Parathyroid Q&A is a community of experts and patients dedicated to understanding and treating Parathyroid Disease.

Postop complications

Parathyroid surgery in general is very safe, with few complications. Like any operation, though, there are potential complications that every patient needs to be aware of before surgery.

Thank you for taking time to answer questions. I had 3 1/2 parathyroids removed six months ago. A month after surgery my PTH was 42 pg/ml, Vitamin D 25-OH was 38 ng/ml, but I’m confused what my calcium was as there were two results on the same day. One calcium level (in the metabolic panel) was 9.7 mg/dl and the other one that was listed with the PTH was 10.2 mg/dl. This confused me, but I felt better than I had in years so I wasn’t worried. However, it didn’t last long. The bone pain, fatigue and brain fog ( to name a few) returned and consistently have gotten worse. I have been taking calcium with vitamin D and magnesium as instructed after surgery. About 3 weeks ago I stopped taking it because the bone pain has gotten worse and I feared my calcium was high again. I am right back to feeling like I did pre surgery. I’m very disappointed and discouraged. My most recent lab results show that my calcium is 10.2 mg/dl. My vitamin D is 23 ng/ml and PTH is 17 pg/ml. I am 53 years old. What would cause my calcium to still be high and my other numbers to be so low? I’m so confused. I should probably mention I have an identical twin sister who has had a parathyroidectomy as well and still doesn’t feel well either, but she had a one sided surgery. Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.
Thanks for writing. Your case is complex, and there are a few separate issues to unpack here. First, let's look at your most recent labs. Your calcium is 10.2 mg/dl, which is high for your age. Your PTH level is 17 pg/ml, which is low, in the suppressed range. This is a good sign, indicating that your remaining parathyroid tissue is responding appropriately to the high calcium. We want the ...