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I was recently diagnosed with hyperparathyroidisum and was wondering what kinds of symptoms other folks have experienced. The surgeon says I need surgery but I have been doing the vitamin D thing (my Primary Care doc suggested) however I am still having symptoms. Does or dis anybody experience anxiety, difficulty controling mood (depression or anger), waves of weakness and nausea, heart palipatations with shortness of breath, chills that come and go, foot cramps at night and days that feel like my brain is alseep at the wheel?
I am going to go back to the doctor today and would appreciate hearing from anybody out there.
PS. Something was seen on one (maybe 2)of the parathyroids in my scan.
Thank You!
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16 Responses
Your symptoms certainly sound like they could be hyperparathyroidism, but a qualified doctor who specializes in parathyroid should make that determination based on your Parathyroid and Calcium level.
The following is from Dr. Jim Norman's site www.parathyroid.com, an editorial board member of ours, but a well respect parathyroid surgeon: http://www.parathyroid.com/diagnosis.htm. Its a good explanation of how to diagnose.
Symptoms of Parathyroid:
- Loss of energy. Don't feel like doing much. Tired all the time.
- Just don't feel well; don't quite feel normal. Hard to explain but just feel kind of bad.
- Feel old. Don't have the interest in things that you used to.
- Can't concentrate, or can't keep your concentration like in the past.
- Depression.
- Osteoporosis and Osteopenia.
- Bones hurt; typically it's bones in the legs and arms but can be most bones.
- Don't sleep like you used to. Wake up in middle of night. Trouble getting to sleep.
- Tire during the day and frequently feel like you want a nap.
- Spouse claims you are more irritable and harder to get along with
- Forget simple things that you used to remember very easily.
- Gastric acid reflux; heartburn; GERD.
- Decrease in sex drive.
- Thinning hair (predominately in older females).
- Kidney Stones.
- High Blood Pressure
- Headaches (usually patients under the age of 40).
- Heart Palpitations
txgal, are you on another endocrine support group? I think I responded to a similar email before.
I have many of your symptoms, but I get hot flashes, not chills. Also, my neck hurts on the left where my endo saw something on the ultrasound that looks like two nodules stuck together. Maybe she's looking at a bad parathyroid. She told me yesterday I have 'mild' parathyroid disease. Mild or not, I feel awful. VITAMIN D DID NOT HELP ME. It only took away some of the muscle cramps, but it made my migraines worse. I read on Dr. Norman's site, www.parathyroid.com that taking vitamin D can be dangerous to people with high levels of calcium. Also, the only cure for parathyroid disease is to take out the bad gland.
I live in Texas, but I have asked my doctor to send me to Dr. Norman in Florida for my surgery. He's the only one I trust, and I would much rather have a one inch scar than a 6-10 inch scar. My endo is waiting on a biopsy result first, but I'm getting VERY impatient. I'm tired of this sickness.
Tamra
I just got another blood test back showing low magnesium levels. I am wondering if this is also part of hyperparathyroidism. My 24 hour urine test was positive for hyperparathyroidism but have been torn between the surgeon and the other doc. One says just do Vit D (my calcium levels were within "normal range") and the other says you need the surgery. All I know is I am sick and very TIRED of feeling like this. Last week I got so faint and such irregular heart beats that I had to leave work and go to bed. Does anyone know about the magnesium connection or is there one?
Tamra-
I also have migraines as well as osteoporosis. I get overheated feeling sometimes too. I have also noticed getting more irritable than before. The surgeon here in Austin is Dr. Brady. I have made appointment to see her again. Let me know how things turn out. Good Luck!
TX Gal, I'm in San Antonio. My first endo here tried to pump me up with Vitamin D. I ended up in the ER that night with a TERRIBLE migraine, chest pain and dehydration. Please read www.parathyroid.com under the 'Vitamin D' column.
I am waiting on a biopsy of three nodules before my endo will send me to a surgeon. I have already asked her to send me to Dr. Norman in Florida because she concurs that the surgeons in Texas do the old fashioned six to ten inch scar exploratory surgery. My mom had that done for her thyroid surgery and she was in the hospital for two days and was laid up in bed a week after that.
I don't think I have osteoporosis yet, but I do have back, hip, rib, knee and foot pain. I'm not sure about what your magnesium levels mean. My alkaline phosphatase levels are abnormally low. My endo says that's a sign of bone problems. I wonder if it's related to my parathyroid.
I have many, many symptoms. Too many to list here. If you want to talk more offline, let me know and I'll send you my email address.
Tamra
Tamra-
Send to lov4Jeremy@yahoo.com
Okay, I just sent you an email.
T.
I had another bad round of heart palpitations with weakness and recent lab shows PTH still high even though I did the Vit. D. All the symptoms have gotten worse and my anxiety and irritablity has gotten so bad it is effecting my job. I awakened at 3:30 AM again and couldn't go back to sleep. I have an appointment with the surgeon today. I am putting this on the fast track. I hope she can work me in for next week.
Is there someone out there who has had the surgery and can let me know how it went for them regarding recovery and how soon their symptoms improved?
PS. Tamra-I didn't get the email.
TXGAL, check your email again. Maybe your spam? Vitamin D makes me worse. It helps the body to absorb the high calcium.
Tamra
I copied and pasted your email to mine.
One of the women I work with had this surgery earlier this year in Lubbock - she was out about 10 days and then back to work. She only had a small (maybe 2") scar and says she is feeling fantastic - her headaches are gone and her blood pressure is almost back to normal.
I experienced all those symptoms and I had my surgery to remove a adnoma on my parathyroid gland August 2008. I can not tell you how wonderful Dr. Norman (see http://parathyroid.com/) . I flew down to Florida from Kansas to have my operation. I am feeling much better.
Thanks, Kourtenay! Dr. Norman's office has just received my paperwork, so I should be hearing from him soon.
Tamra
I had my surgery and things went well except my voice is not 100 percent back yet. I also learned the hard way to stay on top of my calcium and vitamin D suppliments until the other glands start working full time. I am tired but I figure it is my calcium levels not yet straightened out. Over the July 4th weekend I got distracted and didn't take all the suppliments as my doc had told me to and paid a big price for it. (I took a few here and there but not all as I had been before the holiday hit.) I got very tired, was very tender to the touch (all over but very acute on the chest) and had diarrhea. Word to the wise, don't slack off on your supplements after surgery! I am keeping my fingers crossed that my voice will come back. Has anyone else had this problem after surgery?
TXGAL, did she mention if she hit a vocal cord by mistake? Here's a link to an article about vocal cord injury during surgery.
Tamra
http://www.ohiohealth.com/bodymayo.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=6&action=detail&re...
Endocrine glands are glands of the endocrine system that secrete their products, hormones, directly into the blood rather than through a duct. The main endocrine glands include the pituitary gland, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid gland, and adrenal glands. The hypothalamus is a neuroendocrine organ. Other organs which are not so well known for their endocrine activity include the stomach, which produces such hormones as ghrelin.
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