You haven’t felt like yourself for ages. You feel so drained, and the brain fog just won’t clear. Your lab work seems fine; you may have been told it was fine. Perhaps slightly elevated calcium levels, but how bad could that be, right? It’s been a long and frustrating road to a hyperparathyroidism diagnosis, and now, they say you need surgery? It’s a relief to finally get some answers, but do you really need parathyroid surgery?
It’s the right question to ask, and it should be asked of a specialist. While many doctors can recognize some of the signs that you need parathyroid surgery, it takes a specialist to verify when parathyroid surgery is necessary and how urgent it may be.
At the CENTER for Advanced Parathyroid Surgery in Los Angeles, Babak Larian, MD, FACS, evaluates patients who’ve been advised to have a parathyroidectomy—parathyroid surgery—and carefully considers their symptoms and the impact of the disease before recommending the next steps. If he views the surgery as the best option, he creates a custom treatment plan to proceed.
Let’s consider some of the signs that you need parathyroid surgery.
The Benefits of Parathyroid Surgery
Parathyroid gland surgery is safe and effective, especially when performed by an expert surgeon. But what are the benefits of parathyroid surgery?
Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) occurs when a small, benign tumor forms on one of the four parathyroid glands. The tumor causes the body to produce too much parathyroid hormone (PTH). This hormone tells the body to release more calcium into the bloodstream, even when it’s not needed.
The excess calcium can cause serious health problems, including:
- Bone loss and osteoporosis
- Fatigue and brain fog
- Kidney stones
- Depression, anxiety, and sleep problems
- Digestive issues like nausea and constipation
- Increased risk of heart problems if left untreated
These symptoms of elevated calcium levels are among the first signs you need parathyroid surgery. The surgery is minimally invasive, requires no hospital stay, and is conducted under local anesthesia. There is minimal discomfort, post-operative instructions are simple, and you can resume your regular activity the day after surgery.
Here’s the good news about the surgery: Those signs that indicate you need parathyroid surgery? The hyperparathyroid symptoms you were experiencing can significantly improve afterward. Many patients report feeling more energetic within days of the procedure. The brain fog lifts, often within just a few weeks, so you’ll feel like yourself again. New kidney stones are unlikely to form. Anxiety and depression often fade over the coming weeks and months as your body rebalances following surgery. And feeling physically calmer, less restless, and better able to sleep is a common result of the surgery.
Best of all, the cure rates with parathyroid surgery are over 97%+.
Are There Alternatives to Parathyroid Surgery?
OK, so maybe you do experience some of the signs you need parathyroid surgery. But are there any alternatives? Maybe some lifestyle changes you can make to avoid the surgery?
Unfortunately, there is no medication, lifestyle changes, or treatment that can get rid of the tumor that causes HPT except for parathyroid surgery.
What Happens If You Delay or Skip Parathyroid Surgery?
So, if there are no alternatives to parathyroid surgery, that doesn’t mean you need it right away, does it? Maybe you can just monitor your calcium levels, bone health, and signs of kidney stones. What’s the harm in waiting for a little longer?
Sometimes, the signs you need parathyroid surgery are pretty mild, and monitoring your condition makes sense. However, when parathyroid surgery is necessary, waiting just allows the tumor that causes HPT to continue to progress, worsening the symptoms you have, introducing new ones, and putting a significant strain on your heart. The symptoms you experience, such as brain fog, fatigue, and depression, become harder to reverse.
Determining how urgent parathyroid surgery is in your specific case is Dr. Larian’s first concern when consulting with a new patient.
When Is the Best Time to Get Parathyroid Surgery?
If you’ve been told you have hyperparathyroidism, you may be wondering: Do I really need parathyroid surgery now, or can it wait?
So, you know those signs that you need parathyroid surgery? They’re the same signs that help determine when the timing is right. If you are coping well with HPT, are asymptomatic, and have no kidney stones or bone loss (osteopenia or osteoporosis), monitoring may be appropriate to determine whether parathyroid surgery may be required at a later time.
However, HPT symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, brain fog, depression, and bone loss, can significantly impair your quality of life, and without treatment, they simply worsen over time. Dr. Larian fully considers your symptoms, lab results, and how the condition is affecting your life as part of his consultation and determination of how urgent parathyroid surgery is for you. If it’s not the right time, he’ll explain why. But if parathyroid surgery is necessary, waiting too long can impair your recovery and worsen your symptoms.
The best time to get parathyroid surgery is before the condition causes lasting damage—and after a careful evaluation confirms it is the right step for you.
When Is Parathyroid Surgery Necessary? Meet with Dr. Larian to Find Out
If you’ve been told you need parathyroid surgery or you’re unsure what to do next, Dr. Larian is here to help. At the CENTER for Advanced Parathyroid Surgery, he works closely with each patient to understand their symptoms, evaluate their lab results, and determine whether surgery is necessary and when the timing is right.
You know you have the signs you need parathyroid surgery. It’s time to learn about the next steps. To learn more about parathyroid gland surgery or to schedule a free phone or video consultation with Dr. Larian, please contact us online or call us today at 310-461-0300.
