low calcium after Total Thyroidectomy

[mahnie]

I would appreciate hearing other's experiences with low calcium after TT (4 days ago in my case)for a multinodular goiter and how long, if ever, these levels returned to normal.  My largest nodule was big (5 cm) so I am worried that some or all of the parathyroids were removed at the same time.  I see the surgeon in 5 days. Is it a reasonable question to ask if she saw any parathyroid glands and also if any were seen in the tissue removed?. I know that there can be damage to the parathyroids as well as removal.

If I am delayed taking the calcium pill the tingling in my fingers starts and my lips become numb so there doesn't seem to be any improvement post surgery.  Post surgery my ionized calcium levels were not below 1 though and I was told that was better than being below 1! Thanks for any help.

[Wantogarden]

cooking liver takes a bit of skill.  you want to cook it enough to kill germs but if you cook it too long, it gets tough.  again, it's like anything in life,  fine balance is key.  

[Thypatient]

That's funny!

I was just going to ask which kind of liver you use.  I love liver, of any kind.  I don't imagine it would be too hard to find pork liver where I live, but I've never seen it or thought about it either.

Thanks for the info.

(The ginger sounds like it would add a nice kick.)

[Wantogarden]

p.s.  I use pork liver, slice them thinish, marinade with soy sauce, corn starch and a dash of oil.  boil some water (4 cups, add some ginger slices) put in the pork liver, as soon as the water boils, turn off heat, cover with lid and let it rest/cook for 5 minutes.  drink a cup in the day, another at bedtime.  You will feel better by morning.  refrigerate remainder and drink it within 2 days.  Depending on where you live, you might not find pork liver.  I suppose beef liver is the only choice.  I've never made the soup with beef liver.  I imagine the taste to be too heavy.  I'd just salt and pepper and flour the beef liver and pan fry it with carmelized onions on top.  It taste good and even my kids love it (have not made it in years though).  It's high in cholestrol.  But if you need iron, then this is good, maybe twice a month you eat this and see how you feel.

[Wantogarden]

As i've learned lately, calcium should not be taken with iron as they compete for absorption.  Tea also decreases your iron absorption from food.  So, drink your tea from a glass, and cook with an iron skillet which will give you a bit of iron.  If iron tablets bothers you, you'll just have to get it from food.  you can find which foods are rich in iron from many websites.  Through the years, after many brands of iron, I find the "easy iron" from Vitamin World or Puritan's Pride (same company, same product with different labels that's all; Puritan's costs 70% less !)  to be non-irritable to my stomach so that's what i take.  Puritan's Pride has a sales website that is even cheaper...strange, but who cares when the prices are so good (Puritansale.com).  

I've made liver soup with ginger on my period - tire days and it's magical.  But it is high in cholestrol so I don't do that unless I'm super tired on that day.

I also munch on oat cereal O's to get iron/vitamins when it's late at night and I'm hungry but don't want to eat junk/fatty foods.  Plus, a few chunks of watermelon/cantelope and the tummy is happy.

:)

[Thypatient]

Question:  Does drinking something, tea, out of a cast iron pot give the same benefits as taking iron tablets?  I've read mixed things on this and am wondering what you think.  The tablets mess me up.

[Wantogarden]

ooops, typo,  i mean, peanuts are legumes and Not a true nut.  so i hope it's okay.l

also, i talked to my vitamin retailer, asking why they put calcium with iron along with 30 other vitamins in the multi-vita supplement, so if the calcium competes with the iron for body absorption, which wins??  they told me to take a no-iron multi along with my calcium pills,  and then 2 hours later, take the iron with a bit of food.  Yeah, really confusing.  practically have to be a chemist/pharmicist to survive this calcium issue.