January 5, 2018

I’m So Glad I Didn’t Wait Any Longer

By Jules

During a routine physical in 2007, my doctor noticed something around my thyroid region and recommended that I begin monitoring it with an endocrinologist. At my endocrinologist, I received an Ultrasound where by chance, he discovered that I had an enlarged parathyroid gland. Through a blood test, I found out that my blood Calcium levels were above normal, which would eventually lead to decreased bone density. This last year, I started feeling bad overall - some symptoms I experienced were not being able to keep up in my exercise classes and having body aches. Once this problem started affecting my daily functioning, I felt that it was time to do something, and I didn't want to risk falling and breaking my hip in the future. After expressing my concerns, my endocrinologist referred me to Dr. Yeh as the best endocrine surgeon. By this time, my blood calcium levels had progressed up to above 11.

Scheduling was very easy, if anything it was more difficult finding a time that worked with my schedule than the other way around. The surgery itself went smoothly and was painless. The hospital was fantastic; I was already impressed beginning from the pre-op check-in. Everyone made sure I felt comfortable and it was nice getting to meet some of the residents during my stay. I was given a painkiller for after the surgery but did not need to use them. Coming back for a post-op appointment two weeks later, I feel so much better and have significantly more energy. I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes from here. Overall, I'm very happy with my experience and would highly recommend Dr. Yeh to anyone going through a similar procedure.

My advice to prospective patients would be to not wait. You need to be your own advocate - if you notice alarming changes in your body, then bring it up with your doctor and see what actions should be taken. If left untreated, problems with the parathyroid may lead to osteoporosis and kidney stones. There's so much noise on the internet that it is sometimes difficult to get conclusive information, so a good doctor plays a key role in this process.

Tags: blood calcium levels, blood test, bone density, Dr. Michael Yeh, Endocrine, endocrine surgeon, Endocrine Surgery, endocrinologist, Endocrinology, enlarged parathyroid gland, exercise, kidney stones, osteoporosis, patient stories, pre-op, routine physical, Surgery, thyroid, ultrasound

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