Just this February 2023, I had my total Thyroidectomy Surgery because I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism and Grave's disease last year. This illness is an autoimmune disease wherein I lose weight fast and have intense muscle weakness without medicine. So in this blog, I want to share all my experiences and my advice to those considering having the same surgery.
How Much Does a Thyroidectomy Surgery Cost in the Philippines?
I had my surgery at Chinese General Hospital on February 23, 2023, and the total surgery cost is approximately Php 60,000.00 not including the doctor's fees. The doctor's fee will depend on your doctor but for me it costs. In my case it was a total of Php 40,000
Since I am a member of PhilHealth, around Php 20,000 has been deducted from my total bill. I also have an HMO (Maxicare) but my preferred surgeon is not an affiliated doctor so they did not cover any of my expenses. So my advice to anyone getting this surgery and have an HMO, make sure to confirm with them if your chosen hospital and preferred doctors are affiliated so they can cover all your expenses.
How Long Did the Surgery Take and What to Expect?
I was scheduled for Total Thyroidectomy surgery on February 22, 2023, at 7 AM but I was already admitted on February 21, 2023. The nurse said I can eat and drink anything until 12 am and will be given the peripheral venous catheter around 11 pm. At around 4 am, another nurse came to give me the patient's gown and was told that I should not have anything on me underneath it. Me being me still wore my panties underneath my gown.
I was brought to the operating area 30 minutes before my schedule and was greeted by my anesthesiologist. She told me she will already inject anesthesia so I will not feel any pain and that I will be asleep the whole time. I remember they placed the oxygen mask and the next thing I could recall was being woken up by the doctor from a dream and she was telling me that the operation is done.
Just as instructed, I really didn't feel any pain and I wasn't conscious throughout the procedure. Kudos to the nurses who assisted me because they made me feel very comfortable and at ease through the surgery. I was actually crying when I got in the operating room and they were all assuring me that everything will be okay, making me laugh to lighten my mood.
All I remember was after waking up, I felt a bandage in my neck area and was told that I need to stay in the post-operation area for 2 hours as SOP. I remember being very thirsty and wanted to pee but the nurse said I need to wait until I got back to my room.
The 2-hour wait wasn't that bad because my body felt too heavy to move and my eyes were so tired so I just slept the whole time. I also remember that nurse telling me how many minutes I have left before going back to my room.
Did I Feel Any Pain During the Whole Total Thyroidectomy Surgery Procedure?
From the time I was admitted until discharge, the only times I felt pain were when the peripheral venous catheter was given, during blood extraction, and when I was given a pain reliever through the catheter. I would rate the pain for the catheter and blood extraction a 3 out of 10 or possibly lower because I've had blood extractions almost every month since I was diagnosed so I was used to that pain. As for the pain reliever, its a 4 out of 10 and it takes 4 to 6 seconds before the pain goes away.
A piece of good advice my sister with medical training also told me that keeping myself hydrated even before the surgery will make it easier for the nurse to give me to find my vein for the peripheral venous catheter and when extracting blood because the blood veins are easier to find. So 2 to 3 weeks before my operation, I made sure I drank at least 8 glasses a day or more if possible. The tip actually worked because the nurse finished the injection in one try.
Total Thyroidectomy Surgery Post Operation
After the operation and the 2-hour wait at the post-operation area, I got back in my room at around 1:30 PM so I was unconscious for 5 hours ( 7 AM to 11:30) and conscious but groggy for another 2 hours. I was already conscious while I was being delivered to my room but couldn't keep my eyes open. The first thing I did was drink some water and went to the bathroom to pee. Yes, I was already allowed to stand up and pee as long as I can do it. If not, they said I can wear a diaper so I don't need to stand.
The doctor said I can already eat anything I like and can be discharged 2 days after my operation. However, I was too weak to eat anything solid so I decided to just eat porridge and soup on the first day and started eating solids on my second day at lunch time.
How to Handle Nervousness for First-Time Surgery
This is my first time having surgery so I was very nervous of the whole procedure. The night before and on the way to the operating room, I was already crying but what helped me control my emotions is praying the rosary. It assured me that although I am going alone in the operating room, Mama Mary, Jesus, and God will be there with me and will make sure everything will be okay. It helped me calm down whenever my emotions overwhelm me.
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