low calcium due to thyroidectomy

[Unregistered]

I had a total thyroidectomy last October and ever since have been suffering from very low calcium levels. I currently take 6 Calcichew-D3 Forte and 1 Alfacalcidol 1 mcg per day yet still suffer from constant tingling in my fingers and toes. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed similar after this surgery, and how long it took for your calcium levels to get back to normal. Thank you.

[Carol]

Hi, i had hypocalcemia after having thyroid surgery for cancer in 2003. It took 8 months for my calcium to come back to normal levels. Theres a good page about this here http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/...al/hypocal.htm

I had all of the tingling that you talk about and I was given calcium and vitamin d. Even then I had symptoms. It made recovering from the thyroidectomy all the worse and made it harder to lose the weight I gained from the thyroidectomy. After 8 months though the tingling started to go and my levels came back to normal. I hope you feel better soon.

Carol.

[shadowfoxx]

Hi. I had half of my thyroid removed due to cancer back in 2000, only to find out six years later the other half still left is also cancerous. A few months after surgery I noticed the first symptoms of hypocalcemia but doctor after doctor (twelve of them) passed this off as nothing. It was not until I became a medical destective and discovered myself what was so severly wrong with me.
I have every single symptom of hypocalcemia including seizures, breathing difficulties and erratic heart behaviors as well as numbess and tingling of hands and feet.
I currently take calcium carbonate (1 a day) and calcium citrate (3 to 4 a day) and noticed immediate relief to the majority of the symptoms. But I still suffer from the seizures, although not as severe.
This disease I understand, is life long but in the majority of patients it can be controlled by calcium supplements and a good diet.
You are not alone in your suffering, there are many others such like us...
BUT KEEP ON GOING...

[DrMistrust]

I had a total thyroidectomy last October and ever since have been suffering from very low calcium levels. I currently take 6 Calcichew-D3 Forte and 1 Alfacalcidol 1 mcg per day yet still suffer from constant tingling in my fingers and toes. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed similar after this surgery, and how long it took for your calcium levels to get back to normal. Thank you.

And how did this affect your life? I heard that a thyroidectomy may be performed by using a conventional surgical approach or a newer endoscopic method, involving very small incisions. Which of these two did you have?

[Georgette]

Hi. I had half of my thyroid removed due to cancer back in 2000, only to find out six years later the other half still left is also cancerous. A few months after surgery I noticed the first symptoms of hypocalcemia but doctor after doctor (twelve of them) passed this off as nothing. It was not until I became a medical destective and discovered myself what was so severly wrong with me.
I have every single symptom of hypocalcemia including seizures, breathing difficulties and erratic heart behaviors as well as numbess and tingling of hands and feet.
I currently take calcium carbonate (1 a day) and calcium citrate (3 to 4 a day) and noticed immediate relief to the majority of the symptoms. But I still suffer from the seizures, although not as severe.
This disease I understand, is life long but in the majority of patients it can be controlled by calcium supplements and a good diet.
You are not alone in your suffering, there are many others such like us...
BUT KEEP ON GOING...

I would like to reply with sorry to hear about your unfortunate event in the cancer dept. I had a full thyroidectomy and was taken into hospital because it became so dangerously low, that my eyes started cramping and did not want to close. The nurses at the hospital said that I am suffering from "shame"- litis. Nobody really knows what it is like to have a problem like low calcium. pls contact me if anyone feels the need to talk about it. It will help you and it will help me... town.country@telkomsa.net Georgie

[kerryn]

i had one thryoid gland removed due to cancer in nov 2007, then the other was removed april 2008, was in hospital overnight everything was fine. then 1 1/2 days later my toes, legs, fingers, hands, mouth and lips were tingling. my eyes were spasming (felt like they were shaking) muscles cramps, so i went to hospital and they kept me there for 8 days to try to stabilise my calcium levels with calcium effervesent drinks, injections and tablets. when i left hospital i was on 9 calcium tablets and 4 vitamin d tablets a day. I had to have a blood test every two days to check levels. i am slowly decreasing the mediciation and am down to 4 cal & 2 vit d a day, and blood tests every two weeks. the levels are still going up and down. i feel good some days and very tired others with tingling. not sure what the future holds but am hangin in there. Am also having radiation iodine treatment in a month.

