Download Chapter 11- Parathyroid Hormone2 _1

The
hormones
released by the
parathyroid glands
that increases the
concentration of calcium in the
blood
Stimulates the
breakdown Of bone;
causes a decrease in blood
calcium concentration.

The parathyroid glands are located in the neck, near or
attached to the back side of the thyroid gland.

Parathyroids almost never develop cancer--so stop worrying
about that!

You can easily live with one (or even 1/2) parathyroid gland.
1)
There are no drugs that will make parathyroid disease better….None.
2)
Nearly all parathyroid patients have symptoms; 95% know it--and feel bad. Most of
the rest just don’t know it until the disease is fixed.
3)
Symptoms of parathyroid disease do NOT correlate with the level of calcium in the
blood. Many patients with only slightly elevated calcium and parathyroid hormone
will have BAD symptoms and develop severe osteoporosis.
4)
All patients with parathyroid disease have calcium levels and PTH levels that go up
and down. Fluctuating levels of calcium are typical of parathyroid disease.
5)
All patients with hyperparathyroidism will develop osteoporosis. ALL.
6)
Taking Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, or Reclast (etc) will NOT help bones that are
being attacked by a bad parathyroid. These osteoporosis drugs have no place
in the treatment of parathyroid disease.
7)
Parathyroid disease will get worse with time in all patients. It will not stay
the same, nor will it get better on its own.
8)
There is only one treatment for parathyroid disease (hyperparathyroidism):
Surgery
9)
Nearly all parathyroid patients can be cured with a minimal operation. The
days of big dangerous parathyroid surgery are gone (so don't let your
surgeon perform one on you!).
10)
The success rate and complication rate for parathyroid surgery is VERY
dependent upon the surgeon’s experience.

What it is - One of the
parathyroid glands
has lost its control
mechanism and continues to
make large amounts of parathyroid
hormone without paying attention to how
high the blood calcium is.

What causes it - development of a benign tumor in one
of the parathyroid glands

Symptoms:
› Difficulty concentrating
› Fatigue
› Frequent bowel
movements
› Goiter (visibly enlarged
thyroid gland) or thyroid
nodules
› Heat intolerance
› Increased appetite
› Increased sweating
• Treatment:
 Antithyroid medications
 Radioactive iodine
(which destroys the
thyroid and stops the
excess production of
hormones)
 Surgery to remove the
thyroid

What is it› loss of calcium
from bones. The
bones become thin.

Causes this:
The more PTH that is released, the
softer your bones become.
http://parathyroid.com/osteoporosis.htm

Most doctors will recommend you take calcium pills
to restore bone density.
› The most common asked question about the pill, is how
long to take it. Dr. Norman usually recommends you
take for a year every single day after surgery.

DO NOT TAKE CALCIUM PILL IF BAD PARATHYROID IS
SRILL IN NECK!!!!!!! BIG BIG BIG NO NO!!!!!!!

The parathyroid makes more PTH if there is less calcium in the
blood and less PTH if there is to much calcium in the blood.

If working correctly then the parathyroids will shut off and on
multiple times a day.

People with normal activity will have a calcium levels that are
constant. There is no variability.

Example:
› If someone has a calcium level of 9.6 one day, then their
level will be between 9.4 – 9.8 for the rest of their life.