I am a new poster who recently has MIRP surgery with Dr. Norman in the Spring of 2015. It was not the experience I had hoped for AT ALL. Recovery was hard and still is even months later. I am not 100%. Surgery is not some miraculous instant cure the way the parathyroid website implies. Norman's website is a terrific resource, but his operation is lucrative and a PR machine, and the care I received I feel was sub par.
My surgery was not straightforward, and I had some concerns post-op. I felt dangerously dismissed to the point that I couldn't get answers from Dr. Norman about the surgery and what happened to my body during and after the procedure. I felt they clearly wanted me in, cut, and out. No followup. No questions appreciated. Little to no concern if complications arose. If anything, I felt like information was hidden from me to maintain his optics and reputation. They didn't want to know about concerns, and didnt want to be held responsible. It's very much an attitude of cut-to-cure and let others clean up the mess once you get home.
The other thing future patients need to know, is that Dr. Norman's bedside manner is horrendous. Call it quirky. Call it ego. But practically every other sentence is laced with offensive profanity (S-words, F-words, etc). He calls patients and doctors, idiots, and other derogatory names. When you call to ask questions, he will yell and cuss at you. Very intimidating and disrespectful.
Cosmetically, the surgery was great. Scar is tiny. Procedure was short. But I would rather have had a doctor who listened to me, cared, addressed post op complications, and didn't use intimidating language.
If you have a straightforward issue, then go to Tampa but dr. Norman is not a god, though he seems to think the sun rises and sets out of his a$$.
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Once you pay Normans fee and get to Tampa, you're pretty much forced to become part of the conveyor belt operation they run. Ask questions or have concerns, slow the process, and you are treated disrespectfully. They don't tell you about these possible changes and side effects until after you are already there for surgery. And then they downplay them and make them seem like no big deal. But it is a huge deal if you are the one experiencing them. It's scary. I think this operation requires much closer follow up then Normans team can give remotely.
I felt horrible after surgery. And horrible for weeks/months after surgery because my hormones were so messed up because of the procedure. Yes I felt much worst after. Norman would say is because my body was so used to the high calcium that having normal calcium made me feel sick.
It's been 3-4 months now and I am only just starting to feel a little better than I did pre-op. I felt worse for about two months. Then felt about the same pre-op for a month. Only now am I feeling a little better, but I still have good days and bad days. I think the hormone shifts actually gave me worse anxiety which I now have had to battle with.
There are people who tout the surgery as a miracle cure. Maybe it is for their symptoms. But not for me. It's been a long road. I just wish there was more info out there about recovery times and changes and the side effects of surgery, so people have realistic expectations. I am hopeful that I will feel better soon, but wish I had been treated better.
No, I did not have thyroid issues prior to surgery, but have had (hopefully) temporary ones after.
Again, I think there are potentially recovery issues no matter who does your surgery. I just wish NPC had been more understanding and up front about them instead of patronizing and dismissive. The scar is fabulous and is nearly gone. But I would have tolerated less favorable cosmetics for better post-op care.
What would you suggest for me? I have had 2 unsuccessful surgeries. The first surgery removed 2 adenomas, and I felt better for about a week and then had even worse fatigue and brain fog. At the time, I was told the lower 2 parathyroids were fine. I returned four years later and had the left lower lobe of the thyroid removed because there was a nodule that may have been the left lower parathyroid. It turned out to be a thyroid nodule and I am feeling terrible. I was told that the right lower parathyroid wad fine, but they could not find the left lower parathyroid. What should I do? Have the entire thyroid removed? Go to a different surgeon? I know that this can be a complicated disease and for those like me it is not a simple 20 minute procedure. Do you believe that a full neck exploration would be the best course of action for me?
Patricienn