After more than a month without calcium supplements, my severe leg and lower back spasm and jerk came back at night, with an added problem: a Charlie Horse that lasted for an hour and a half. The pain of the Charlie Horse was not too bad because my leg and foot are numb anyway, but it was surely miserable to not be able to straighten my ankle out by any form of moving. I was locked into a spasm!

So I decided the no calcium regime was not for me, in spite of tests showing (on the second test) that I was in the middle of normal range on blood calcium. I took two calcium right away (half my former daily dose) and soon the spasm was gone.

I am now taking half the former dose (500 mg is what I am now taking) or, if I have NO dairy during the day, 750 mg. I will see the pcp tomorrow and we can discuss this.
I think tests do not always show what is going on--not the first time that has happened. But the concept of taking less is worthwhile, perhaps, because they said that too much calcium can impair the arteries and valves.