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Is It Normal To Have Diarrhea, Headache And Dizziness With Enlarged Parathyroid?

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Posted on Wed, 15 Jan 2014
Twitter Wed, 15 Jan 2014 Answered on
Twitter Wed, 5 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on
Question : Hello, I just got the results of an ultra sound of my thyroid because one side is enlarged. The results came back that my parathyroid is enlarged. My family doc is sending me for a full panel of blood work. In the mean time I am wondering how I know for sure this is not cancer? How do I know that the radiologist read the ultra sound correctly? Aside from the enlarged parathyroid I had c diff. I just finished a course of flagyl and I am better but I still have diarrhea my colon still feels inflamed and I have minor cramping and my lower abdomen is bloated. Other symptoms - headaches, neck ache, and slight dizziness. Do you have any other advice?
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Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (6 hours later)
Brief Answer: Thyroid Detailed Answer: 1 The radiologist is entrusted with the responsibility to accurately read the images. Parathyroid enlargement often has a classic appearance that makes one suspect this. However, it can be difficult to be 100% certain of this solely on ultrasound features. Therefore, the lab tests will provide corroborative results or otherwise. For example it is important to see if the calcium levels are elevated or not, and if so whether the PTH levels are suppressed or not. If indeed Calcium and PTH are high, then one possible diagnosis is Primary Hyperparathyroidism. Only in a very small percentage of this is parathyroid cancer the cause. Typically the PTH levels in such instances is significantly elevated. 2 C diff or flagyl have no known reported association with parathyroid enlargement 3 Diarrhea can be associated with a rare type of thyroid cancer called Medullary Thyroid Cancer. Moreover, the head-neck area symptoms that you are experiencing are worth exploring thoroughly. A good first step is to see an endocrinologist who can analyze the thyroid/parathyroid conditions with expertise and approach this matter systematically.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Shehzad Topiwala

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Practicing since :2001

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Is It Normal To Have Diarrhea, Headache And Dizziness With Enlarged Parathyroid?

Brief Answer: Thyroid Detailed Answer: 1 The radiologist is entrusted with the responsibility to accurately read the images. Parathyroid enlargement often has a classic appearance that makes one suspect this. However, it can be difficult to be 100% certain of this solely on ultrasound features. Therefore, the lab tests will provide corroborative results or otherwise. For example it is important to see if the calcium levels are elevated or not, and if so whether the PTH levels are suppressed or not. If indeed Calcium and PTH are high, then one possible diagnosis is Primary Hyperparathyroidism. Only in a very small percentage of this is parathyroid cancer the cause. Typically the PTH levels in such instances is significantly elevated. 2 C diff or flagyl have no known reported association with parathyroid enlargement 3 Diarrhea can be associated with a rare type of thyroid cancer called Medullary Thyroid Cancer. Moreover, the head-neck area symptoms that you are experiencing are worth exploring thoroughly. A good first step is to see an endocrinologist who can analyze the thyroid/parathyroid conditions with expertise and approach this matter systematically.