I haven't posted much this past year because I've been dealing with serious health issues. In 2005 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and my health went downhill fast. I've been trying to exercise, take vitamins and improve my eating habits. Finally this past Summer, my Doctors did more lab work and found that I had way too much Calcium in my system. I did some Nuclear Testing and one of my parathyroid had an adenoma, and was HUGE. We have 4 parathyroids, two on each thyroids. If there is something wrong it causes your body to create too much Calcium. The extra calcium, that my body was creating, caused me to have kidney stones 5 or 6 times, one of them was while I was pregnant with my daughter and I had to be bedridden for 2 months after that. Kidney Stones are so painful! It's worse than childbirth because the pain is constant. Luckily there are pain meds for that. I hadn't felt good for over 20 years.
Parathyroid disease (hyperparathyroidism) causes symptoms in most people, but it will decrease the life expectancy in all patients by about 5-6 years if the parathyroid tumor is not removed. This page discusses the symptoms associated with disease of the parathyroid glands (hyperparathyroidism). Most people with hyperparathyroidism don't feel well. Parathyroid tumors take away the "joy of life". parathyroid.com
Last week, on October 28th, I had one of them removed. Yesterday I went to my follow up, after surgery appointment. The surgeon told me that mine was the largest she has ever seen. Normally a parathyroid is half the size of your pinky nail, my was 7 grams, almost 2 inches (it was about the size of an egg yolk). I said maybe I can be in ripley believe it or not. lol She said it's possible!!! Below I've copied the symptoms of Parathyroid Disease (Hyperparathyroidism). I'm going to highlight all the symptoms that I've experienced.
Most people with hyperparathyroidism will have 5 - 6 of these symptoms. Some will have lots of them. A few people will say they don't have any... but after an operation they will often say otherwise. 95% of people with hyperparathyroidism will have 4 or more of these symptoms. In general, the longer you have hyperparathyroidism, the more symptoms you will develop. http://parathyroid.com/parathyroid-symptoms.htm
In the past 10 years, in addition the highlighted health issues, I've had cysts in my breasts, kidney (from calcification) and benign tumors in my thyroids. It wasn't till recently that they found that my calcium was too high and that the parathyroids was the problem.
Good News:
Last week, on October 28th, I had one of them removed. Yesterday I went to my follow up, after surgery appointment. The surgeon told me that mine was the largest she has ever seen. Normally a parathyroid is half the size of your pinky nail, my was 7 grams, almost 2 inches (it was about the size of an egg yolk). I said maybe I can be in Ripley Believe It or Not. lol She said it's possible!!!
Now I'm on the mend. I've been shaky and numb because of the pain meds. I think I've been going through withdrawals. Now I'm not taking the heavy duty pain meds and have much more energy.
After going to the post operation appointment with the Head and Throat Surgeon, we went to Lowes and looked at bathroom tiles, floors and tubs for our bathroom remodel. Later on we did some gardening. Kurt did the heavy stuff and I helped with the little stuff.
Last week, on October 28th, I had one of them removed. Yesterday I went to my follow up, after surgery appointment. The surgeon told me that mine was the largest she has ever seen. Normally a parathyroid is half the size of your pinky nail, my was 7 grams, almost 2 inches (it was about the size of an egg yolk). I said maybe I can be in ripley believe it or not. lol She said it's possible!!! Below I've copied the symptoms of Parathyroid Disease (Hyperparathyroidism). I'm going to highlight all the symptoms that I've experienced.
 | Loss of energy. Don't feel like doing much. Tired all the time. Chronic fatigue. (#1 symptom) |
| 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. (blog) |
| Osteoporosis and Osteopenia.- hadn't had that test yet. |
| 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. |
| Tired during the day and frequently feel like you want a nap (but naps don't help). |
| Spouse claims you are more irritable and harder to get along with (cranky, bitchy). (blog) |
| Forget simple things that you used to remember very easily (worsening memory). |
| Gastric acid reflux; heartburn; GERD. (blog) |
| Decrease in sex drive. (blog) |
| Thinning hair (predominately in middle aged females on the front part of the scalp). |
| Kidney Stones (and eventually kidney failure). (blog) |
| High Blood Pressure (sometimes mild, sometimes quite severe; up and down a lot). |
| Recurrent Headaches (usually patients under the age of 40). |
| Heart Palpitations (arrhythmias). Typically atrial arrhythmias. (blog) |
| Atrial Fibrillation (rapid heart rate, often requiring blood thinners and pacemakers). (blog) |
| High liver function tests (liver blood tests). |
| Development of MGUS and abnormal blood protein levels. |
Most people with hyperparathyroidism will have 5 - 6 of these symptoms. Some will have lots of them. A few people will say they don't have any... but after an operation they will often say otherwise. 95% of people with hyperparathyroidism will have 4 or more of these symptoms. In general, the longer you have hyperparathyroidism, the more symptoms you will develop. http://parathyroid.com/parathyroid-symptoms.htm
In the past 10 years, in addition the highlighted health issues, I've had cysts in my breasts, kidney (from calcification) and benign tumors in my thyroids. It wasn't till recently that they found that my calcium was too high and that the parathyroids was the problem.
Good News:
Last week, on October 28th, I had one of them removed. Yesterday I went to my follow up, after surgery appointment. The surgeon told me that mine was the largest she has ever seen. Normally a parathyroid is half the size of your pinky nail, my was 7 grams, almost 2 inches (it was about the size of an egg yolk). I said maybe I can be in Ripley Believe It or Not. lol She said it's possible!!!
Now I'm on the mend. I've been shaky and numb because of the pain meds. I think I've been going through withdrawals. Now I'm not taking the heavy duty pain meds and have much more energy.
After going to the post operation appointment with the Head and Throat Surgeon, we went to Lowes and looked at bathroom tiles, floors and tubs for our bathroom remodel. Later on we did some gardening. Kurt did the heavy stuff and I helped with the little stuff.
1 comment:
So sorry to hear this Katharine! Sounds like you are doing better and I'm so thankful for that!! Hope you continue on the uphill road. I had kidney stones once in my life. I was 5 months pregnant and I thought I was delivering my baby early. It was terrible and my husband was away deer hunting. Now way to get in touch with him. The days before cell phones. I had to go to the hospital. They kept me a few days until I passed it, but then I was able to go home and fine. Being bedridden for 2 months would be awful!
hugs,
Jann
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