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weesa
weesa Member Posts: 707
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hoping the collective wisdom of this forum can help me out: I am freaking a bit. Backing up, several weeks ago I had shingles on the bottom of my left foot and they seem to be gradually but slowly going away.They were so yuck-o. During this bizarre malady I had to see my doctor several times and the last appointment she did blood work--comprehensive metabolic panel and a CBC, because it was time. I have never had anything on these two tests ever out of range, even when I was first diagnosed, except for a few times during chemo which was a long time ago, so I have never sweated the results.

I was unprepared for her call saying my calcium was out of range, that she had been watching it steadily climb for several years and now it is too high. She ordered more tests at the local hospital-- a vitamin D3 (which was 55) and a pcth which is a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands and often is high if the calcium level is high. It was normal. She was sure I had developed a tumor (always benign) on one of my parathyroids causing it to put too much calcium in my blood, and it, the offending gland, just needed to be popped out.Now she is perplexed.

We have four tiny parathyroid glands, two on each side of the thyroid in the neck. Their sole function is to monitor the calcium in the blood. The range for calcium is fairly tight--between 8.6 and 10.2. If you go either way out of range. you get sick fast. (BTW, the calcium in this test has nothing to do with the amount you ingest.) If you develop a growth on even one, they go berserk, taking too much calcium out of your bones, causing thinning bones and other weirder symptoms.

Well my pcth test was normal, indicating my parathyroids are behaving normally, so other causes of high calcium are things like bone cancer. I just had, coincidentally, a  bone scan a few months ago and it was normal.My bone density is also fine.

I have spent hours with Dr. Google and now have developed 30 or 40 odd symptoms. Been busy all day long making sure I exhibit all these symptoms, like fatigue, inability to concentrate, loss of memory, and loss of balance, and of course I am still hobbling on my blistered left stump, so it's a piece of cake to convince myself I have lost my balance.

I need reassurance it isn't time for the glue factory, so please post if you have ever had a calcium level out of range on your CMP.

Love to all, and thanks.

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2011

    I wish I could give you an answer.  Ask your dr, no insist that you get x-rays, CT scans and/or a PET scan.  Peace of mind is needed...........

    I wish I could say to stay away from Dr. Google, I myself wander aimlessly through Dr. Google's office until I tell myself to walk away, slowly walk away, breathe deep and get my thoughts back in order. 

    (((hugs)))

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  • pupfoster1
    pupfoster1 Member Posts: 1,484
    edited March 2011

    Dag gone it Weesa,

    I'm with Sherri and Jenn.  Dr. Google can scare the bejessus out of us sometimes.  Trust your docs and try to stay away from the search engines until you find out more.  Wish I could tell you what it is, but I am not familiar with Calcium levels.

    Big hugs to you!

    Sharon

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  • Wonderland
    Wonderland Member Posts: 3,288
    edited March 2011

    Weesa,

    This is a link to Mayo Clinic's information about causes of hypercalcemia:

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypercalcemia/DS00976/DSECTION=causes

    Let's hope it's only from dehydration.

    Wonderland

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  • kellyj
    kellyj Member Posts: 75
    edited March 2011

    Hi Weesa,

     I also had a high calcium level at my last visit. I go next week to check on it again.  My onc said that it could be due to several things other than parathyroid.  It could be the arimidex I am on, cancer that is now in the bones (usually this is late stage) , or dehydration at time of test.  I am anxious also to get to the bottom of it.  She was not worried yet.  Let me know if you get answers before I do!!

    praying for you,

    Kelly 

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  • diana50
    diana50 Member Posts: 2,134
    edited March 2011

    ((((((weesa)))))))

    i don't have any suggestions or ideas about this. i just wanted to offer support. anytime things are out of whack it sends us into the Dr Google experience. Surprised

    not time for the glue factory. they just need to find out what is causing this. keep us posted**

    hugs

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  • kindone
    kindone Member Posts: 523
    edited March 2011

    Weesa, My friend who had bc the same time I did had a high calcium.  The PA told her to stop taking her supplement and have a re cheek.  She did and it was back to normal, so I don't know if that dose make a difference.  Good luck and try not to worry.

