Question please

alapah said:

Get your calcium levels checked!
If you have limb numbness after a thyroidectomy you likely have problems with your parathyroids - tingling, cramps and numbness such as you describe can be a sign that they are not working and that your body is not processing calcium properly. My understanding is that malfunction of the parathyroids can be quite serious - if your calcium level gets too low.

After my TT, the surgeon suggested that I take high doses of calcium for a while while my parathyroids recovered (two or three of mine were saved). He also told me that if I had numbness is my hands and/or feet I needed to get to him or my GP. You state that 3 parathyroids showed up in pathology - I believe we only have four normally, so that means you now have only one! The remaining one may be stunned and not functioning properly. They should have told you about this after your surgery and they should have checked your calcium levels before discharging you - did they?

csequera05 said:

calcium
it definitely sounds like its your calcium levels, i also just had a total thyroid ectomy, during surgery one of my parathyroids were removed however the surgeon saved it, well how he explained to me was basically he grind-ed it up and injected it back in my arm, and it should start working for me in a few weeks, in the mean while yes i have experienced numbness, in my fingers and toes... i take 2 tums in the am and 2 tums at night ... honestly havent really had the numbness feeling.... i hope you feel better -----take care

nasher said:

Parathyroids are important
most people have 4 parathryoids and you only need 1 to have normal levels but if you are not normal or if the remaining parathyroid is not up to the job then you are probably haveing major medical issues.

if you have not yet yes you probably do need to go to an ER or at least get labs taken to see how your parathyroid is functioning and what the levels of calcium are

ok trying not to get to scarry here but I am going to do some cut and paste about parathyroid deficencies and it will get scarry.

---- from wikipedia ---
hypoparathyroidism

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*****
Severe hypocalcemia, a potentially life-threatening condition, is treated as soon as possible with intravenous calcium (e.g. as calcium gluconate). Generally, a central venous catheter is recommended, as the calcium can irritate peripheral veins and cause phlebitis.

Long-term treatment of hypoparathyroidism is with calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation (D1 is ineffective in the absence of renal conversion).

In the event of a life-threatening attack of low calcium levels or tetany (prolonged muscle contractions), calcium is administered by intravenous (IV) infusion. Precautions are taken to prevent seizures or larynx spasms. The heart is monitored for abnormal rhythms until the person is stable. When the life-threatening attack has been controlled, treatment continues with medicine taken by mouth as often as four times a day.


*****
*****

Signs and symptoms
Tingling lips, fingers, and toes
Muscle cramps
Pain in the face, legs, and feet
Abdominal pain
Dry hair
Brittle nails
Dry, scaly skin
Cataracts
Weakened tooth enamel (in children)
Muscle spasms called tetany (can lead to spasms of the larynx, causing breathing difficulties)
Convulsions (seizures)
Tetanic contractions
Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease include:

Painful menstruation
Hand or foot spasms
Decreased consciousness
Delayed or absent tooth formation
Calcification of the basal ganglia due to increased phosphorus levels driving calcium into the brain tissue.

Possible Complications
Tetany can lead to a blocked airway, requiring a tracheotomy.

Stunted growth, malformed teeth, and slow mental development can occur if hypoparathyroidism develops in childhood.

Overtreatment with vitamin D and calcium can cause hypercalcemia (high blood calcium) and sometimes interfere with kidney function.

There is an increased risk of pernicious anemia, Addison's disease, cataract development, and Parkinson's disease.

--- end cut and paste 1---
ok when they removed my thyroid i had 2 of my parathryoids takeing out as well I was on IV calcium for a day and then on vitimin d and calcium supplements for the rest of my life along with yearly (or more frequent) checks on my calcium and vitimin d levels.

--- cut and paste from http://parathyroid.com/low-calcium.htm ---

How Hypoparathyroidism Affects Patient's Lives

Calcium and Vitamin D Requirements.

Patients who have had all of their parathyroid glands removed or destroyed will require high doses of calcium and Vitamin D every day for the rest of their lives. Almost all patients in our study are required to take 4 or more calcium pills per day. Two-thirds (67%) have to take 5 or more calcium pills per day, and 25% have to take 8 or more calcium pills per day. Almost all patients take at least 2 Vitamin D pills per day, with 1/3 taking 3 or more per day. Thus, most patients who have hypoparathyroidism must take 8 or more pills per day in order to carry on the daily functions of life.

Despite taking these pills, 45% of patients say they still get symptoms of low calcium at least once per day. The most common symptoms reported by these patients are: fatigue (77%), hand cramps (68%), mental confusion (43%), and anxiety/fear (36%). One third of patients state that they get these symptoms once or twice per week, while only 5% say they rarely or never get these symptoms.

Work and Employment
Having hypoparathyroidism often makes people feel bad frequently enough that nearly 25% say they cannot work and have become unemployed. Of those still working, 72% said they had to change jobs because of concentration abilities or other issues related to symptoms (can’t teach school, can’t drive a truck, etc). 65% of patients say they miss 2 weeks or more of work per year more than they ever did before. One third stated that their employer doesn’t understand their issues and why they are sick on a frequent basis.

