How to get the most from  your parathyroid appointment

Here are some suggestions for making the most of your parathyroid appointment.  

Bring with you any potentially relevant healthcare information.  If you have seen anyone else for this or a related condition, the reports and images from prior work may well not be readily available to Dr. Lansford during your visit, unless they are from Christie Clinic, Carle, or OSF.

Unless they are coming from Christie Clinic, Bromenn, or the OSF system, please hand-carry to your appointment the following items:

• Any prior operative or clinic notes relevant to this condition.  You can get these from the medical records department of the hospital or clinic where you were seen previously.

• Any bloodwork results relating to your parathyroid or thyroid (especially calcium, PTH, albumin, TSH, Free T4, Free T3).  If you are not sure which results relate to the parathyroid and thyroid, you may bring a copy of all of your bloodwork from the past year or two.

• Any prior pathology testing from a biopsy or operation for this problem.

• Any recent imaging or x-rays.  Dr. Lansford needs two parts: the images themselves, burned onto a CD, and the radiologist’s interpretation (which is usually provided on paper, but sometimes included electronically with the CD).  To obtain these, you may need to go to the radiology department where the images were taken and say “I need the actual images and the radiologist’s report.”

It will be helpful for Dr. Lansford to know:

• When did any problem with the parathyroid gland first become apparent

• Stones:

  • Have you had any kidney stones or salivary stones?

• Bones:

  • Have you had any bone fractures recently?

  • Do you have osteopenia or osteoporosis (low bone density)?

• Groans:

  • Do you have joint aches?

  • Do you have abdominal pain?

• Mood:

  • Do you feel depressed or unmotivated?

• Do you have blood relatives who have had parathyroid surgery?

• Do you have blood relatives who have tumors of the endocrine glands (such as the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, adrenal glands)?

• Do you have any problems or disease of the kidneys?

Bring a list of your current medications (prescription and non-prescription) and their doses.  If it is easier, you could bring in your current medications.

Bring your photo I.D., your medical insurance card and be prepared for your copay.

Also, in case you have to wait, it is a good idea to bring with you something to do, such as your phone or a book.  Bring a notepad and paper if you might wish to take notes.  Bring a family member or friend if you wish to have another “set of ears.”