hyperparathyroidism, hypercalcemia, thyroid, parathyroid, PTH

[ryalinka]

My name is Jakob. I have a history of parathyroids cancer when I was 28 yeas old. Two parathyroid left after surgery.
This year I got an elevated calcium level 11.0. My doctor did a surgery again in June and couldn't find any problem with my parathyroids. Immediate after second surgery my calcium was 9.2 (normal). In July test my calcium level elevated again and become 11.0 with PTH level 47 (normal).

Any idea why calcium level elevated again?

Thanks.

[Catlover61]

They took all four of my sister's parathyroid glands (the normal number for a person) out of her neck, and they put half of one in her forearm so they could get to it easier surgically to control the calcium she was producing.  The half of a parathyroid gland in her forearm disappeared, and her calcium kept rising....this is how they figured out she had an extra gland which was causing the calcium to be high and make lots and lots of painful kidney stones.

[Thypatient]

My understanding is that the average number of parathyroid glands is four.  However, there can be five.  There can also be less than four.  Only one is needed to function.  Any of them can go wrong and cause problems.

Take care.

[Catlover61]

It is possible to have an extra parathyroid gland which can cause problems with calcium levels.  My sister and nephew had a fifth parathyroid gland, however the problems they had are supposed to be family inherited and rare.

[softlights]

PS. there is a thing called secondary hyperparathyroidism......in that case, they have to really look for the cause........as it may be more complicated than the Primary hyperparathryoidism, which most people here discuss.. Good luck, and stay on top of things, and let us know how you are doing.     Softy

[softlights]

Is your md sure he got out the offending gland?  Please check parathyroid.com... and if necessary email Dr Norman directly with your labs and history. He sometimes will answer specific medical questions, and point you in  the right direction.. I hope you don;t have any more need for surgery...but you never know.  take care

[softlights]

Glad to find more info here as  soon will be having the surgery. I am anxious about the procedure, the pain,etc and recuperation.. I have read parathryoid.com... any advise is welcome..  I wonder who to see to monitor my bloods.....will the surgeon do it until I am stable,,,,,or do I need to go to my Internist or and endocrinologist?

please give as much info as possible......did not realize the post op labs can be so important and unpredictable in some people...... Thanks.......

Softy

[medicmommy]

After I had one of my parathyroids removed (and I'd been hypercalcemic), my calcium levels were all over the place for several months (Mostly low)...My endo said that during the high PTH time, so much calcium had been stripped from my bones, it gave me "hungry bone" syndrome...So, when my oral supplements of calcium weren't enough (after the surgery), the PTH would rise, making my bones give up more calcium, thus making the blood calcium levels shoot up...(Whew!) Then the PTH levels would drop back to normal, or "low normal"...Does that make any sense? LOL  Just to be safe, be rechecked for cancer...If you happen to have MENS syndrome, it can happen in any endocrine gland...Good luck...(By the way, MENS is pretty rare...)        ~MM

[mazon15301]

Your levels will flucuate each day really, that I do know. My PTH is 47 and I have weird symptoms that have plagued me for about 7 years. My thyroid seems normal itself. No doctor wants to even investigate further.  I was told my symptoms are not that of a parathyroid problem. I dunno. I hope the website suggested by the other poster helps you, I'm about to jump on there myself. My calcium is only 9.2, but who knows. Sometimes test results don't show the whole picture, right?  I was thinking, maybe the adreneline in your system post-surgery somehow depleted enough calcium to knock you normal for a few weeks? I would ask your doc to see fi that is a possibility.

[Linda1068]

Hi Jakob,
Try looking on parathyroid.com. I don't have an answer for you, sorry.