Calcium Lab Help

Thanks Huneypie,  I take 4 boron a day and 4 Magnesium citrate a day.  Without the magnesium I think I would be all stopped up with the calcium.  One of these days I'll get it right and have perfect labs!  Well except for the iron...

Ruby

Taking the D3 the way you are is a good plan (one a day and one every other day).  Your highest D lab, I think you said 107?  That's not too high, especially for DSers. 

I take one of my Proferrin Forte in the middle of the night, to get it away from everything else.  I also break it in half for better absorption.  (I take 3 a day) Iron is always taken separate from calcium, because "calcium is a bully to iron".

When my D was 107 Dr. L said it was hard on the body to be high and back down a little.  I would like to get it up above 80 and stay there, just need to find the right amount.

I am bad about iron and should at least take the Proferrin I have.  Iron always gives me problems.

Nope, 107 is perfect for your D.  I keep mine high on purpose.  It's not toxic at 107, not even close.  You had the DS in 2006?  Hows your iron?  Have you ever gone for iron infusions?  Ever needed them?

Yes I have had one infusion about 3 years ago for low Ferritin.  What level do you like to keep your protein at?  Somewhere in the middle of normal?  Is that good enough for us?  I'm always told my nutrition is good when I go see the surgeon.

Do you have a complete lab list in your hands?  Do you get a copy of your labs every time you go?  Or do you just depend on your doctor to interpret them for you?  Your calcium, you said you take 12 a day.  That tells me nothing.  Are you taking 500 mg calcium CITRATE four times a day?  Because calcium petites don't have the same amount in them as full size ones, and you don't say which you're taking.  Always check the bottle to see how many tablets represent a dosage, because they screw with that.  The lab value for calcium is not indicative of your calcium level.  Do some googling on that topic and read up.   Your calcium lab can read "normal" all the way to osteoporosis, unfortunately.  Your PTH (parathyroid hormone) level is what shows your calcium and bone health.  Someone with more experience than me should chime in, but please in the meantime, do some research on your own on this topic.

You don't say what your ferritin level is now.  That's important, since you had an iron infusion in your past.  You may be heading towards one again.

My protein labs have always been on the low side, even though I supplement with shakes heavily, and get in 120 grams of protein a day.  That's the one lab value I have struggled with and seem to be losing.  Based on what I eat, it really should be above normal.

On protein:  make sure you're not counting any collagen based protein, because it's supposedly not absorbed as a complete protein.  It's lacking one amino acid or something.  Collagen protein is usually found in pork rinds, chicken skin, basically skin, and some protein bullets.  They often even say the protein content on the package, but you can't count on that towards your daily protein goals.  They are just tasty, fatty snacks.

Oh, and it's magnesium OXIDE for constipation.  Not magnesium citrate.  I know they give magnesium citrate liquid for bowel preps before colonoscopies, but for calcium constipation, you want to take magnesium OXIDE.

What prescription medication are you on to increase calcium absorption? I have low blood calcium levels as well.