• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Parathyroid UK Homepage

The national voice for people living with parathyroid conditions

Hypopara Helpline 01342 316315
  • Donate
  • About us
    • Our people
      • Board of Trustees
      • CEO & Management Committee
      • Support Team
    • Our Medical Advisors
    • Our history
    • Annual reports
    • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Professionals
  • News
  • Home
  • Hypoparathyroidism

    Hypoparathyroidism

     

    Read our Quick Guide to Hypopara

    Suspect you have hypopara?

    Find out more about hypopara

    What is hypopara?

    Causes of hypopara

    Diagnosis of hypopara

    Symptoms of hypopara

    Treatment of hypopara

    Related reading

    Thyroid cancer

    Thyroid surgery

    Related conditions

    CaSR

    • A quick guide to hypopara
    • Suspect you have hypopara?
    • Causes
    • Diagnosis
    • Symptoms
    • Treatment
    • Thyroid cancer
    • What you should know before – and after – thyroid surgery
    • Calcium-sensing Receptor (CaSR)
    • Related conditions
  • Living with Hypopara
    • Recently been diagnosed?
    • Get support
    • Self Help Guide for people with Hypopara
      • Understanding the basics
      • How to manage your calcium levels – practical steps
      • Understanding your tests
      • Understanding your medication
      • Diet
      • Exercise
      • For women
      • Fertility and starting a family
      • Pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding
      • Advice for parents of children with Hypopara
      • Employment and Benefits
      • What else can I do to help myself?
    • Emergency ID items
    • Patient stories
  • Hyperparathyroidism
    • Support
    • Your parathyroid glands
    • Primary Hyperparathyroidism
    • Secondary Hyperparathyroidism
    • Tertiary Hyperparathryoidism
    • Parathyroid cancer
    • Patient stories
  • Get Involved
    • Become a member
    • Donate
    • Shop
    • Fundraise for us
    • Sponsor a fundraiser
    • Facebook Groups
    • World Hypopara Awareness Day
  • Resources
    • Patient Information Leaflets
    • Newsletters
    • Guidelines
    • Research on Hypoparathyroidism
    • Research on Primary Hyperparathyroidism
    • Useful links for patients
    • European and Global Hypopara organisations
    • Health Organisations
  • Join us
  • Recently been diagnosed?
  • Get support
  • Self Help Guide for people with Hypopara
  • Emergency ID items
  • Patient stories

Bridget

Bridget has post surgical hypoprathyroidism following surgery for an over active thyroid.


Bridget has permanent hypoparathyroidism following three-and-a-half hours of surgery for an over-active thyroid. She says: ‘The possibility of complications was never discussed with me before the operation. I first realised there was something wrong at five a.m. the morning after. I had tingles in my mouth and roof of my mouth and cheeks, numb face and tongue, tingles in legs and arms, my vision froze and images kept on jerking towards me, I felt like a machine that was getting slower and slower and was going to stop.

I went through surgery for one endocrine disorder and ended up with another.

I was unable to even lift my head off of the pillow or swallow. I managed to press the call button and an on-call SHO came. I was given no medication or intervention but left until my surgeon came to do his ward round some hours later. On my discharge form from the hospital it just said hypocalcaemia …’

Bridget says her life has been completely changed by hypoparathyroidism.

‘I went through surgery for one endocrine disorder and ended up with another. I am lucky to have a very caring GP who leaves my treatment to my endocrinologist as he says they are the experts and will ring him if need be. I can have blood tests when I feel I need one and I am seen regularly by my endocrinologist at my local hospital.’

But, she says, ‘Emotionally it is just a roller-coaster of emotions and physical symptoms which I feel are caused by hypoparathyroidism. I now look for all the positives to try to make sense of ending up with this disorder. But it has scarred me emotionally for life.’

more stories
« Ray
Mandy »

Footer

Parathyroid UK
6 The Meads
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 4DF

Contact us

Hypopara Helpline: 01342 316315

Parathyroid UK logo
Read our quick guide to hypoparathyroidism

All about hyperparathyroidism

Parathyroid UK is endorsed by

BMA logo
British Thyroid Association
European Society of Endocrinology
Society for Endocrinology

© 2021 Parathyroid UK · All Rights Reserved · Terms · Site by Charity & Biscuits.