My mother is 90. She had the symptoms many years ago and did the surgery for the removal of the glands. The doctor couldn't find the gland. 20 years later, only 3 years ago she again went through the surgery with the surgeon insisting that he could find the gland, but no gland is found again. Now she is in a nursing home with swollen fingers on the right hand, so she can't eat or write or turn the pages of a newspaper or magazine with that hand. She can no longer stand because of weakness in her legs. Please get treatment early so this doesn't happen to you.

I actually diagnosed my own hyperparathyroidism, but of course, I went to see an endocrinologist to make sure. Any time you find out that you have high calcium in your blood, you should investigate it further. That was just one symptom I had. I also had a lot of irritability, extreme fatigue, terrible migraines and the feeling of just not feeling like myself. I knew that there was something wrong, I just didn't know what. I urge anyone that has high calcium in their blood to investigate it further with parathyroid blood work. My parathyroid levels were very high and were the clincher in diagnosing my hyperparathyroidism. My husband thought I was full of it! I read the symptoms and told him these were all how I was feeling. The real symptom was the one that said you just don't feel right but don't know why. I had parathyroid surgery in March of 2008.

I have been feeling sick for over six years. I've had all the test doctors could think of. I was told lupus, it's “in my head,” fibromyalgia, and many other things. But with all the tests, nobody thought of checking my parathyroid. One doctor said my thyroid was fine, but there is a nodule and we should remove the thyroid just in case it is something. I insisted on more tests and this is when (on the second ultrasound) he suggested doing another blood test and checking my calcium and PTH levels, both of which were high. So, I started researching. I wasn't about to let him cut on me. I found a hospital in with a wing totally dedicated to parathyroid disease. I am going there to have it removed, with someone who does this 15 times a day, five days a week. He seems to know what he is doing.

My tumor weight was 2,600 mg when removed. I have had vocal cord problems since surgery but am improving. The most interesting thing from surgery is that my blood pressure is normal on one medication, not three or four!! My surgery was two months ago today. I have more energy than I've had in years. Thank God for my successful surgery.

I was diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism 5 years ago and underwent surgery to remove 3-1/2 parathyroid tumors. My symptoms were depression, weight gain, irritable bowel, moodiness, nausea, not able to concentrate, I felt like I had alzheimer's disease, high calcium levels, and kidney stones. After the surgery, my voice was raspy and I had to go through 6 months of voice therapy. Even though I had to go through voice therapy to get my voice back, I am glad I had the surgery. I would urge anyone who has high calcium levels with hyperparathyroidism to have surgery to feel better again.

My doctors have been monitoring my calcium blood levels for 3 years. I have finally reached a point with symptoms that I couldn't stand it anymore. Intense nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, diabetes, intense fatigue and body aches. I have felt like I have food poisoning for 8 months. Finally my daughter came to town and insisted that more tests be done. The scan and ultrasound showed something on the lower right parathyroid gland. Surgery is scheduled next week.