Parathyroid tumor

Hello. I was posting at HW because of questions about my spine surgery, but now I have another thing going on. My serum calcium is 11.1 and my parathyroid hormone (PTH) is 81. It does not take an endocrinologist to diagnose a parathyroid tumor (or two). It took me 6 weeks to finally get my primary to order the PTH. I have spent days on the phone with my insurance. They say this is elective surgery and not covered. I say this is life threatening and I need a specialist endocrine surgeon to do the surgery ASAP. I have an appointment with my primary tomorrow and I am taking my pillow. I will not leave until I am satisfied that I am not being ignored and the surgery WILL be scheduled and paid for by my insurance, or the cops come to get this peaceful protester out of the waiting area. My ACDF (spine fusion) has never been adequately followed up. I have never had pain control. And I am cranky enough to be willing to get arrested to make my point. I am NOT depressed. I WILL NOT take Cymbalta to make me docile. I admit I am cranky.

Take a look at this website - especially at the chart that shows calcium and pth testing - and what results mean.

At one point I had looked into this.

www.parathyroid.com

“ A blood calcium level that is too HIGH, and is associated with a HIGH parathyroid hormone level then one or more parathyroid gland tumors are almost surely present. That is, the high blood calcium is a result of the excess parathyroid hormone (PTH). It is a parathyroid gland tumor that is the problem. “

There is a chart somewhere on that website that shows levels of calcium and PTH that indicate a tumor is likely.

My doctor informed me she could not make a referral for an endocrine surgeon until I had a bone density test, a 24-hour urine collection (checking for calcium), and a renal ultrasound. I got them scheduled for Tuesday, and to pick up the pee container. Oh, and she decided I needed a serum vitamin D. So many flaming hoops just to generate as much revenue out of me as possible. I finally was assigned a Care Coordinator through my insurance, but she said this was out of her scope. The clinic now recognizes me as a "High Maintenance" patient. Good. Squeeky wheel and all that. Also, the doctor will not prescribe the injectable vitamin B-12 that I have been taking for several years, and need to continue for the rest of my life, until I allow a gastroenterologist to perform an ERCP. Not going to happen. I can buy my B-12 and syringes from Canada. So irritating, frustrating, and just plain bad medical practice and bad insurance people with no medical degrees deciding the fate of my life. No need to respond. I'm just blowing some more steam.