High Blood Calcium Levels
Comments
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Hello everyone,
I would be glad to hear from any of you that have been posting on this thread and to know how you are getting on. All high calcium levels should be checked out to rule out spread to the bones with breast cancer. You could have an overactive parathyroid gland and need to get your parathyroid hormone levels checked out.
Best wishes,
Sylvia.
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My friends has this problem. She is stage 3a, four years out, but nothing is wrong with her. Maybe limit any calcium supplements.
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Hi Sylvia: I had to change primary physicians as my old one now refuses to take UHC. So today I had my first visit with the new one. He gave me an RX for blood work, including calcium levels. I haven't had any blood work done for year so it will be interesting to see if my calcium levels are ok.
I am sure they are--when I was diagnosed with the parathyroid tumor (10 years ago this fall) I had no symptoms other than a lot of bone pain. I don't have that any more. In fact, the bone pain went away right after the parathyroidectomy and didn't return until I was put on Aromasin for the breast cancer diagnosis in 2011. As you probably know I didn't stay on the drug - too many SEs, the worst of which was bone pain so bad it hurt to walk.
I am getting the blood work done tomorrow so should know the result sometime next week. In the meantime I have developed another squamous cell cancer on my cheek and need Moh's surgery for that. Always something-----
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Hello dogsandjogs
I have just found your
post dated March 6th 2014 and was wondering if you are
still looking and how you are getting on. I am still very interested
in hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer. Please post if you are
still looking.I have recently read
that both hyperparathyroidism and hyperthyroidism cause osteoporosis,
so both must take calcium from the bones and put it into the blood. I
would be interested to find out whether there is research connecting
hyperthyroidism to breast cancer as well as connecting
hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer.Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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Hello everyone
I have just found a
very good website about parathyroid disease. Those who have read my
thread for a long time will know that I was diagnosed with
hyperparathyroidism (an over active parathyroid gland) at the same
time that I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My oncologist
discovered this through doing a test for PTH because I had high
calcium levels and she was concerned that my cancer may have spread
to the bones. It turned out I had hyperparathyroidism which leaches
calcium out of the bones into the blood and causes osteoporosis. I
was told that by the size of the adenoma on one of my parathyroids
that this had preceded the breast cancer and that I had probably had
it for a long time. In 2009 I had a parathyroidectomy to remove the
adenoma, the calcium level normalised and I was told I was cured.I had read research
that believes that there is a connection between hyperparathyroidism
and breast cancer. Now on other threads I am reading posts about a
connection between thyroid problems and breast cancer.The website that I have
found is as follows.http://www.parathyroid-gland.com/
I would welcome any
comments. There are two other forums in which this disease comes
under discussion.IDC (Invasive ductal
carcinoma)Thread: Parathyroid
disease and breast cancer.Not diagnosed with a
recurrence or metastases but concernedThread : High blood
calcium levels.Thinking of you all.
Sylvia
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Hi Sylvia,
I am having a retest on my calcium levels tomorrow as mine were elevated most recently (10.9) in a routine blood test. After reading Dr. Norman's website, I am pretty confident that I have some type of parathyroid issue as I have several of those symptoms. Will keep you posted on my retest and hopefully they will check my PTH levels as well although am not sure they will if it comes back in the normal range of under 10.2 (which is still high for someone over the age of 50 per the Norman website)
Will be sure to post!
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Hello april485,
I was interested to
read your post and to learn that you have elevated calcium levels
according to a recent routine blood test. You are right to get this
checked. You need to insist on getting your parathyroid hormone level
checked as this is what gives a diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism (an
over active parathyroid gland). Even slightly elevated calcium needs
to be checked. You do not want calcium leaching form the bones into
the blood and causing osteoporosis. This is what happens if left
unchecked. Mine was discovered by accident when I was diagnosed with
breast cancer. My consultant told me the hyperparathyroidism preceded
the breast cancer and that I had probably had had it for quite some
time.Please let us know how
you get on. I noticed that you were oestrogen and progesterone
positive, but you do not mention your HER2 status. Was it positive or
negative?You might be interested
in reading the other thread Parathyroid disease and breast cancer in
the IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) forum.Best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
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I just had my blood re-tested after a check-up showed blood calcium 10.9. I stopped taking calcium supplements, and if the result from today is not normal, then I have to go for tests to see if this is bone mets. I am very concerned. Apparently the parathyroid was also tested and it is normal.
