persistent high calcium after parathyroidectomy

6 month check up after surgery showed calcium in normal range and pth at 45 which is also normal..all kidney, thyroid, bone density tests came back normal and I was released from my endocrinologist. I think the key is to just give it some time esp.
if you have had more than one gland removed. I am very happy with the surgery that I had from Dr. Stickney in Seattle!!!

I had 3 1/2 parathyroid glands removed in 2007. My calcium levels stay in high normal range. from 9.8 to 10.1. I have had a left main descending artery plug up & had it stented. I found out I may have osteoporosis after having a failed knee replacement ' Replacement lasted 6 months. all the kidney stones damaged my kidneys. I had same reply to high normal levels of lets wait & see or it's within normal range eve though its always very high normal. I would maybe get another opinion if I were you. I am 54 years old now.

I am also 54 yrs old. I have high calcium too. Look back at my prior posts for history of what is going on with me. Here is what my doctor wrote to me in an e-mail. "The labs have returned and do not demonstrate any reason behind your high calcium level. Your Vitamin D levels and vitamin A levelare within normal limits. High levels of these vitamins can cause high calcium. PTHrp - a substance secreted by certain tumors can cause elevated calcium, this level is low which is wonderful to see. Your PTH is not elevated. your urine calcium level is on the low side. There is no clear reason why your calcium is elevated - though the data thus far suggests that the calcium levels may potentially be due to a BENIGN FAMILIAL CONDITION called FAMILIAL HYPOCALCIURIC HYPERCALCEMIA which is completely benighn and does not require treatment. Repeat your calcium levels in 3 months."

I think It's never normal for calcium to be high. Thats why we have parathyroids in the first place. Dr's always rely on these tests & never with gut instinct. Parathyroid disease has disabled me. My vitiman D levels were also very low & the Perscription vitamin taken once a week didn't help either. What got my vitamin D back to normal was once or twice a month in the Tanning bed. The sun of course will do it to if you can stand the heat & humidity especially where I live in the South East USA. Low vitamin D levels can cause calcium not to be absorbed correctly.

I had a parathyroidectom in oct. 2012...my levels all dropped post op.( pth was 125 pre op in operating room, dropped to 22 once adenoma was removed... calcium was 10.9 and dropped to 9.7 after. ) 2 wks later pth was 95 and calcium was 9.7 for post op check with surgeon..he said perhaps it takes a while to readjust as they have been off for sooo long. yes, I had bone/joint pain for yrs...with elevated calcium for 11 yrs...and severe osteoporosis. no one checked pth until 2010. No testing showed adenoma EVER...Feel worse or as bad since surgery...have had horrendous bone pain, stomach virus,stiff neck,both sides,and am very frustrated....:( 1 mo check with endo my calcium was 10.7 and pth had dropped to 25. All questions asked to the endo were different replies than from surgeon..Do not know the answer, but am sick and tired of being sick n tired...ha-ha. Wait n see approach as well. labs this wk as they wanted me to wait 6 wks more for new labs.Called the surgeon and he immediately called me back.Wants copy of labs asap, so he can study them.

I had my surgery Oct. 24 2012...Severe body pain and elevated calcium 10.7 2 wk check up w/ elevated pth @ 28

6 wk check up calcium 8.9 and pth up again @ 75....will have another check end of this month. The endo has no clue, the surgeon says it is not another tumor...thinking of getting a 2nd opinion..Feel stiff evry day, neck, back, and awful shoulder pain. I am feeling better, but the body pain is with me daily.So frustrated. Why did we have the surgery at all ??? Have severe osteoporosis of the spine - 4.1.....

hi i had surgery 2 years ago my calcium is between 8 and nine my vit d in the other hand keeps going down i feel lousy i have taken very high dose of vit d , my bone density shows severe osteoporosis , i am schedulled to have more labs i will find out the next step. probably have your doctor check vit d also try to do the calcium ions ,you might benefit from a scan through nuclear medicine you might need to have the re ck the other pth to make sure they are not affected . thanks

I had my first parathyroidectomy in June 2011, when my serum calcium was above 20 mg/L.  Six months later Ca++ was going up again and I had a second surgery in Tampa because my endocrinologist said that I had cancer and Dr. Norman said that he was 100%++ sure that that was not the case. I was naïve enough to believe that cocky doctor.  He operated on me in May 2012, and Oh! ja, oops he said, you do have cancer! but I have cured you. Three moths later the Ca++ went up again. I have my third surgery last week (July 2013, and Ca++ remained high!

Dear Clarines,  I was operated on by Dr Norman in April 2013.  My PTH was 135/Ca was 10.3.  He said I was text-book:  1 adenoma & 3 good ones. 

At my 2 month blood test my PTH is 170 and Ca is 10.9...is this text-book??  Did he get sloppy and miss one??  I just got back from my Dr appt today where my GP gave me this devastating news.  Have you found anything online about this post surgery problem?

I may have been taking 10,000 mg/day of Vit D at the time of the blood test (1 month ago)...could this be the problem?

Best of luck with your issues.  Please let me know how it's going

Ba Wilson

Vitamin D will not make the PTH go higher. Only parathyroid cells that probably Dr. Norman left behind can do that. In any case I hope you stopped taken vitamin D at this point because vit.D helps ca. absorption. My endocrinologist says that in fact vit.D will reduce the PTH expression at a mRNA/DNA level. My vit. D is low, and she asked me to take vit D but I'm affraid this will increase serum ca. even more... Now I'm taking sensipar (cinacalcet) and my Dr. recommended to also take Fosavance to help the bones but I'm not taking that yet. I've read bad things about this drug in internet. My ca is now 12! after 3rd surgery!!!

I also had surgery by Dr. Norman in May 2013, and I just heard from my regular MD that my calcium is now high (blood drawn last Friday). I don't have the exact # yet -- will get that in the next day or so. I had 3 of my 4 parathyroid glands removed by Dr. Norman -- all producing too much PTH. I only have one left, and now I'm worried that it, too, is malfunctioning. It was dormant at the time of surgery in May. I'm looking for an endocrinologist to go see soon, and I'm really worried about this as many of my symptoms are now returning. Clarines, so sorry to hear that your ca is 12, and that you've had 3 surgeries! Lori

quit taking antacids...anything that involves GERD.

I should clarify my response below. people with high calcium and a cooked thyroid SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM ANTACIDS OF ANY KIND BECAUSE THEY TEND TO RAISE THE CALCIUM LEVEL. if you suffer from GERD and your DR. wonders why you have elevated calcium tell him or her right away...save money on needless tests.

HI, I found your post as I was looking for info. I have hyperplasia, and had most of my four parathyroids removed but my calcium and PTH actually increased after surgery. I tbeen a month and my surgeon indicated the levels should have gone down. He suggests I wait another few weeks for more blood tests... I'm more exhausted and confused than I was before surgery. Anyone have any similar experience?

I have persistent disease after removal of 2 glands (PTH dropped significantly as well, but it's up to 79 now) Calcium is 10.9. Not feeling so well…very tired. Was okay after surgery last year. Pathology report says possible hyperplasia and adenoma. I'm seeing Dr Yeh at UCLA for a consult. Who did your surgery and when? I have seen your comments before, but I can't remember. Thanks.