Recovery after parathyroid surgery: week by week

Few published ranges exist for this operation in the sources reviewed, so this page gives the figures BAETS states and uses plain wording elsewhere. A focused operation and a four-gland exploration can differ in how sore the neck is and how long you stay, and your own team's advice takes precedence.

You wake from the general anaesthetic with a sore throat and a neck that feels tight or bruised. If your operation was focused you may go home the same day, as BAETS says is possible in some centres; after a four-gland exploration through a 5 to 7 cm incision a longer stay is more likely, although hospital policy decides.

Calcium can dip after the overactive gland is removed. BAETS says your blood calcium may fall too low and that you are given calcium and vitamin D supplements if needed, so take them exactly as prescribed and do not stop on your own.

Tingling or spasms in the lips, fingers or toes are the symptoms to know. BAETS advises contacting your GP if they appear, because they may mean calcium is low. A tingling mouth that comes and goes is the sort of change that deserves a call the same day; severe cramps, spasms or difficulty breathing call for emergency help.

Ask your team how calcium will be checked after the operation and who reviews the result. The NHS cautions against changing your diet for hyperparathyroidism without specialist guidance, so ask whether you should alter calcium intake at this stage.

The neck wound is small after a focused operation and longer after exploration. Keep it dry and clean as the ward advises and report redness, heat or discharge. The BAETS thyroid consequences leaflet, which covers similar neck wounds, says scars typically fade to thin white lines after a year or more, and that neck numbness is usually temporary.

The BAETS thyroid leaflets describe temporary voice change as possible after neck surgery of this kind, so report persistent hoarseness to your surgeon.

BAETS says driving is fine once you can make an emergency stop safely. GOV.UK says anyone who cannot control a vehicle safely must not drive and that the DVLA must be told if you cannot drive three months after an operation. Check your insurer if you are unsure.

BAETS gives office work after two to three weeks and heavy work after four. Walking is encouraged from the start. Avoid heavy lifting and strenuous exercise until your neck feels comfortable.

Follow-up is where your team reviews calcium and whether the operation has dealt with the underlying problem. Call 999 for difficult or noisy breathing or rapid neck swelling, and seek urgent advice for tingling, spasms or cramps. Contact the surgical team or NHS 111 for a hot, red or leaking wound or a fever.