Adcal

[Cyclegirl54]

Hi, my Gp has prescribed me Adcal tablets, 2 x 750mg per day. What’s the best time to take these and with food? Thanks.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Definitely not same time as Pred. Most take before lunch and again in evening, with the following proviso -

This medicine should not be taken within 2 hours of eating foods rich in oxalic acid (e.g. spinach and rhubarb), phosphate (e.g. bran), or phytic acid (e.g. whole cereals).

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to DorsetLady]

Many thanks. It gets a bit confusing!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Cyclegirl54]

Yes it does...especially when the brains not on top form!

[Hidden in reply to DorsetLady]

I am hoping the rhubarb yoghurt I had doesn't count. I knew there was some reason I had to avoid spinach and rhubarb at certain times but couldn't remember which drug. Between walnuts (thyroid) and liquorice (ACE Inhibitors) and grapefruit juice (statins??) my diet is getting more and more restrictive.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Hidden]

Not heard the walnut/thyroid issue before. What does it do?

[Hidden in reply to Soraya_PMR]

I really can't remember lol. It was on something I was reading either online or on the pil. I will try and dig it out .

[Hidden in reply to Soraya_PMR]

I presume it relates to adults too...i think I was lurking around a thyroid site at some point but it briefly mentions it here.

mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple...

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Doesn’t explain it, but it’s there in B&W.

Licorice and steroids not a good combo either.

A friend years ago on warfarin was told to avoid Brussels sprouts. Never checked that one out.

[Hidden in reply to Soraya_PMR]

I have read sprouts were not supposed to be taken with something but can't remember again. I used to remember everything I read and a reference at the front.of my brain but pmr and pred have hoovered my brain through a colander.

[Hidden in reply to Soraya_PMR]

consumerreports.org/drug-sa...

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for that. Interesting.

‘Hoovered my brain through a colander’ Yup, with you there.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Oh no! How does she manage Christmas without sprouts!

[Soraya_PMR in reply to DorsetLady]

Well ultimately she had to go on a different anti-coag, never did achieve stability on warfarin.

However she’s now in a place where it’s Christmas everyday, no one worries about drug interactions, and the clouds are fluffy all the time.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Sorry to hear that.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Soraya_PMR]

All very dark green veg has a reasonable amount of Vit K which opposes the action of the warfarin. In the UK they make a fuss and say don't eat them at all when on warfarin, in the rest of the world they tell you to eat such things on a regular basis - i.e. all the time, don't just binge on spinach, sprouts or whatever!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Know what you mean. The rhubarb doesn’t bother me, I’m allergic to it anyway, but we discussed that in the past somewhere, but I used to like grapefruit.

Hey ho!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

You do realise you are assuming that that yoghurt had ever actually met rhubarb?

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

It looked real. As a teenager I worked in the rhubarb triangle and picked in black sheds by candlelight...the mice and rats were everywhere. But it is true that you can hear the rhubarb growing.

[tgca in reply to DorsetLady]

Ooh, what's this spinach and rhubarb with adcal thing? Er... nobody told me!

[HeronNS in reply to tgca]

High phytic acid foods interfere with calcium absorption.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Two to 3 hours away from your pred - pred for breakfast, calcium for lunch and dinner?????

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to PMRpro]

I’m meant to taking the alendronic acid once a week. Best timings for that?

[HeronNS in reply to Cyclegirl54]

Choose a day when you will not have to rush, a day when the demands of others in the household are not time sensitive. I've heard some will choose a Sunday for example. They take the AA upon rising with the required amount of water, and remain upright for the required amount of time. I don't know if you have to wait a bit longer before eating and taking your pred, but you will have that information. But do you REALLY need this medication? Have you had a DXA scan? What is your t-score?

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to HeronNS]

Hi, I haven’t had a scan but the rheumatologist wanted me take it as I am on the thin side.

