# Low Calcuim, weird symptoms, advise needed.



## jenny1031 (Feb 18, 2015)

Hi all, I'm new to the boards. So here's a little background information. My name is Jenny, I'm 29 and was diagnosed with Graves' in December of 2014 in the Emergency room. I went in because I felt as if I couldn't breath. It turns out my thyroid was wrapped around my trachea and was obstructing my airway somehow. Within three weeks of diagnosis in the ER, on December 18,2014 I had a full Thyroidectomy. My thyroid was 6 inches by 2 inches, apparently that's extremely large, I don't know. Within 12 hours of surgery I had my first experience with very, very low calcium and let me tell you it was terrifying. I was kept in the hospital for four days instead of one because the surgeon couldn't get my level high enough that he felt it was safe to release me. I'm pretty sure they eventually released me in self defense because by day three, I was not the best patient.

Since my release my calcium has fluctuated so much that some days I'm fine and some days I'm in the ER getting IV calcium because my level is so low. I'm currently taking 1000mg of calcium 3x's a day equaling 3000mg of calcium a day and I'm taking 400 of Magnesium 2xs a day equally 800 of Magnesium. I'm also taking 150 micrograms of Levothyroxine which was reduced from 175. Doctor said at 175 I was "too hyped up". I continue to have hand cramps and several times a day lose control of my left hand (and sometimes my right hand), my feet feel as if they are asleep most of the time, I have facial twitches daily primarily in my lips and eye lids, I have muscles twitches in my legs constantly, I get intense muscle cramps in my shoulders and neck near the incision that feel like what my mom always call a "Charlie horse". These are so painful that I'm sore for hours after in the spot they occurred. I get the "Charlie horse" sensation in my neck, shoulders, and under my ribcage. I am freezing all of the time and the cold feels physically painful to me now which is a big change from being Hyperthyroid where I was hot all the time. Doctor says my calcium levels are good right now but I'm still having all these symptoms that seem associated with low levels. I'm not really sure what to do because the symptoms are affecting my ability to function in life. I'm a full time student, I work full time, and I'm a mom. I don't have time to slow down but this has really got a hold on me. Any advise or anything I could be doing please tell me. I'm open, I just want to be better. I feel my doctor doesn't really hear me. If his nurse asks me one more time what SHE is supposed to be doing for me I'm going to scream.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Yikes, it sounds like you are still having low calcium issues daily. Do you know if you lost any parathyroids during your surgery? Also, what exact kind of calcium and magnesium are you taking? I know for some people, different forms of magnesium are absorbed better than others. My system can't tolerate magnesium citrate so I have to use chelated magnesium glycinate.


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## jenny1031 (Feb 18, 2015)

I am not sure what type of Mag but my level today was fantastic. Calcuim is back down and totally unexplainable why the level keeps going up and down. Doctor and I had a lengthy discussion at my appointment today. He thinks I might have another condition that's causing all of this mess. I was unaware that some people that have one autoimmune disease sometimes have more than one. Evidentially, Graves' is so intense (my symptoms were baaaad) that it can mask additional disorders and/or diseases. He wants to find out if I might have Addisons Disease. I know nothing about Addisons and am frankly almost afraid to Google! Haha


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## jenny1031 (Feb 18, 2015)

I didn't lose any parathyroids during surgery. The one that was embedded in my thyroid the surgeon implanted in my muscle. I've got all 4(? Is that the correct amount). The levels regarding my paras are excellent so according to the doctor my body should he regulating my calcium completely on it's own by now. However, when he tries to slowly ween me from the calcium my level plummets and I end up in the ER for IV calcuim.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

jenny1031 said:


> I didn't lose any parathyroids during surgery. The one that was embedded in my thyroid the surgeon implanted in my muscle. I've got all 4(? Is that the correct amount). The levels regarding my paras are excellent so according to the doctor my body should he regulating my calcium completely on it's own by now. However, when he tries to slowly ween me from the calcium my level plummets and I end up in the ER for IV calcuim.


With the size of your thyroid, your parathyroid's took a beating. Hopefully they will recover fully and it sounds like they are.

As far as the other symptoms, it is very important for them to test your Free T-4 and Free T-3 hormone levels when making adjustments to your Levothyroxine.

Some people do not convert the levothyroxine ( T-4 ) to Free T-3. If both the Free T-4 and Free T-3 are not toward 3/4 of range you may have symptoms of hypothyroid.

http://www.healthonelabs.com/pub/tests/test/pid/167 you can order a lab sheet for $59 at this site and have them drawn yourself and take them to your doctor if they refuse to run them. There are a few tests that are not that important on this panel but for the cost you get a TSH included for the same costas the Free tests only.


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## jenny1031 (Feb 18, 2015)

I've been getting labs done once a week since surgery. He's testing T3 and T4 weekly at this point along with calcium and mag. I feel like my hormone levels aren't the issue to be honest. I feel like it's maybe potassium or something directly correlated with the absorption of the calcium. The symptoms I'm having are normally associate with super low calcium levels but they've been mildly low to on the low side of the normal range so I shouldn't be having the physical stuff happening.


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