Personal Interactions
A minority of patients say their family “understands” how they feel and their family has been great. However, 78% say their family and/or friends “simply don’t get it”. Just over 40% have been put on antidepressants. Two thirds say that hypoparathyroidism and the symptoms it causes have put significant stress on their relationship, with 8% saying this ailment is directly responsible for the breakup of their marriage. Clearly, patients with hypoparathyroidism feel poorly and this puts significant stress on their interactions with others.

Seeing Doctors for Ongoing Care
Less than 10% of all patients with hypoparathyroidism say their disease is managed well enough that they never have to go to the emergency room to receive IV calcium. Almost half of patients make one ER visit per year, while 25% make 3 or more ER visits per year.

Having hypoparathyroidism is associated with a dramatic increase in the number of doctor visits per year. Only 20% said they were not referred to a new doctor to help manage the problem, while 30% said they have 3 or more NEW doctors that they have seen to help manage this problem. Importantly, 61% said that even their endocrinologist doesn’t understand their symptoms fully, and state that their doctor is often more interested in their lab (calcium) values instead of how they actually feel. One third of patients with hypoparathyroidism are now required to see an endocrinologist every 1-2 months, one third see their doctor every 3-5 months, and one third see their doctor every 6-12 months. Two thirds of patients have to get their blood calcium checked every 4 months or less; one third gets their blood tested every month.
--- end cut and pasted 2 ---


so yes you could have a life threatneing condition or debilitating condition.

when you do to the ER be sure to tell them the date of your thyroid surgery and that they took 3 of your parathyroids. along with your symptoms.

so yes go to the ER. especialy if you are haveing as you said "Do you know if it would have anything to do with my hands becoming so twisted and cramped that they lock up!"

Yes it sounds like a major medical issue.

i am posting this without spellchecking it so it gets to you ASAP. thats how important I think it is

Craig

nasher said:

hate to say it but yes
unfortunatly yes ER visits for uninsured are VERY VERY bad experiances. even people on disability have very bad visits

ok CRP test...
---- WEB MD ----
A C-reactive protein (CRP) test is a blood test that measures the amount of a protein called C-reactive protein in your blood. C-reactive protein measures general levels of inflammation in your body.

High levels of CRP are caused by infections and many long-term diseases. But a CRP test cannot show where the inflammation is located or what is causing it. Other tests are needed to find the cause and location of the inflammation.

Why It Is Done
A C-reactive protein (CRP) test is done to:

Check for infection after surgery. CRP levels normally rise within 2 to 6 hours of surgery and then go down by the third day after surgery. If CRP levels stay elevated 3 days after surgery, an infection may be present.
Identify and keep track of infections and diseases that cause inflammation, such as:
Cancer of the lymph nodes (lymphoma).
Diseases of the immune system, such as lupus.
Painful swelling of the blood vessels in the head and neck (giant cell arteritis).
Painful swelling of the tissues that line the joints (rheumatoid arthritis).
Swelling and bleeding of the intestines (inflammatory bowel disease).
Infection of a bone (osteomyelitis).
Check to see how well treatment is working, such as treatment for cancer or for an infection. CRP levels go up quickly and then become normal quickly if you are responding to treatment measures.
A special type of CRP test, the high-sensitivity CRP test (hs-CRP), may be done to find out if you have an increased chance of having a sudden heart problem, such as a heart attack. Inflammation can damage the inner lining of the arteries and make having a heart attack more likely. But the connection between high CRP levels and heart attack risk is not very well-understood.
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they checked calcium but did they check vitimin D? (yea i am sure they didn't)

---- http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Bone_Health/Nutrition/ ---
Vitamin D
The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D, one can’t form enough of the hormone calcitriol (known as the “active vitamin D”). This in turn leads to insufficient calcium absorption from the diet. In this situation, the body must take calcium from its stores in the skeleton, which weakens existing bone and prevents the formation of strong, new bone.

You can get vitamin D in three ways: through the skin, from the diet, and from supplements. Experts recommend a daily intake of 600 IU (International Units) of vitamin D up to age 70. Men and women over age 70 should increase their uptake to 800 IU daily, which also can be obtained from supplements or vitamin D-rich foods such as egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and fortified milk. The Institute of Medicine recommends no more than 4,000 IU per day for adults. However, sometimes doctors prescribe higher doses for people who are deficient in vitamin D.

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myself I am on Vitamin D3 4000 ui/day suppliment and that barley keeps me in range.

how much thyroir replacement are you on and is it generic or name brand ... and since they last adjusted your meds have you gained/lost more than 5% of your body weight. I am expecting they never got your relpacement levels right to start with.

just looked at your original post if you see that doctor again... "actually the surgeon told me i didnt even have to see my reg doctor for a few months, and for me not to worry that no-one ever died of thyroid cancer. "

--- from http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-029771.pdf---
on page 3

estimate for 2011 1,740 estimated deaths from thyroid cancer. with 760 men and 980 women

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curious what was your fT4 level (should have been tested when they tested TSH)

hopefully Somewere on theses posts in the past i have explained labs better but I do not currently have time to check through my posts or repost info on that at the moment... work calls.

please ask any questions you can think of we will try to help guide you so when you have a chance to see a doctor you can maximize the care from the visit.

Craig