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High Blood Calcium Levels

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  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited October 2014

    Hello
    GrandmaRobin

    I
    was just wondering how your surgery for a parathyroid adenoma went on
    Friday October 17th. Did you have minimal invasive
    surgery? I hope you have made a good recovery and that your PTH and
    calcium levels are now normal.

    What
    happened about the tiny nodule on your right thyroid?

    Have
    you had a DEXA scan to check on your bones for osteoporosis?

    Best
    wishes.

    Sylvia
    xxxx

  • costumer
    costumer Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2014

    I just found this website and have read through many of the posts. I was diagnosed with BC in September, 2014. IDC, 1.4cm and positive lymph node with a .4cm cancer. ER+, PR-, Her2-. Stage IIb.

    I had a lumpectomy in October 2014, on my left breast and removal of the sentinel lymph node on my left side. Chemotherapy was ruled out for me, thankfully, based on results of the OncotypeDX test. I began the preparation for radiation therapy, which should have started around December 9, 2014. Unfortunately, a small lesion/growth/nodule/cyst/something, was found near my thyroid gland, but just behind it, during the CATscan. Another CATscan was ordered and the "something" is definitely there. Last Friday I had a Fine Needle Aspiration with five samples taken.

    Recently our medical group has created an online medical report for patients where one can log in and see results of all medical tests. When I looked at my blood tests results I saw that in February 2014, I had High calcium of 10.8 and in October 11.9. When I saw the High calcium I stopped taking calcium supplements and stopped using OTC antacid tablets (also calcium). So I'm trying to be patient and wait for the results of the FNA. Personally, I hope that it is parathyroid. From all I've read and from family and friends' information, it is a fairly easy surgery to remove a parathyroid adenoma. I'll write again when I have some results.

    I'm also anxious to start my radiation therapy, and not continue to delay, because that makes me nervous too.

  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,637
    edited December 2014

    Dear costumer

    We understand your being anxious as the waiting for results is a horrid time, everyone on here know that feeling.

    We're glad you don't need chemo, but hope your Thyroid problem is an 'easy fix' and can be sorted out quickly so you can start your rads.

    We wish you the best and keep us informed of your results.

    The Mods

  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 515
    edited January 2015

    Thanks to Sylvia for her efforts in keeping this topic active! I have read the 7 pages here and, since ductal was not my primary diagnosis (I follow the ILC/lobular posts), will be looking at the parathyroid thread there next.

    My calcium jumped to 11 this week after holding right around 10 for the past 4 years. PTH panel was drawn yesterday and I have suspended my vitamin D supplement for the time being. I found Dr Norman's website very informative however I would like to learn about anyone who has actually been treated at his clinic in Florida - what the thought process was which led to that decision, etc.


  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 168
    edited January 2015

    I have not been treated at his clinic but I did have parathyroid problems back in 2008. I truly believe that is likely when my system got so messed up that it allowed cancer cells to begin to grow. For the longest time, I kept feeling worse and worse and weaker and weaker. When I got out of bed each morning, I felt as if I had been exercising hard for days. It even hurt to walk to the car. I kept telling my doctor there is something wrong with me. I knew I was getting older and I knew I was overweight but something was wrong. I had a friend who had love vit D and sounded like similar symptoms so I asked me doctor to test mine, which he did but my vit D was fine bu the said wait, here is what could be the problem, your calcium level is high. So, fast forward, my parathyroid was bad, I had surgery and literally within hours, I felt stronger. Each day, I could feel myself returning to normal. When my BC was found in June 2014, it was grade 1 and they siad with a low grade, even though the cancer was still small, likely it had been there for 8 years or more to have grown to even the small size it was. So, I"m not saying the parathyroid caused the cancer but I think my body had gotten to the point that it could not fight off things that it normally would and thats what allowed those cells to multiply.

  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 515
    edited January 2015

    Your theory could be correct Angelia! The doctor who investigated your calcium along with vitamin D level sounds like a "keeper", a good diagnostician anyway. Sorry to have you join this group but happy to hear your cancer was early stage and low grade. Thanks for sharing your experience. Not many people know about parathyroid disease, that's for sure.

    Turns out my PTH is currently normal (which doesn't mean there's not something wrong) however the oncologist wants to look at my bones via imaging scans before sending me to an endocrine specialist. Hopefully we get those tests out of the way this week with unremarkable results...

  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 168
    edited January 2015

    vinrph, good luck. My endocrine doctor said my parathyroid had apparently been bad or going bad for a long time, probably like 8 years. He said you dont' get that high of calcium levels overnight but my bones were fine. I just had another bone test since finding out I had the BC and having to take Arimidex, and so far, they are still ok. You are right, even nurses sometimes when I say something about the parathyoid will start talking about thyroid and I will have to stop them and say no, parathyroid. My mother has 6 sisters and all of them and my mother, all have thyroid disease but I do not test to have actual thyroid problems. Just weird.

