Discharge Instructions for Thyroidectomy

You had surgery called thyroidectomy. This means that part or all of your thyroid gland was removed. The main job of the thyroid gland is to make thyroid hormone. This hormone controls your body’s metabolism. This is the way your body creates and uses energy. Removing the thyroid gland removes your body’s source of thyroid hormone. So after the surgery, you will need to take thyroid hormone pills daily. This helps keep the level of thyroid hormone in your body steady. This sheet tells you more about how to care for yourself after surgery.

Recovering After Surgery

• Get plenty of rest.

• Care for your incision as directed.

• Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activity for 3-5 weeks.

• Walk a few times daily. But don’t push yourself too hard. Slowly increase your pace and distance, as you feel able.

• Return to work when your doctor says it’s okay.

• Keep a card in your wallet that lists:

  • Your name and contact information

  • Your doctor’s name and contact information

  • The name of your disease

  • The brand name and dose of your medication

Taking Your Thyroid Medication

• Take your medication as directed.

• Use a pillbox labeled with the days of the week. This will help you remember whether you’ve taken your medication each day.

• Take your medication with a liquid. But avoid taking it with soy milk. Soy milk can affect how well your body absorbs the medication. The pill needs to reach your stomach and not dissolve in your throat.

• Try to take your medication with the same types and amounts of food and liquid each day. This helps control the amount of thyroid hormone in your system.

• After taking your medication:

  • Wait 4 hours before eating or drinking anything that contains soy.

  • Wait 4 hours before taking certain medications. These include:

    • Iron supplements

    • Calcium supplements

    • Antacids that contain either calcium or aluminum hydroxide

    • Medications that lower your cholesterol

• Do not stop taking your medication even if you become pregnant.

• Never stop taking medications on your own.

Keeping Your Doctor’s Appointments

• See your doctor for regular visits. These are needed to monitor your health.

• Have routine blood tests done. These check the level of thyroid hormone in your body. This helps your doctor know whether to adjust the dosage of your medication if needed.

• Tell your doctor about any signs of further thyroid problems.

• Signs that you may have too much thyroid hormone in your body include:

  • Restlessness

  • Rapid weight loss

  • Sweating

• Signs that you may have too little thyroid hormone in your body include:

  • Fatigue or sluggishness

  • Puffy hands, face, or feet

  • Hoarseness

  • Muscle pain

  • Slow pulse (less than 60 beats per minute)