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Hello,
I was diagnosed with TNBC in March of 2011. I am also BRCA 1+. I had chemo, bi-lateral mastectomy and hysterectomy. I was 42 when diagnosed. Just recently my oncologist had my pth level checked because my calcium has been in the mid to low 10's for the past 3 years, but went up to 11.1. My pth level came back slightly high and calcium level 10.6. She sent me to an endocrinologist. She did 24 hour urine test, ultrasound and sestamibi scan. All three came back normal. My oncologist and endocrinologist want me to see a surgeon anyway. After much reluctance and stubbornness, I finally made an appointment for next week. I'm just afraid that if I end up having surgery and they don't find an adenoma that it will be all for nothing. My oncologist is very concerned because she said that with me having my ovaries removed at a young age (42) and the possibility of hyperparathyroidism, that I could end up with major bone problems in the future. I guess I'll see what the surgeon has to say and go from there. Any advice would be app
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Many people who are diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism have adenomas that do not show up on diagnostic imaging. The suckers are little, to start with, and then they tend to hide behind or within the thyroid and other neck structures.
I had one show up on sestamibi scan -- turned out I had 3.
Many are simply diagnosed on the basis of blood work which seems to be the case for you.
There are a couple of good websites that explain a lot of this:
www.parathyroid.com -- this website is sponsored by a surgeon who does a LOT of parathyroid work. He has a reputation in the profession for being aggressive in his stand on surgery, but he has a bunch of patients who swear by him.
Before consulting the surgeon your docs recommended, you may also wish to consulthttp://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hyperparath...
which will tell you more about the general standards as promulgated by the endocrinology docs.
As for me, I do think that most endocrinologists are too conservative (mine was, and I am now osteoporotic. Hoping that my bone density scan in a few weeks will show an improvement -- would LOVE to be osteopenic again)
I feel better and am in less pain than I was before my surgery, but I really pushed because I was scared about my bones. I know that in the first few years after cancer treatment, all we are interested in is cancer, but, as I come to believe that my docs got my cancer, and that it is not coming back, that I have other issues I have to pay attention to.0 -
Hi!
I am new to this site, and have enjoyed reading this thread. I had my bloodwork done last week, blood calcium level was high, 10.9, so onc tested my PTH hormone and it was high. Will be doing some further testing this week. Not sure what to think about all of this, would so love to have normal bloodwork again. My CA 27-29 was also slightly elevated, 45, so now have to do pet scan, worry, worry, worry!! This parathyroid issue and breast cancer seems to be more common than I ever realized. I am stage 3A, ductal/lobular, two sentinel nodes with micromatstesis.
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I had high blood calcium at my last check-up. Doctor recommended stopping calcium and vitamin D supplements and then re-testing. So, three weeks later, the re-test showed my levels are completely normal. Hope you get to the bottom of this!
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Hello,
I found this thread by accident while researching high calcium levels. I never knew there was a correlation between breast cancer and hyperparathyroidism. I was treated for breast cancer 10 years ago, had a mastectomy and chemotherapy and no metastasis or recurrence since then. For the past few years I have suffered from fatigue, poor sleep, urinary frequency, and generally not feeling well. I had high calcium (10.9) 4 years ago, and on the high range of normal since then. Recently, I started having daily headaches and nausea. I went back to my doctor to get my Ambien renewed, and she ordered the blood work that showed calcium level at 11.1. I googled it, of course, and came to the parathyroid.com site where I read all about hyperparathyroidism. We did follow up blood work and my vitamin D was low normal and my PTH was high normal. Phosphate levels were normal. According to Dr. Norman's CalciumPro app, it is 100% likely that I have hyperparathyroidism. I am going to see the endocrinologist tomorrow, and am wondering what to expect in terms of additional testing. I have not met my deductible yet for this year so I would prefer not to go through expensive unnecessary testing, but if I am diagnosed then I want to have the surgery as quickly as possible to relieve these symptoms which have been making me miserable. Should I expect a bone scan to rule out mets? I haven't had one in years, but have been having joint pain, especially in the right hip. What about the sestamibi scan? Is that necessary? Thank you for your advice.
