Voice changes, such as, a hoarse voice, difficulty in speaking loudly, voice fatigue, and a change in the tone of your voice. These changes are due to damage to the laryngeal nerves that supply your voice box (larynx) during surgery. This may last a few days or a few weeks but is rarely permanent. Using the NIM® Nerve Integrity Monitoring System from Medtronic helps surgeons reduce the risk of nerve injury during surgery.
You may experience low blood calcium levels due to damage to the parathyroid glands during surgery. Again, this is usually only a temporary problem treated with calcium supplements over a few days. Signs that you may have low calcium are numbness and a tingling feeling in your lips, hands, and the bottom of your feet, a crawly feeling in your skin, muscle cramps and spasms, bad headaches, anxiety, and depression.
Patients receiving a total thyroidectomy—and the majority of patients receiving a subtotal thyroidectomy (partial removal of the gland)—find that their thyroid becomes unable to produce enough thyroid hormone—making them hypothyroid. Without thyroid hormones, you feel extremely tired and lacking in energy. You have to take thyroxine tablets to replace the hormones that your thyroid gland would normally make. The thyroid hormones are necessary to keep your body processes going at the right rate. This is called your metabolism. You will need to take these tablets every day for the rest of your life.
Straight after your operation, your neck is likely to be swollen and may feel hard and numb. This is usual and will gradually get better as your wound heals. It may take a couple of weeks or more. While your neck is sore you may find that you need to eat foods that are soft and easy to swallow.
Your nurse may give you painkillers to take at home to help you swallow more comfortably. Make sure that you eat slowly and have plenty to drink during and after meals. Liquids can help to soften your food and prevent blockages. It may be helpful to use a blender to process solid foods.
Wound infection is a possible complication after any surgery, but it is unusual after thyroid surgery. To help prevent any infection once you are at home it is important to:
If your neck starts to become red, swollen or more painful, or if you have a high temperature (fever), or oozing from the wound, tell your doctor straight away. You may have an infection and need a course of antibiotics to stop it getting worse.
References
http://www.medtronic.com/us-en/patients/treatments-therapies/thyroid-surgery/life-after-surgery.html
http://about-cancer.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/thyroid-cancer/living-with/after-thyroid-surgery