Calcium Supp while on Lupron

I'm 8mo into 18mo of Lupron following SRT.
How much Calcium should I be taking daily?

Have not had a bone density scan, never been recommended by URO, RO, MO.

Osteopenia diagnosis was before my first Lupron (6 month) shot (Sept 12). Honestly don't remember for the last scan, I think mid-year '14.

At the same time I am 1" shorter than I was in Sept '12, so that is also an indicator.

I was on Boniva 150 mg monthly and 5,000 IU of D3 during my treatment as a precautionary measure I guess, based on the potential side effects of that type of treatment. My RO's protocol.

I would discuss that with your providers, if they don't have you on anything to counteract the effects of treatment, why not?

As Redwing alluded, it's not how much of a vitamin/Supplement one ingests, but rather how much one retains.

So have your serum D tested along with your calcium once a quarter which is all insurance will pay on the former.

In case of vitamin D-3, if you eat oatmeal in the morning, take your vitamin D-3 at night as oatmeal prevents its absorption.

My standard dosages are 10,000 IU of vitamin D-3, 100 mcg of vitamin K-2 and 1200 Mg calcium since vitamin D-3 helps with calcium absorption.

If my calcium approaches high end of normal, then I back off to 600 Mg calcium as you do not want to get calcium deposits of kidney stones from too much calcium.

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Sunday, October 4, 2015 10:03PM EDT
Last Updated Monday, October 5, 2015 12:10AM EDT
For decades, commonly held public health messages argued that calcium is good for your bones -- and the more of it people consume, the better protected they will be from fractures and osteoporosis. But two new studies published last week contend that this message is wrong.
The studies found that calcium supplements offered only a meagre, one-per-cent increase in bone-mineral density in those over 50. They also found that calcium supplements had little to no effect on the overall risk of fractures.
The New Zealand researchers behind the studies found that dietary calcium intake is not associated with risk of fracture, and there is no clinical trial evidence that increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures.
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calcium supplements
A container of over- the-counter calcium supplements, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. (AP / Bebeto Matthews)
They also concluded that the evidence that suggests supplements prevent fractures is "weak and inconsistent."
Dr. Ian Reid, one of the lead authors of the studies, said he believes most people taking calcium supplements should stop.
"I think people should, for the most part, stop taking calcium supplements, because they're not effective in terms of improving bone health," he told CTV News.
What's worse, the researchers argue, is too much calcium increases the risk of kidney stones and possibly heart attacks. They're encouraging governments to lower the recommended daily limit from a high of 1,300 mg per day for adults, to 800 mg.
Reid said it may take a while for doctors and dieticians to adjust to the new evidence, adding he believes that the body of evidence is "very clear."
But some doctors worry that the new message is too extreme.
Dr. Sandra Kim, from Toronto's Women's College Hospital, said people vary in their calcium needs, and some do need supplements.
"We want people to not jump to conclusions and realize that these articles don't really change our main message," she said. "We know that it doesn't prevent fractures, but adequate calcium intake is vital for general bone health."
Some European countries have already taken note of the growing case against too much calcium, and have started lowering their daily recommended intakes.
With a report from CTV News' Medical Correspondent Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip