calcium

[texasstyle]

My husbands calcium was down so he started taking vitamin type supplements of it. The DR. today said it was ok to take them but that was not actually the kind of calcium they check for when they do blood tests. Can anyone tell  me please whatthey are testing for? I'm really in the dark on this one. Thanks!

[sullidog]

Yeah please inlighten us, I thought calcium was calcium.
Troy

[-Lady Noir-]

Could it be Adjusted calcium?
I know there is a difference between calcium & adjusted calcium. Or, at least i think i do..

[texasstyle]

Hhmm..maybe we're getting a little closer here lol. Adjusted calcium?

[-Lady Noir-]

Well, i'm sure it's got something to do with Albumin. I remember Mikes nephrologist saying something about the difference, and if your albumin level is high, it affects your adjusted calcium. I hope somebody can explain this, i'm confusing myself 

But then, that might have nothing to do with what your asking bout!

[Yvonne]

When John's calcium was low he had to take a tablet called D-Cal 3 times a day.

[suzyq73176]

I too have had huge problems with calcium.  The difference is the calcium that they are measuring is being depleted from inside the bone not outside.  Calcium supplements cannot replace calcium that has already left the bone. 

There is also a very close relationship between phosphorus and calcium.  As your phosphorus increases  your calcium decreases.  I ended up with calciphylaxis which caused gaping wounds on both legs and landed me in the hospital for 6 mnths.  This was the explanation my docs gave me as to why supplements wouldnt work.

[Sunny]

Ask your doctor about Calcitriol or Recalcitriol, etc.
It is prescription only vitamin D that is supposed to aid in allowing your body to absorb calcium lost due to renal disease.
The idea is that you take calcium plus vitamin D3 plus Calcitriol or Recalcitriol (and there are others), so your body can actually absorb calcium and replenish bone loss. It's not always an easy fix.
Sorry about the calciphylaxis.

[aharris2]

My husbands calcium was down so he started taking vitamin type supplements of it. The DR. today said it was ok to take them but that was not actually the kind of calcium they check for when they do blood tests. Can anyone tell  me please whatthey are testing for? I'm really in the dark on this one. Thanks!

Calcium
Adjusted (Corrected) Calcium
Ionized Calcium

These are the 3 test results I see on my brother's labwork:
1. "Calcium" is the total serum calcium, bound (bound mostly to albumin) and unbound.
2. "Adjusted Calcium" is total serum calcium with an adjustment made for albumin level (at an albumin level of 4 there is no adjustment to calcium level, for each unit deviation from 4 calcium is adjusted by -0.8 ( if your albumin is low, your corrected calcium level will be reported higher than your calcium level)
3. "Ionized Calcium" is free calcium, unbound calcium that is available for metabolic processes.

Ionized calcium is roughly 50% of the total serum calcium if albumin is normal.

The doctor's statement that the calcium your husband takes is not what is tested for is misleading. Oral calcium can and does increase the test results described above. My brother recently became very hypocalcemic (less than 7) when his dialysis clinic discontinued its high calcium bath. This was treated successfully with oral calcium. 

[texasstyle]

Some great input guys. Thanks!

[Rerun]

Zach??

                 

[Zach]

Zach??

                 

aharris2 said it all.

[aharris2]