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