What are the considerations for life after thyroid cancer surgery?

  Congratulations on your discharge from the hospital. There are no special contraindications to your daily life after discharge.  There is no problem with active exercise and there is no need to avoid any special diet. As for iodine-containing foods such as seaweed, it is not necessary to consider too much except for people with thyroid hormone deficiency. Iodine intake does not have any adverse effect on the postoperative follow-up of thyroid cancer.  Outpatient follow-up after discharge from hospital is important. During the follow-up, we should pay attention to the condition of the incision, the balance of thyroid hormones and the recurrence of thyroid cancer. Most thyroid cancers grow slowly and do not require weekly or monthly follow-up, but slow-growing cancers may recur after many years and must be followed up for life. Follow-up visits are based on palpation, with appropriate blood, ultrasound and chest x-ray examinations.  Compared with the chest and abdomen, the neck is sensitized and discomfort is inevitable after neck surgery, including various symptoms such as blockage sensation in the larynx, strangulation, difficulty swallowing, voice changes (even without paralysis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve), swelling and pulling of the neck, and shoulder soreness. Postoperative sensory dullness, these symptoms begin 1-2 weeks after surgery, at the time of discharge, and persist for at least 2 months. In patients undergoing lymph node dissection of the neck, the discomfort may last for several years.  In reality, these are sensory problems and have nothing to do with the nature of the lesion or the success of the surgery, and early progressive massage or traction may have some effect.  Due to the fear of pain and afraid to exercise, there will be dirt left around the incision and the symptoms will hardly disappear. These symptoms need not be overly concerned, please return to normal life early.