Some doctors want to see you within a week or so after the operation. We think this is too soon and prefer that you don’t worry about this for 6-8 weeks. We prefer you wait several weeks, preferably 6-8 weeks to check your calcium and PTH levels because it isn’t fully settled before this time. If you measure it 1 week later, the PTH is often a little bit too low because the normal glands you still have (which were asleep for years) haven’t fully woken up and started regulating things. So relax and don’t worry about checking labs or seeing a doctor for a month or two. Remember, we took a tumor out—we didn’t put one in!

What to tell your doctor?

We have an entire page for you to show your doctor when you go see them. First, know that your doctors will receive copies of your records from us about 7-10 days after the operation. They will get a letter from us, a photo, your hormone levels after the operation (the blood we drew from your arm about a half hour before you left), and a copy of the operative report which gives details of the operation, the thyroid, the other parathyroid glands, etc.  Show this page to your doctors: INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOCTOR PAGE