Parathyroid Symptoms
A person with hyperparathyroidism may have severe symptoms, subtle ones, or none at all. The commonest finding is an elevated calcium level on a routine blood test. Patients may have thinning of the bones without symptoms.
When the signs and symptoms of hyperparathyroidism do appear, they are often mild and nonspecific, such as a feeling of weakness and fatigue, depression, or aches and pains. With more severe disease, a person may have a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, confusion or impaired thinking and memory, and increased thirst and urination. Increased calcium and phosphorus excretion in the urine may cause kidney stones
All patients with hyperparathyroidism will eventually develop osteoporosis and taking medications such as Fosamax will not help bones affected by parathyroid disease. Long-standing elevation in calcium places a heavy burden on the body and has been proven to lead to a decreased life expectancy.
Parathyroid disease only gets worse with time and will not get better on its own. The disease can happen at any age but is most common in people over 60 years old and women are three times more likely to have hyperparathyroidism than men.
Signs and Symptoms of Hyperparathyroidism
Table summarising the clinical features of high calcium levels
|
System |
Signs and Symptoms |
| Cardiovasular |
|
| Musculoskeletal |
|
| Neurological |
|
| Renal |
|
If you have any questions about thyroid or parathyroid surgery, you should speak to your local doctor, who will arrange to contact your thyroid surgeon.