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited February 2015

    Hello everyone,

    I have just been catching up on some of the latest posts on this thread. I was so glad to discover that it had had some recent posts. I think it is very important to keep this thread going and to refer people to it. It was started by sam52 and she and I got to know each other on this thread and the High calcium thread in the other forum when we were both going through the problem of hyperparathyroidism and getting ready for treatment. I shall try to get her back on both threads.

    We both had surgery to remove the offending adenoma. She had minimal invasive surgery and I just had full surgery, but I think we both stayed in hospital just overnight. My consultant breast cancer surgeon/endocrinologist checked my calcium levels the day after surgery and told me I could go home.

    We have to remember not to mix up hyperparathyroidism (over active) or hypoparathyroidism (under active) with hyperthyroidism (over active) and hypothyroidism (under active). The parathyroid glands, of which there are usually four, sit on the thyroid. They are tiny, about the size of a pea, and regulate blood calcium levels.

    I was told hyperparathyroidism was rare but I think it is under diagnosed. It should be part of regular blood tests. They test the thyroid, so why not the parathyroid?

    I was told i had had hyperparathyroidism for a long time. Undiagnosed and untreated it can cause serious problems and it does cause osteoporosis. If I had not had a diagnosis of breast cancer, I would not have known about the hyperparathyroidism, and I do not know what might have happened.

    I do know that I had not lost any height so I do not know if I had osteoporosis already. What I do know is I lost height after I had finished my breast cancer treatment, so I think that treatment also played a role in the osteoporosis.

    On my thread, Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK, I tell patients newly diagnosed to get a DEXA scan before and after treatment, so that they know how much their bones may have been affected by their treatment.

    If you have high levels of calcium you might get a bone nuclide scan to see if the breast cancer has spread to the bones. If you have this, if I were you, I would ask for a parathyroid hormone level blood test (PTH) to see if you have parathyroid problems.

    Hello vinrph, I am glad you found this thread. Let us keep it going, along with High calcium one in the other forum. I am going to post this in the other one as well and suggest we keep both going.

    Best wishes to everyone.

    Sylvia

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited February 2015

    Hello costumer,

    I am just popping in to say that I hope you will have good news and get to the bottom of everything.

    With those high calcium levels, if I were you I would get a parathyroid hormone level blood test (PTH), as high levels of this point to hyperparathyroidism (over active parathyroid).

    If there is a problem with this, it is often an indication of a non-malignant adenoma sitting on one of the parathyroids. You should have a sestamibi scan to locate the problem parathyroid gland. You can have this removed by minimally invasive surgery, your calcium will quickly become normal and you will be cured. Any suspicion of cancer spread to the bones can be detected by a bone nuclide test. I have been through all of this and am fine.

    Let us keep this thread and the one in the other forum at the top of the page all the time.

    Best wishes.

    Sylvia

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited February 2015

    Hello angelia50,

    I have just read your interesting posts. You are absolutely right about people confusing the thyroid and the parathyroid. They are different and have different functions in the body. I think there is no knowing what goes wrong in the body when these two malfunction and become either over or under active.

    Sending you good wishes.

    Sylvia

  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 677
    edited February 2015

    Just checking in after a long hiatus.  Last blood test showed normal calcium levels. Last fall was the 10 year anniversary of my parathyroidectomy. I have twice a year blood tests to make sure the calcium levels are normal. So far, so good!

  • np312
    np312 Member Posts: 14
    edited March 2015

    Hi Everyone!

    I am concerned for my mom. She was diagnosed with BC (IDC) stage 3 with positive lymph nodes in 2008 - mastectomy, chemo, radiation and arimidex. she also took zometa for 3 years. she has hypothyroidism and chemo damaged her heart so now dealing with congestive heart failure.

    For past week, she had severe mid back pain which would not go away - so went to doctor yesterday - he ran some blood tests - and I checked the results this morning and saw that her calcium went from 9.2 (in Sept 2014) to 10.3 (March 2015). Her TSH is also out of range 1.03 (Sept 2014) to 6.09 (March 2015). Other tests are in normal range - ALP, bilirubin, cbc, etc. Her next Onc appt is in May so I have emailed her Onc about the results.

    Meanwhile I am really worried so thought of asking you ladies for your opinion. Thank you!

  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 168
    edited March 2015

    have the check the parathyroid levels.

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited August 2015

    Hello everyone,

    I have just been checking this thread after a long pause. I have posted here before so you can look at those posts. I just wanted to say that I was diagnosed with parathyroid disease (over active) at the same time as IDC with triple negative receptors in 2005. I had a parathyroidectomy in 2009 and that cured me. I am now ten years out from my breast cancer diagnosis and remain in the clear.

    If you have high calcium levels and high parathyroid levels (PTH) you should see an endocrinologist.

    There is research which suggests a connection between breast cancer and parathyroid disease. You can also get more information about all this in the forum Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and the thread Parathyroid disease and breast cancer.

    Best wishes.

