Hyperparathyroidism Support Group

Eek, just saw the surgeon who told me it's gonna be an open chest surgery for me. I asked about MIRP, but as they couldn't locate the position of the overactive gland, he said it wasn't an option.

I'm now super nerous about it. I'm only just 15 (the youngest case in my country recorded!) and I'm gonna have a surgeon digging around in my chest! Has anyone else had an open chest parathyroidectomy? I'd love to know how big the scars gonna be.

On the plus side, I'm looking forward to the decreased calcium levels. I keep breaking my arms and fingers, and have had constant migraines for the past two years, so it'll be good to be free of those!

Hello,

I was lucky to be able to have the MIRP and it so far looks like it worked. Have to visit my surgeon in 6 weeks but hope to be free after that.
I had no idea that I even had parathyroids before I got sick!
Scary to be sure but I decided to know everything and devoted many hrs on the Internet to read all that I could find. Dr. James Norman's site was the best out there - he made me feel so much more informed so I could decide my direction. You have to know all the facts so you can adjust to what is going to happen and make the right choice.
Did they show you the images? I had nuclear medicine scan and ultrasound that confirmed the location of my "bad" gland.
My calcium was 10.9 (I think it was higher) after the ultrasound but I did not have a repeat prior to the surgery.
Happy to report the Calcium is 9.6 and a little tingle feeling around my mouth. Bone pain and fatigue is gone:-) 3 days after my surgery it's like I walked from a fog into the bright sunshine.
I am here for you - please stay in touch. I really needed to have somebody understand what I was going through.
Take care of yourself and email when you feel up to it.

Margaret Anne FinCastle

Hi Margaret: Hope you are feeling well! My 20 yr old son was recently diagnosed with hypercalcemia, but the neck scan did not show any tumors. I a very concerned that the tumor is elsewhere in his body. Where did you have surgery, and do you recommend your surgeon? Thanks for any help. Take care, mish7

I am wondering where this Dr. Biggerstaff is. I am 23 and am looking for a surgeon who will do MIRP seeing that my sestamibi scan was negative.

Ashley,

Dr. Biggerstaff is located in Indianapolis Indiana.
The surgery changed my life and Dr. Biggerstaff is skilled and cares.
On my first visit he told me about Dr. James Norman's Website to learn more about the MIRP.
I had already visited that site and even viewed the surgery.
The nuclear medicine scan can be negative due experience of the provider. (Nothing mean but true) I had an ultrasound as well and it did show the tumor.
The MIRP surgery worked for me and I have a very tiny scar that gets smaller everyday. The surgery was done as an outpatient Friday and by Monday I felt so much better. Got my "Sparkle" back. LOL!
Don't let anybody talk you into the big scary surgery - this is so much better.

I am definitely not going to be talked into the big surgery. I have called to U of M, The Cleveland Clinic and OSU and I think I will call and speak to Dr. Biggerstaff's office now. I am not willing to let a doctor do a big surgery due to their inexperience.

Hello Ashley,

Glad to know you are willing to put in the work to find what you need.
I learned everything that I could about the parathyroid issue that I had.
The most difficult part of my whole experience was to find a Surgeon to perform the MIRP. Everybody wanted to do the surgery "ear to ear" and hunting for the bad gland.
Why would anybody want to do that? The MIRP is more direct and not as invasive. I did not want to take the risk of not being able to talk and maybe even bleeding. Check out Dr James Norman's website to learn more about MIRP.
Stay strong and don't settle!
Anne