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Hi again,
I have been to see the endocrinologist, and he said I "probably" have hyperparathyroidism and the only options are to watch and wait (if no symptoms) or have surgery to examine all 4 parathyroid glands and remove the bad one. He ordered repeat blood work to confirm the numbers, a 24 hour urine collection, a bone density scan, and a sestamibi scan. I asked if we could wait on the sestamibi scan until he reviews the other test results, and he said he doesn't think it will change his diagnosis, and the scan is required prior to surgery. So now I wait for more information. My symptoms are really getting me down and ruining my quality of life. Can't sleep at night, up every 1-2 hours, exhausted during the day, joint pain and terrible headaches.
Still would love to hear from others in this situation, should I get a second opinion? Is it worth the surgery, even if the numbers (calcium and PTH) aren't that high?
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My numbers weren't bad -- I only got over 10 for my calcium a few times, and We could keep my Pth down with lots of Vitamin D.
But my bones were still slowly deteriorating == wish I had pushed for the surgery earlier.
I felt better almost immediately, and it looks like things have stopped rotting on my latest DEXA, so it was a good idea.0 -
Hello I can do this,
I was just browsing through the Active Topics and was pleased to see that this thread was active again I remember you and how we posted together sometime ago. I hope all is well with you, I am still interested in this probable connection between hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer. I am still treating myself for osteoporosis.
Best wishes,
Sylvia.
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I had my mastectomy the day after Christmas, 2013. No lymph nodes affected, no chem or radition needed, am on Anastrozole and 600mg calcium + D, started January 23, 2014. I just stopped the calcium because my calcium levels are over the recommended limit. Now they want to do a skeletal survey, a marrow bioposy, and other stuff I don't remember. I have no bone pain. I had a few SE but they seemed to have gone away. Scared to say the least. I thought putting my concerns here might help. It did before my surgery. My parathyroid is fine. I'll do the skeletal survey but not sure about the rest.
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Don't know how high your calcium levels went, but mine went up after I started 5000 units of vitamin D along with calcium. My onc told me to stop the calcium and reduce the vit d to 2000 units a day. Retested and back to normal. I learned that high doses of vit d can cause an increase in serum calcium levels.
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Hello
traymaster,I
was interested in your post. I think you were probably given the
calcium and vitamin D with the Anastrozole because I think this drug
can cause osteoporosis, softening of the bones.You
mentioned a skeletal survey, if by this you mean a DEXA scan there is
nothing to be afraid of with this scan. It is routinely used to look
at the bones and to see if a person has osteoporosis or osteopenia.
You should ask your consultant if this is what it is and why they
want to do a marrow biopsy. You must not be afraid to ask for any
details about your treatment.I am
not sure of your age but am assuming that you are probably
post-menopausal because you are on Anastrozole which is used in the
treatment of breast cancer where your tumour was oestrogen positive.
It is used after treatment to try to keep the cancer at bay.It
is useful to know that taking calcium supplements may increase the
level of calcium in the blood. I am taking calcium supplements to
treat my osteoporosis caused by a combination of breast cancer
treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and an over active
parathyroid gland (cured by surgery). I have been taking a rest from
the calcium, just because I felt I should and also because I keep
reading about calcium supplements and heart disease. It is difficult
to know what to do. I do know that with calcium you need vitamin D,
but also magnesium and vitamin K in order to absorb it. I try in the
main to get calcium from my diet but not from dairy products.Wishing
you good luck.Sylvia
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Hi Everyone,
Just an update, my pet scan was clean, I also had a scan of my parathyroid last week and I have an adenoma on the right side, same side as breast cancer. I have an appt. on October 8 to meet with a surgeon. On a brighter note, I am having my implant exchange tomorrow, a little nervous.
