Lab interpretation because my surgeon not helpful

Hi Everyone,

I had labs done recently and my PTH is 68.70. Vit D 27 Cholesterol normal, no anemia, B12 normal, Vit A normal, magnesium normal ( I am having severe cramps in legs) I sent the labs to my original surgeon. They responded with the following:

I had an opportunity to speak with Dr. Your PTH is up because your Vitamin D is down. Your Vitamin D helps with Calcium absorption. So, continue taking the Ergocalciferol and increase your daily Vitamin D Supplement to 10,000. Well as far as I know, Ergocalciferol is B2 and not B3? Plant based? I already take 5000 Vit d3 so I am not sure what they mean. If I want more information I have to pay for a consult over the phone as I am out of state. Can anyone help me understand the differences or if I need to suck up consult fee or find a local surgeon/PCP to interpret results? I also have autoimmune problems so I sent the labs to my rheumatologist because PTH can be affected because of liver or kidney damage. Just trying to cover all bases.

I would definitely suggest finding a local PCP to handle your continuing care.

Howdy,

I do have a local nurse practitioner ( I live in the mountains and not a lot of qualified docs) and she sent the labs to my bariatric surgeon since she was the one who ordered them. Mostly I was wondering if an elevated PTH was something others here have seen when getting their labs done.

What have you been taking for calcium? How much and how often?

Ergocalciferol is D2. Our bodies convert D2 to D3 and it takes a lot of D2 to make a little D3. That's why we use D3. The doctor is correct about your elevated PTH because of low vit D level and D is needed for calcium absorption. I agree you need to increase your vit D to 10,000. ( Before I had my distal revision, I was taking 15,000 IU of dry vit D daily with levels in the 80s). Ask for follow up labs in 3 months (D and PTH)

Make sure you are taking calcium citrate and correct dose. Remember, we can only absorb 500-600 mg at a time, so divide those doses over the day. Do the same with your vit D. Your PTH increases when your serum calcium levels are low. Your body leeches it out of your bones/teeth to make sure your serum levels stay within range. This is vital for muscle contractions whi*****ludes your heart. Since your PTH is elevated and not seriously high, with a low vit D level, it is probably not hyperparathyroidism.

Your leg cramps could be caused by dehydration. Some people need more than 64 oz daily, especially during the summer. I drink 80-100 oz daily.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor intend to pretend I'm one. Over the years since RNY (2011) and Distal revision (2016) I continue to absorb all the knowledge I can about my surgeries and aftercare. As a RN, I've always loved to teach. I worked 36 years in a NICU and now retired.