High calcium - hyperparathyroid?

Hi. Try not to worry about malgnant tumours if you get a positive diagnosis. The liklihood is virtually zero. But you will need surgery and a bone scan at your age, to check for osteoporosis. The biggest problem is getting to the point where you are referred to a suitable surgeon so you must be prepared to push the relevant consultant when your doctor refers you. I had my surgery 12 months ago and it wasnt anywhere near as bad as I feared. Easy to say I know, but looking back It had to be done. Good luck because it is a long journey, but you will feel so much better afterwards. If I can be of help with reassurance I will be happy to oblige x

Thank you so much. Osteoporosis is likely anyway due to the early menopause. I had the beginnings of it when i went on HRT but I came off that after 10years due to the dangers we were being warned of at that time.

Can I ask was your surgery as an out or an in patient, how long did you have to wait and were you offered meds in the meantime?

Cheers

Chrissy

 

Hi. I Stayed in Birmingham Heartlands hospital overnight, And left with a two inch scar which almost dissapeared a few weeks after a parathyroid tumour was removed. They only keep you in to make sure that calcium levels have returned to normal. Now I am prescribed vit D for life. The only thing I was offered as medication while I waited was Alendronic acid for osteoporosis. This didnt agree with me and I soon found out that it shouldnt have been prescribed until after surgery anyway ! As I said before, it does take time as other people will tell you. So dont be fobbed off because Its not until you can get referred to a surgeon that the process will fall into place. It took 15 months for me from seeing my GP in the first instance to getting surgery done. It will be worth it, Keep in touch x

Hello Chris:

My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA.  I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease.

High calcium can be a problem with the parathyroid glands and it can also come from a family trait. It can also be from another medication you may be taking, or some other condition in the body.

Your heart can be effected by too much calcium, so ask to see a cardiologist and have a good check-up.  How is your cholesterol levels?

If you have an Ultrasound of the thyroid they can see any growths that may be there.

Any questions just ask,

Shelly

Hi Chris

Very sorry you are going through all this.  Sounds like you have all the symptoms of primary hyperparathyroidism. Generally the hair loss is around the face.  Try not to panic, anxiety is one of the worst symptoms by the way.  Join our group on facebook, there are nearly 500 of us all gone or going through the same thing, although it is a uk group we have members from the US and other parts of the world.  You can find out first hand and have a good moan and ask questions, no worries about having your comments deleted if they contain links etc. Look forward to seeing you, it's a private group

Hyperparathyroid UK Action4Change

Regards

Elaine

Hi Chris

Very sorry you are going through all this.  Sounds like you have all the symptoms of primary hyperparathyroidism. Generally the hair loss is around the face.  Try not to panic, anxiety is one of the worst symptoms by the way.  Join our group on facebook, there are nearly 500 of us all gone or going through the same thing, although it is a uk group we have members from the US and other parts of the world.  You can find out first hand and have a good moan and ask questions, no worries about having your comments deleted if they contain links etc. Look forward to seeing you, it's a private group

Hyperparathyroid UK Action4Change

Regards

Elaine

Hi again,

this is a  post I did some months ago, I have copied and pasted it as if I post up the link even though it is related to this site, it will probably get deleted.  I have listed some of the symptoms.

Hyperparathyroidism - the "gift" that loves to keep on giving!!Posted 4 months agoGood morning, I hope everyone is not feeling too wretched today.  There are many sad stories here and as you know this vile disease can strike at anyone from aged 13 to very elderly and left mainly because of the ignorance of GP's and even some endocrinologists, who like the term "you have mild hyperparathyroidism" when actually there is no such thing, you either have it or you don't.

A young woman had an article written in a national newspaper of the 7 years of hell she went through, only because she noticed that her blood calcium level was elevated.  This is how I found out too, so sadly we have to do our own investigating and get copies of blood tests from GP's otherwise, like mine, whatever the result "no further action".

Sallie has created a  closed Facebook group where many sufferers have joined and expressed how they feel and there are some happy endings where they have been operated on.  Her aim is to make the NHS aware of what i happening and has also created a petition because of the untold suffering of some people who feel totally abandoned and helpless.  She has devised a schedule with names of surgeons and findings.  This is most important as you can end up with a surgeon as one did, who removed lymph glands by mistake!!!

I urge you to join the group "Hyperparathyroid UK Action for Change"  you can say exactly how you feel ask questions, post links in fact do anything to help yourself and perhaps others.

At the moment, like Phil who did this earlier on here, we are also creating a symptoms list and again urge people to add anything they feel is as a result of pre op HPT.  We are also connected with the U.S. group who has direct access to the well known Norman parathryoidectomy clinic in Tampa, who are happy to answer questions.

This is the start of our list:

Depression

Chronic nausea

 weight loss as a consequence

 rapid heartbeat more or less constant

 feeling hot and uncomfortable when it's not hot

 a feeling like a tight corset around the bottom ribs which seems to get worse at night and if I can eat something usually have to stand up eating

unable to sleep for more than a couple of hours and only with a pill

 usual wake up 3.00 or 5.00 and then just stay awake getting more and more churned up

desperately fatigued but feeling wired up

 bone pain in knee joint and back, hands anywhere in fact

 osteoporosis

 mild panic attacks

 a feeling of total hopelessness and doom

 no interest in anything

 constantly anxious

 easily agitated

 irritable and impatient

 difficulty in tolerating noise even the radio playing softly

 stomach burning up with acidity

 burping even with still water

 no appetite at all

odd fads, going from healthy to unhealthy diet

 having to force oneself to try and eat something

 the thought of food and smells giving the shudders

 becoming almost phobic about eating particularly in the evening

 unable to face anything healthy, no fresh fruit or veg

 Trembling as if excited but definitely not!

Tinitis

 Ear popping

Kidney Stones

Sinus Problems

Loss of Hair

Jaw Pains

Loss of Emotions

Weight Gain

Short tempered

Difficulty swallowing

Dry flaky aged skin

Vision issues

Teeth issues

Constant UTI's

Constipation

Irritable bowel syndrome

Confusion

Seizures possibly Calcium deposits in brain giving epilectic symptoms

heartburn

pancreatitis

headaches