Your follow-up should be scheduled for one week after surgery.
Our clinic locations are at:
- Issaquah: 510 8th Avenue NE, Suite #310, Issaquah, WA 98029
- Bellevue: 1231 116th Avenue NE, Suite #915, Bellevue, WA 98004
Please call the Bellevue ENT clinic at (425) 454 – 3938 if you need to reschedule or are unable to make your appointment.
- Pain medication: Take the prescribed pain medication as directed. If the pain is minimal, you may take an over the counter extra-strength Tylenol.
- Calcium: Take 1250 mg of calcium, three times daily until you are directed to stop. If you develop any numbness, tingling, or twitching in the face or arm, chew 1250 mg of calcium every 15 minutes and call your ENT doctor. If there is no improvement after the third dose, report to the local ER and inform your ENT surgeon.
- Thyroid hormone: Take the levothyroxine as prescribed. The dose may be titrated depending on your thyroid hormone level in one month.
- You may take an over-the-counter Colace 100 mg twice a day as needed for constipation.
You may resume a regular diet. Your endocrinologist may direct you to start a short-term low-iodine diet at the time of your follow up.
You may shower two days after surgery. You may get the wound site wet and gently dab it. If there is tape or dressing over the wound site, leave it in place and it will be removed in clinic. If it falls out, you do not need to replace it.
Restrictions/Precautions:
- You should not lift more than 15 lbs for 4 weeks after surgery. You may resume light exercise such as jogging one week after surgery. Do not engage in any strenuous activities.
- Do not fly for at least one week after surgery. Please see the post-operative instructions for additional details.
Typical things you can expect after surgery:
- You may have some drainage from the drain site after it is removed, this will usually stop after 1-2 days.
- You may have some thickening of the scar line about one week after surgery; this is the normal healing process and will flatten out with time.
- You may notice some tightness in the neck and some difficulty with swallowing which will subside with time.
Signs and symptoms to look out for:
Call our office or the operator at (425) 454-3938 if you experience any of the following:
- Fever higher than 101°F
- Brisk bleeding with rapid swelling of the neck
- Severe and worsening neck pain
- Difficulty breathing and sudden voice change
- Numbness or tingling in the face or fingers.
- If you experience these symptoms, take 2 calcium supplement tablets every 15 minutes and call the Bellevue ENT clinic. If your symptoms persist after three doses, then report to the local ER.
For any non-urgent medical problems, please call the Bellevue ENT clinic at (425) 454 – 3938 during the daytime on weekdays. If it is after normal work hours or on the weekend, please call the Bellevue ENT operator at (425) 454 – 3938 and ask for the physician on call for ENT. For emergent issues, please proceed immediately to the nearest ER.