# Calcium problems after thyroidectomy



## Sue (Mar 30, 2015)

Hi

I'm 5 years out from a Total Thyroidectomy. I'm told that the surgeon did not remove any of the parathyroid hormones. However my calcium is always low - just below the bottom of the reference range. I take two calcium tablets a day (Calcichew Forte D3) and yet it's STILL low. Does anyone else have this problem?

Sue


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Honestly, I don't think my calcium has been tested since I left the hospital 5 years ago. It was low right after my surgery, but recovered on its own. (I took calcium a few times in the hospital.)


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## Sue (Mar 30, 2015)

Maybe I can just pop them for life....? Will have to ask one of the doctors. I go with all my questions on a list but always get thrown when it's never the doctor you are under but someone else in the team. Sue


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

My understanding is that some people do need to take calcium for life due to damage/dysfunction of parathyroid glands (beyond simply taking calcium for long-term bone health).


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## Sue (Mar 30, 2015)

Okay - good to know you can stay on Calcium. One doctor scared me by saying there was a study that indicated potential cardiac damage so to stop them. I did and my calcium levels tanked!

Sue


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Interesting. I thought most women over a certain age took calcium every day simply for bone density preservation. Hhhhhmmmm....


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## cascais (Jun 16, 2017)

Sue said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm 5 years out from a Total Thyroidectomy. I'm told that the surgeon did not remove any of the parathyroid hormones. However my calcium is always low - just below the bottom of the reference range. I take two calcium tablets a day (Calcichew Forte D3) and yet it's STILL low. Does anyone else have this problem?
> 
> Sue


sue,

just wondering if your calcium has recovered since your post in february.

i had my thyroid removed 3 weeks ago and i am on 6 of those calcichew forte d3 a day for the last 3 weeks, i still have tingling in my legs and arms as well as pins and needles. i am to repeat the bloods on friday. the ent surgeon say some people need to stay on calcium for life, but most times, calcium recovers on its own after about 2 weeks...

so i am wondering now, if my levels should have adjusted by now..

thanks

cascais

ps : although it was never tested before thyroid surgery, i took calcium supplements during pregnancy as i was suffering from a lot of night time leg cramps, the cramps did go away after i started taking calcium.

cascais


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I take 1500mg of calcium daily due to osteopenia. Family history and also was not eating much calcium in my bone building years due to dislike of milk and most milk products.


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## Sue (Mar 30, 2015)

Cascais - I recognise that tingling! No my calcium hasn't really recovered. It bounces around from very low to low but always outside the normal range. Sometimes I get pins and needles which freaks me as I feel at those times I need to restore calcium somehow but I've always been told not to take too many of the calcium tablets. I'm at a bit of a loss therefore as to why calcium fluctuates and what to do about it. How are you doing?


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## cascais (Jun 16, 2017)

Sue said:


> Cascais - I recognise that tingling! No my calcium hasn't really recovered. It bounces around from very low to low but always outside the normal range. Sometimes I get pins and needles which freaks me as I feel at those times I need to restore calcium somehow but I've always been told not to take too many of the calcium tablets. I'm at a bit of a loss therefore as to why calcium fluctuates and what to do about it. How are you doing?


Hi Sue,

Sorry i haven t replied in so long, my thyroid has been the least of my worries recently i have to admit, so i haven't thought of login in and checking in on you all.

i seem to have finally stabilised at 125 of levothyroxine (eltroxin), endo wants to see me back in october with repeat bloods 6 weeks before i see him in the Gp.

Calcium, never came back to normal, i am within range ( just about i am on the lower side of the range), but i still take a lot of tablets. in january/ february i started to complain a lot about tingling in my lips, and in my feet, but most importantly pain under my foot, kind of like a cramp, maybe not so intense. I also had severe hair loss at the time and both levothyroxine and calcium were changed . i was moved to 125 of eltroxin every day and 6 calcichew tablets (not calcichew d3 forte),daily as well (2 morning, 2 lunch, 2 evening) as 1 daily one alpha tablet 0.25 (vitamin D). The reasoning i was given was there was no need to take vitamin d 3 times daily.

the pain in my feet is a lot better and the tingling has improved quite a bit, and the hair loss seems to have settled , so, so far so good i'd say, it has been a long road , but on the thyroid +calcium end, i hope i am reaching stability, even though i am a walking pharmacy at times..

has your endo ever considered changing you to a different tablet ? this certainly seems to have helped me a bit.

all the best,

cascais


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## Sue (Mar 30, 2015)

Good to hear from you Cascais. Yup will have to ask endo about different meds.


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