Question:
Help I had tyroid removed now too, what do I do?
I not only had gastric bypass in Feb, now they removed my thyroid due to cancer, now my calcium level is haywire, what do I do, it won't absorb...I am worried, ended up in ER !!! — Nilda G. (posted on December 20, 2002)
December 19, 2002
I am very sorry to hear about your cancer. I have no advice for you other
than you need to contact a specialist that might be able to tell you how
you might be able to get alternative ways of getting calcium. The best of
luck and my thoughts are with you.
— Jody Diou
December 19, 2002
Hi, I suffered from thyroid disease, had a nodule (growth) on it and they
zapped it with radiation (rather than removing it). This was in 1996. The
radiation killed the thyroid altogether (it's there, but no longer
functions). I am on a thyroid supplement (Levoxyl) for the rest of my
life. I had open RNY on 1/31/02, down 92 lbs so far. My calcium levels
are fine, but I thought I might suggest to you to try a liquid form of
calcium. You can probably find it on line, and I think in liquid form it
would HAVE to be absorbed. Good luck!
— [Deactivated Member]
December 20, 2002
Hi Nilda! You are the third person I know of from this website who had WLS
this year, and then got diagnosed with thyroid cancer afterwards (not
related to WLS, of course). I hope it helps for you to know you are not
alone!<P>I had a gastric bypass in May 2002, had my thyroid and a
bunch of cancerous lymph nodes removed due to thyroid cancer in September
2002, and completed a course of radiation for the whole mess last month.
During the thyroid surgery, the surgeon also removed two of my four
parathyroid glands, so I also had problems initially with low calcium
levels in the hospital (though fortunately I never got symptomatic).
Because of the WLS (I had a proximal RNY), I still take 1500 mg. of calcium
citrate a day, with magnesium and Vitamin D added for better absorption,
just like I did before the thyroid surgery. I order those capsules off of
vitalady.com, and my docs are cool with that. (Egads ... they tried to
have me take Tums at first for the parathyroid deficiencies -- if they
hadn't dinged my left vocal chord during the thyroid surgery, I'd have
screamed at them, LOL!). At this point, my blood test levels are at the
"low end" of normal for calcium, but are improving. The
remaining parathyroid glands may pick up the "slack" of the two
that are gone, but it will take close monitoring to be sure whether that
happens. In the meantime, I asked my pcp to order a bone density test,
which I just had done last week (Dexascan) so we could use it as a baseline
in the future to watch for any signs of osteoperosis. I think all of us
WLS'ers, especially women, should get such a scan, but you in particular
should consider it given your special calcium deficiency issue. I am
monitoring my own calcium problem closely with my endocrinologist, thyroid
surgeon, nuclear medicine doc, and bariatric surgeon, all of whom are kind
of interested to see what happens with the WLS-thyroid cancer combo (I feel
like a science project!).<P>Also, if you haven't already joined it, I
strongly suggest you join the thyroid cancer discussion board on yahoo.com:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Thyca/?yguid=106670120. There are lots of
people handling parathyroidism (and resulting calcium deficiency issues)
there as a result of thyroid cancer surgery, and they are a good resource
of information on what your docs should be doing to address this issue.
There are also a number of docs and radiologists who actually post to that
board, so you can really get the low-down on what treatments you should be
having. I think I've read there that there is something you can take to
help your body absorb the calcium better (I can't recall the name of the
product -- something like Rocalcitrol??, dang I wish I could
remember).<P>I wish you good luck in your cancer recovery! So long
as you keep on monitoring for any signs of recurrence, you can probably
keep that nasty cancer in its place -- which is, GONE. {{{Hugs!}}}
— Suzy C.
December 20, 2002
Isotonix liquid calcium is the best for absorbtion I have heard. It tastes
like Tang. For information on it go to Barbara Thompson's website
www.wlscenter.com. I am also having elevated parathyroid and I don't
understand it. My doctor is "too busy" to call me back about the
results of my elevated parathyroid test. I am worried. This is my pcp who
won't answer my questions. My parathyroid was 101.3 and normal is 14-72.
Above the results was a line all across the page that said "tumor
markers". I don't know what this means. I do have a little nodule on
the left side of my neck right below my head and I am worried. Anybody
understand this? I had the full blood work done thanks to Michelle
Curran's advice on what to have done and this is the first time this has
showed up. Normally, the pcp doesn't do this much blood work unless you
ask. Please, all of you, have your parathyroid checked! I am afraid that
I might have a BIG problem. I am 14 mos postop. Lost 115 lbs. Don't want
cancer!!!
— Mylou52
December 21, 2002
You guys are the greatest ! That is why I love this website, it helps sooo
many people ! Your info is so signicant to me, you don't understand ! I
ended up in the ER room the other day 2 days after surgery due to calcium
level, was 6.5 should be way over 8.5 (which is normal low)
Had iv on all day, calcium/magnesim/vitamin D !! Wow ... but now I feel the
same symptoms again, the calcium is slow to pump up, I hope it kicks in on
it's own, I am getting worried. My tingling in fingers/mouth, it's
terrible, my fingers got like tales of the crypt, they were so cramped and
twisted ! Thanks again and I will take all the advice given ! Keep them
coming please, you are the greatest !
Thanks
Nilda
By the way, my sis and daugther had the same thyroid cancer, the endo says
it is hereidtary, so get family checked !
— Nilda G.
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