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Every Calcium pill I see today has Vitamin D already in it. Do I still need to take the extra Vit D pill that i buy separately?
Every Calcium pill I see today has Vitamin D already in it. Do I still need to take the extra Vit D pill that i buy separately?
Keep track of how many units per day you are taking. You may or may not need to take extra D. You should include your diet also. I take the D that's in my calcitrate and then there is more D in my daily vitamin and I try to sit in the sun when there ever is any (not often in Seattle). I think if I actually took a D supplement, it would be too much.
Sharon
Norm -- I asked my pharmacist the same question, and he said yes, I needed the prescription. Mine is for 50,000U. At first I took it once a week, and now take one every two weeks. My Vitamin D level went pretty much immediately from too low to optimal. In order to get that much Vitamin D from buying it off the shelves, I would have had to buy lots and lots of bottles, so I don't think the pharmacist (who owns the store) was after my money! Your Vitamin D level can be determined through a simple blood test -- that would be the best way of finding out whether you, as an individual, need the prescription.
Sharon G., have you had this blood test? I'd be interested to know. I was already taking a Vitamin D supplement, but apparently it wasn't enough to do the trick.
I've read that at least 50% of American women have low levels of Vitamin D. Does anyone know if this is also true of men?
I took 50,000 U RX once a week, it was much to much. I thought I was having a heart attack after 8 weeks. It was major heartburn. Once my level went from 11 to 60 I now take Jarrow Vit D3 1000 mgs a day. No more heart burn and my level stays around 68.
Hi Norm,
I think huessysignoret is correct in saying you should ask your doctor for a blood test, the D-hydroxy is the one you need. And Vitamin D3 is the active form of D so that's what you would want to take--actually D3 is a hormone not a vitamin. Most researchers these days agree that a healthy level is toward the high end of the normal lab range. I take my D3 in 3 divided doses and with a meal that contains some fat or vegetable oil which I believe helps with absorption.
If yours tests lowish, it may take a while to get it up, but usually you can do that over time without a script, unless of course it is really low and your doctor recommends a script.
A note to all regarding vitamin D testing. I read that Quest labs has not calibrated their Vit D test accurately and that it yeilds falsely high values, (up to 40%) so that is something to consider. Sorry don't have the link just now, but found this at Dr Mercola's site or the Vitamin D Council, can't recall which, maybe both.
zeta
Hi,
I did take the blood test and found that my D was very low. I did the same regime that you and others did with the 50K prescription and then went back on the recommended dosage for folks in the Pacific NW. We have to take a bit more because of the lack of sun. I plan on having another test in a few months to check my level. The prescription D is only for those who are very low and not for the average person.
Sharon
My Vitamin D level was also very low, which I'm sure is why my internist prescribed the 50,000U dosage. Are there some studies that would indicate that it would be harmful for me (now that I'm testing normally) to continue to take the prescription once every two weeks, as directed by my internist? He didn't even hint that he might have me go back to regular supplements and diet. In the past, I've followed doctors' orders without question when it comes to prescriptions, and it's gotten me into a lot of trouble (from which I've had to extricate myself with the help of folks like you!) but it didn't occur to me that it might be harmful to continue the megadose of Vitamin D, especially since it was only once every two weeks. But, if you have some information to the contrary, I'm all ears!!
Pam
Sorry -- I previously missed the post from rt57413 about the heartburn. I have never had heartburn (ever -- in my whole life-- for any reason) and noticed no side effects at all from the megadose of Vitamin D. I'm wondering if this is another instance of what's sauce for one goose is not necessarily sauce for the gander even another goose. If there are any studies indicating harm from excess Vitamin D, though, I'd really appreciate being pointed in the right direction!
Thanks,
Pam
I wouldn't presume to second guess a doc but my primary doctor is an endocrinologist by chance. I think she's good. She diagnosed my hypothyroid by just looking at my neck (I didn't see anything but she did) and of course, I was tested for it. She gave me a two week supply of D 50K taken, I believe 3 times a week. Then I stopped and went on my regular regime. If I understand you correctly, that sounds like an excessive amount of D that you were prescribed. Check this website from Merck, it has a lot of info including toxicity.
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec01/ch004/ch004k.html
Sharon
Thank you! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for.
SharonG -- I checked the website you suggested, and found that toxicity if likely to develop at doses of Vitamin D at 50,000IU per DAY, rather than every two weeks, as per my prescription. However, the repercussions of toxicity can be very severe, beginning with anorexia, nausea and vomiting, and proceeding to total renal failure! Merck says Serum Ca should be tested frequently, weekly at first, and then monthly (not something my physician has even mentioned.) And --aack! -- one of the treatments for toxicity is administration of bisphosphanates, the very class of drug I'm so determined to avoid.
The site also points out something I'd missed -- recommended doses of direct sunlight can be compromised by clothing that cover the whole body and by sunscreen. Given my fair complexion, blue eyes and blonde/reddish hair, I'm at risk for skin cancer and wear sunscreen daily on my face, hands and lower arms.
