I suspect myself to have parathyroid disorder. Please help.

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a female, with 5'4" in height and 341 lbs in weight. I suspect I may have a parathyroid disorder. About two years ago, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Doctor did blood work and also told me Vitamin D was very low. He prescribed high dose Vitamin D. I suffered from my first battle with kidney stone about a month after the Vitamin D was started.

I have terrible pain that feels like my bones in my thighs and behind my shins. My joints in my hands hurt so bad I cannot grip things. I had gastric bypass before six years and since have lost 135 lbs. My symptoms have only gotten worse since then. I always thought I had fibromyalgia, but the medication has never helped me. I suffer from chronic migraines which my neurologist has me on Botox every quarter. I am deeply depressed because I was always in terrible pain. The ER is starting to think I am a drug addict and need to see if it is something else other than fibro that is causing my pain.

Answer 1

Hello.

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your symptoms of fibromyalgia can be explained by vitamin D deficiency. Now why vitamin D deficiency is there has to be evaluated. There are many causes of vitamin D deficiency, and yes, hyperparathyroidism is one of the reason. But the prevalence of hyperparathyroidism is less. The other causes of vitamin deficiency are the low intake of vitamin D rich food, less exposure to sunlight. Also, your Roux-en-Y gastric bypass decreases vitamin D absorption from food. So presently, I do not consider parathyroid as the cause of your problem.

Coming to your kidney stones was any urine analysis done to find out what kind of stone you had? Because the intake of vitamin D increases absorption of calcium from the gut and high calcium can cause kidney stones. Also, because of your Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, there can happen increased absorption of oxalates which can cause kidney stones. So it is essential to know what tests were done for kidney stones. Till then continue your vitamin D supplementation, get serum uric acid, serum PTH, 24-hour urinary calcium, and oxalate tests done and revert. You can start Gabapentin for your pains.

Any clarifications feel free to ask.