Hypoparathyroidism symptoms help

[Lois71]

Hi, there, has anyone felt the symptoms of hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy?

My surgery took place one year and eight months ago.

my parathyroid glands were preserved but several months ago (almost a year) I have a very stiff neck, and a week ago I started feeling my jaw hurts and I also feel stiff, and also like little cramps or punctures in my cheeks and very tired. I have been given physiotherapy and injected cortisone but I do not improve, I guess that the parathyroid no longer are working correctly.

My vitamin D last August came out with the following results:

25 Hydroxy D5 / D2 / D3

51.12 ng / ml (result)

ranges:

deficiency <10

insufficient 10-30

enough 30-100

Do you think I will need to have additional phosphorus and calcium blood tests?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Vitamin D is far too low.

GP will only prescribe to bring vitamin D up to 50nmol. Aiming to improve by self supplementing to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better .

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function.

It's trial and error what dose each person needs.

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...

Magnesium supplements recommended if supplementing vitamin D

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Bone pain

easy-immune-health.com/pain...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

intechopen.com/books/cell-s...

If vitamin D is low, B vitamins may be too. As explained by Dr Gominack

drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...

What are your most recent Thyroid and other vitamin results and ranges

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test also vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Ask GP to test thyroid and other vitamin levels if not been done

You also need calcium and parathyroid levels tested

Recommend downloading calcium-pro app - put your vitamin D, calcium and Parathyroid results in and it will diagnose likely issue

Extremely common to have low Ft3 on just Levothyroxine mono therapy - essential to test Tsh , Ft3 and FT4 together

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

come back with new post once you get results

[Lois71 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon,

Thanks for the recommendations and additional info.

Actually I am already taking metylcobalamina, methylfolate and B6, since my last B12 levels went under normal levels.

I'll get my thyrod hormone levels soon, since I added 5mcg of liotironine to levo one month ago.

Today afternoon I'll get the resukts of my calcium, magnesium, phosporum levels.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Lois71]

If/when also on T3, ideally make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to thyroid blood test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

But on just 5mcg ....are you taking this as single dose?

Or splitting into 2 x 2.5mcg?

[Lois71 in reply to SlowDragon]

Single dose

[SilverAvocado]

Lois71, I don't know enough to really comment on hypoparathyroid, but I do know that low calcium is a medical emergency. It would probably show up much sooner. I was always told to look out for nunb and tingling lips as the first symptom.

As you've had a thyroidectomy, the first thing I'd want to look into is whether you're on adequate thyroid hormone replacement and rule that out. Its distressingly common for people to be left on a too low dose for years. Thyroid hormone is needed by every cell and organ in your body, so almost any symptom can be caused by not having enough.

I believe this vitamin D result is fine, but the confusion is because you're outside the UK and it's in different units.

[SilverAvocado in reply to SilverAvocado]

Hi Lois71, I've just gone back and looked at your post from a month ago about T3. It looks like you were quite undermedicated then, and have been for the whole time since your thyroidectomy.

With these low results, I think the priority is to get on the correct dose of thyroid hormone. You mentioned you've been on many different doses, I think the important thing is to be very systematic. Make sure that you're having a blood test regularly, about every six weeks, and that your dose is being adjusted each time by no more than 5mcg of T3 and/or 25mcg of T4 each time. Keep moving in this way until freeT3 is in the top part of the range. FreeT4 is less important, so you can let that drop.

It sounds like you've been messed around by doctors changing your dose too quickly in the past. The important thing is to go nice and slowly, give the body time to adjust each time, and keep up the movement towards your optimal dose.

[Lois71 in reply to SilverAvocado]

Hello SilverAvocado.

Thanks for your response, Regarding you comment about my last thyroid test levels, I want to update that since last November 6th started taking 100 mcg of levo at the same time of 5 mcg of liotironine, so it's been a month with the new dose and soon I'll get me blood levels done.

Early this morning I got calcium, phosporum, magnesium, etc., blood test done.

[SilverAvocado in reply to Lois71]

One month is very little in thyroid hormone dosing. If you're like me it will probably take a few increases to get your freeT3 high in range, it often takes about 6 months.

[Lois71 in reply to SilverAvocado]

Ok, thanks for the feedback,. I' wiil keep it in mind.