Confusion and disorientation - Before and after Prathyroid surgery - Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Message Board

pshitut · 05-26-2008, 04:35 PM

My mother is 72 years old and has been slowing down for couple of years. She have had vertigo problem for few years too. Almost 3 months back she fell down and had several hariline hip fractures. No surgery was required but heavy calcium dosage was given. Two weeks after that, she started to get confused and disoriented. Admitted to to hospital and was diagnosed with high PTH level of 198 and calcium was above 12 mg. A prathyroid surgery was done to remove two glands. As we read it everywhere, we thought her confusion and disorientation is caused by hight calcium levels. After parathyroid surgery calcium level has come down to below 10 and PTH is 38 but her confusion and disorientation is still there. She is primarily confused about TIME and PLACE. A brief brain scan was also done prior to the surgery which showed couple of spots which were primarily due to aging.
A week after surgery she also showed some psychotic behavior.
We are really concerned and confused that her "confusion" or "disorientation" did not get corrected after parathyroid surgery and after calcium levels have come down. It has been 2 weeks since surgery. Any comments anyone can offer? Prognosis? Thanks.

Martha H · 05-26-2008, 04:59 PM

I have heard that thyroid problems can mimic all the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease, and once the thyroid is working properly, all those symptoms can disappear. I do not know if the same is true of the parathyroids. Your mother's continued confusion may also be a result of the surgery itself. It takes weeks to get every trace of anesthetic out of the system, and every kind of artificial narcotic produces some damaged brain cells. I think your mother is too young to have old age related brain changes. I hope you can get straight answers from the surgeon who did the operation. Also try to find out if she will need to take a synthetic parathyroid hormone to keep her body functioning normally.

Good luck!

Martha

Gabriel · 05-26-2008, 06:32 PM

Martha is correct. I would definitely be talking to her surgeon and/or general physician to find the cause of her problems. I konw it takes more than a few days to get the effects of the anesthesia and medications out of her system and her system needs to find it's new balance. It would be up to her doctor's to determine the cause of her confusion. Hope you find the answers you need and whatever has caused this change in your mom can be corrected.

My thoughts and prayers are with you....

Love, deb

gemini1961 · 05-27-2008, 06:47 AM

Hi there! I know this sounds a bit official and complicated, but I've tried to keep it simple enough.

Now the next step is Anaesthetic can mimic dementia or exacerbate an early dementia into becoming worse. some people bounce back, others aren't so lucky.

Anyway, 'bout the thyroid & parathyroid:

The Thyroid and the parathyroid although together, are seperate and give off different symptoms to each other. The parathyroid glands are four glands that are located around the thyroid in the throat. The main function of the parathyroid glands is to make the parathyroid hormone. This is a chemical that regulates the amounts of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in the bones and blood. When these levels in the blood are too low, the parathyroid glands release extra PTH, which oozes out calcium from the bones and stimulates calcium reabsorption in the kidney. Problems can occur if the parathyroids are overactive or underactive.

Hyperparathyroidism (Hyper = High) is common in women 50 years and over. The glands make too much hormone and allow the calcium levels in the blood to rise. This puts the bones and kidneys under great strain. A lot of people with hyperparathyroidism show symptoms due to kidney stones. There can also be kidney disease or anticonvulsive drugs. Some symptoms include:

* Pain in the bones and joints
* Increased susceptibility to bone fractures
* Shrinking height
* Backache
* Muscle aches
* Thirst
* Frequent urination
* Abdominal pain
* Fatigue
* Nausea
* Loss of appetite
* Depression and other personality changes.

the reverse is called Hypoparathyroidism (Hypo = low) and symptoms of hypoparathyroidism include:

* Pins and needles
* Brittle hair and nails
* Dry, roughened skin
* Muscle cramps and spasms
* Convulsions.

Have I confused you yet? LOL. Sorry in advance.

Raffeer · 05-27-2008, 12:35 PM

Gemini - Many thanks. That is the clearest explanation I have had of the distinctions between Thyroid disease and Parathyroid problems. I have had both (surgery for Parathyroid and radioactive iodine for thyroid) and even with a physician son no one has clarified it so well.
For what it is worth the parathyroidism was asymptomatic.
Raffeer