Parathyroid Disease advice any one have any exp... - Thyroid UK

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Parathyroid Disease advice any one have any experience of this?

Alpaca20 profile image
7 Replies

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of Parathyroid disease ?

I have graves which I’m currently off my medication for to see how I go as per last endo appointment.

I have been unwell for some time I’m 37 had many tests finally my gp referred me to cardiology and my ecg was slightly abnormal so I’m now awaiting an angiogram and other tests , I have so many symptoms of parathyroid disease and I’m going to ask GP to test for it but it seems it’s not often checked I wondered how easy it is to diagnose as calcium levels can fluctuate. If anyone has any experience of this or can offer some advice please get in touch ,

Many thanks

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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You need calcium, vitamin D and parathyroid levels tested together

Blood draw needs to be at a hospital with path lab, as PTH test must be processed ASAP after blood draw

Website with full details on parathyroid dose

parathyroid.com

Recommend downloading calcium pro app

(made by the Norman Centre Florida)

Add your data to the app once you get calcium, PTH and vitamin D results

calciumpro.com

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Alpaca20 profile image
Alpaca20 in reply to SlowDragon

Thank you very much for your reply it’s very helpful . I am going to message my gp (again) tomorrow to ask for these tests. My endocrinology consultant put me on vitamin D supplements ages ago so I take 800iu colecalciferol every day . Just said it’s common to be low in vit D never investigated it I guess . I’m also on a ppi for reflux although all investigations found no acid . And I’m on day 3 of betablokers. I had recent bloods done on 9th June and these were all within range I think they checked calcium here as well , so I have a feeling GP will say your calcium levels are within normal range and May say to wait til I’ve had all the heart tests .

I even went to a&e with the shaking chest pain and tremors twitching etc a few months ago but was told it was likely anxiety as thyroid levels fine … they didn’t do an ecg at the time yet the ecg I’ve had recently shows that there is something going on . All very scary and no one has ever suggested parathyroid disease it’s only from seeing it on here once I have looked into a bit more . I said to my gp I was concerned I had MS but she said I’d had an head mri a couple of years ago that would have shown something if it was MS.

Thanks again

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Alpaca20

Sounds more likely it’s your thyroid levels

When were thyroid levels tested

Likely 800iu vitamin D is inadequate dose

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have Graves dose or autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's)

Have you definitely had Graves’ disease confirmed by high TSI or Trab antibodies?

Acid reflux suggests LOW stomach acid….extremely common hypothyroid symptom

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Have you had Graves’ disease confirmed by high TSI air Trab antibodies

Graves Disease antibodies test

medichecks.com/products/tsh...

Good info on Graves’ disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease).

Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue with Graves and Hashimoto’s

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Link about Graves’ disease

thyroiduk.org/hyperthyroid-...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Early stage Hashimoto’s can often be misdiagnosed as Graves’ disease as it starts with transient hyperthyroid results and symptoms before becoming increasingly hypothyroid

Alpaca20 profile image
Alpaca20 in reply to SlowDragon

This is great info thank you!!A lot of these symptoms got bad 2 weeks after I was taken off of carbimazole I was only on a low dose 5 mg per day can’t help thinking it’s more than a coincidence as I was told after relapsing the first time they took me off it that i could be on low dose for life . My endocrine doctor just keeps saying my bloods are normal . Really doesn’t have the time for me . I don’t know if I had the anti bodies test for graves I don’t think I did …but in all my notes it’s been labelled as graves .

I’m messaging my GP first thing to ask about all my latest levels and I’ll see what they say also about parathyroid test .

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Alpaca20

Just contact receptionist at surgery

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Plus TSI or Trab antibodies to confirm Graves’ disease

Alpaca20 profile image
Alpaca20 in reply to SlowDragon

Hi there just to update I’m still waiting for gp to get back to me I’ve asked for parathyroid tests and the results of my last bloods for all the things you mentioned so waiting on all that .

Do you think it’s possible that although my endocrine doctor tells me all bloods are normal that I am still overactive with thyroid ?

In April these were my results( these were all typed onto a letter I haven’t seen the actual report )

TSH 0.94

Free T4 of 21.9

Free T3 4.4

Magnesium 0.77

Calcium 2.24

FSH 5.0

LH 4.0

I also had bloods more recently however waiting on these results from gp….

I find it such a coincidence that symptoms have got worse for me since stopping long term carbimazole yet they’ve said if thyroid functions remain normal they’ll consider discharging me in 6 months time…

Thanks

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Alpaca20

Please add ranges on these results Every lab has different ranges

Ft3 looks too low…but need ranges to definitely confirm that

TSH 0.94

Free T4 of 21.9

Free T3 4.4

Was test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Obviously need vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested too

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