Question: I had a calcium level in 2011 which was 10.8. Since that time I have not noticed any over 10.2 but always the higher level of normal, like 9.6, 9.9 or 10. I have had a chronic cough going on 8 years and worsening to the point of being unbearable. It's in my throat and I keep telling doctors it is in my throat. I have many many symptoms of a parathyroid problem. I went to a new doctor a few weeks ago and she called me this week about an abnormal high Alkaline Phosphotase level that she said would need to be monitored. I looked through old labs and noticed that these levels have been elevated for several years and no other doctor has showed concern. Thyroid levels always come back within normal limits, although I convinced my doctor at that time to check my Thyroid further and an ultra sound I believe it was, showed several nodules that they said would need to monitored once annually. I have lost 30 pounds in less than 3 years. When I started losing weight I weighed 132 lbs and as of 2 weeks ago I am down 102 lbs which no one knows why. This weight loss is unexplained and the doctor I went to 2 years ago could not explain it and had me checked for Luekemia which was negative and checked my liver for hepatitis which was negative. The cancer center told my doctor at the time that she should check for age appropriate cancers. I gave up and quit going to the doctor and hadn't been in 2 years until about 2 or 3 weeks ago. I have thought I had a parathyroid tumor for 5 or 6 years but no doctor will listen to me because my thyroid levels are always normal, yet I have had at least one high calcium level and continuous high alkaline phosphotase levels. How do you approach a doctor with regards to getting them to test your parathyroid glands?

Loss of energy, chronic fatigue, absolutely don't fell well, fell bad all the time, absolutely no sex drive. After being up a few hours I need a nap. By 4 or 5 in the afternoon I ache all over, my bones ache and I feel like I have the flu, feel like I have a fever but I don't. The only thing that helps is going to sleep and get some rest. This is difficult because for the last 8 years I have worked a 4 pm to midnight shift as a suicide crisis dispatcher. Luckily I have opportunities to sleep at work until I get a call. I used to sleep 8 to 10 hours a day straight without waking and now I am lucky to sleep 4 hours and wake up. When I do get up in the mornings around 10 am I can't think straight the 1st couple of hours, like a brain fog. That's the only way I can explain it. I don't like to think or answer questions for the 1st couple of hours I am up or should I say I hate to. I just can't deal with answering questions which also makes it difficult because my husband and I have a trucking business that I manage before going to my other job. I make every effort to secure his loads a day ahead so I don't have to get up in the mornings and deal with talking to brokers. I was diagnosed with Acid Reflux 10 years ago and was placed on meds which I finally took myself off of 2 years ago. I have found sleeping on my left side relieves the acid reflux from bothering me at night. For 8 years I have had problems with blood pressure. It fluctuates a lot, one time a doctor will put me on blood pressure medication and a year or so later I am told my blood pressure is fine and I don't need to be on any medication. It runs at times from say 160 over 98 and other times it maintains around say 130 over 60 then all of the sudden months down the road it rises back up to the upper level for months. My explanation is it is bipolar. I began losing my hair 3 years ago and was given a diagnosis 2 years ago of Alopecia by the Dermatology Clinic at Vanderbilt. I have hair but severe thinning especially in the front forehead area. I was also diagnosed with polycythemia producing to many red blood cells 2 years ago. That and the weight loss was why I was sent to the Kirkland Cancer Center to be tested for Leukemia which was negative. Around the same time I was sent to a ENT for the cough and he put a scope down my throat and didn't find anything, although he said he thought possibly he observed something on a vocal cord but did not seem concerned and did not advise me to follow up. He thought my Ranitadine may be the cause of the cough and changed the medication. He then sent me to have testing for COPD which was diagnosed as moderate. I still insist this cough is in my throat not my lungs. It is in the area of the thyroid. It is to the point that it is unbearable. My C-Spine has cervical disc displacement. I have a protrusion at the C4-C5 causing compression on the cord. Disc herniation at the C5-C6 causing compression on the cord. C2-C3, C3-C4, C6-C7, & C7-T1 have issues as well but not as severe. These findings were August 2012 for which I had Radio Frequency Ablation performed which worked wonders for the pain. I have had no follow testing up since that time. I am aware that both COPD & C-Spine issues can be causes of a chronic cough but so can the Parathyroid. With my latest labs showing that my Alkaline Phosphatase is high I looked at older lab work and it has ran high for several years. I know this can be caused by the Polycythemia but there are other causes like the parathyroid. My lab Neutrophilic SEG runs high as well when tested, whether that is of any significance. I will also not leave out that I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 about 8 years ago. Many of my symptoms could be symptoms of the parathyroid and all I want to do is rule it out as the problem. The cough in my throat is the main reason I think it has something to do with my parathyroid or thyroid. It's like a tickle and no matter how hard I cough I can't get it to stop and along with all the other symptoms I am at my wits end.

Thanks I will try that.