Parathyroid Hormones 101

This morning I awoke in ‘the position’; hands in tight fists, arms curled in to chest, head drawn back. This hasn’t happened in a long time, months probably. Though it took a while to ‘loosen’ muscles and uncurl, at this point in time, it’s a good occurrence. (not always the case!).

This ‘Tetany’ sign signifies that my ionized calcium is going down. And is probably why I’ve been, ohhh so gradually, feeling a little better day by day.

Now ionized calcium measurements are funny things. Since my first Parathyroid surgery at age 27 in 1972, I’ve learned, often the hard way, that my ionized calcium level can actually be quite high or low, irrespective of the usually measured Serum Calcium level.

I don’t know why, but docs and ER’s tend to only do a Serum Calcium, which in reality tells them little. Because if it is high or low, they have to investigate further; and being ‘normal’ doesn’t mean that cellular calcium (ionized) is! (nor the Vitamin D levels).

Usually, I keep track of these labs, but in the past few months, I have not. I have just been too ill to care. I do not know if with any of the 3 recent PTH tests done, if ionized calcium or Vitamin D tests were included.

This ParaThyroid Hormone function in my body is a complete mystery. Not only the question of WHERE it’s coming from, since I have surgeons, Sestamibi scan, etc, saying I no longer have ANY Parathyroid Glands. But also the fact that it seems to ‘sputter’. At times it makes way too much and I suffer from Hyperparathyroidism. Then, suddenly, without warning, it will STOP, or reduce output drastically, and I’ll suffer Hypoparathyroidism, which can be a REAL emergency.

Since it’s the PTH that controls the Calcium levels (ionized included), in the body, and I awoke with these Tetany like symptoms this morning (no ‘other’ or continued symptoms of Tetany today), I’m assuming that my ionized calcium, therefore my PTH levels are going down.

In fact, I KNOW that to be the case, as I’m gradually feeling better. I can only hope that it doesn’t go TOO low. Though given my ‘druthers’, I’d rather be low. I think it’s easier to ‘deal’ with.

Boy, would I like to get off THIS roller coaster!