Hi just a quick question anyone thats had parathyroid glands removed and put on calcium supplements do you still take them or have you stopped after a year?
I have been on D3 and calcium for many years now calcium carbonate kinda hard on the stomach now. Might move to citrate or ask gp do i even need that anymore. and monitor my blood levels of calcium.
I had a parathyroidectomy in January 2018 and stopped calcium supplements a few months after the operation. A friend who is a biochemist suggested that my parathyroids needed strong signals to work a bit harder and that taking too high a dose would not send out that signal. So, I always kept that in mind while remembering that low levels of calcium in the blood was not a good thing.
you had all of the glands removed or just 1?
I believe that I have 2 left and I am assuming that the 2 took over maintaining an appropriate level of calcium in my blood. I have had my calcium monitored since then, although less frequently now, and it was only an issue for a few months after the ‘op.
see i have non left
My calcium was virtually zero after parathyroid op, I couldn't tolerate the calcium supplements I was given so stopped them after a few weeks.
And you just got calcium from your diet and got retested to make sure it was coming up ?
I increased calcium rich foods and had regular tests to make sure my levels were ok. I only have 1 parathyroid left at most but it's doing the job.
Have you got low calcium levels ?
Get extra calcium through your diet if possible. Inorganic calcium increases risk of other problems as I recently found out (Notfeelinggr8 )
bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c36...
greenmedinfo.com/blog/calci...
universityhealthnews.com/da...
Yes I understand that was just curious if others eventually stopped taking it in supplement form because we all get given it after the operation.
OK. Sorry, can't help there as still have thyroid and parathyroids.
Have had the subject on my mind since the practice pharmacist queried my refusal to take Adcal (vitamin D supplement with calcium) and wouldn't accept it when I tried to explain.
Hi, after a thyroidectomy I was left with two parathyroid glands. I was given AdcalD3 at first but when calcium blood levels were within range the doctor stopped them. Before long I had severely depleted blood levels with symptoms of aching joints, muscles and tingling around my lips. So I started taking the supplements again. After a number of years I thought I would try reducing the AdcalD3 and try increasing from my diet but that didn't work and I again had really low calcium blood levels and symptoms. I came to the conclusion that the remaining parathyroids weren't working properly and so I would need to stay on the supplements for the rest of my life. They seem to work for me going by annual blood tests and also no symptoms of hypocalcemia.
I don't understand your biochemist friend saying your parathyroids need strong signals to work as you say you don't have any parathyroid glands.
I think it unlikely that with no parathyroid glands you would be able to survive without supplements, but I am not an expert. I hope you can find something that doesn't upset your stomach.
Hi had my thyroid removed 2 years ago. They damaged my parathyroid which arent working properly therefore having to take calcium supplements
Still not 100% after months on levothyroxine
What supplements (vitamins/minerals) are best if you have hypothyroidism? 
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