VIT D AND CORONAVIRUS: Hello Everyone... - British Heart Fou...

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VIT D AND CORONAVIRUS

ITSINTHEBAG9 profile image
17 Replies

Hello Everyone

Just to let you know that I was poking around online, and on Facebook up popped an NHS free supply of Vitamin D for those that were "clinically vulnerable". I hopped over to the official NHS site and it's for real. Both husband and I have received shielding letters so that got us through the door.

To get these three rules apply.

1. You must be over 18

2. You live in England

3. You are classed as "clinically vulnerable". If you have had a shielding letter this will be YOU.

I've applied for both me and my husband. Now you can apply on behalf of anyone you know if they are clinically vulnerable and fit the rules. So you could say apply on behalf of an elderly parent if they have the letter or someone else you look after.

Anyway just putting it out there in the hope it's useful to someone.

(Also wondering if the Department of Health has now gone into meltdown having two applications from the same address!!!)

Jane

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ITSINTHEBAG9 profile image
ITSINTHEBAG9
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17 Replies
080311 profile image
080311

Hi JaneHad heard on the news this morning, but seeing as I live in Scotland will have to keep buying on the high street 😂

Pauline

Sunnie2day profile image
Sunnie2day in reply to080311

Hiya Pauline. Do you buy the white tablets or splash out on the liquid filled capsules? We were taking the tablets but when the bottle is used up (should be in the next week or so) we're shifting to the capsules. My husband keeps reading the capsules are better.

I wonder if we Scots are going to be offered free Vitamin D - it's so inexpensive even in capsule form I don't mind paying but I wonder if there aren't some up here who would benefit from a free scheme.

080311 profile image
080311 in reply toSunnie2day

At the moment it’s a yellowish tablet, bought from the well known High Street shop buy one get the second for a penny! Didn’t realise there was a difference. Just had a run of blood tests maybe should have asked about my vitamin D!

Hello :-)I read about this

I am already on vitamin D I am agoraphobic and last year I somehow got double pneumonia which landed me in resuscitation and then ICU

My vitamin D levels were so low they said most likely this was due to me been agoraphobic the last 20 years and I must stay on it for good

The pneumonia also left me with asthma

My Doctor had them put on my repeat prescriptions

However when shielding came out I was classed as moderately high risk

Now I have had a heart attack 8 weeks ago , not sure how this has left me other than in the worse anxiety state ever as I suffer with MH problems and having to wait till the 15th Dec before I speak to a consultant over the phone about my HA and I believe at some stage they may want to do a second scan on my heart but my Doctor still classes me as moderately high risk and still has not shielded me , she has also taken my vitamin D of my repeats as the Government will not allow them Doctors to prescribe them anymore so I now have to buy them

They do not cost much but I just a amazed with Asthma , weak immune system now a heart attack why I am not in the shielding group but I think positive that even though I feel I am dropping to bits they must think there is enough left to protect me !

But a great idea to those that can to accept this offer of vitamin D :-)

Take Care x

ITSINTHEBAG9 profile image
ITSINTHEBAG9 in reply to

Well Lulu, I'm going to have to have a new aortic valve. My husband and I are pretty sure that my Cardiologist has had me put on that list. I've taken up the offer and will see what happens. We're both under these shielding letters. I would keep on until you speak to someone about your heart attack. We are all here for you. I had a rather black weekend with anxiety. The trouble with anxiety is whilst you are in the midst of it I find I can't think reasonably or straight.

in reply toITSINTHEBAG9

Hello :-)

When I get to speak to the Cardiologist I will ask :-)

I am sorry you are going through so much and I think we all forget that to have bad times while we are trying to cope is normal and ok but when you are in the midst of it all it feels so not ok :-(

One of my anxieties which I have suffered from since a child has to be Health Anxiety so a heart attack has really brought it all out and I hope I can be as strong as you and somehow get through this as I spend every day in fear and most nights crying :-(

I hope you get that new valve soon and you feel better and not so anxious once you have :-) x

DD13 profile image
DD13

Hi I have been taking vitamin d for a few years now. This is due to my photosensitivity, as I don't go outside too much.

Trishe profile image
Trishe

Thankyou for putting this post up, I didn't know that we had to apply for it, I understood if you had a letter, you would get it sent to you, you learn something new everyday.

Mountwood profile image
Mountwood

The thing to remember is that there is more than one Vit D. The one we need in this case is Vit D3. I suppose the capsules may have an advantage over tablets in being quicker to be digested as a liquid.

Pitt12345 profile image
Pitt12345

Letter received in post yesterday

Lenkadog profile image
Lenkadog

Yes please do get your free supply of Vitamin D3. Both my partner and I have had Covid following his short stay in the local hospital. He is classified as clinically vulnerable with COPD and heart failure. We both had mild symptoms and have recovered well. The one thing we have in common is that we both take Vitamin D. There is a lot of research going on at the moment into how Vitamin D may help protect against severe Covid infection. Nothing definitive yet and not mentioned in the Government's decision to provide a free supply but please do take it. You have nothing to lose!

MelB51 profile image
MelB51

Yes, I had a letter by email yesterday and it contained a link to apply for the free vitamin D, which will be sent out in January. It was very quick and easy to complete and the details supplied will be checked to confirm you are on the shielded patient list before getting the pills. Anyone who knows me knows that I have been saying for years and years that people in the U.K. need to supplement their vitamin D because there just isn’t enough sunshine to make enough naturally! I feel quite smug now that it has been shown to be important for the immune system as well as a possible protection against infection and/or serious CoVid 🤓🤓

kingsnorth profile image
kingsnorth

I take Evacal chewable Vit D3 and Calcium (daily) as well as Risondrate tablets (once a week) I’m assuming these are the ones that are required

dunestar profile image
dunestar

I saw this as well but then I forgot about it. How do you apply? I have recently got a shielding letter.

joanie54 profile image
joanie54 in reply todunestar

nhs.uk/conditions/coronavir...

dunestar profile image
dunestar in reply tojoanie54

Thanks very much Joanie54. I've made an application.😃

Grayjay profile image
Grayjay

Thanks, I've put my request in . My GP in his wisdom has stopped my prescription after several years of having it , although it's been recommended to be taken against COVID.🤔Thanks again.

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