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  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 6,503
    edited March 2011

    ((((((((((((((((((weesa))))))))))))))))

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited March 2011

    Dr. Google is an a**!  His degree is fake, ya know.   Weesa, I have no experience with calcium (other than drinking milk), so I cannot help you.  Just wanted to give you {{hugs}} and tell you to hobble your bad self away from Dr. Google as fast as you can.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited March 2011

    I have no advice either except to stay away from Dr Google. He is a bad man.

    Hope you get this sorted quickly, and it is just something silly causing it like dehydration. 

    Try not to worry too much, keep us posted. 

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  • jennyboog
    jennyboog Member Posts: 1,322
    edited March 2011

    No experience here either, I'm sure it's nothing.  Stay positive and off that internet.  We're here for you sweetie.

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  • Kindergarten
    Kindergarten Member Posts: 4,869
    edited March 2011

    Dear Weesa, Prayers are coming your way, that you get some answers soon. I know that as Breast Cancer Survivors, when we go to the doctor and our blood work shows something out of the ordinary, we all worry. We all have that in common, because of our situation. I just know that everything is going to be fine!!! You hang in there, and give us good news quickly. Kathy

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  • Texas357
    Texas357 Member Posts: 1,552
    edited March 2011

    Weesa, have you had a sestamibi scan (not sure how it's spelled)? Also a 24-hour urine test? If not, those are the two diagnostic tests for parathyroid tumors. I had one a few years before BC diagnosis, and sought out the Number one surgeon in the country (at that time) who was the only one doing microsurgery on the parathyroid. He ONLY operated on parathyroid glands and he was the one who invented the technique and equipment. He has since gone around the country training others, and the technique is much more available/common.

    His website is parathyroid.com.

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited March 2011

    Weesa - try not to worry too much about the high calcium level.  I, too, tested high at the same time of my breast cancer diagnosis, and had all the follow-up tests to determine if I had a parathyroid issue.  Everything else tested normal.  And after my lumpectomy, my calcium levels returned to the normal range. 

     Just one person's experience here. 

    Michelle

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2011

    Weese, I think you're more worried about bone mets than parathyroid, right? High levels of calcium can be an indication of osteoblasts I think. You must be very scared right now and you have the right to be. I won't say that everything will be fine, because I don't know. I will say that everyone is rooting for you! You are in my prayers.

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited March 2011

    This is such a satisfying place to come when the night is looming and imagination goes crazy.

    Sherri--what's a bmd?

    Kelly--I will let you know and you let me know. I'll race ya.

    Kerry--don't think it's dehydration. I drink so much water on account of having a dicey bladder for years.

    Texas--not sure the name of the scane but I will do it if I can find it.

    barbe--yup, that's what concerns me. Can't say it out loud yet.

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2011

    Just popping in to let you know I'm thinking of you (((hugs))) And.......hoping that you left Dr. Google's office, at least for now.

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited March 2011

    So sorry you are going through this stress.  Shingles is yucky enough on its own and then this.  I'm sorry I can't add anything to the calcium discussion, but will be thinking of you and hoping you find some good answers soon.

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  • DCMom
    DCMom Member Posts: 624
    edited March 2011

    Weesa-  I had to do my own google to check into this and thought I'd save you a random look. I know it's hard once you've been struck by lightening not to expect another hit but there are a lot of other things this could be.   

     from Parathyroid.com . 

    IMPORTANT-- There is a lot written about high calcium being caused by cancer, however, this is not very common. Let us say that again... It is very RARE for high blood calcium to be due to cancer.  We know that if you search "high calcium" on the Internet you will find lots of web sites that talk about high calcium being caused by cancer... but relax, that's just because there are a LOT more websites in the world discussing cancer than there are websites dedicated to parathyroid disease. HOWEVER, if you are sitting at a computer researching about your own high calcium, then you are almost guaranteed to NOT have cancer. Keep reading and you will see that people who are not in the hospital dying of cancer and have a high calcium on a blood test almost never have cancer and almost always DO have hyperparathyroidism. This must be fixed, but it is not cancer... its caused by a hormone problem. Now that you know you don't have cancer... let's read about all the causes of high blood calcium.

