Question:
Low Calcium Levels, Advice from Post Ops Please?
I'm 8 months post op (lap BPD no DS) and have had three successive labs come back showing my calcium as low. I had been taking Citrical 2x daily, as well as incorporating dairy into my diet. On the advice of my surgeons office, I'm now taking 4 Citrical (yes, Calcium CITRATE) daily and working more to push dairy in hopes of upping my levels. I DO NOT take my calcium an iron together as I know that can negate the effectiveness. My question, can anyone else whose been in this position tell me what you did to bring your levels up? (PS: I combed the library with no success) Thanks for any and all suggestions! — Joscelin (posted on February 8, 2003)
February 8, 2003
Sorry I don't have much to recommend, do you get calcium thru foods such as
milk or cheese, etc?
I just bought a bottle of Citracal and was surprised when I got it home and
read the label, guess what! It is carbonate, not citrate. The name is
deceiving, don't ya think?
— Dana S.
February 8, 2003
This is to the previous poster - Dana. Citracal
(http://www.citracal.com/citracal.htm) is calcium citrate. Caltrate
(http://www.caltrate.com/faq/answers1.asp#whatscalcium) is calcium
carbonate. JR
— John Rushton
February 8, 2003
I understand that we can only absorb about 500mg of calcium at a time and
we need 1200-1500mg per day. We also must take calcium with Vit D. I use
capsules from vitalady.com - they contain 500mg calcium citrate + 250mg of
magnesium + 200IU Vit D. I take one every couple of hours in the afternoon
(multivitamins in the a.m.) until I have taken 3. My labs have been very
good. I hope that helps!
— JoAnn B.
February 8, 2003
The calcium levels in your blood are deceiving, but it is a sign that your
doctor should refer you for a Dexascan (bone density scan). It's totally
painless, kind of like an x-ray while you lying down, and it's the truest
test for osteoporosis. If your blood calcium levels are low, it could be
leaching the calcium from your bones already. If you are osteoporotic, you
need some meds fast to prevent further bone loss, Fosomax or there's
another popular one (forgot the name). If it shows mild osteopenia, that's
your warning sign that you're in the danger zone. Please tell your doc to
refer you for a dexascan. You should have a baseline anyway if you have a
bypass. Good luck.
— Leslie F.
February 8, 2003
Good advice from the previous posters, but here's another off-the-wall
thought: Has your parathyroid level been checked? If your parathyroids
aren't functioning up to par, your calcium levels will drop (and it will
show in the blood work). May have nothing to do with your problem, or may
be a part of it.
— Suzy C.
February 9, 2003
Julie, how many mgs are you taking daily? With the BPD, most doctors would
recommend at least 2,000 mg a day via supplements (plus whatever you happen
to get through food). Two Citracals wouldn't have been nearly enough, and
even four-a-day is probably still too low unless you're taking the 500mg
"liquitabs." You also need to make sure you're spacing out your
intake during the day with no more than about 500mg at a time. BTW, calcium
citrate (not carbonate) may be taken at the same time as iron with no
significant absorption problems. I had the BPD-DS, and I take 2,000 mg of
calcium citrate (with Vitamin D and magnesium) each day, plus a Viactiv or
two (calcium carbonate + Vitamins D & K) for good measure. I'm 8 months
out and my labs have been great so far.
— Tally
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