Very Very Low PTH with High Calcium

[lilirish]

I have had high calcium for over a year.  When my calcium level got to 10.9 last year, the doctor said we will watch it.  This year it is still 10.9 and my PTH was checked and found to be 5 .  Yup, that's 5.  Yikes!  I am frustrated and very frightened by what I read about this combination.  I have not seen anyone post a PTH level this low.  I am confused because one site says low PTH and high calcium means the parathyroid is doing what it should when calcium is high, but also implies that this is not hyperparathyroidism.  That makes sense - hyper means high and my PTH is low.  So why is my calcium level so high?  The only info I can find indicates that I have cancer but does not say what kind and where.  Endocrinologists in our area are all very busy and many are turning away new patients.  I have to wait for an Endo to come home from her vacation and read my labs to see if she will accept me.  If she does not, I have to wait over two months to see an Endo.  Not knowing if  I have cancer and living with the symptoms of  hypercalcemia is very difficult.  Does anyone know if having a low PTH level and a high calcium level can still indicate hyperparathyroidism when the reading is as low as 5?  Does this automatically mean I have cancer?

[condoor430]

I know this has been a few years , but did anyone get any answers? I'm in the same boat with high calcium and low PTH?

[Barb135]

Did you check out the link provided above? Www.parathyroid.com   It’s the best site for parathyroid information.  

[condoor430]

Thanks, I actually know this site very well, it saved my life 4 years ago. No one in Ohio knew what they were doing so I consulted with these Drs. and within two weeks I was scheduled for an operation. ( of course I didn't wait for the Drs. to send them the test results so I did it myself, which is why it was
faster getting the surgery)
I actually met Dr. Norman.  They definitely know what they are doing I was in and out in about 5 hours. I was doing great until about 3 months ago and a lot of my symptoms came back. The weird thing is my calcium is high, but my PTH is low now. Before with the tumor my calcium was high with normal PTH. The website says it probably isn't a tumor with high calcium and low PTH so I was trying to see if anyone was able to get any answers about this scenario.

[cgm69]

I am going through the same thing now as my pth 6 < and  i have high calcium. You should see a doc asap because its not good for your bones or your kidneys. I wouldn't wait for an endo. Check with your primary care dr for a referral.

[gimel]

Have you been diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism?  

[gimel]

The following link provides good info for you.  

http://www.parathyroid.com/diagnosis.htm

[Coreystalker]

Did you ever find out what was causing this? I am in the same boat, feeling HORRIBLE all the time. I bave had kidney stones off n on for 6 months,  was just told i have high calcium of 10.8 and pth levels of 4!!!

[gimel]

What were the other test results that were "normal"?

[AlaRunnerGirl]

My PTH also is quite low (5.5), but my calcium levels have been normal (9.6-9.8).  I am premenopausal (45 yrs old) but have low bone density, which has resulted in multiple stress fractures (I am a runner, so all have been in my feet/tibia area).  I&#39;m desperate for some answers not only so I can run again, but so I can build my bone density back and be healthy.  All other levels of anything else that&#39;s been tested have been normal - just low PTH and osteoporosis.  :(  Any advice or answers out there?  Thanks!    

[gimel]

Could you please clarify what you intended to say in the two places that say
don&#39;.

[mommystorck100]

Has anyone found out anything regarding their labs. I too have an undetectable PTH level, borderline high calcium levels, and low Vit D level (10).  Just wondering what anyone has discovered?

[McNock]

Did you find any answer for these levels? I just found out I have low PTH, high calcium and low vitamin D.

[rangers30]

I am going through exactly the same thing. My calcium is 10.5 and my PTH is 3! Ive been seen by pulmonology and I have a very small nodule in my lung that is unchanged for a year. I am now going to see a neurologist for kidney testing. I have blood in my urine and a kidney stone. My endocrinologist is baffled and I'm very scared. I can't find any information about this online. Why is my PTH so low and my calcium so high?? I just keep hearing the word "serious" but no diagnosis.

[ronham]

have you figured out the problem yet? I have a low pth reading of 2 and 12.7 calcium reading. i was diagnosed with sarcoid

[Fay53]

Did you ever get an answer from your doctor about your numbers?  My son has similar calcium (10.6) and PTH (10) and has had terrible kidney stones and gastric pain.  I am familiar with the inverse numbers necessary to indicate hyperparathyroidism, which he doesn't appear to have.  I am also worried about possible other causes.  I know this is an old post, but hope someone might be following it.  Thanks.

[lilirish]

Thanks for answering my question.  The problem for me is that getting to a doctor is not easy.  Most Endos here are not taking new patients and the few that are, are booked up for two months or more.  With labs like these - where there is no clear diagnostic indication- but scary possibilities  - waiting for a doctor to review my labs and probably perform more tests means a diagnosis will be a slow process.  My family has a strong history of cancers.  I called my Primary and talked to her again.  She said she doesn't know why the results are like they are and that only an Endo can properly interpret them.  Gotta wait.  GRRRRR! Thanks for responding to my question.

[stella5349]

Here's something as a suggestion.

Low levels of PTH may be due to conditions causing hypercalcemia, or to an abnormality in PTH production causing hypoparathyroidism. Excess PTH secretion may be due to hyperparathyroidism, which is most frequently caused by a benign parathyroid tumor.

If calcium levels are high and PTH levels are low, then the parathyroid glands are responding properly, but your doctor is likely to perform further investigations to check for non-parathyroid-related reasons for your elevated calcium.


Other conditions associated with hypercalcemia include:

•cancers, particularly multiple myeloma, breast cancer and lung cancer;


•excessive levels of vitamin D from vitamins, excessive dietary calcium, or from diseases that may result in excess vitamin D production;


•immobilization over a long period of time;


•inherited metabolic or kidney conditions;


•kidney failure;


•overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or excessive thyroid hormone intake; and


•use of certain medications such as thiazide diuretics.

[lilirish]

If I am wrong about something here, would someone please tell me what I am saying that is wrong?  I did check out the parathyroid.com site.  I have very very low PTH and high calcium.  My PTH is 5.  If the parathyroid is low, and calcium is high, the thyroid is "shutting down" and doing what it should.  That means I do not have parathyroidism.  Reasons for high calcium when the parathyroid is very, very low?  The scale on the parathyroidism web site does not even show a 5 PTH.   I can not find any reference to this combination of extremely low PTH and high calcium-other than cancer.

[howerpower]

I have the same problem.  My calcium is 12.9 and my PTH, Intact is 7.  My kidneys were down to 27 last year and we got them back up to 59...now down to 37 again and drinking gallons of water to get calcium down again.  I also have abnormal proteins, kappa, gamba and lamba.  Have you been checked for those?  Doc did bone biopsy for multiple myeloma...negative.  He did mri to look for lymphoma and another type of myeloma...negative.  I don&#39;t have symptoms for sarcordosis, don&#39;t have rheumatoid arthritis but do have buckets of Osteoarthritis and spurs.  My Docs are all scratching their heads.

[blakew]

how about checking for a Dish Disorder? I have this and have your same issues.

[stella5349]

No it doesn't mean you have cancer... and your post on both levels is not correct. Have you checked the parathyroid . com site out?