PTH help needed!

[Amey]

PTH help needed!! The PTH range is 7-53. In August it was 27.9, October 37.1 and for my tests on Friday it just came back at an effing 52.5! WTF?!?

I am pre-op and trying to get my labs in order (I'm appealing my denial..... It will be a few months until I know anything)

Everyday I take 100,000 iu dry D, 120 mcg of K2, 1000 mg of Jarrow Bone-Up, 750 mg of elemental calcium citrate, and 360 mg of magnesium glycinate.

The good news is I started using Proferrin Iron twice a day and my ferritin has gone up 5 points and is now at 48.7 (range 6-159)....it's progress!

My Vitamin D is 104, Range 30-100 / Calcium is 9.1, Range 8.4-10.2 / Magnesium is 1.9, Range 1.6-2.3

And my B12 is 998, Range 174-878 but I have been giving myself 2 B12 shots a week to get it up from the mid 500's this summer. I don't know whether to back off to 1 shot a week or keep up the 2 shots.... Can B12 be toxic?

But what can I do about the damn PTH? It's getting worse!!

 

[Larra]

I've struggled with that one as well, and really not with anything else. Since your D level is clearly beyond good, you are probably not getting enough calcium. I kept increasing and increasing my calcium citrate until my PTH finally got going in the right direction. You're still in range, so this is the time to jump all over it. I don't know why you would have this issue before your DS, but it will get even worse after if you don't take enough calcium.
I realize the amount you are taking may sound ok, but for you, for whatever reason, it isn't ok. Try adding another dose or 2, and 500 mg at a time is a good dose. Taking it with meals also seems to help with absorption.

 

[DBmom23]

@Larra , what is your calcium routine? I think you like the bariatric chocolate pastille--wondering how many you take a day and if you do anything else with it (eg Mg).

 

[DianaCox]

Add magnesium citrate and vitamin K2 as well. I take 150 mg of magnesium (as citrate) with each 630 mg of calcium (as citrate), as well as 4 150 mcg K2 per week, and 10 50K IU D3/week. You need all four nutrients.

 

[Larra]

I use the Bariatric Advantages lozenges, which are 500 mg calcium citrate each, 3 daily, plus the BA chewies, one 500 mg and one 250 mg, all in separate doses. I do also take vitamin K but have not taken Mg other than what's in my multi. My Mg level has always been fine without adding more. And the dry D, of course, 2 of the 50,000 daily, separate doses. This isn't what I started with, which is why I fell behind.
I also used to take calcium citrate pills, which is just fine if you can swallow them, but I struggled so much getting them down that I finally accepted reality and gave up on them. But other people do just fine with them, as long as they take enough, and they are cheaper, esp if you get them at Costco.

 

[DianaCox]

Don't buy the Kirkland calcium citrate - it has a lot of extra stuff in it AND it's cheaper than Citrical, which makes it seem like a no-brainer to buy instead, but MANY of us have ended up with sky-high B6 levels on it, and B6 is toxic at high doses, despite being water soluble.

 

[DSRIGGS]

Don't buy the Kirkland calcium citrate - it has a lot of extra stuff in it AND it's cheaper than Citrical, which makes it seem like a no-brainer to buy instead, but MANY of us have ended up with sky-high B6 levels on it, and B6 is toxic at high doses, despite being water soluble.

I noticed the B6 listed but didn't think much of it. I shall have to have it tested next set of labs because this last time I bought the Costco Calcium Citrate. I was buying the generic target or Walmart but saw this and tried it.

 

[Amey]

I believe I have found the culprit..... NEXIUM! In October I went from 40 mg of omeprazole once a day to 40 mg of Nexium TWICE a day. Guess what?? Nexium interferes with calcium AND magnesium absorbtion. No wonder it went sky high so fast... But my other levels are getting better. UGH

I have rescheduled my vites... Going 100% Jarrow Bone Up 2000 mg a day in 500 mg doses (3 of the 6 a day pills, 4 times a day) and 1000 mg a day of magnesium seperated in to 3 doses a day, 2 hours away from calcium. And I'm dropping my nexium to once a day... First thing in the morning (is the only thing safe to take with my Armour thyroid) then no vites for 4 hours. I'm hoping this will help my PTH drop. I can't completely stop the Nexium because I have Barretts and will most likely be taking it the rest of my life. So... I have to find a way to get the PPI to play nice with the calcium and mag. Here's to trial and error with vitamins.... But dang I do get excited when I get my labs to see where my numbers are so I can fill in my spreadsheet .... I'm such a nerd.

 

[Amey]

And yes I'm still taking my Vit K2 everyday too.

 

[southernlady]

Glad you found the culprit.