Grandma Robi
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I had parathyroid surgery in 2008 and within hours of the surgery, I felt so much better. I agree with some of the early posters that the surgery was no problem at all, in and out within a few hours, no pain and as I said, I felt so much better. I had so much stiffness and joint pain, I literally could barely walk to my car in the morning. Daily, I felt stronger after that surgery. I have seen a lot of mention of BC and parathyroid problems and even mentioned them to my doctors but they dont' seem to see a trend. I do wonder if my whole system was so messed up by the parathyroid problem that it allowed the cancer to take hold. I've always heard everybody has cancer cells and something just happens to all them to grow and I really think my system was so messed up that is when those cells started to grow.
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Hello GrandmaRobi,
I was interested to know that you had a scan and
it showed an adenoma on the right side, on the same side as your
breast cancer. I also had an adenoma on the lower right side
parathyroid gland, the same side as my breast cancer, for which I had
a mastectomy in 2006. We have to remember that there are four
parathyroid glands which sit on the thyroid gland and that they are
only the size of a very small pea but perform the most important
function of keeping our serum calcium in order. When just one
parathyroid gland malfunctions due to an adenoma tumour
(non-malignant), calcium leaches out of the bones and into the blood.
There is nothing to worry about over surgery. I had full surgery but
was in hospital just overnight, the adenoma was removed and calcium
and parathyroid hormone (PTH) soon returned to normal. I think most
people probably now have minimal invasive surgery for this.I think there is a connection between
hyperparathyroidism (over active parathyroid) and breast cancer.
Swedish research seems to indicate this but does not seem to know
which causes which or whether there is some other cause. My breast
cancer consultant told me that the adenoma preceded the breast cancer
and that judging by the size of the adenoma I had had it for quite a
long time. It was discovered by accident when I was diagnosed with
breast cancer.I was glad to know your PET scan was clear and
there is nothing to worry about with parathyroid surgery but make
sure it is done by a surgeon used to doing this surgery. You might
want to read parathyroid.com.Good luck with this and with your implant
exchange.I see that you were hormonal positive. I was
triple negative and had IDC. What kind of breast cancer did you have?
Mine was also 6cms+.Sylvia
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Hello angelia50,
I was interested that
you posted you had a parathyroid problem before breast cancer. The
doctors do not seem that interested but I think it is very important
and that routine blood tests should be given to check on the
parathyroid hormone level (PTH). It is a high level of this that
gives the diagnosis. I also think slightly elevated serum calcium
should be investigated. I think there is a connection between the
two. My parathyroid problem also preceded the breast cancer. My
doctor said that hyperparathyroidism is rare and that I was the first
case he had seen in his whole career. I do not think it is so rare
but definitely under-diagnosed.I did not have any
symptoms of which I was aware, although, apparently, the common
symptoms are summarised as moans, groans and bones. The thing about
an over-active parathyroid is that it causes osteoporosis because it
leaches calcium out of the bones. Have you checked for osteoporosis
through having a DEXA scan, known as a bone density scan?It is true that cancer
cells are part of our body and that normally these cancer cells are
kept under control by our immune system, and that for some reason it
fails to control the cancer cells and they start reproducing out of
control and end up causing a tumour. I had never been ill before
being told I had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) with triple negative
receptors. The oncologist thought the cancer might have spread to the
bones because I had high serum calcium, but a bone nuclide scan was
clear. She then tested for PTH and I was diagnosed with
hyperparathyroidism. I was told surgery was the only option to bring
about a cure. I had surgery in 2009 when I was fully recovered from
breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I was diagnosed
with breast cancer and hyperparathyroidism in 2005.I hope all is well with
you now.Sylvia
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Hello to all,
Some information that I learned recently.
Gout may be caused by excessive cell destruction associated with chemotherapy treatment. My understanding from my GP is that you can have a flare up during chemotherapy. I am not sure whether it can happen after treatment.
