products so I might relent and go to Boots and search for one soon. I was informed that I can now put anything I want on it, including makeup, which is good since I will be graduating from university in two weeks, so I can cover it up for my photographs. I told him that when I massage the oil in it feels sensitive but he didn't seem too stressed about that. I suppose, as this is my first operation, I am worried about everything, but a surgical incision is deep so the healing process would be longer. Again, I will continue to monitor it and update my blog regularly.

I will be seen one more time in October before I am discharged. I cannot believe it has been so smooth a process; I have spoken before of all the issues I had with University College London Hospital over the past 3 years but I have to admit, the surgeons and post-op doctors have been amazing. From what I can tell, they did a really good job and I am happy with the results so far. It's now up to my body to continue to heal itself, and to me to continue to care for myself.

Thanks for reading and take care!