Frequently Asked Questions

I had stones, should I take calcium?

 

Kidney stones are common inĀ hyperparathyroidism

About 25% of women with primary hyperparathyroidism will have kidney stones. The percentage is higher for men with a parathyroid tumor, with about 38% of men getting stones. In virtually every case, the kidney stones are made of calcium which came from your bones. This happens because the parathyroid hormone (PTH) causes a release of calcium from the bones and this excess calcium can build up in the kidneys and cause stones.

Won’t the calcium pills make this worse?

Nope, not at all. If you had kidney stones, it was because of the parathyroid tumor in almost all cases, not because you were eating too much calcium in your diet. When you are cured of the parathyroid disease and your calcium becomes normal because the parathyroid tumor(s) has been removed, then your kidney stone problem is gone (in almost all cases). Thus, you should still take your calcium to make your bones better. Your stones came from the tumor, and you don’t have that any more after the operation.