Playing Doctor

For the past few months I have been researching info on kidney stones. From time to time I get that flank pain, and it has finally made me involuntarily chug water all day like I should've been. Knowing that I still have stones in both kidneys that threaten to lodge in my ureters at any moment, frustrates me and I want to find an explaination and hopefully, a way to prevent them from forming. I even went to a "nutritionist" last year...who, while she was extremely sweet and knowledgeable about the 'blood type diet', was a waste of my money. I tried to talk to her about a diet specifically to prevent stones and she proceeded to close her eyes, her hands hovering over my back, to tell me my adrenal glands are stressed, as if she were reading my tarot cards or something lol..

Anyway, I happened upon a page about parathyroid dysfunction, http://www.parathyroid.com/ and am curious as to whether or not I could have an overactive parathyroid. Before my military insurance ran out, I requested a dr out here run these blood tests associated with PTH...not thinking he would actually do it. It was pretty uncomfortable when he asked why I wanted these tests, and I had to sound like a crazy annoying patient : "I read this site, and have these symptoms.." But considering my numerous stones, he conceded. He also did a lipid panel and checked my cholesterol...which I knew would be high, but won't go on medication for since it's dangerous during pregnancy and I might get pregnant. I will have to change my diet again. Cut eggs out, use smart balance substitutes etc..

You have 4 parathyroid glands (different from thyroid) in your neck.

I haven't been able to see my results yet, but they did call saying he wanted to discuss them with me in person...which I can't do until John's new job's insurance is active. (Probably another few weeks). But they did tell me over the phone, a few figures. Predictably, my cholesterol is high. I have known this for the past 6 years, and even with exercise, diet and smart balance stuff, my good cholesterol was always too low. Genetics.

Anyway, more importantly my PTH (parathryroid hormone) was a little high--at 76, when the normal range is 10-65. But my blood calcium was normal, which makes it a little more difficult to diagnose. It could be early Hyperparathyroidism, or secondary hyperparathyroidism, or just a fluke. I haven't been able to talk to the doctor, and would prefer seeing a doctor that is familiar with HPTH because not many are. The PTH regulates your calcium so they are directly related.

Anyway, until I get insurance next month, here are some interesting notes that might possibly be connected to HPTH (according to various sites):
*multiple kidney stones (bilateral ranging from 2mm-7mm)
*high urine calcium (311mg/day) (not as useful as blood calcium test)
*high urine CaOx (calcium oxalate 10.55--makes stones...)
*HPTH raises chance of miscarriage by 85%...
*PTH elevated- 76.
*can be associated with spotting/painful periods
*osteoperosis (??who knows)

*high blood pressure (i'm only borderline)

The behavioral factors are arguable..I don't like to rely on feelings to determine illness...unless that feeling is the intense pain of a stone of course :

*loss of energy (doesn't everyone feel that way?)

*can't concentrate (I am a mom though..)

*depression..

*joints hurt (yeah..)

*forgetful

*decrease in sex drive...

*recurrent headaches

*3x more likely in women, but typically >40 yrs old.

*THIS ONE'S WHAT CONVINCED JOHN: "Spouse claims you are more irritable and harder to get along with (cranky, bitchy)." :) True...

Some people don't realize they have the symptoms until after the removal of a tumor when they feel so much better in comparison.
The site was created by Dr.Norman in Tampa and his colleagues. They have only recently found so much new and helpful information regarding PTH. They have become so good at diagnosing it that all they do is operate on people who fly in from all around the country with high calcium or PTH levels. Every patient they have operated on, did in fact have a tumor on their parathyroid gland(s). There is a lot of information on there and they present it in a way that is easy for us non-doctors to comprehend.

I don't know if I even have this, but it would be so nice to have a reason for these stones, and a way to fix it. I will probably be sent to an endocrinologist when I have insurance. Anyone who has any info on this please comment :)