Yes.............these little parathyroids are hard to find and they have a different function than a regular thyroid.........yes, both are glands. Mine was "hiding" behind my regular thyroid and supposedly hard to detect. My endo doc or the hospital did not go farther in terms of tests - the gland (only one bad one) was taken out at the Norman Clinic and the main trick is finding the bad one and they have the specialists that can do that. There is a video on their web site.
Previously I went to a large hospital in Oregon and my dexa chart was going quickly downhill (the bad thyroid was causing depletion from the bones). I can't replace the lost bone material but at least the "depletion" is stopped. There is a thing called capitation in which the doctors who practice within large hospital groups want to save the hospital's p&l so they delay on the "expensive" procedures. My tumor was 1 inch which is large to miss on my little neck???? I am glad I made my own decision. Endo doc's main customers are diabetic and this is a speciality area - so do your research..............best of luck. Yes, I felt better 1 week after surgery.....a huge difference!!!