the parathyroid op

[Bouncer]

Hi

I am due to have the op to remove my gland with the growth on it on Tuesday.

Has anyone here had the op and can they tell me what to expect.

Thanks

[GERALDDAVID]

I had the operation 4 years ago, took out 2 of my 4 parathyroids. get a surgeon with experience. Tricky operation, you don`t want them to take all 4, that would be bad. Go to parathyroid.com. They ended up taking out all my thyroid, enlarged and knotty. Was working OK though. Took a long time to get my hormones right. You will have to take calcium for two weeks. Spent 3 days in the hospital, had neck bleeding, had to go back under to stop it. Try and keep your thyroid, parathyroids are very small and behind the the thyroid

[Rebec in reply to GERALDDAVID]

Why did you have to have this operation? I've had high calcium in the blood for a number of years but prefer to have my bone density monitored and other aspects that might be influenced by a faulty parathyroid. My ent told me that sometimes, when someone has half of the thyroid removed, one or two of the parathyroid glands are pulled along too. You're right that one has to find an extremely experienced surgeon.

[GERALDDAVID in reply to Rebec]

I had this operation because my PTH was very high and a calcium urine test, had to save it up for two days, keep it in the fridge was over 600, very high. The kidneys try to rid the body of the excess calcium, if this is allowed to continue they will be calcified, or turned to stone.

Go to parathyroid.com and read about Dr Normans methods, He can do the operation in 20 mins. Has a device that can locate the Parathyroid gland. He does hundreds of these operations, others use his methods also. I couldn`t afford that but my doctor knew about him, even talked to him on the phone before. However I`m in Texas and he is in Florida. Check it out at the web site, he explains everything.

[Rebec in reply to GERALDDAVID]

Thanks for your help but I live in the UK. Many members of my family are American so I might have alook at the surgeon you suggested. I just got the results of my calcium which just got over the maximum. The interesting thing is that many doctors try to avoid going to doctors. Keep an eye on a book which is going to be published in November. The main writer is an MD herself, Dr. Erika Schwartz, a family member. The title of the book says it all. You can see it at Amazon.

[Bouncer in reply to Rebec]

Hi Rebec

Don't you feel so tired and drained? The op was the best thing I have ever done. And all those problems I simply put down to being old have gone away.

[Rebec in reply to Bouncer]

Hi Bouncer, so glad you 'bounced' back to how you used to feel before the parathyroid problems started! How many parathyroid glands did you have removed? Are you going to be given calcium or you're fine with the ones which have been left?

Did the surgeon found the faulty ones easily as I heard that sometimes, the surgeon has to look for some as they are not located before the operation.

[Bouncer in reply to Rebec]

To be honest I don't know how many he took out! I go back to see him on Wed and will find out then.( I hope) It was quite odd that nobody suggested I had a blood test about a week after the op, so I asked my GP for one as I have pins and needles in my hands now, and read some where that could be low calcium. My levels were fine so I am just living with the pins and needles for now. The discharge from hospital was very slap dash, I was given a handful of dressings and 30 painkillers and was on my way! and to ring and make a follow up appointment. That was easier said than done , as i had cancelled my last appointment I had been discharged back to my GP. I only cancelled as I had the op the following day.

[Rebec in reply to Bouncer]

It looks as if you had all four of them removed. Anyway, you'll have your calcium and vitamin D checked so you'll know how much calcium to take.

All the best!

[Bouncer in reply to Rebec]

I hope I get them checked! X

[Rebec in reply to Bouncer]

So tomorrow, you'll know exactly what happened to your four little glands. Hope you'll get the follow-up care you deserve. If you're seeing your surgeon, it means that you'll be in a hospital so you can have all thetests necessary to know where you're standing.

[Haze1975]

Hi Bouncer.

The op isn't as bad as you think. I've had to have two thyroid op. I had my op about 2 years ago April and the second one in September. I lost my thyroid due to cancer. I had half of it removed due to the cancer inside it. In the hope That the other side would be fine and I wouldn't be independent on tablets for the rest of my life. For a 38 year old who wasn't much being sick to be independent on tablets for the rest of my life is more scary. But it was to late the cancer had spread into the other side and had to be removed as well. I was more scared of the word cancer. Than the op it self. I have a really good set of specialist helping me get throw this. My surgent and his team was the first. They were helpful and understanding as well. They will talk you throw it all. And the nurse in recovery will help you come around. And the nurse on the ward will help you as well. You don't have to be afford of anythink. Your only in their for half day unless you have to stay in.

Good lucky for Tuesday and you will be alright.

Haze.

[Bouncer in reply to Haze1975]

Your reply really made stop and think about what to worry about and what not to!

I hope your feeling better, and the "c" is under control.

Take care and best wishes.

[bantam12 in reply to Bouncer]

It looks like Haze1975 is talking about thyroid not parathyroid.

[Rebec]

You're talking about a gland with growth on it, so you mean the thyroid? But uou entitled your post parathyroid! The parathyroids are very small glands. Sometimes, when they remove half of the thyroid, they remove one or two parathyroids.

Good luck with the operation.

[faith63]

I would not remove anything, as most of this is not cancerous and functional medicine has ways of putting autoimmune issues into remission. Removal is a last resort, after all other options, treatments, have been exhausted. I had a hysterectomy and ovary removal, before i found out that progesterone and estrogen creams could have prevented this..for example. And that food sensitivities can cause autoimmune disease and removal of these foods, can cause remission.

[Zelda5 in reply to faith63]

The only cure for a hyperparathyroid is surgery. It's caused by a parathyroid Adenoma a benign tumor, but if you leave it can make you feel very bad. No dietary change will have an effect on it and if the surgeon is good the thyroid should be fine and there are 4 parathyroids, and if only one of them is bad, she'd have three more to that are still working.

[Bouncer]

Thank you to all that replied. It is my parathyroid gland they are taking out. My calcium levels are way too high and I feel about 90. I have felt like this for over three years now. Hopefully this op will make me feel better and cure my moan, bones and groans.

I will let you no how I get on.

Thanks again.

[bantam12]

Hope you got my private message,

Good luck.

[Penandink]

Hello I had the thyroid op but they bruised my parathyroid so am now on alfacidol for life ! My Dad had parathyroid op last year and he only went to day hospital so it was very smooth ! My op involved drains and drips but his was walk in park in comparison but I did have mine in 1993 so hopefully smoother for you ! Good Luck !

[Bouncer]

Thank you to everybody that responded. I have now had my op and I can't get over the difference it has made. I go back to the hospital on Wed for my check up. I feel like I have got my life back. No longer do I come home from work and sleep before I cook tea, and when I wake up in the morning I really feel like I have slept. I do feel a little cross that I had to wait 3 years for the op, with the consultant wanting monthly blood tests, and taking the let's try everything else 1st approach. Thanks again , take care Gill