If you have a high calcium level in the blood, a high bone breakdown urine test (NTX), bone density in the Osteopenic or Osteoporotic range, or have had kidney stones, it is important to find and treat the cause underlying all these conditions because all of these can be caused by hyperparathyroidism.

The Parathyroids are 4 glands the size of a grain of rice that are present in back of the Thyroid gland.  They put out Parathyroid hormone that regulates your blood calcium, taking it from the bone when necessary to raise up your blood calcium.  When you have a growth, called an adenoma, in one or more of the Parathyroid glands, there is too much Parathyroid hormone put out by these tumors and the blood level of calcium gets too high.  This can lead to any of the complications listed above.  If it goes on for a long time, it can cause calcification of the arteries, hypertension, and can be a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

It is important for anyone with high blood calcium to be tested for hyperparathyroidism, especially if they have Osteoporosis or kidney stones.  The treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism (originating in the Parathyroid glands) is surgery.
I recently went for this surgery at the Norman Parathyroid Center and I would like to tell others about my amazing experience I there.

When I told people I was going to Tampa, Florida from New York for Parathyroid surgery I got a few surprised looks from friends and other physicians.

When I told them the surgery would be 15 to 20 minutes long, instead of 4 hours and that all 4 parathyroid glands would be biopsied and examined and that only glands with tumors would be removed, that I would have a 1 inch scar instead of a disfiguring scar across my whole neck and that I would be out of the hospital one hour after the surgery, cured of this disease, they were more than skeptical.

However, everything that was promised on Dr. Norman’s website was exactly true. I am so glad I found the Norman Parathyroid Center website because I was cured in one day of a problem I’ve had for 10 years.

Dr. Doug Politz performed the surgery along with his colleague Dr. Mitchell. Dr. Politz was so reassuring that his presence put me at ease.   He called me for my consultation, spoke to my whole family in the hospital room, and he had a nice sense of humor.  He did an excellent job of the surgery, which left me with a little bruising and a scratchy throat but I’m fine 2 days later.  Also the nurses and the entire staff were very caring and efficient and the communication throughout the day was excellent.
Overall, I had the best possible experience at the Norman Parathyroid Center.  When I compare the excellent standard of care I received there with the usual draconian surgery that is done for this problem, I feel very grateful and I’m glad I researched this and found a bette way.

I hope others will check out this center before allowing someone with less experience do this surgery.

http://www.parathyroid.com/