Aa
tingles
I had surgery on March 2nd for removal of parathyroid gland. I still have the leg tingles and slight weakness. going to the doctor today for post-op. How long do these nornally last?
Calcium was 4.9 and PTH was 35.3. Doc said they were good numbers. Hope this isn't something else. Thanks for all the info. He said to quit taking the calcium too. No twitching when I tap my jaw.
Hypocalcaemia
A potentially life-threatening situation can occur after thyroid surgery. Your parathyroids can go into shock (or some removed along with your Thyroid) and you can become hypocalcaemic. Symptoms are tingling in hands and feet, followed by tingling in face. This can get worse and worse and you can get muscle spasms. Worst case scenario is going into convulsions, which can lead to death.
You might need to be put on high levels of calcium pills until your parathyroids start functioning again. You might initially need it intravenously.
I was released from the hospital 23 hours after surgery. These symptoms appeared 2 days after release. I started feeling them at 8pm and by 9pm was having spasms. I was instructed to go to emergency and I was actually admitted. In the hospital, they fed me calcium both intravenously and orally for more than 48 hours and gave me vitamin D as well. I continue to take large doses 2 weeks after release (started out at 12 grams daily - 24 500mg pills!!! - then now 6 g), although it is tapering off as blood test show improvement and symptoms have not returned.
I understand this is rare (like 8%) but it CAN happen.
Cheers,
A potentially life-threatening situation can occur after thyroid surgery. Your parathyroids can go into shock (or some removed along with your Thyroid) and you can become hypocalcaemic. Symptoms are tingling in hands and feet, followed by tingling in face. This can get worse and worse and you can get muscle spasms. Worst case scenario is going into convulsions, which can lead to death.
You might need to be put on high levels of calcium pills until your parathyroids start functioning again. You might initially need it intravenously.
I was released from the hospital 23 hours after surgery. These symptoms appeared 2 days after release. I started feeling them at 8pm and by 9pm was having spasms. I was instructed to go to emergency and I was actually admitted. In the hospital, they fed me calcium both intravenously and orally for more than 48 hours and gave me vitamin D as well. I continue to take large doses 2 weeks after release (started out at 12 grams daily - 24 500mg pills!!! - then now 6 g), although it is tapering off as blood test show improvement and symptoms have not returned.
I understand this is rare (like 8%) but it CAN happen.
Cheers,
Hello!
After my P-thyroid surgery, my calcium bounced around for about 3 months and didn't settle completely until about month #6. I could always tell when it was REALLY low. because I'd get face numbness on one side, or my lips, face, and sometimes body would "buzz" and I'd even get muscle twitches...Try this...tap lightly with the flat of a finger on your cheek just in front of your jaw's joint (where the jaws come together). When your calcium levels are low, the tapping causes muscle twitching to your mouth corner and lips...Neat, huh? I had to take 4 grams of calcium citrate a day for the first three months, and then tapered down to 2 g after that. Often, when a P-thyroid tumor is removed, the patient gets "hungry bone" syndrome where suddenly, the bones are able to reclaim their lost calcium from the blood -and do it with a vengence! This is a good thing but it can give you low calcium symptoms...
By the way, it's been 3 years since I had mine out and I'm doing great. No more kidney stones, joint pains, heartburn, etc, etc...May you be blessed with an excellent recovery and good health! :) ((((HUGZ))))~MM
After my P-thyroid surgery, my calcium bounced around for about 3 months and didn't settle completely until about month #6. I could always tell when it was REALLY low. because I'd get face numbness on one side, or my lips, face, and sometimes body would "buzz" and I'd even get muscle twitches...Try this...tap lightly with the flat of a finger on your cheek just in front of your jaw's joint (where the jaws come together). When your calcium levels are low, the tapping causes muscle twitching to your mouth corner and lips...Neat, huh? I had to take 4 grams of calcium citrate a day for the first three months, and then tapered down to 2 g after that. Often, when a P-thyroid tumor is removed, the patient gets "hungry bone" syndrome where suddenly, the bones are able to reclaim their lost calcium from the blood -and do it with a vengence! This is a good thing but it can give you low calcium symptoms...
By the way, it's been 3 years since I had mine out and I'm doing great. No more kidney stones, joint pains, heartburn, etc, etc...May you be blessed with an excellent recovery and good health! :) ((((HUGZ))))~MM
Did the dr. check your calcium today at your visit? Sometimes after that type of surgery the para's don't work right .. just a thought. How did it go and WELCOME~
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