Bad night again last night but I don't think I drank enough water so today I tried waiting 3 hours after my thyroid pill before eating/taking 1st session of calcium and I won't try cutting down on the calcium yet and see if that brings back the days I had no problems (Monday and Tuesday). Plus I'm taking oranges with the calcium as mentioned. So far so good.
I too have low calcium issues even a year and two months after the TT! I go to my doctor and get my own blood test request about every 4 weeks to check to see if the dose I take is enough. If I forget even one capsule out of the five I take every day, I notice tingling in the forearms and the lips, and I get moody! So for me that is when I know I need more! You too will learn how to recognise the symptoms of your own dose. Never think you HAVE to wait to see the doc to change the dose up...especially if you are cramping badly or are having tingles. You can always drop down later.
But ususally 6 weeks when you get your thyroid levels checked is when you can ask for a corrected calcium level. Corrected calcium means they know you take a supplement and how it is in your blood.
Glad you're feeling better - that's great!
If your dr told you it's okay to wait only two hours then I'd go with that. He/she certainly knows your situation and med better than I do.
I don't recall giving the advise about the OJ but it's sounds helpful no less. And on behalf of whoever recommended that, I'll say, 'Your welcome.'
Keep in touch.
Hey I think it was you who told me about the orange juice and believe it or not I have found two things that seem to help in the past couple days since my original note (before I re-posted it) ONE: if I get sufficient sleep the cramps are less and TWO: if I take oranges with the calcium/Vitamin D I seem to get more use of the calcium so that has been helpful. I've had some cramping but nothing compared to last weekend when I was in so much pain I thought I was going to become one big cramp and seize up so your advice was very helpful.
In terms of the four hours I had not heard that, rather I had been told two hours. My doctor said to take my thyroid pill when I get up and to not eat or take anything in other than water for the first two hours ideally and then to eat and take the calcium (1st dose) as I'm on 1,500 calcium and 500 Vit D and I have pills that are 500 mg of Calcium with 125 i.u. of Vitamin D so I take it twice in the day (which gives me 2,000 calcium/500 Vit D but if the cramps stop I'll drop back to 3 pills) with two pills each time, so I'll try adding two hours onto my wait time and see if that also helps.
Thanks again for the orange advice as that really did seem to make a difference and even with the minimal cramping I had last night I ate half an orange and it seemed to quiet the cramps then as well so it may be my lucky charm.
I'll keep you posted as to my progress.
Thanks for starting a new thread on this. A couple of things here...
You'll want to wait at least four hours between when you take your thyroid medication and when you take the supplements for the low calcium issue. Those two things taken too close together can cause the supplements to start absorbing the thyroid medication before your body has a chance to. Hence, leading to problems on the thyroid side of things. Even though the calcium issue is pressing right now, the thyroid part still needs to be watched. Please read the thyroid med's product insert for more info on that. I'm not sure which med you are on but I believe they all have the same recommendation (if yours is different, pleae share that here).
Also regarding calcium supplements: Yes, there is such a thing as too much. Overdoing it can become a risk to the kidneys, so you'll need to be careful. Honestly, I'm told and have read mixed things, but 1000mg to 1500mg of elemental calcium seems to be the daily limit. Elemental calcium is usually 40% of what's in any calcium carbonate tablet.
With cramping, I'm one who mentioned in the other thread that I got/get a lot out of having magnesium tablets around for when that starts to act up. Don't try that without your dr knowing so first, but you might want to consider it. The cramping I get is exactly the same as what you describe.
Hope your next blood draw shows things are improving. If you really start to feel things are declining between now and then, call the dr or go to the er.
Keep in touch.