    Sylvia

  • thinkingpositive
    thinkingpositive Member Posts: 564
    edited August 2015
    sylviaexmouthuk - What do they consider high blood calcium levels. Was wondering that today as I saw a post about it (not yours, another one) so I started searching Dr. Google.. big mistake. Mine have been within the normal range since I have been diagnosed... but just recently were slightly lower than the high end of the range. Is this something to worry about??
  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited December 2015

    Hello thinkingpositive,

    I have just been checking the thread. I do not know if you are still viewing. It is always prudent to get checked out if you have any concerns with blood calcium levels. You do not want to ignore anything that may indicate parathyroid problems.

    Best wishes,

    Sylvia.

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited November 2016

    Hello everyone,

    It is about time this important thread was brought up to date. Please post.

    Best wishes

    Sylvia

  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 3,120
    edited May 2017

    I've been reading this thread tonight and am in the middle of testing because of high blood calcium levels with parathyroid adenoma suspected. I recently changed endocrinologists and the new one has concerns the old one never had which set off the many tests--PTH, blood calcium, urine calcium, ultrasound, and repeated blood calcium. I had thyroid removed due to cancer in 2010 and was diagnosed with BC in late 2014. I've asked BC surgeon and endo if there are connections between those two but was always told "no." Now I'm not sure there's not a connection between BC and parathyroid issues. Endo has now referred me to a parathyroid specialist. No one has posted here in quite some time, but I'm wondering if any previous posters can give me some insight.

    Edited to correct date.

  • icandothis
    icandothis Member Posts: 70
    edited June 2017

    There was some research done on this in Scandinavia about 10-15 years ago, and there were some indications that there was a connection, but follow-ups showed that there is no connection between BC and hyperparathyroidism. Except that the patients of both are often women of about menopausal age.

    BTW, I am now about 4 years out of parathyroid surgery for 3 adenomas, and my osteoporosis is actually reversing itself. My endocrinologist is thrilled

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited November 2017

    Hello everyone, especially IcanDoThis,

    I have just been looking at this thread on which I posted back in 2009 and from time to time since then.

    I am now 8 years out from having surgery for hyperparathyroidism. I had one parathyroid gland removed that had an adenoma on it. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 (TNBC) and the parathyroid problem was discovered at the same time. I have had no problem with either since then.

    My consultant at the time told me my parathyroid problem had preceded my breast cancer.

    I do believe that there is a connection between breast cancer and hyperparathyroidism.

    I am glad, IcanDoThis, to know your osteoporosis is actually reversing.

    I would love to hear from you and anyone else interested in this.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited February 2018

    Hello everyone,

    I was checking on this thread, High calcium, and saw that it had been inactive since my last post on November 27th 2017. I think it is too important to let it become inactive, so please post.

    You might want to read this in conjunction with Hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer in the forum Invasive ductal carcinoma IDC.

    Best wishes.

    Sylvia xx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited March 2018

    Hello everyone,

    I thought you might be interested in these two links that I found on the thread Hyperparathyroidism and breast cancer in the Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) forum. I found them most informative.

    It would be good if we could keep both of these threads going on the same level and up to date. I have made both of them my favourites and have been trying to keep them up to date.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/04/garry-shandling-hyperparathyroidism/476445/


    https://parathyroidpeeps.com/our-stories-2/

    Best wishes.

    Sylvia

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited March 2018

    Thanks for the parathyroid information

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited March 2018

    Hello Karen,

    Many thanks for your kind words about the information.

    I do hope all is well with you now. You have had a lot of treatment, so you have been through a lot.

    Do you have any issues with the parathyroid glands or the thyroid gland?

    Take care.

    Fond thoughts.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited September 2018

    Hello everyone,

    I think we should get this thread active again.

    Has anyone got up to date information on hyperparathyroidism, breast cancer, high calcium levels and high parathyroid hormone levels.

    Sylvia.

  • monarch777
    monarch777 Member Posts: 338
    edited September 2018

    Sylvia, this is the only thread I've seen that dealt with high calcium levels. Mine was off the charts because of bone lesions in my lower back. Zometo infusions immediately brought me out of a fog that caused me to lose months of my life. No problem with thyroids but the cancer caused hypercalcimia which was a killer too. I'm interested to hear others experience

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited September 2018

    Hello JoE777

    I read your post with great interest. You have been through such a lot. I do hope you are coping well.

    High blood calcium level can also be caused by hyperparathyroidism. The four tiny parathyroids control calcium levels in the blood. Any adenomas on these need to be removed and this brings about a cure. To give a diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism you also need a blood test to check the level of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the blood. A high level of PTH will indicate hyperparathyroidism. The calcium in the blood may be high too. I thought you might be interested in another thread that I read - Parathyroid disease and breast cancer, in the forum IDC (Invasive ductal carcinoma).

    I had high calcium levels in the blood and I had scans to check on the bones. All was clear. My oncologist decided to test the PTH and that was found to be high. I eventually had surgery and was cured. When a patient has these high levels, it needs to be ascertained whether it is spread to the bone or parathyroid problems.

    Wishing you all the very best.

    Sylvia xxxx

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited December 2018

    Bump

  • sylviaexmouthuk
    sylviaexmouthuk Member Posts: 7,943
    edited March 2019

    BUMP

  • Imlalaland
    Imlalaland Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2019

    so happy for this continued thread.

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