Thyroid hormone supplementation
If the entire thyroid is removed, then lifelong thyroid hormone supplementation is required, starting on the first day after surgery.
If only one side of the thyroid is removed, most people do not require additional thyroid medications, however up to a quarter of patients may require additional hormone supplementation.
Thyroid hormone medications are usually given as a tablet taken in the morning once a day. Your initial dose is prescribed according to your weight, however this dose may be adjusted over time with the guidance of blood tests to achieve an optimal level of circulating thyroxine in your body.
Calcium supplementation
There are 4 glands around your Thyroid called Parathyroid glands. These have a role in regulating calcium in your blood.
Not uncommonly after thyroid surgery, they don’t function normally for a short period of time. Sometimes a number of these glands may also be removed during thyroid surgery. This may be unavoidable as these parathyroid glands are often closely adherent to the thyroid gland or are occasionally located inside the affected thyroid.
Therefore, in some cases taking calcium tablets may be required in the short term after surgery.
Generally, after one side of the thyroid is removed (hemithyroidectomy), no calcium tablet supplementation is required because you have usually 2 other parathyroid glands on the other side which will still work normally. The exception to this is if you have had previous surgery to the other side.
After a total thyroidectomy, we would normally check your blood calcium levels and prescribe you calcium tablets to take. Most of the time, you can stop taking these tablets after some time, depending on your blood test results. Very rarely, you may need calcium tablets in the long term.