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  • Gitane
    Gitane Member Posts: 1,885
    edited March 2011

    What a scary thing these wacky blood test results can be.  I'm sorry the calcium isn't behaving, weesa.  Looks like DCMom has some pretty solid "Not-to-Worry" information there.  Let us know what happens.  We'll be checking back!  

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2011

    We are not doctors, but I'd say that all of us have learned a lot over the last few years.........or more.  I do know that my co-worker, no make that two co-workers over the last year had problems with "suspicious" problems with their thyroids.  Both had minor sugeries and are doing fine, but what I did learn from them that it is very common for women over 40 to have these problems and like DCMom said, it's has something to do with the harmone levels in our bodies.

    Weesa.....I am so sorry you have to worry like this.

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  • Ihopeg
    Ihopeg Member Posts: 399
    edited March 2011

    Weesa,

     About 6 months ago, I had the same thing. The high calcium, thought parathyroid, did 24 hour urine test, and all came back normal. The Doc did another blood test about two weeks later and all was fine. It scared me to death too, and turned out to be nothing. 

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2011

    DCMom, GREAT post!!! But of course, with our history, we always go to the worst-case scenario. Then reality doesn't seem so bad.

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  • katsOK
    katsOK Member Posts: 142
    edited March 2011

    Hi, before I had breast cancer I did have a problem with my parathyroid and had surgery on it.  I never had a calcium test that was extremely high just on the high side of normal, and the test for hyperparthyroid was not extremely high either.  I did have osteopenia and when tested had high levels of calcium in my urine.  My kidneys were doing a good job keeping the calicum levels "normal" in my blood and I am lucky I did not develop kidney stones which is how a lot of people find out the have a parthyroid problem.   I did educate myself on the parthyroid.com site but had my surgery locally.   Hope this helps and if they do  not find anything, you might ask for a 24 hour urine test.  

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  • americanpinay
    americanpinay Member Posts: 338
    edited March 2011

    Hi Weesa,

    I have no experience with this but want to wish you the best outcome.  Take care. 

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited March 2011

    Just popping in to let you know I'm thinking of you and sending a cyber ((((hug)))).

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  • lamuso
    lamuso Member Posts: 123
    edited March 2011

    Weesa,

    I had high calcium show up on my blood test about 6 months ago.  My onc. dr. wasn't worried.  He told me to cut down on the amount of calcium supplements I was taking.  I cut back by one pill and the last two appointments showed normal calcium levels. Has your dr. asked you about your calcium intake?

     Leslie :)

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited March 2011

    Unfortunately, I have not taken any calcium supplements for several years and do not drink milk or any other high calcium food. My calcium level has been steadily rising for several years, never wobbles back and forth. Now it is at 10.5. Still mildly elevated. Subsequent tests this week have indicated that my parathyroids are operating well and don't seem to be the source of the high calcium. Just in one week it went from 10.4 to 10.5. When this problem first came to light I was sure I had a parathyoid problem but now this does not seem to be the case.

    My bone density last time I checked was above average.

    My doctors seem to be getting increasingly concerned, this is what has freaked me out the most.

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  • littletower
    littletower Member Posts: 333
    edited March 2011

    I have no experience with this, just want to reach out and give you a (virtual) hug. So sorry you're going throughout this anxiety.

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  • DCMom
    DCMom Member Posts: 624
    edited March 2011

    Geez I am sitting here wishing you some diagnosis.  It's so much better to know what's going on and I hope you find your answers soon.  I am thinking about you and wishing you something very repairable with your system...

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  • weesa
    weesa Member Posts: 707
    edited March 2011

    Thanks, DCMom, you are always a dear one. I am sitting here too, wishing I had a diagnosis. This is the time of night I usually go to Dr. Google--so instead I am reading everybody's comments here and it really keeps me out of danger...

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