Calcium at bottom reading and severe back/elbow pain.

[real_mission]

Hi all,

Ive had an upper back problem for some time. I've been sent for an MRI and they've put it down to 'wear and tear' its on my left (heart) side and I can only describe it as a sharp stabbing pain just behind my scapula. I've also had some fibro in my elbows, I can feel my tendons straining when I use my grip and they're tender to the touch.

My Endo said 'your muscles change from fast to slow when you're on replacement treatment, so fibro symptoms are evident as the tendons put pressure on the nerves'

'Okay', I thought 'sounds plausible' This is all post Thyroidectomy, within the last 12 months.

Then my bloods came back and my Calcium is on the baseline 2.1 and my Vit D is .30. I asked when had they been taken before and it was before my thyroid had been removed. So theoretically, I could have been low for 2 years.

So, notwithstanding the Fibro diagnosis, could my symptoms be Osteo? Ive been on Calcichew with Vit D for 6 weeks and my symptoms are still there but slightly reduced.

Im also on 400mcg x 3 a day of Ibuprofen for an unrelated problem, so as its an anti inflammatory, I shouldn't have pain in my elbows still, but I have.

Anyone cast any light on this? I still cannot sleep on my left hand side or I will wake up in the night with seering back pain which only goes away when I exhale and resolves itself with an audible rib 'click'

Can I have a mild case of osteo due to my calcium being so low? I was taking supplements proir to the 2.1 reading, so it could have been even lower than that previously.

[debjs]

I have terrible symptoms if my calcium falls below 2.2 and was left with low calcium for many months after TT with symptoms as you describe. I am not familiar with calcichew (I take Addcal which I guess is similar) but the amount of Vit D in it was not enough and I have to take extra on top. I believe it takes a few months for vit d levels to increase. My chest and rib problems as you describe have now resolved with the extra vit.D.

[real_mission in reply to debjs]

Thats such a relief to know its a shared experience debjs!

Its so hard to get medical professionals to join up the dots or to admit it might have been overlooked. I thought it was symptomatic of my condition, but I asked my GP for a bone profile which came back as 'Fine' . I raised this with the Endo and said I'd had a blood test a few months previous which was 'fine' and asked what the reading were , he said they were 2.1 then too

So, it is 'within range' but not good for me. Im also lactose intolerant (since op), so that doesnt help either.

[debjs in reply to real_mission]

As said LilyMay says below there is not much vit D in Addcal. I used to see Dr S who said it is important to eat calcium rich food with every meal and I am sure you know about not taking the Addcal within 4 hours of thyroid meds or iron supplements.

I never accept 'your calcium is normal' now but always ask for the numbers. The registrar I saw at one of my endo appointments (a very enlightened man) said some people are very sensitive to minute changes in blood chemistry so it's important to find out what is right for you.

I found information about managing low calcium on the website hypopara.org.uk very useful.

[real_mission in reply to debjs]

Ah! debjs! "I am sure you know about not taking the Addcal within 4 hours of thyroid meds or iron supplements."

I've read up on this an somewhere it said there's no conclusive proof if it interacts, so you're saying there is an issue?

[debjs in reply to real_mission]

Most things I have read say to avoid taking them within 4 hours and it says that on the Addcal patient info leaflet. I don't know if it makes a difference but I have had so much trouble I am not willing to take the risk!

[real_mission in reply to debjs]

Sorry, it was Adical, not calcichew (I'd assumed it was this as I'd heard of it so much ,but just read the packet and it is adical .)

[Hidden]

Adcal doesn't have much Vitamin D in it, does it? From memory, I think the calcium content is 300mg per pill and the Vit D is 25mcg (or 200iu). So that wouldn't do much to increase your vitamin D levels - if you're deficient in Vit D you need more like 5000-10000iu of Vit D per day. So your pain is probably still related to Vit D deficiency.

[real_mission in reply to Hidden]

Thanks LilyMay.

The Endo had a couple of interns in there with him when he announced my Vit D results, he said 'When they tested mine it was undetectable' as if it was an excuse for low Vit D .

I did assume (a word which shouldn't be in the same sentence as 'NHS' ) that the meds given would be sufficient, Im glad I asked on here. I have some D3 5000iu, I'll go back on them and see how it goes.

Thanks for the advice!

[real_mission in reply to Hidden]

You were right! I've stacked my vit d 5000 and the pain reduced in almost one day!