Parathroid Disease ?

[lmarie3]

My PCP had no idea why mu ALP was high 153 (range50-136) Calcium 9.3 (range 8.5-10.2)
Vit D,  9 very low, also Kidney stones history, UTI's, Blood in urine over 2 years,  Hashi, stenosis of cervical and lumbar spine, right flank pain constant, to name a few symptoms. PCP basically thinks the pain I am in is all in my head....So I have been reading this site and others. Went to my Endo and she is now testing for Parathyroid problems and adrenal problems, long predisone use for possible MCTD. Should I continue to take large doses of Vit D? what about taking Calcium? It is down a little now but stays at the high end of range, PCP thought I needed more for my bones or flomax, Dexa is Osteopenia,  I am in my 50's and female.

[danie17075rm]

Thanks for the input.  I will ask them to put in the wriing.  I do get the high bp and I flush all the time.  I don't know about kidney stones, but I wouldn't be surprised if that will be next.  I'm sorry your joints are hurting.  Mine always hurt too, but usually my other symptoms are so bad that pain is the most tolerable of all of them lol.

I have hashimotos, that turned into hashimotos toxicosis when I swung hyper.  I spent the last several months fluctuating between hypo and hyper.  I had an uptake which showed I took in too much iodine (hyper).  My doc said I'd have to get RAI, removal, or block and replace (he said that is difficult, had side effects and might not work).  Since I have a young son and was worried about exposing him to radiation, AND questionable parathyroid problems, I thought I would opt for surgery.

I had 2 endos tell me I definitely do not have hyperpar.  They said a D deficiency CAN raise pth and calcium slightly.  It doesn't seem right to me.  Right before I developed these symptoms my calcium was 8.5 (I noticed on a test).  Something made it swing up to 10!  I REALLY hope I can get the surgeon to agree to look at the para's during surgery. Thanks for the post.  I hope your problem gets situated as well.  Sometimes it seems like a never ending battle.

[lmarie3]

Hi again,
Your calcium has to be low if your vit D is extremely low unless you have parathyroid problems... ask for a 2nd on that....or have the DR explain how calcium can be high when Vit D is so low. He will not be able to explain it away. It is not the extra vit D making us feel terrible it is that our calcium is going nuts!!! rapid heart beat high BP flushing, I get kidney stones and my joints are horrible today. Not a good week to feel horrible..it is Easter.
Secondary Parathyroid would not work the same way, the vit D would come up and should stay close to normal taking 500mg -1000mg a day. AND Calcium should never be high out of range...ever.
Best of luck with your thyroid removal. Why are they removing it? Also make the Dr put it in writing about checking your parathyroid during surgery and for the DX of 2nd Para.

Happy Easter

[danie17075rm]

LM- I also had a questionable parathyroid reading.  My pth was 55 and my calcium was 10 (10.1) normal at my lab.  My vitamin D was 11.  I find it interesting the problems you had with D.  I took the D and my heart was racing, I was extremely nauseous and I had worse muscle pain than I ever had.  I had to sit in bed with a heating pad.  My docs believe i just have secondary hyperpara due to vitamin D deficiency.  I have had 2 online opinions tell me it is not because my calcium should be much lower.  I am in a  no win situation though as my docs won't test me further.  My only saving grace is that I am having my thyroid removed.  I meet with the surgeon in May and I am going to make him promise that he will check out the parathyroids while he is in there.  I have recently found a bunch of people who can't take D though, I just find it interesting that the docs won't believe this could ever happen!!  I hope you get better soon.

[lmarie3]

Thank you and I am sorry for all your problems, I truly know how it feels. Someone is missing something and not doing the correct testing or not doing the test correctly in your case as well as mine. The parathyroid site is very good, I read it the other day. Some Dr.s are too misinformed, have not seen it, and some just don't care about anything but getting the money. You would think they have access to the same information that we do???
I did dump the PCP and I filed a complaint as well related to other problems I had with her. Now I only have my Pain Management Dr and Endo Dr. I am waiting for test results PTH and other blood work looking for tumors, adrenal problems, or cancer.
I took Vit D yesterday and should have kept reading before I did. Woke up with bad flank pain, swollen upper lip, mouth sores, and the puffy sore spots in joints to name a few problems, so it probably kicked my calcium up again.,,,I am not taking Calcuim. I do not want any more kidney stones.
One thing to remember that I found online from a DR last night....when your Vit D is Low calcium will always be low unless you have a Parathyroid disorder and or worse. Taking Vit D will just make your calcuim go up even more. Mine is boarderline high even when my Vit D is extremely low.
Have you had a DEXA done? No one ever told me my results, the test only had 2 areas tested, I had to get the results myself this week so I can give them to my Endo. I have also been on Predisone for 2 years (varied doses) Methotrexate, and a bunch of other meds, none of which helped much except pain meds.
I guess the PTH test takes more than 2 days turnaround so I will not know anything until Tuesday.
Best Regards to you.
Lmarie3

[FTB4]

Do not take Vitamin D if you suspect Parathyroid, Dump the PCP and find another, I would never return to an MD that blew off your symptoms like that. I am going through the same thing, Just had an MRI on my neck, bone spurs, and Degenerative disc disease, no one has connected it with Hashimoto's with me yet, although I have the same body pain in the sides and back of the rib cage, hip pain during sleep, and pain on and off for two years at the bottom of rib left side, Pancreas area, Had an MRI on the Pancreas, came out negative, but I read at www.parathyroid.com that Pancreatic Inflammation is also caused by Parathyroid, I will be tested for Parathyroid right after the Holiday, My Calcium was 9.7 ramge 8.6-10.2  Vitamin D was 61  r32-100, Once I read the Parathyroid web site, I stopped taking the Vitamin D and my MD agreed until the test results are back. I am not sure about Calcium, you could try the Parathyroid web-site, it also stated that your Calcium level does not have to be above the normal range for you to be symptomatic, there is a list of 18 Symptoms of Parathyroid, I have fourteen of these, however some are also thyroid symptoms, but the ones that I find a connection with are the bone and muscle pain, and the inflammation in the area of the Pancreas, It also says it causes osteo problems and bone density loss. It is a very informative Web site. Best Regards FTB4