I have had high normal calcium levels so I asked my doctor to test for my parathyroid hormone levels.
She got the test back today. While my calcium is normal at 9.4, my PTH level was 166 which is twice the high normal in the reference range.
What does that mean? My doctor is not sure. I searched it on google and read that anticonvulsants can elevate PTH. I am taking gabapentin 300 mgs at night to sleep.
Could this elevate my levels? Also heard that low vitamin D can elevate levels so it looks like I will have that checked.
Any help?
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Read that information, many of the symptoms are those of low magnesium, which is not surprising.
When magnesium levels are low, the body pulls calcium from the bones to compensate. The blood levels of calcium rise, which is a symptom of hyperparathyroid.
The Lyme bacteria lives in our cells and uses our magnesium, so many of our symptoms are due to low magnesium.
Vitamin D is related to this, as the body cannot use magnesium properly when the level of D is low.
Blood tests for magnesium are not accurate, as most of the magnesium is supposed to be in the cells, where it is needed for all of the enzyme processes.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Hope your doctor can sort all of this out!
Posted by n.northernlights (Member # 17934) on :
compare your numbers with the charts down this page
it sure looks like primary hyperparathyroid
Posted by cordor (Member # 9449) on :
my pth was at 176 a few years ago. I asked to have it checked because I had read an article about how high pth can be a cause of early osteoporosis (which I had just been diagnosed with).
lo and behold, the pth (parathyroid hormone) was thru the ROOF. My calcium was normal, by the way. BUT... my vitamin D was VERY low at 6.
Now that I have SLOWLY been able to get my vit D level up, the pth is heading back down towards normal....although still not there.
You should know that high pth levels over a very long period of time came wreak havoc on your body.
What is also interesting it that I have a pituitary tumor (which is new) but apparently has nothing to do with my pth problem.
Seems to be related more to the fact that my vit D is so low.
and yes- elevated pth can be from a parathyroid tumor also- so maybe you should have it checked.
Posted by soccermama (Member # 35101) on :
Thanks everyone for posting. I take a small dose of neurontin at night to help with sleep. Apparently, anti seizure meds can raise PTH levels.
My LLMD is going to take me off neurontin for a week. I am going to take another sleep medication. At the end of that week, I am going to retest and we will see the results.
Any other input?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Just to go slow coming off the neurontin!!!!
Posted by OtterJ (Member # 30701) on :
malabsorption in the gut can lead to Parathyroid abnormalities. Check your Vit. D and your phos., too.