Blood Tests show Decrease in Calcium/Increase in PTH

[Calciumgirl]

I had my first Zoledronic acid infusion in December.I was very anxious about having it and to some extent felt I was pushed down this route.Accident last August- Broken humerus which required a reverse shoulder replacement.Borderline for DEXA scan but fracture liaison nurse offered it as both my parents have osteoporosis.I have four vertebrae with osteoporosis- Very shocked and before infusion all my blood tests were well within normal range.Before Christmas I went to see my GP and asked why I was being prescribed Adcal as all my blood levels were fine? She said it was just to give me a boost but offered a well woman check.Blood results in January showed my Calcium was below normal and repeat bloods requested.Those results show my Calcium now normal but my PTH is elevated and abnormal.I am to see her,at her request,next Tuesday.J have read that a Zoledronic infusions can cause this- Has anyone else had this issue? And do your blood results return to normal? This is causing me a lot of stress and worry.I have never been on any medication and worry now that I'm going down a rabbit hole of medics offering drugs to conteract other drugs.

[questionably]

calciumgirl, zoledronate rapidly reduces the breakdown of bone. When bone breaks down it releases calcium into the bloodstream. The parathyroid gland is responsible for maintaining calcium levels. PTHormone is released into the blood stream to induce the production of vitamin D. Since vitamin D increases absorption of calcium in the colon.

While this happens and is a normal mechanisim early in the course of bisphosphonates, especially with zoledronate because with an infusion much more of the medication is absorbed.

It is good that your practitioners are keeping track of your serum levels. It they want to be even more helpful they could order CTX a bone marker that will tell you if the bones are being preserved.

You don't need to worry. I would welcome any testing they want to do but not meds to counteract the mechanism of action of zoledronate.

[Graceissufficient]

How good was yr Vit D level before starting treatment? Within range or at bottom of range? PTH was normal?

[Calciumgirl in reply to Graceissufficient]

My vitamin D score was 101 before the infusion and in January it was 95 so within normal levels and my PTH was 4.5 pres infusion.My fracture liaison nurse called me yesterday and put my mind at rest about the blood results.She has said to ask the GP to do regular blood tests but I will ask about the bone marker test,too.Thank you for letting me know about it.And yes,I was worried that the GP will try to give more drugs to counteract the Infusion which I will resist.I was told yesterday that it can take over three months for your bloods to come back to normal.