Avoiding osteoporosis after thyroidectomy for women

[Nanaedake]

Interesting advice from the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons for women who have had thyroidectomy to continue to take a small calcium supplement if over 40 to avoid potential osteoporosis. This does not seem to be advice that is given routinely in the UK to women who've had thyroidectomy. Perhaps it should be?? Calcium deficiency does not always show up in blood tests.

endocrinediseases.org/thyro...

[Hennerton]

It seems to me that they are referring to the possibility of hypoparathyroidism, not hypothyroidism. For a week after thyroidectomy I suffered with thIs, as the parathyroid glands can be damaged but in my case it did not last and I believe this is usually the case. It is easy to know whether the body is suffering from severe low calcium, as symptoms are obvious.

[endomad in reply to Hennerton]

Likewise my parathyroids were unhappy for few weeks but not needed calcium supplement since TT 2009. I am T3 only so had bone density scan twice and calcium checked annually. Low calcium symptoms so severe that you would deff know if parathyroids not working. X

[Nanaedake in reply to Hennerton]

Sadly calcium deficiency symptoms weren't obvious, or rather, misinterpreted in my case and apparently not obvious in some people. Worth bearing in mind.

[snow31]

Hi. Thank you for this. Will read with interest. I had my Thyroidectomy couple of years ago. Calcium very low afterwards but as previously mentioned this can happen. Supplements taken for a while. Have had blood tests since some say ok some just under but no action taken. I know of the symptoms should it drop low. Not had a bone scan.

It's always worth knowing about just in case as better to be aware sometimes before.

Thanks

X

[Baobabs]

The mix of vits and minerals to prevent or treat osteoporosis is complex from what I have read. There needs to be a combination of vit D, calcium, magnesium and boran I believe. Not sure of the ratios though. I have been advised to have calcium blood levels tested before supplementation and it is useful for all post menopausal women to have 2 yearly bone density scans. Osteoporosis often has no symptoms until a fracture occurs.

[Nanaedake]

Sadly, calcium deficiency is not always easily detectable since it does not show in blood tests if slightly deficient over a long period. The body will extract calcium from bones to keep blood levels steady and bone mineral density will decrease as a result so a bit yearly DEXA scan is a good idea but most areas do not offer this on NHS. Might be worth paying for. Some people cannot get enough calcium from food when post menopausal due to calcium excretion with rapidly falling oestrogen levels. Something to be conscious of. Calcium deficiency symptoms are not easily recognisable as they can be mistaken and treated as anxiety, depression, thyroid dysfunction and other conditions. Certainly my doctors did not recognise the symptoms, 7 years of apts. No doctor suggested calcium deficiency. Worth being aware of this if you have lost parathyroid glands due to thyroidectomy.

[Angel_of_the_North]

If it was only calcium you needed to prevent osteoporosis ... , but it isn't. Most people get plenty of calcium in their diets - it's generally magnesium we are deficient in.

[Hidden]

I had a calcium supplement after my thyroidectomy this was given to me at the hospital.

I had regular tests for 4 weeks waiting for my new re positioned parathyroids to kick in.

This is quite normal practice. My calcium was stopped after 3 weeks my parathyroids had started to work normally again. This is always done here in France I don't know about the UK.

In fact too much calcium can be dangerous and can cause problems if going into the soft tissue and arteries. I had my gallbladder removed in 2006 it was full of calcium stones nobody mentioned that it was low Vitamin D causing the problem until I joined this site and started on Vitamin D and K2. I was completely unaware of the danger.

I have done 2 hours of hard gardening this morning and I am 72 years of age. This keeps my bones in good order without extra calcium.

[Nanaedake in reply to Hidden]

Good that your bones are in good order. Too much calcium will show in blood tests so more of a problem to determine loss or lack of calcium. Good that Calcium levels are monitored in France. Unfortunately patients in UK have not had vitamin D levels monitored routinely, as far as I know, either so useful to find out importance of good D via the forum. They all work together, vitamins and minerals. Maybe gluten free diet helps too? Gardening is said to be great exercise, dancing too!

[LAHs]

Calcium is one of those minerals which will precipitate in other organs if you take too much (kidney stones etc.). I recommend getting calcium from milk and taking Vit.D and Vit.K supplements. And yes, magnesium although to be honest I do not understand the function of magnesium.

One small point about testing calcium. I once happily remarked to my doc after getting a blood test result that it was great that my calcium level was really good. He said, "It depends where it is coming from, if it is coming out of your bones, that's not so good!" Gave me food for thought. And, of course, there was not enough time to get the answer.

[Nanaedake in reply to LAHs]

Your doctor had a good point and you can't tell where the calcium is coming from by blood tests.

[Nelly18]

Thanks Nanaedake, will read with interest. I was aware of the risks but hadn't considered them until last week when blood tests came back last week showing my calcium levels are low. Worrying thing is I've been taking supplements as I take Vit D. I know what the horrible symptoms of very low calcium is like because I had hypoparathyroidism following a thyroidectomy but my current levels aren't low enough to cause those presumably and I'm not even sure if current symptoms of fatigue and brain fog are related. So basically I had no idea my levels were low.

[Nanaedake in reply to Nelly18]

I think slightly low calcium levels symptoms are ambiguous which is why we need to be vigilant. This is not routinely monitored by NHS. At menopause, deficiency can re-emerge due to drop in oestrogen levels. Good vitamin D levels will help but calcium supplements may be necessary.