Self appointed usenet doctors

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Ignoramus24751 - 02 Aug 2004 04:25 GMT

My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
"to maintain healthy bones". That was all he told me. Well, I started
taking a calcium supplement until someone on usenet said that I should
not take it at the same time as thyroid medications since calcium
interferes with thyroid hormone absorption!

I could have blown the person off saying something like "I do not
listen to self appointed usenet doctors". Instead, I decided to check
it, read the Merck manual online, and lo and behold, it turns out that
the usenet self appointed doctor was right and that my doc simply
neglected to tell me to take calcium separate from thyroid meds,
knowing full well that it is common that people take their supplements
in the morning.

Moral of this story: when it comes to doctors, trust but verify.

When it comes to "self appointed usenet doctors", listen, be
skeptical, but open minded and check facts.

i

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Dally - 02 Aug 2004 06:13 GMT

> My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
> them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> i

FWIW, extra calcium intake is associated with prostate cancer.

Dally, whistling as she makes you go google

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Ignoramus2586 - 02 Aug 2004 13:42 GMT

>> My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
>> them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> FWIW, extra calcium intake is associated with prostate cancer.

Hm, I will try to read about it. Associations are not causations, but
they are interesting enough to read more...

Thanks.

i

> Dally, whistling as she makes you go google

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Ignoramus2586 - 02 Aug 2004 14:07 GMT

>>> My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
>>> them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> Hm, I will try to read about it. Associations are not causations, but
> they are interesting enough to read more...

According to one study (15142129), prostate cancer risk is
"associated" only with high calcium intakes, over 2000 mg, which is
not my case. I probably get about 1000-1300 mg.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/hhp/article/content.do?name=L1202g

``If you?re looking for consistency in health advice, don?t pay too
much attention to the studies of calcium intake and cancer. Some have
found that calcium protects against colon cancer. Others hint at a
link to increased risk for prostate cancer.''

It seems that unless I go crazy on calcium supplements, there is not
much risk for me. I am still reading about it... Thanks Dally.

i

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Dally - 02 Aug 2004 15:58 GMT

>>>>My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
>>>>them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> It seems that unless I go crazy on calcium supplements, there is not
> much risk for me. I am still reading about it... Thanks Dally.

But that 2000 mg includes your diet. It's easy for men to get over 2000
mg if they are also taking a calcium supplement. And there's a lot of
question about whether calcium supplementation in men is useful for bone
density - I think it's better gained through diet and exercise. So I
don't supplement my husband with calcium (though I've got him on a
regimen of other supplements.) But he also doesn't have a thyroid issue
so your situation is different and I'm not aware of all of your risks
and benefits the way I am his.

Dally

> i

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Ignoramus2586 - 02 Aug 2004 16:19 GMT

>>>>>My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
>>>>>them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> But that 2000 mg includes your diet. It's easy for men to get over 2000
> mg if they are also taking a calcium supplement.

You are right, but I did track my numbers in fitday, I was not getting
quite enough calcium (under 1000 mg) because I was not eating enough
milk products. So, my addition of 600 mg would get me in the
neighborhood of 1400 or so mg of calcium.

> And there's a lot of question about whether calcium supplementation
> in men is useful for bone density - I think it's better gained
> through diet and exercise.

This is a very valid criticism of calcium supplementation. We are
dealing with some unknowns here.

> So I don't supplement my husband with calcium (though I've got him
> on a regimen of other supplements.) But he also doesn't have a
> thyroid issue so your situation is different and I'm not aware of
> all of your risks and benefits the way I am his.

Thyroid medication does actually increase loss of calcium,
unfortunately. I should read more about it. I need the hormone to
supplement my thyroid (since I have only 1/3 left), and also to be
somewhat high on the hormone so that the remaining third does not work
too hard. Plus, I am small boned and have thin wrists, for example. My
wife is 10 inches shorter, and yet her wrists are as thick as mine!

i

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Patricia Heil - 02 Aug 2004 13:19 GMT

> My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
> them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> i

What is the calcium supplement for, to prevent osteoporosis? This is one of
the things you can prevent with exercise, and even reverse with exercise.

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Ignoramus2586 - 02 Aug 2004 13:43 GMT

>> My doctor prescribes me thyroid medications, as he knows that I need
>> them due to past surgery. He also told me to take a calcium supplement
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> is one of the things you can prevent with exercise, and even reverse
> with exercise.

Patricia, thanks for the suggestion, as you know I already do plenty
of weight bearing exercise. It seems that both calcium as well as
exercise are helpful things to do.

i

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