More of the Unknown

It's not over yet, I guess.  Sorry that my blog is becoming a medical journal of sorts.  I'm sitting here trying not to be stressed out, but I'm on pins and needles.

The results of my 24-hour urine test showed higher-than-normal levels of calcium.  It was about 25% above where it should have been.  My blood test showed normal levels of calcium in my blood.

Elevated calcium in the urine plus elevated blood calcium would make them think that I had a problem with my Parathyroid glands.  Elevated calcium in the urine plus normal blood calcium plus multiple kidney stones makes them think the same thing.

The Parathyroid glands are four rice-sized endocrine glands that maintain the body's calcium level within a very narrow range so that the nervous and muscular systems can function properly.  When blood calcium levels drop below a certain point, the parathyroid glands release Parathyroid hormone (PTH) into the blood.  PTH increases blood calcium levels by stimulating the break down of bone to release calcium.  It also activates vitamin D, which increases gastrointestinal calcium absorption and it promotes calcium uptake by the kidneys.

So this morning, I had another blood test to measure the amount of Parathyroid hormone in my blood.  If it is elevated, it means that at least one Parathyroid gland in my neck is out of control and is dumping PTH into my bloodstream constantly.  The only cure for this is surgery to remove the offending glands.

There are two types of surgery.  The traditional variety involves a 6- to 10-inch incision between my collar bones and my adams apple.  The surgeon would then dissect my neck until he found all of the parathyroid glands and removed the offending ones.  There is a new surgery called Minimally Invasive Radioguided Parathyroidectomy (MIRP) that uses radioactive dye to pinpoint the overactive glands.  It requires an incision about 1 inch in length.  It's a much easier procedure to recover from, though I wouldn't have as much fun explaining away the scar as a run-in with cut-throat pirates.  If I want MIRP, I'll have to find a doctor that does it regularly to make sure I have a high probablity of being cured.  I might have to leave the state to find one.  And then there's the worry about how much of a new procedure, if any, my health insurance will cover.

If my PTH level is normal, then I'll be put on a calcium-restricted diet for a couple of weeks and then they'll repeat the 24-hour urine test.  At that point, I'll probably stop seeing the Urologist and I'll head to a Phrenologist - a doctor that specializes in kidneys.

But a calcium-restricted diet??  I'd have to say goodbye to:

• Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream...  Pretty much all dairy.
• Cereals and Grains.
• Green, leafy vegetables.  (Ok, maybe that's not so bad.)
• Spices:  Cumin, coriander, cloves, oregano, mustard seed
• Fish

So I'm back to three options:

A)  Surgery
B) Calcium-restricted diet
or
C) More kidney stones.

Whatever happened to:

D) None of the above?

*sigh*

The PTH-level blood test results should be in tomorrow afternoon.  Until then, I'll be nervous, wondering if I'm going to have to have surgery.