[Ro701]

Appreciate reading about all of your experiences. I had a total thyroidectomy on dec 23rd. Similar to another poster, the tingling came about a day after I was out of the hospital, and it was pretty intense through my hands, feet, legs and face....and back I went in. They gave me calcium via IV for 2 days. Now taking calcitriol, calcium citrate, magnesium, and vitamin D. I'm only 36 years old and feel like a little old lady with all my pills to take. I didn't anticipate this, so I've been pretty frustrated. Now I still haven't been able to go back to work completely, been doing half days at most this week, feel like I could sleep for days, I'm confused... my fiance said I was sleep walking the other night, the tingling is still around here and there, I have a rash on my face and feel totally weak. I'm also constipated. Feel like a train wreck and after reading some of your experiences, I'm scared this won't be resolved by the time I get married in May. Anyway, it's kinda nice to vent to whoever's out there listening so thanks.

[kerryn]

i had one thryoid gland removed due to cancer in nov 2007, then the other was removed april 2008, was in hospital overnight everything was fine. then 1 1/2 days later my toes, legs, fingers, hands, mouth and lips were tingling. my eyes were spasming (felt like they were shaking) muscles cramps, so i went to hospital and they kept me there for 8 days to try to stabilise my calcium levels with calcium effervesent drinks, injections and tablets. when i left hospital i was on 9 calcium tablets and 4 vitamin d tablets a day. I had to have a blood test every two days to check levels. i am slowly decreasing the mediciation and am down to 4 cal & 2 vit d a day, and blood tests every two weeks. the levels are still going up and down. i feel good some days and very tired others with tingling. not sure what the future holds but am hangin in there. Am also having radiation iodine treatment in a month.

hi, six months later still on 3 cal & 1 vitd tablet per day with fortnightly blood tests. The only time i've ever been constipated is due to hypocalcemia, and due to this i now have diverticulitis ( which can be caused from straining to go to the tiolet) and just found out i have an enlarged heart which can also be caused from low calcium levels. HEY THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what i've found to be helpful is having 1 SANDACOL 1000 evfervescent drink when tingling hangs around for a while. gives you a boost of calcium and makes symptoms go away. Doctor also says i have depression. Yes this is also caused from low levels of calcium. ( i think im ok, im just get depressed when he tells me that there are more things wrong with me.) Who would have thought that calcium plays such a HUGE part in the body!!!!!!!!

[Unregistered]

I had a total thyroidectomy last October and ever since have been suffering from very low calcium levels. I currently take 6 Calcichew-D3 Forte and 1 Alfacalcidol 1 mcg per day yet still suffer from constant tingling in my fingers and toes. I was wondering if anyone else had noticed similar after this surgery, and how long it took for your calcium levels to get back to normal. Thank you.

I had a total thyroidectomy in 2004 and it took about 2 1/2 years for this to get under control. It is due to your parathyroids being disturbed during the surgery. And don't be surprised if your body crashes from time to time. My levels crashed again 2 years ago and it has not been the same since. They do not know what made my body stop absorbing the calcium we tried switching to a different kind in case I had just gotten use to it. It is not working I am currently on 10,800 MG of calcium w/ Vitamin D a day. And I have had to get calcium pumped into me thru an IV 4 times. I'm not trying to make this sound bad or anything and your levels should get under control just got to work hard at it and be monitored frequently. I wish you well in your travels!

[Unregistered]

one word calcitriol people its the only thing that absorbs calcium when you have had damage to the parathyroids at leat thats what my endocronologist says i take 4, .5 calcitriols a day and a calcium carbonate