My current dosage of 50,000IU every two weeks should not provoke toxicity, according to the Merck site, but still, the info does make me nervous. Everything I read about drugs and health these days makes me nervous!
My endocrinologist ran blood/urine tests about 13 months ago and he prescribed 50,000 IU of Vit. D once a week; as he continue to run additional tests to monitor my Vit. D level, I was later prescribed the same dose but told to take one pill every two weeks. This is what I'm still on. I'll see him in Jan. and he will probably check Vit. D level again. I've had no problems from taking this dose. I usually take it in the morning either just before of after eating breakfast. Michele
I would like to trust my doctor when she prescribes things but, of course, medicine is not an exact science. One pill of 50,000 units of D once a week and then two over an extended period of time seems a bit odd to me. You might deplete your D for some unusual reason but most people take the prescription D for a short period of time and then go on the daily requirement. Are you taking Calcium with D and a daily vitamin with D also? I don't know about D, but it seems to make sense to take a daily dose rather than a mega dose on a single day. Just questions.
Sharon
Like I said, I see my endo in Jan. after I have another Dexa. He takes taken blood/urine to check various things including Vit. D level eveery time I see him. I live in the Pacific NW, with 8 or 9 months of no sun so it does not surprise me that I might be Vit. D deficient. I always wear sunblock during the sunny months. This prescribed dose of 50,000 IU once a week for a while, then once every two weeks seems to be a common dosage for many of us with osteoporosis and on Forteo. Also, from what I've read, the older we get (I'm 61), the less nutrients we digest no matter how healthy our food choices. Michele
If anyone is worried about the toxicity of D, you should ask your doctor. My prescription came with an information sheet (most meds do) and it listed the cautions accompanying taking D. You can definately take too much according to this sheet from the pharmacist. No need to guess about this, just ask your doctor.
How would I go about getting a prescription for vitamin D? My blood level was low last year, and I haven't had a new test for it this year. I figured that was one reason why I couldn't handle the bone-building drugs, but my physician wasn't able to understand the connection?
My internist, on my very first visit to him, tested my Vitamin D blood level, found it to be low, and automatically prescribed the Vitamin D. I assumed this was part of the new routine that practically every physician has adopted. I can't believe your doc didn't understand the connection -- do you think maybe it's time to look for someone new? Is he/she very young, very old, what? Heck -- didn't we all learn about bones and Vitamin D in about the fifth grade??? I can't imagine a doctor actually refusing to prescribe Vitamin D if your level is low, unless it's just a teeny bit low and over-the-counter supplements plus diet plus a little more sun ought to take care of it, but it sounds as if your doc didn't even give that advice. Frankly, I'm stunned. I wonder how other members react to this?
Vitamin D is -- finally -- being given its proper attention.
Supposedly 75% of older folks are deficient in Vitamin D. They are also the ones who do not absorb nutrients including vitamins and sunshine as well as when younger.
Yes, we have always known that we needed D to help calcium be absorbed well, but it is now felt that we do best when taking calcuim and D together. Hence the trend toward dual packaging.
It is D3 that we make better use of --- the animal form.
The megadoses are prescribed and intended for those with quite low test results and are not taken daily, generally weekly for a few weeks. It is to kick the amount in our body up into the decent levels -- and then to go on with a more moderate daily amount, such as 800-1000IU/day.
Remember D is one of the fat-soluble vitamins -- it is stored in our body. (A and K are also fat-soluble). Hence, it CAN be overdone. Taking more than 2000IU/day would be too much (unless prescribed by the doctor for low levels for a short period of time per above). Excess water soluble vitamins go out through the kidneys and do not build up in the body.
Vitamin D is needed for more than just one's bones. Muscle strength is affected bt vitamin D levels.
Curiously, over the years some studies have -- from time to time -- shown that older folks had a higher incidence of hip fracture when on calcium. This did not seem to make sense since younger folks did better with proper calcium intake. Well, it appears that the older ones had low D levels and low phosphate levels due to low protein intake. One needs the proper calcium-phosphate intake to build bones. The younger people achieved bone improvement because they also were more active -- ate more protein, and had good D levels. So the calcium could do its job. Those older ladies with increased incidence of hip fracture despite adequate calcium intake were not getting the other things they needed, including D. Research on osteoporosis is a dynamic --always in flux -- process. Many times with research, it takes ongoing reevaluation and analysis to get anything like the whole picture. The October issue of the Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter has an excellent article on this.
Lucy Buckley PT aka Mother Goose
Sorry -- I overlooked one of your issues: I don't know why a low Vitamin D level would influence your ability to tolerate bone-building drugs. Most docs seem to be prescribing both at once. I guess many women (and men) tolerate the bisphosphanates just fine, but I'm not one of them. This was true both when my D3 level was low and when it went back, after the prescription, to normal.
Has anyone run across information that suggests a linkage between low D3 and inability to tolerate bisphosphanates?
I have changed doctors but haven't discussed the bone density with him because I thought he might just throw drugs at me like the other two doctors I tried. I am going to give him a call to set up an appointment to get a blood test.
Yes, Forteo and Boniva inserts warn against prescribing them if the patient has a low serum Vit D level.
Thanks!
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