I have also read that there is a connection between pseudogout and hyperparathyroidism. My understanding is that gout and pseudogout look the same, red, swollen, hot and painful, but that gout is caused by uric acid crystals and pseudogout is caused by the deposition of calcium pyrophosphates.
Does anyone know anything about this?
Sylvia
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Sylvia,
I had multi focal, ductal/lobular, more lobular. My initial scans when first diagnosed showed tumor size at 2.5 cm, but felt much bigger. Of course since mine was mostly lobular it felt like more of a mass instead of a round lump. Anyway, my surgeon and I were both surprised at the final results of 7.7cm. You have to take into consideration that it isn't one big lump it has multiple structures, thus the big size.
Robin
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Hello everyone,
I've been going through testing for hyperparathyroidism including labs, bone scan, ultrasound and sestamibi scan. The ultrasound showed a nodule on the right thyroid (not parathyroid) (same side as breast cancer), and the sestamibi scan was negative. My bone scan showed mild to moderate bone loss, no osteoporosis. The dr. is now saying parathyroid surgery is not recommended, the thyroid nodule is nothing of concern, and to test the calcium again in a couple weeks. At this point, I am confused! I'm considering getting a second opinion. I've read parathyroid.com, and understand that high calcium is never normal! And that the scans are not reliable. Anyone else had a negative scan but still went through surgery?
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Grateful survivor ,
I just met with an endocrine/oncology surgeon today regarding a parathyroid adenoma . I have surgery scheduled for next Friday! Prior to meeting with him he wanted me to do an ultrasound of my parathyroid and thyroid, in addition to the parathyroid problem they found a tiny nodule on my right thyroid. The recommendation was to watch it and do an ultrasound in a year but I am going to have them biopsy it tomorrow. I don't think I want that hanging over me for a year! Really wasn't sure what to do but decided to do biopsy. Will the worry ever end!! Btw, my sestamibi scan was positive, you can always get a second opinion, it is also my understanding that high blood calcium levels are ever normal. Was your PTH hormone level elevated? Good. Luck to you, positive vibes!
Robin
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My PTH was on the high side of normal, Vit D was low. I'm not sure what to think, I read the same thing, that high blood calcium is never normal. I have consistent pain in my hips, which the endo assured me was not caused by bone mets. He said to recheck my calcium in a week so I guess I will follow his advice for now. Maybe get a 2nd opinion if I continue to have symptoms. Here in MN I've heard the best place to go is Mayo Clinic. Good luck with your surgery and the biopsy!
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Hello
gratefulsurvivor,I
have just been catching up on the posts on this thread and was
wondering how you are getting on. If I were you I think I would
consider getting a second opinion. It is better safe than sorry. You
say that your bone scan (DEXA scan?) showed mild to moderate bone
loss. Is this osteopenia? This is a precursor to osteoporosis. Why
have you any bone loss?I
think that any high calcium levels in the blood should be checked. It
is not normal and is not healthy. The diagnosis of an over-active
parathyroid gland comes from having a high level of parathyroid
hormone (PTH). Have you had this checked? I think an over-active
thyroid can also cause osteoporosis. I do believe in what I have read
on parathyroid.com.I
hope to hear from you to know how you are getting on.Best
wishes.Sylvia
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Hello
gratefulsurvivor again,I
have just read you have high level of PTH. This is what is used as a
diagnosis of an over-active parathyroid gland. The PTH level is high
usually because there is a benign adenoma (lump) on one or more of
the four parathyroid glands, and needs to be removed. Because of the
adenoma, calcium is leached from the bones and goes into the blood.
This causes the bones to soften and results in osteoporosis. It is
all highly treatable through surgery to remove the adenoma and then
PTH levels become normal as do calcium levels in the blood. I went
through it all in 2009. After the surgery you are cured. I had the
sestamibi before and the adenoma was visible on the bottom right
parathyroid gland. My breast cancer, diagnosed in 2005, was in the
right breast. I think the two were connected. There are lots of posts
on this thread from me and sam52. We went through all of this
together.Best
wishes.Sylvia
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