Calcium dose

[margiebell4]

I haven't been prescribed calcium but I am taking it. Can anyone tell me what dose I should be taking?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The recommended supplement is what you get in 2 tablets of Adcal: 1 tablet has Calcium carbonate (1500 mg) and vitamin D3 (400 I.U.)

see this link

medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...

You must have both calcium and vit D3 in the tablets or separate calcium and vit D3 tablets to the same dose.

[piglette]

Marge, if you are taking steroids for PMR you should have been told to take vit D and calcium by your doctor. As PMRpro says you do need vit D to properly absorb the calcium. You can also boost up your calcium in your diet, look on the internet for lists of calcium rich foods. You should also have a Dexascan as steroids can affect bone density.

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

margiebell, whereas the usual Calcichew (calcium plus Vit D) supplement is recommended whilst on steroids, do be careful about taking too much long term without getting your calcium levels checked by your GP from time to time just to check that your aren't making too much which could risk leading to hypercalcaemia. Also, the supplement should not be taken at the same time as the steroids as it could interfere with the absorption of the latter - a few hours between the two is recommended, so Pred for breakfast and calcium for lunch and supper!

[Caro12line in reply to Celtic]

Agree with Celtic. As soon as I was put on Pred I was also prescribed AdCal Vit D and Alendronic Acid. Later blood tests showed that I am borderline Hypercalcaemic and maybe Hyperparathyroid. Ask doctor for Calcium, Vit D and PTH blood tests. You may not need the extra calcium and too much is not good.

[paddyfields]

Most tablet packaging says what percentage of the recommended daily dose each tablet provides

[Adnamaxx]

Oh my... eating calcium rich food and taking tablets with my pred every morning. Plus those weekly ones.... no one said this was wrong!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Adnamaxx]

Those "weekly ones" I assume are alendronic acid? They must be taken on an empty stomach with a large glass of TAP water (not bottled or well water) and then you must wait for at least 3/4 hour, remaining sitting upright or standing before eating or drinking anything else. Then you can have your pred with your breakfast - the calcium in food is generally OK with pred so you can have milk and yoghurt. Then take your supplements - with a bit of fat, a cup of tea with milk is enough - at lunchtime and tea time. All sorted!

[Adnamaxx in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you. Going back for results of one scan on Friday. Think I will give all calcium tablets a rest until then. I'm eating so much oily fish and yoghurt at the moment would rather control by diet than pills and will only go back if he tells me to.

[Adnamaxx in reply to Adnamaxx]

Bone scan!

[baldbill]

Do not take tablets or Calcium Carbonate ever as it is the lowest grade junk Calcium and tablets take 5-6 times longer to dissolve than capsules. That is why tablets are cheaper than capsules and there are many junk fillers & binding agents in a tablet to hold it together.

Because calcium is a metallic mineral you need to make sure it is in the Chelated form otherwise your body is only seeing 5% of what is on the label.

Even in the chelated form your body will only absorb 40% of what is on the label. Take calcium citrate in capsule form.

You see, even if you take 2000 mgs your body will only see 800 mgs. You need to take 50% magnesium with your calcium as they work together, also Vit D-3.

[Lafontainepam1]

Please everyone with PMR take getting a bone scan seriously. You need to be taking calcium. When my sister was first diagnosed her Dr. did not have her get one, nor asked if she was taking Calcium! After being in Prednisone for 3 years at 20 mg. She started having severe back pain. After test, it showed her bones were so brittle in her back they were breaking. She then had to have back surgery. Please, please, take this very seriously!!

[Hidden]

My US rheumy recommended 1,200 mg calcium and 1,000 mg vitamin D daily, as well as a baseline bone density test.

[HeronNS]

After considerable research after a very unwanted and unexpected diagnosis of osteoporosis I believe the best form of calcium is calcium hydroxyapatite, followed by calcium citrate. The former is closest to natural bone and most easily absorbed by the body. As well as Vitamin D3 we also need to make sure we are getting a number of other vitamins and minerals (Vitamin K2, silica, boron for example) many of which are plentiful in a diet that includes a lot of leafy green vegetables, beans and fruit like prunes.

[margiebell4 in reply to HeronNS]

Thanks HeronNS. Can you buy these specific calcium supplements over the counter? If so where?

[HeronNS]

I found mine at an organic foods/health foods store that we have in my area, but I live in Nova Scotia. I went there, actually, on the advice of my GP who suggested as I need iron I'd likely tolerate a liquid supplement better and I should go to a health food store for that. (In fact I've since found the iron supplement at the supermarket!) While there I was going to stock up on my regular calcium citrate which I've been taking for years but ended up having a nice consultation with a store employee. She helped me choose the supplement I came home with, and it was later that I discovered that the form of calcium may even be better absorbed by people on prednisone than other forms are. I also found out from this forum that I'd been making a mistake by swallowing pred with calcium, so it's been a bit of a challenge fitting in all my various supplements as you can't take calcium and iron together, either, but I seem to have it worked out now. This particular supplement I take two capsules three times a day (late morning, supper, bedtime).

[jules1955]

I found out about calcium and D3 from this site, the Doctor never mentioned it.

[HeronNS in reply to jules1955]

But hidden in the thread is my comment about needing Vitamin K2 as well. It's the K2 (not K1) which makes sure calcium goes into the bones where it belongs and not deposited onto the walls of blood vessels and other unwanted places. Hard to get K2 from diet, although not impossible, so supplement usually necessary. In some bone supplements, or separately, derived from fermented Japanese food called natto.