High Serum Clacium

[Trish915]

Anybody have any ideas about this?  I am a 52 year old woman.  I suffered a very painful insufficiency fracture of my sacrum this winter.  I have since learned that I have osteoporosis of my pelvic region and osteopenia of my lumbar spine.  My calcium ranges around 10.9, HPT around 30, Vitamin D around 45.

I am being treated by a endocrinologist at a prestigious Chicago University and she tells me that I cannot have hyperparathyroidism because my HPT and vitamin D are too high.  According to parathyroid.com, I could have hyperparathyroidism, but my vitamin D is too high.  (It should be noted that I take 500 mg of calcium 3x per day.)

I am ever so curious to learn what people think.

[Trish915]

Thanks for the info.  My calcium has been in the 10.7-10.9 range since 2005.  I started taking the calcium in April of 2008, so the docs do not think that is causing the calcium elevation.

I also take a diuretic that can cause calcium elevation, but that was started in April as well and the docs don't think that is causing the calcium elevation either.

I will post for Dr. Lugo.  Thanks again for the response.

[Thypatient]

First off, so sorry you suffered such a fracture.  That must have been frightening.

Your question is tough one I can only speculate on (please don’t take the following as concrete).

On one hand, I can see where your calcium level would show a rise – because you're taking in extra calcium.  When I had that disease, I wasn’t taking in extra calcium, yet my levels read high (higher than what you mention).

On the other hand, it’s not like you’re taking tons of extra calcium.  If you’re talking about taking calcium carbonate supplements, that’s 1500 mg per day.  Only 40% of that is elemental calcium.  This puts you at 600 mg of elemental calcium per day and that’s well below the daily requirement.  Here’s a random chart I came across:

http://bombay.directrouter.com/~rheuminf/images/stories/File/Medication%20Information%20Sheets/CALCIUM_VITAMIN_%20D_%20INFORMATION_SHEET.pdf

(That might get bleeped.  If it does, it’s easy info to come across.)

Can you ask your question in the dr’s forum and see what he thinks?

[Trish915]

The only symptom is the osteoporosis and the sacral fracture.  No one has done a sestamibi scan.

[stella5349]

I think the hospitol and more importantly the doctor is not digging further to totally elimate this possibility

Your age and calcium levels should be of concern and further testing and scans should be done.

Anyone mention a sestamibi scan to you? Many hyperparathyroid patients go through the wringer until this is Dx'd.

If serum AND ionized calcium is high then PTH and VitD is tested - also a phorphorus test too.

Your levels indicate a problem - i am not suggesting anything but that.

request the sestamibi scan

Any symptoms? acid reflex? heart burn?

[Trish915]

Above should have read "I am being treated by a endocrinologist at a prestigious Chicago University and she tells me that I cannot have hyperparathyroidism because my HPT is too low and my vitamin D is too high.