Hyperparathyroidism - the "gift" that loves to keep on giving!!
Posted , 10 users are following.
Good 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
6 likes, 98 replies
jody32393 elainec33
Posted
Hello Elaine, i dont know if anyone is still on here after 5 years but i need help, im on my own, ive been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism and whenever i try to explain to my sister or mum what im going through and why i dont feel well they're just not interested or they will say "you'll be ok " "you'll feel better tomorrow" and i have no one to talk to, what can i do.
elaine2447 jody32393
Edited
Hi Jody, I am so sorry that you are suffering with this horrible disease. I apologise for the delay in answering but had a lot of trouble getting back onto the forum hence the name change. Firstly please do not feel you are alone. I don't know what country you are in, and feel it is possibly the UK which puts you even more at a disadvantage.
I went through hell the last 5 years because my GP would send me for blood tests every three months, ie. calcium, pth and vitamin D and every single time, (I had the results printed as i didnt trust them) it would come back above the normal range, to be expected! I was suffering with anxiety caused by the phpt plus the anxiety of having severe osteoporosis and in the meantime i had sustained a spinal compression fracture at T5. I joined a really helpful group, not the original one i posted up which got out of hand, and one of the admin suggested i listen to a podcast which is done or was done every month by one of the best surgeons in the world, Dr Larian in California. I wrote a message, not thinking for a minute he would answer and to my surprise he did and gave me around 6 minutes He felt that because my osteoporosis was severe my hyperparathyroidism should not be dismissed as mild and told me to get something done whatever it cost. I had spent a fortune on no hopers and i had explained that in my particular area the knowledge of phpt is almost non existent.
So on his recommendation, I went down to London in January of last year 2020, I had already had 7 negative scans but he was charming and even offered to operate under the NHS. I said i was fed up with being messed about and so i went privately 3 days before the first lockdown so i was lucky. He removed 3 glands and made the comment that i hadnt made life easy for him so I am glad i went to one of the best.
In the meantime the delay has helped put me into stage 2 chronic kidney disease. I was advised to complain to PALS which which I did and they wanted me to take it further, but i said i was only complaining about this particular endocrine department for the sake of any other patients who might fall victim there.
I suggest that you join the page on Facebook and you will get most of the answers from there
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hyperpara.parathyroiduk
If posting links is not allowed I will send you a private message.