PTH Improving . . . Yayyy!!!!!!!

Hello All;

Just wanted to stop in with an update.

My PTH is 200 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why am I doing a happy dance?  Well let's take a look at the last 12 months in a snapshot:

May - realized that I had gained 58lbs in the last few years from my lowest weight (not at goal) due to poor eating and entrenching firmly into old habits.
June - Got back on track cold turkey with eating and especially supplements as I had not been compliant for about a year.
July 1 - Suffered anal fissure due to not protecting against "calciumstipation."
July 7 - hospitalized for severe hypokalemia due to HB med prescribed by my doc.  Exacerbated by the stool softeners and copious amounts of water taken to combat the calciumstipation and treat the fissure.
July 30 - Severe pulmonary embolism and (eventually discovered, though no symptoms) DVT resulting from first week of dealing with anal fissure (was so backed up, took over a week to break through and I cannot even describe the pain that added to the fissure).
November 15 - had LIS due to no improvement to fissure with medical treatment.

I committed myself to getting back on track, especially with my supplements as I was one of those folks dissolving my calcium in water and drinking only the liquid (fyi - DO NOT do that, you are not getting any calcium that way) and that was prior to my complete non-compliance for over a year.  May of last year my labs were in good shape, but my PTH was 299.

With all that has taken place since then, I was determined to get things straight with my labs, especially that PTH.  Admittedly, I struggled with calcium when the fissure happened and actually stopped taking the calcium by choice because I was already in fissure hell and terrified of losing ground, especially after I had the LIS.  Well, I faced that fear in January, starting with one 500mg dose and increased every few days, adjusting my nightly miralax as needed****il I was up to my current dosage of 2500mg.  Also, I take 100k of Dry D daily.  Just received my lab results today and they are good though my iron and zinc are low, but my PTH is . . . . . . 200!!!!!!!!!!!

Still very high yes, but a darn sight better than it was this time last year.  That alone just has me tickled pink.  Iron will be an ongoing problem and I have my quarterly hema-visit on Monday.  The zinc is only 1-2 points below normal and I started taking zinc regularly a couple of weeks ago, so we'll see what those show in the next few months.  My goal is to get my PTH down within normal range by this time next year.  I did lose the 58lbs, though probably helped by my little episodes since some has crept back since I've been doing better, but I've gotten a handle back on that and looking to get back down to my lowest by the holidays.

For what it's worh . . . my calcium advice to newbies, but especially to those getting back on the wagon after a period of non-compliance - DO NOT just start taking your full 2500mg or whatever dosage . . . start with one 500mg dose and see how your body reacts for a few days and increase it by 500mg every week or every few days, watching closely how your body reacts and incorporating miralax, etc. as needed until you find a good balance.  I have found that a 1/2 dose of Miralax at bedtime, everything else being equal (water, fiber, etc.) and I'm straight.  Just glad to have things looking up and very glad to see my number coming down despite ditching the calcium during my difficulties.


Any of you off the wagon, just know it's never too late to get back on track.

This is good to know, as my gut is growling, and it seems I've got major stoppage high up in the plumbing!

Yup, I wasted a week's worth of time and excrutiating pain dealing with Colace and the like with no result before my doc advised miralax . . . . I would recommend that first to anyone and the dose is so adjustable and it dissolves in water.  I get the clearlax at Walmart or Publix and use a dixie cup to dissolve it in just a bit of juice each night chased by a large glass of water.

congradulations!

I had to up my Vit to 150k/daily and take calcium 6x/day.  It really worked bringing my PTH down to 25-35.

Congrats on the weighloss and lowering your PTH.  Back to basics works.

yeah, my VitD levels are good.  I fix my calcium in 6 doses of 500mg each, I figured if I upped it, I'd still be getting 2500mg in a day if I miss a dose.  I sometimes get the six in, but most consistently get 5 doses in.  It's possible it could come down faster with copious amounts of calcium, but this is working for me and I think the slower adjustment is better in the long-run.  Sometimes, to big a swing can be more dangerous in my opinion.  Your numbers are encouraging.  My next goal is getting below 100 within the next year and go down from there.

Thank you very much for the update.

Was this your serum zinc that was low?  Zinc is stored intracellularly, so if your serum level was low, this means you are VERY low.  Watch this like a hawk :)  And the proper test to have done to test intracellular stores is zinc RBC. 

Do you take vitamin K1 or vitamin K2?  There is some research that implies that vitamin K can oppose PTH and therefore cause it to decrease. 

Glad you were able to get your calcium up.  Very very happy for you :)  Is your fissure all better?

The Zinc test said Zinc(P).  It didn't specify serum.

Just noticed something.  My PTH is coming down, but I noticed that the "Calcium, Total" in the metabolic panel was low at 8 when the range is 8.4-10.2.  Not sure what that means, but I'm concerned about it.  It's my understanding that the body does everything it can to keep the blood calcium level in the normal range and a high PTH is evidence it's having to pull from elsewhere to do that.  What does it say when my PTH is high (though coming down) and the blood calcium level is still low or not being maintained?  I'll just have to not panic and discuss it with my doc at my appointment on Monday.

No, I was advised not to take Vitamin K while on Coumadin.

I had my 3 month follow up and was told the fissure is all healed, though I do occasionally have some tenderness in that area.  I don't let it get to me too much because it's my understanding that while the initial healing can happen within days/weeks, full healing, skin integrety restoration, etc., can take a year or two.  I still do my long soak each morning and no longer use tissue in that area and I religiously use my hand-held bidet.  I'm a changed woman.

Oooh, right, forgot you were on Coumadin.  bummer. 

Yes, I would be concerned about calcium too.  We just have to see how it goes and hopefully you keep improving.  What was your vitamin D?

I'm taking the Dry D D3 - 50,000IU capsule by BioTech.  I order it from Amazon.com as well as my vitamin A.