I apologize that I have not posted for a while and that my posts have been few and far between. I have been extremely ill and once again, I can’t get anyone to listen to me or take me seriously when they have the blood test results right in their hands. What is wrong with doctors?
As I had posted last week, when I went to see my doctor my symptoms at the time were very similar to those of mono or a bad CFS flare. She was pretty sure I had mono again (even though it is rare to get it more than once), and because I have had thyroid issues she wanted to run some blood work on my thyroid.
As the week progressed I got worse. I started getting very nauseous, my kidneys and sides started hurting a lot, frequent urination (but not IC related symptoms), severe headaches, bone pain, severe weakness, feeling of passing out several times, not able to eat, not able to sleep, and I’ve lost 7 pounds. I still have the extreme exhaustion that is so unbelievable I can’t even begin to explain. I’m sure that from this hypercalcemia and CFS both, I’m being hit with a double whammy.
I heard from the doctor’s office and they said that I was going to be referred to an endocrinologist for issues with my thyroid and pituitary. I found out that I have something called non parathyroid hypercalcemia, which means too much calcium in the blood. The problem is I can’t get the doctor to get on the ball and get me my referral to the endocrinologist, even as sick as I am. According to information on eMedicine Health:
One of the minerals that is important in the regulation and processes of many body functions including bone formation, hormone release, muscle contraction, and nerve and brain function is calcium. If levels of calcium in the body are elevated above what is considered normal, this is referred to as hypercalcemia.
Calcium levels in the body are tightly regulated. The regulation of calcium is primarily controlled by vitamin D, calcitonin, and parathyroid hormone (PTH).
- Calcitonin is produced in specialized cells in the thyroid gland.
- Vitamin D is obtained through a process that begins with sun exposure to the skin. The process then continues in the liver and kidneys. Vitamin D can also be found in foods, such as eggs and dairy products.
- Parathyroid hormone is a hormone produced by the parathyroid glands, which are four small glands surrounded by the thyroid and found in the anterior part of the lower neck.
Together, the parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, and vitamin D regulate calcium levels in the bloodstream via the kidneys, and the intestinal tract.
So that is what’s been going on with me. I am so exhausted right now I have to quit posting but I will post more later this week on non parathyroid hypercalcemia. Stay tuned for Part 2: Causes.
Sandy – I don’t know how you got through writing this post. It reminds me of how I felt in February when I wound up in the hospital for three weeks. I didn’t have your diagnosis and go to the Endocrinologist. Mine was blood pressure of 190/130 ON blood pressure meds, extremely low electrolytes, sodium and potassium, close to death, stroke or heart attack. We go through so much. It all makes the CFS worse on our bodies/brains. The very least that could be done for you is to move on the referal. I’m sure you can just about move. No one outside this circle of the me/cfs/fm community really, truly “gets it”, except those of us fortunate enough to have immediate family who love us.
The post is really informative. I like the detailed information. Thank you for sharing.
OMG I have the exact symptoms that you do.
I took thiazide diuretics. What is the treatment?
This is horrible.
Be careful with the “non parathyroid” part of the diagnosis. If your PTH is within “normal” but on the high end, it’s still wrong. If you have hypercalcemia, your parathyroid glands should be basically dormant, saying “no more calcium, please”. I recommend everyone with a high calcium go to this website and educate yourself. You’ll soon know more than your doc about this. http://www.parathyroid.com/