calcitrol - hyparathroid

Sorry I have been away so long - I have had a rough year - I have had chronic resistant UTI's - so I have been in and out of the hospital for IV antibiotics and several more kidney stones.  Rough year.

I saw my nephrologist a couple of weeks ago and he always checks my PTH, vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus.  I never realized until now why.  My endocrinologist does all my labs.

In the past I had a high PTH but that was pre-op and for about a year of so after when I went on the Dry D3 and it took some time for it to work.  Then as time when on, it got better and better until it was like 25.  I started preop at 120.  So, things were golden.  My D was also really bad preop but once on the Dry D3 - that went up immediately and had great levels since.  Last year at some point it went way too high, so I cut my D dose and it has been hanging aroung 60 which is where my doctors want it being I have severe kidney stone disease and the beginings of kidney disease.

I found out when talking to my kidney doctor that I have a type of Parathyroidism which is due to my Kidneys - there are actually 3 types.  I knew of 2 types.  There is primary - which is the type due to high calcium and tumors - not the type we get.  Secondary which most of us get due to low vitamin D and not enough calcium.  Then there is cant spell it but Third - when the calcium is normal, vitamin D is normal but the PTH is high - and the kidneys are involved.  My creatinine is 1.5 = 1 1/2  year ago it was  0.8 

So, in addition to my Dry D3 = 2 times per week, my calcium citrate which I have to take 1000mg - 3 times per day (due to my kidney stones - needs to bind with the oxylates of my food as well as need the extra citrate.) I have to take Calcitrol .25 = 2 times per week.  My concern is that I wont be able to absorb the calcitrol since it is a gelcap.  I have no choice, it doesnt come in anyother form so I am taking it but wondering if anyone else has taken this?  He said it is the active form of D that Dry D3 we are taking turns into - D 1-25.

So sorry you have had a bad year but your issues are way over my head.  I hope you get some answers. 

Thanks .  I appreciate it.

I hope the liquid in the gel cap is something we don't automatically malabsorb. It would seem an injection of the calcitrol would be more effective for us.

--gina

Is there an injection of Calcitrol? that would great, I am certainly not afraid of injections - I do them to myself all the time

I believe so. It couldn't hurt to ask since you malabsorb and have short gut.

I actually just looked it up and it isnt an injection it is an IV and it is for people on Dialysis.  So, I dont know it is something I could get unless the pills really didnt work.  I guess I will have to try them for a few months and see what happens.

Glad you found out about the injection, we do use it regularly with some of our dialysis patients.

I was hoping it was a regular injection, not an IV.  I will give the gelcap a chance until I see my Nephrologist again in about 6 weeks and see how it is working.   Thank goodness I am nowhere near needing dialysis and hope I never will need it - I have some type of nephritis but we arent sure what type.  I am too high risk for a kidney biopsy so they are just monitoring me