Are My Vit D Levels Low Due to Parathyroid?

[RabbitMum_1965]

I'm female and in my mid 50s based in the UK. My calcium levels have been gradually increasing over the years but still within the 'normal' range (2.20 - 2.60) at 2.47mmol/L . My Vitamin D levels were 20 nmol/L ( less than 25 is deemed deficient) and parathyroid hormone was 7.7 pmol/L (norm = 1.60 - 7.50). They were all done in August 2019.

Calcium went to 2.49, parathyroid to 9.9 in December 2019. They said that they would redo the Vitamin D in a year and I had that done last week. I've been on high dose vitamin D for a year. I'm waiting on blood result. They said that there was no need to repeat the parathyroid blood test as my calcium was normal .

What I can't understand is that I have osteoporosis (confirmed by neck scan, which was done last month due to chronic neck pain). I asked for another prescription of Vitamin D on the day of the repeat Vit D blood test and was surprised when they gave me theical-D3 1000mg, which has both calcium and vitamin d. They gave me this without checking my calcium levels. I have symptoms like foggy brain, awful tinnitus, weak bladder, neck lumps (they said they were lymph nodes but they won't go down), I can feel a lump in upper chest area just below thyroid gland on right side and tingling/ numbness in one hand. I have calcifications in my brain.

The GP refused to refer to an endocrinologist but wrote to him instead. The endocrinologist was the one who said last year not to redo parathyroid test as calcium was normal.

The August bloods also showed raised thyroid antibodies (high end of normal) and TSH 1.13 mU/L (norm = 0.35 - 5.00) and free T4 14.8 pmol/L(norm 9.0 - 21)

Should I be on Calcium supplements if I have normal calcium ( at Dec 2019 testing)? Should my parathyroid levels be rechecked or only rechecked if calcium is high? I'll ask for the calcium to be rechecked before I start taking theical-D3.

It looks like they put me on theical-d3 on the basis of the neck scan. How do you get osteoperosis in neck and upper back (established before age 54) if you have normal calcium? I also had a routine DEXA done and they said that was in low end of normal and just to increase dietary calcium. That was done last year also.

I hope someone can help with these questions.

[Poniesrfun]

Hi -

parathyroid.com/

Has in depth discussions of calcium/parathyroid.

They have a companion app called CalciumPro (look in your App Store) that calculates your personal risk.

Calcium and parathyroid and the influence of thyroid and other factors is fairly complex - a lot of doctors find it more than a bit bewildering.

Patti in Arizona

[MMaud]

Hi Newbie - If you have osteoporosis, have you been referred to the Metabolic Bone Clinic? The Metabolic Bone Clinic and Endo areas tend to work quite closely with each other, as there can tend to be a bit of a common population, with those of a certain age, and beyond.

At the time of starting a trial of T3, my Endo requested a DEXA scan which showed "mild" osteoporosis in one hip, osteopaenia in the other and thoracic area fine. (Neck and wrists were not scanned.)

Having been referred to the MBC, I am still waiting for the results of my parathyroid levels (they were fine, but last test what seems like a lifetime ago), routine myeloma screening and P1NP, which helps inform the clever folks about my bone cell turnover rates .

I wonder if your GP could ask the bone people about the recommended medication, if you feel you aren't getting the answers you need.

If it's any consolation, my last Endo review and initial Bone Clinic appointments were by telephone. That didn't feel ideal for an initial appointment, but at least it got some relevant bloods ordered up and the ball rolling. So much better than nothing.

Good luck with it all. It seems to be that our metabolic health is a massive jigsaw puzzle, where some of the pieces seem to have dropped down the back of the sofa, when we weren't looking.

As we oft repeat here at home, "every day is a school day."

[bantam12]

If your parathyroid level is high there is a problem, it's not unheard of to have a high pth but in range calcium. You need to be referred to an Endo who is experienced in hyperparathyroidism, many are not so you will have to do the research to find one. It typically takes a long time to get a definite diagnosis because levels do go up and down so you need regular monitoring and a knowledgeable Endo.

[RabbitMum_1965 in reply to bantam12]

My GP wrote to an endo for advice, who said = stop checking her parathyroid levels; her calcium is normal.

I've just got too much going on at the moment to fight them. I've widespread stenosis in my cervical spine (osteo-arthritis), autoimmune thyroid disease (just restarted thyroxine) and a brain aneurysm.

I also have bilateral basal ganglia calcifications but they say that's 'normal' also.

[msb44]

I can only explain what happened to me, and my daughter. I had one elevated calcium level just 0.3 above the upper range of "normal". Was told to not worry about it. My vitamin D was 8 but did not know at the time. My bones ached. Had PTH checked which was a little over range. But insisted we go ahead with surgery. (In US.) Actual PTH was in the hundreds (700+) at time of surgery. I had one enlarged parathyroid gland plus a second starting to enlarge, which were removed. In my post surgical euphoria, I suggested all three of my children get tested for PTH. I did not know my daughter was experiencing fatigue and other symptoms, but she tested high for PTH while her Calcium was ALWAYS within normal limits. Her Vit. D was in the teens. She had two large parathyroid glands removed. For more info, check out parathyroid.com.

[PavlovaDog]

I know calcium will block vitamin D absorption so they need to be separated by about 4 hours. Vitamin A or beta carotene also blocks D. If you are taking calcium and D3 you need to be taking vitamin K2 so the body will deposit calcium in the right place, in your bones, otherwise it will just line the arteries with calcium. If you have high calcium but osteoporosis that says that the calcium is not going to your bones. For treating osteoporosis everyone thinks milk and calcium supplements do the trick, but actually there is a medical study that says eating just 4 prunes per day will increase bone density dramatically and so will soymilk if you are past menopausal age. I know everyone these days thinks soy is bad, but I researched a lot of medical studies that showed it having very positive health effects and I haven't found it interferes with thyroid levels. That info started circulating against soy by the dairy industry because they are in such direct competition with each other.

[RabbitMum_1965]

Thank you for the replies. Apologies - I have osteoporosis mixed up with osteo-arthritis. The mri showed 'widespread degenerative changes throughout cervical spine'. I don't think osteoporosis shows on mri scans?? I fished out the DEXA report and it shows osteopenia in my hip. My neck and upper spine are painful ++. They have agreed to redo my calcium and I had that done today so hopefully I'll get another piece of the jigsaw.

[gizmomonster]

Your parathyroid levels aren't that high above normal, and can be due to the low vitamin D. I would suggest trying dry vitamin D which is better absorbed.

[alwaysceptical]

Low d is the result not the reason for high calcium.Low levels of vitamin D are protective for you. Don't for any reason supplement with this secosteroid called vitamin d. High levels of serum calcium are never normal and suggest primary hyperparathyroidism. This is serious and needs surgery. Check please parathyroid.com/hyperparathyroidism-diagnosis.htm

[humanbean]

With calcium levels which are high in range then, in your shoes, I wouldn't want to take more. It could end up lining your arteries or being deposited in soft tissues where it isn't helpful.

If your vitamin D is low and you supplement that it increases your body's absorption of calcium from the diet, which is another reason not to supplement calcium.

Anyone taking vitamin D also needs to take magnesium and vitamin K2 to make sure any additional calcium you absorb gets absorbed by bones and teeth.

You might find these links of interest :

saveourbones.com/

betterbones.com/

[Pearipile-55]

it's very good what he gave you, calcium and d3. because you have osteoporosis _ lack of calcium in your bones! The body must always have calcium in its blood balanced. For this reason it takes calcium from the bones and passes it into the blood, so in the blood the test is always normal. It does not take magnesium and I read on google drugs. that interacts!.