Hypoparathyroidism after thyroidectomy

RainyDayWoman

Looking for good information on hypoparathyroidism as a result of thyroidectomy. Anyone else have experience with this?

Rustifox

Sorry to hear that you've encountered this relatively rare complication after your surgery.

There are a few members of Thyca - Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association:
http://www.thyca.org
that have also suffered this, either temporarily after surgery, or some who also have had this become a permanent complication.

For a specific group related to the hypo-para issue, you may find this site of value:
http://www.hypoparathyroidism.org/

There are also Hypoparathyroid support groups that can help you on the same website that hosts the Thyca group - some of the Thyca members participate in both. The links listed below are provided courtesy of Katies' Thyca archives, located in the "files" section:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Thyca/

"- "Hypocalcemia: Diagnosis and Treatment - Chapter 7, Clinical Presentation of Hypocalcemia", Lorraine A. Fitzpatrick, M.D.
http://www.endotext.org/parathyroid/parathyroid7/parathyroid7.htm

- "Primary Hypoparathyroidism"
http://www.endotext.org/parathyroid/parathyroid9/parathyroid9.htm

- "Endocrinology of Hypoparathyroidism Dr. Andrew Muir"
http://www.hypoparathyroidism.org/view_article.php?Endocrinology+of+Hypoparathyroidism~~Dr.+Andrew+Muir

http://www.hypoparathyroidism.org

hypoparathyroidism support group ... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPTH

Hope those help a bit. I would definitely consider joining the Yahoo Health group "HPTH" - I know a few of the members there also have thyroid cancer.

If you have thyroid cancer, and join the main Thyca group also located on Yahoo, you may want to check the "no email" option, and just view the posts at the website.

It is a very, very active group, that can have up to 100 posts or more a day, which can be overwhelming to an inbox. I personally just read the posts at the website.

All the best to you, and again, I'm sorry you are going through this. I hope that, as it does in some, that this will subside for you. Hope this helps.

susandianne

Yup, I've got it. I had a total thyroidectomy, but it was done in 2 surgerys, 3 days apart, because of uncertainty with the pathology.
In the first surgery the lobe of my thyroid with the tumor in it was removed, including the parathyroids on that side. When they removed the other lobe of my thyroid in the second surgery they could only find one parathyroid, which they did save. However it doesn't work real well.
Consequently, I've had to take calcium + vitamin D tablets (4 of them) daily since the problem was discovered about 10 years ago. Since starting this I've had very few problems with muscle cramps, which had been a huge problem.
I've since been diagnosed with osteopenia, even though I continue to take the calcium + D, and now I also take Fosamax.