My hyperparathyroidism's worsening it seems. Surgery ahead?
I'm a 76.7 years old guy living alone. In Dec. 2022, a blood study indicated that more info/data were needed to know about suspected hyperparathyroidism in me. In 2023 a number of tests were done along with a bone scan which was done in July 2023 and found my bones to be in the middle of the range for osteopenia. The endocrinologist told me last year I really should have surgery for my primary hyperparathyroidism. After reading a bit about this medical problem last year, it seemed to me that there's too much guess work by MDs who try to figure out which of the 4 tiny glands has gone haywire and has to be excised. I told the endocrinologist that I'd like my levels followed over time to see what changes. Well, after blood calcium scores in Dec. 2022 and in 2023 running from 10.9 (Dec. 2022) to 10.2 to 10.6 (in 2023) and just 5 days ago now 10.5, and with my PTH scores in 2023 from 89.9 (Jan. 2023) to 71.1 (late Aug. 2023) and just 5 days ago shooting all the way up to 104.2, I'm getting scared and hope to meet with the endocrinologist very soon. The only physical symptom I have is very stubborn, severe constipation (but even though I like water, I'm never thirsty and forget to drink the required 3.7 liters for men every day-- maybe my failure to drink adequate water accounts for the awful constipation- I don't know).
I did have kidney stones in the very early 2000s but none for years which is a mystery to me. [When I had my 1st one ~ 2001 or 2002, I was given a special funnel strainer to catch the stone on its way out of me. I did catch it, brought it in, and was told that the lab found it to be the standard, common calcium type kidney stone. But none after that 1st and 2nd one long ago.]
Any other men here with scores scary as mine seem to be to me?
Has anyone here gone to that self-declared top parathyroid surgery place in Tampa, FL? How were surgical outcomes there?
I'm worried about parathyroid surgery causing bad injuries to the nerves serving the vocal cords-- this is a known risk. I read that one really has to find a tip-top, very experienced surgeon to do one's parathyroid surgery. I live alone and have no one to speak for me in case I can't speak.
Tell me what you can. Thanks, musicbart
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You mentioned moments like with the garage door and not knowing how to operate the opener…I had a few of those moments too like unable to locate a letter on keyboard all of sudden just odd surprising blank moments. Immediately upon waking post surgery my head felt so clear and I believe that undefinable fog has lifted. Amazing what too much calcium in the blood can do to a person. Hope surgery will alleviate those moments for you too
Thanks arctictraveler for that interesting statement. Today I meet with my internist MD and will tell him about the odd, bizarre, sudden memory losses that occurred with the sudden, intense nausea "spells" that each lasted only ~ 30 seconds to maybe a full minute.
Maybe he'll have something to say about great, top parathyroid surgery locations though I may still be heading south for that.
You want expert surgeons who will find all 4 glands. You always want all 4 checked so you don't have to have another surgery.
I had hyperparathyroid and osteoporosis. I had surgery to remove one of the 4 we have. I now take Calcitrol daily, with calcium supplements and I get Prolia shots every 6 months. So far bones density improved and nothing else went wrong. Plus I have had hypothyroidism for a couple decades now.
Surgery is the only cure as I am presuming secondary HPT has been ruled out. I was misdiagnosed for 14 years due to normohormonal HPT, meaning elevated calcium but normal PTH and a lack of understanding in the medical field of the inverse relationship that should exist between PTH and calcium. Diagnosed with osteoporosis at 55 having lost 1,5 inches in height. My parathyroidectomy was done October 30 and it was the best thing ever. My adenoma weighed in at 676mg and was in my chest below my collarbone. Find an excellent surgeon with A LOT of experience with PARAthyroid surgery and be certain the surgeon does a 4 gland exploration as well as intraoperative PTH testing. I repeat THERE IS NO CURE other than surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. I had an excellent surgeon at Penn Medicine in Princeton. I did NOT use an ENT but an Endocrine Surgeon (a general surgeon with a separate residency in endocrine surgery).