1. < Diabetes & Endocrine System

Elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH): How is it treated?

Posted by ladybugmg @ladybugmg, Sep 27, 2018

After I had a nonfasting blood test yesterday my doctor tells me that I have elevated PTH. Is anyone else dealing with PTH and if so would appreciate learning about their experience and how it was treated or is untreatable. Thank you for sharing.

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jboursaw | @jboursaw | Oct 8 3:17am

This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed, do you have to take any sort of med after that?

My PTH has been bouncing between 150 and 120, calcium now in normal range after taking high-dose VitD for months, VitD almost up to normal range, currently in the high 20s. 24-hour urine test is high.

REPLY
4 replies
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Oct 8 1:53pm
In reply to @jboursaw "This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed,..." + (show)
@jboursaw

This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed, do you have to take any sort of med after that?

My PTH has been bouncing between 150 and 120, calcium now in normal range after taking high-dose VitD for months, VitD almost up to normal range, currently in the high 20s. 24-hour urine test is high.

Jump to this post

Hello @jboursaw and welcome to Mayo Connect. You are asking good questions regarding high parathyroid results. I'm glad to hear that your Vitamin D range is getting closer to normal. That is always good news.

Have you had any problems with osteoporosis, bone fractures or kidney stones?
Has your endocrinologist recommended that you have the parathyroid glands removed at this time?

REPLY
SusanEllen66 | @SusanEllen66 | Oct 8 10:35pm
In reply to @jboursaw "This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed,..." + (show)
@jboursaw

This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed, do you have to take any sort of med after that?

My PTH has been bouncing between 150 and 120, calcium now in normal range after taking high-dose VitD for months, VitD almost up to normal range, currently in the high 20s. 24-hour urine test is high.

Jump to this post

@jboursaw I had a parathyroid removed in 2008.
Before the surgery, I was feeling horrible. I had what I can describe as waves of the flu. I would feel ok, then all of a sudden it was a wave of awful…
My blood calcium level kept inching up, and when it reached 11.2, I had the surgery.
Within 2 days I felt like a new person!
The surgeon simply told me to take a multi vitamin.

REPLY
riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Oct 9 5:53am
In reply to @jboursaw "This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed,..." + (show)
@jboursaw

This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed, do you have to take any sort of med after that?

My PTH has been bouncing between 150 and 120, calcium now in normal range after taking high-dose VitD for months, VitD almost up to normal range, currently in the high 20s. 24-hour urine test is high.

Jump to this post

You might have to take a calcium supplement and vitamin D after getting the bad ones removed. Make sure you have a competent surgeon who will check all 4 glands and not just the one they see is bad ones the scan. My wife had 3 bad ones removed at the Norman Parathyroid hospital in Tampa Florida 4 years ago and all is well. Her surgeon in Milwaukee was only going to take out 1 that they saw on the scan. Good luck!

REPLY
1 reply
tsch | @tsch | Oct 9 9:46am
In reply to @jboursaw "This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed,..." + (show)
@jboursaw

This discussion is so helpful - thanks to all. If you have the parathyroid glands removed, do you have to take any sort of med after that?

My PTH has been bouncing between 150 and 120, calcium now in normal range after taking high-dose VitD for months, VitD almost up to normal range, currently in the high 20s. 24-hour urine test is high.

Jump to this post

Mine has been high since 2020 that I know of. Endocrinologist tested for bones etc. Everything else is normal and I have no negative symptoms. Doc says calcium, kidney, and BP numbers would be very bad before any thought of surgery in my case. There is justifiable watching and monitoring.

REPLY
SusanEllen66 | @SusanEllen66 | Oct 15 4:59pm
In reply to @riflemanz64 "You might have to take a calcium supplement and vitamin D after getting the bad ones..." + (show)
@riflemanz64

You might have to take a calcium supplement and vitamin D after getting the bad ones removed. Make sure you have a competent surgeon who will check all 4 glands and not just the one they see is bad ones the scan. My wife had 3 bad ones removed at the Norman Parathyroid hospital in Tampa Florida 4 years ago and all is well. Her surgeon in Milwaukee was only going to take out 1 that they saw on the scan. Good luck!

Jump to this post

@riflemanz64 I went to Dr Norman in Tampa also. He removed one large parathyroid gland tumor.

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1 reply
riflemanz64 | @riflemanz64 | Oct 15 5:15pm
In reply to @SusanEllen66 "@riflemanz64 I went to Dr Norman in Tampa also. He removed one large parathyroid gland tumor." + (show)
@SusanEllen66

@riflemanz64 I went to Dr Norman in Tampa also. He removed one large parathyroid gland tumor.

Jump to this post

We loved the whole experience and trip! This was the best surgery my wife ever had! It’s been 4 years and her calcium is perfect. Great surgeons!

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