Labs came back
 

Hi everyone,

After I found out I had osteoporosis, I asked my doctor to drawn some tests for me before I started supplements.

Most of the test came back normal or negative but my

SED rate was 36

Calcium was normal at 10 but wanted to put this in here to check with all of you.

Magnesium also normal at 2.1

Vitamin D is low at 29

A1c is 5.3 normal

Though my SED Rate is high a lupus anticoagulant was not detected.

Even though my calcium is high normal should I take calcium due to just being dx with osteoporosis?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Mrs. D. I know you have spoke extensively on vitamin d supplements but I'm unsure with my level how much I should start on. Also, where did you find the best product.

Thanks to all!
Hopeful

That calcium--
 

--may not really be high, depending on what your albumin level is.

In serum, most calcium is bound to albumin such that higher levels of albumin above a level of about 4 will skew the calcium results. In fact, there is a conversion that doctors use--every .1 reading of albumin above 4 adds about .08 in the calcium readings. By that conversion, if you had an albumin level of 4.5, let's say, your actual calcium level would be 9.6.

If there is a question, the much more accurate ionized calcium test can be ordered (ionized calcium is not bound in the same way to albumin). And parathyroid hormone levels can also be ordered to see if there is anything awry with the parathyroid feedback loop that regulated calcium. Sometimes, with high parathyroid hormone levels, there can be high calcium levels in a blood draw because the hormone is signaling the body to up it's calcium levels and this calcium is being leached from bone, which may lead to osteopeneia/osteoperosis (this is often referred to as primary hyperparathyroidism).

Hi,
Close guess my albumin is 4.8. I learned about the connection with the parathyroid but had forgotten. Can't remember everything I guess! I'm going to have them check my parathyroid levels. Also, the ionized calcium.

Do you know if when doing a ultrasound of the thyroid gland will they also see the parathyroid glands? I was just fish in when I went to my rheum and requested a thyroid ultrasound. I was doing research and also think I should ask for PTH. What do you think?

Thanks for your help!:)

Mrs D,
I have been doing a lot of researching on the forum concerning Vit D. The video by Carole Baggerty was really informative. I actually sent it to my brother. He has a friend with cancer and one with MS. I thought it might be worth them looking at.

The research shows that normal level is 40-60. It says that you should take 1000iu for each point you r under that.

Mine is 29. That would be 11,000iu if I'm reading correctly. Am I right? It seems like such a lot.

Also can u tell me where you order yours from. I know you know the most reasonable priced places.

As I said, my calcium is 10.5 and my magnesium is 2.1. I'm thinking I don't need to supplement these. Am I correct?

Thanks for any information you or anyone else can give me.

I use the target of 50.... for myself. That higher level is mostly driven by the MS specialists. If you don't have MS, or worry about cancer (level of 70 recommended)...

Then you just need 2,000 IU D3 more than you are taking now.
The general rule is 1,000 IU for every 10 pts to raise.

A "normal" magnesium test result does not mean much. That test is only good for identifying very very low, or very very high levels which give dramatic symptoms in the ER. Chemo or diuretics can give very very low mag results. And people with kidney failure or who abuse laxatives may be very very high.

So you may improve with the Morton Epsom Lotion daily (a quarter's dollop size amount) or with oral chelated forms at 1/2 the RDA. (the RDA is 350mg a day), or by eating more magnesium rich food sources.
http://www.slowmag.com/

I use Puritan's Pride brand D3.

A thyroid ultrasound--
 

--might pick up enlarged parathyroid glands; the ultrasound technician would probably have to be looking for them, though, as they are normally very small (about the size of large rice grains).

I suspect that noticing them may depend on the skill and training of the technician, as well. I have my scans done by an interventional radiologist who I trust completely (and whose three daughters I've tutored); she's also the one who did my thyroid nodule biopsies. (She's obviously very familiar with what's going on in there through the years.) I don't trust this to a non-physician technician.

So, if your albumin is 4.8 your calcium levels are not THAT high--but it wouldn't be a bad idea to get the ionized calcium and parathyroid hormone tests.

Thank you Mrs. D
I currently take no Vit D so I am going to take the 2,000 IU that you recommended.
I just got a coupon for puritans pride too!

I also do use the Epsom salt lotion but not consistently. I'm going to start using it every night.
Hopeful:)

Thanks for your input! I really appreciate it.

Do you mind me asking if you live in PA I'd love to know where radiologist you use is.:)

I'm in New York City--
 

--and so a round a lot of well-known medical facilities and teaching hospitals, but the Philadelphia area has those, too.

It shouldn't be too hard to find some good radiology facilities affiliated with those medical centers. They would likely a better choice that just a stand-alone radiology center.