Sorry - I have a new email and they seem to come out of order. I missed this message which must have come before the last one.
Generally, 1000 mg/day (under 50) to 1200 mg/day (over 50) is the recommended amount of calcium for adults. Of course, if you're consuming dairy products, almonds, broccoli, and other calcium foods, you're getting calcium there, and that's the best source - assuming it adds up to be enough. But with the steroids that many of us have been given, we need extra to keep our bone density up. I argued with my doctor about taking supplements when he first told me to, b/c I've always had high levels due to my diet. But I did a bone density test and was shocked at the difference in my bone density from before TM and after the TM!) Actually, another good source is weight bearing exercise - that helps bone density, too - among other things. Patti's right about water soluble vitas being peed out! But besides being a waste, an extreme amount of one vita can cause a 'deficiency' or and an imbalance, in another. I.e.: taking extra magnesium as well as extra calcium is more likely to keep the two in balance. So moderation is a good rule. But if I'm going to take a risk, I'd rather risk extra vitamin supplements than extra drugs. On the other hand, everyone's body is different, so 'whatever works!' is my motto. Which is why I like the TMIC - because hearing everyone's experiences helps me to see what the choices - and possible risks - are. Sally > I never heard that you get into trouble with too much calcium. I take > over > 1200 mg a day, but I don't take them all at once. I take one at lunch and > one at dinner, plus my multi which has calcium in the a.m. I also take > one > magnesium tablet in the a.m. It helps to absorb the calcium, but you > don't > take it at the same time as your calcium. I was under the impression if > you > take more than you need, you just pee it out which is a waste since they > aren't cheap. Plus I drink milk and have milk on my cereal in the a.m. > > Patti - Wisconsin > > -----Original Message----- > From: Janice Nichols [mailto:jan...@centurytel.net] > Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 12:32 PM > To: kale...@sfcn.org; john snodgrass > Cc: Dalton Garis; transverse myelitis > Subject: Re: [TMIC] Gabapentin > > Sally, what would be too much calcium? I know that if you take too > much > you get into trouble for other things. > Janice > > -----Original Message----- > From: kale...@sfcn.org > Sent: Saturday, December 18, 2010 10:09 AM > To: john snodgrass > Cc: Dalton Garis ; transverse myelitis > Subject: Re: [TMIC] Gabapentin > > John, > > I'm not sure what your spasms are like - maybe yours are much worse than > mine, but I've found that if I take sufficient calcium supplements, I > don't have them. (What I refer to as 'spasms', for me, is when nerves in > my legs actually cause my legs to jerk around when I'm still. It makes it > hard to go to sleep.) > > I take maybe 800 mg to 1200 mg/day, depending on how much calcium foods > I've eaten. If my legs start to spasm, I know I didn't take enough and > get up and take some. (Calcium is more effective if taken in smaller > doses - i.e. 400mg - throughout the day, rather than all at once.) My > calcium levels were good before I was given the 5000 mg methyl-prednisone > to zap the myelitis, but that zapped the calcium, too. So this is likely > to be true for all of us who were given steroids to treat the TM. It > might be worth it to give it a try. > > Sally > > > >> realy bad spasms. >> it helps some. >> i thought this stuff made you sleepy. >> i reckon i am immune. >> >> --- On Sat, 12/18/10, Dalton Garis <malugss...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> >> From: Dalton Garis <malugss...@gmail.com> >> Subject: Re: [TMIC] Gabapentin >> To: "john snodgrass" <jcs...@yahoo.com> >> Date: Saturday, December 18, 2010, 9:33 AM >> >> >> That is 4x what I am taking! >> >> John, do you have paralysis and spasms? And is that why the neuro has >> you >> on such a high dose? >> >> Because I would love to be more medicated if I could. >> >> Dalton >> >> Office: +971-02-607-5070/5297 >> Mobile: +971-50-668-5760-- >> >> >> >> >> >> From: john snodgrass <jcs...@yahoo.com> >> Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:11:48 -0800 (PST) >> To: Kevin Wolfthal <wolft...@optonline.net> >> Cc: transverse myelitis <tmic-list@eskimo.com> >> Subject: Re: [TMIC] Gabapentin >> Resent-From: <tmic-list@eskimo.com> >> Resent-Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2010 06:11:49 -0800 >> >> i am taking 2400 mg a day. it helps but it doesn't heal me >> >> --- On Sat, 12/18/10, Kevin Wolfthal <wolft...@optonline.net> wrote: >> >>> From: Kevin Wolfthal <wolft...@optonline.net> >>> Subject: [TMIC] Gabapentin >>> To: tmic-list@eskimo.com >>> Date: Saturday, December 18, 2010, 6:12 AM >>> >>> My new doctor visited me today. I asked him again about >>> Gabapentin and he >>> is going to start me on 100mg 3 times a day. For those who >>> take this, I would >>> like to hear how you did on it. I realize it's a low >>> dosage. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Kevin >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > >
