To Idab

[Quixotic1]

Thank you so much for your comment, but I had to follow up!!!  You said you  were on the right path.  What is it?  Did you see the neuro today?  Give! Give!

Quix

[Idab]

Nothing, they picked up nothing.  Each specialist, physician, surgeon had their own little share of me last year.  From my GP, who kept sending me away with a viral bug to the surgeon who carried out the appendectomy (when there was no appendix to be found) to the specialist gastroenterologist who carried out colonoscopies/gastroscopies, nuclear scans, CT scans (at exorbitant costs – I had to beg for financial assistance as well as raise our mortgage bond to pay all these bills)  So, if I sound a bit tired, a bit down, I think at this stage of my life I can honestly say I have very good reason to feel the way I do.  The parathyroid symptoms are the closest to any illness I have ever come across, so I am hoping this Neuro will find the match.  I have been telling the Drs since my first appointment in Feb last year that it feels as though something is in my blood – I even told the gastro specialist again in Oct at an appointment together with my husband, that I feel as though I need a blood transfusion???  One thing I have noticed is that when they take bloods, I feel like a new person, like my body has been cleansed.  Whether that be the psychological aspect, I don’t know – the pain does feel very physical though.  I will let you know the outcome.

I live in Johannesburg, South Africa and here we have beautiful game reserves and mountain resorts in the upper parts of Africa.  We refer to these getaways as the bush veld.  There are usually lots of bush/trees/grass and wild life.  It is very tranquil and a wonderful energy booster for the kids and getaway for the parents.  Only things you need to worry about are snake bites and the odd spider crawling into your bed.  As long as you keep alert and out of their way (as it is their territory after all) observing the nature of these creatures is quite soul satisfying.

Take Care always, Ida

[Quixotic1]

Hi, Ida, I'm sorry you're so down.  I know you were really looking forward to this visit.  Maybe by kind of starting over the neuro will uncover something.  My dad had hyperparathyroidism.  He had severe psychological disturbance from it and one psych diagnosed him with schizophrenia.  Wrong!  

Have your serum calcium levels been high at all?  The classic symptoms of hyperparathyroidism are:

Loss of calcium from bones  This can cause severe bone pain.

Renal stones.  Could any of your episodes of severe abdominal pain have been kidney stones, I wonder?

High Calcium can cause episodes of intestinal paralysis (also called intestinal ileus) which would show up as  vomiting and pain.  

There is also often chronic fatigue.  Also elevated calcium causes muscle weakness which is described as being weakness of the proximal muscle groups (the thighs & hips and the upper arms).  But usually the legs are affected more than the arms.  

Finally, there are psychological disturbances - most often in the form of depression and inability to concentrate.

But, I would think that during all of your hospitalizations they would have picked up a persistently elevated calcium.  It's on all the general chemistry panels here.

But, it is interesting that the symptoms do largely match what you've been through.  It would be a much more treatable problem.  I hope you have a good holiday.  What is the bushveld?

Quix

[Idab]

Sorry, only to be replying now Quix.  I was so disappointed on Friday as the Drs rooms had double-booked me, so the nerve conductor test and muscle test were not carried out.  During this rushed appointment, the Neurologist mentioned that he had spoken with the gastroenterologist, who gave a clear indication that when they last saw me in Oct 06, I presented with some very haywire white blood count results, but did not have a diagnosis.  So the Neuro did a whole string of bloods again, a few repeats from last year.  He also asked whether I ever had a para thyroid test done - said I never heard of it.  I have had a thyroid test, as I know it, carried out each year for the past 3 years and they have all come back clear.  I was feeling so down, could not swallow when he did the swallowing test, so I started crying (how embarrassing) - he then told me that he would prescribe me some anti-depressants for my 'mood'.  I will again see him on the 17th.  Perhaps it is just severe depression I am suffering from all the pain I experienced throughout 2006.    As it is school holidays here in SA, I plan on going to the bushveld with my children, so have decided to only start the anti-depressant course on my return, as apparently they have some major side affects.  Although I do feel better today, I still have the gnawing pains in my legs, lots of bone pain in my arms??  I will again post after the 17th, once I have met with this Dr.  Let's hope this para thyroid test comes back positive, so it can account for my symptoms.

Heartfelt thanks for your concern.  I sincerely hope you are feeling better.