[HeronNS in reply to Cyclegirl54]

Please don't agree to take it until you have a scan. I am on the thin side, having lost a lot of weight before PMR diagnosis. My doctor wanted me on AA. I insisted on the scan. My t-score was not osteoporosis, although they still recommended the meds. It was -2.

I refused and embarked on a major project to rebuild my bones naturally, and have been successful. The scan a year later showed a t-score of -1.6 and meds no longer recommended. My doctor asked me how I did it! I'm not eligible for another scan for a couple more years, but I carry on as before, knowing this will be for the rest of my life. But much better than meds.

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to HeronNS]

I’ll see the doc first. Thanks

[HeronNS in reply to Cyclegirl54]

❤

[yogabonnie in reply to Cyclegirl54]

Good. I have osteoporosis and have refused to take it. Started tap dancing and weight lifting instead. It is a powerful drug and too many doctors are giving it without knowing if someone really needs it! Insist on a dexa scan instead. And if you are osteopenia there is NO reason for it.

[Suedeshayes in reply to HeronNS]

Hi. Would you please tell me what your major project involved? I am on the AA but have never had a bone scan. I do not enjoy taking it but thought it was necessary. Thank, Sue

[HeronNS in reply to Suedeshayes]

Suesdeshayes and Pollyanna16, I'm going to try to post my little essay on what I did, but it's a bit long so I don't know if I'll be able to. I usually just send it as a private message but it would be so much easier just to be able to link to a post. I will be making a separate post entitled My "osteoporosis" journey.

[Lilact in reply to HeronNS]

That would be so much appreciated HeronNS

I want to do this drug free

[HeronNS in reply to Lilact]

Here you go

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Pollyanna16 in reply to HeronNS]

I would love to know more about your “project”,please.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Cyclegirl54]

I’m ‘on the thin side’ BMI previously 19. My dexa was lovely.

[Hidden in reply to Cyclegirl54]

That us supposed to be first thing just with water and stay upright of 30-60 mins. Can stand or sit but no bending over or laying down.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Cyclegirl54]

I always took it first thing on a Sunday - then sat and read emails etc, and had a shower, by then an hour had passed and ready for breakfast! No probs, but as Heron says check if you actually need it, many don’t!

[May10 in reply to PMRpro]

I take accrete D3 The information says not to take the med withing 1h.30 of eating. I find it

annoying. I would love to be able to take it with lunch and supper. Then I would remember.

[piglette in reply to May10]

Hi May, Accrete D3 says you SHOULD take the tablets within one and a half hours of eating. i.e. you can take it with a meal. Apparently you should try and take it with something fatty eg yogurt, milk ... to help absorption. You should NOT take it within two hours of eating foods containing oxalic or phytic acid such as spinach. The same with corticosteroids. I was also told you should not take it with tea, although I cannot see that on the instructions.

[May10 in reply to piglette]

Hi Piglette, isn't interpretation so strange. I read that as having to leave 1hr 30 between taking accrete d3 and having a meal. I will find it so much easier to have it with my lunch and dinner May

[piglette in reply to May10]

Hi May, I do that all the time! I then go back and re read and realise I have totally got the wrong end of the stick. I am glad you can now have your vit D with a meal.

[May10 in reply to piglette]

Hi Piglette,in my working days I was a training consultant. When teaching communication skills I used to ask the group to analyse a statement and tell me the different meanings that came out of it. eg "I don't think he stole the money" If you put emphasis on different words the meaning can be different. eg emphasis on" I " don't think he stole the money could mean......but everyone else does. I don't THINK he stole the money....I KNOW he did. I don't think he STOLE the money....he just borrowed it and so on. I don't think it did me any good. I see too many possibilities when I read things. May It will make it so much easier to take the med with my meals.

[piglette in reply to May10]

That is so true though. I often totally misread items in the papers because of the way they are written. Also spoken, like Gladly the cross I’d bear, or Gladly the cross eyed bear!

[May10 in reply to piglette]

Like it!

[Hidden]

But ask for dexa scan as heron mentions. It's pointless taking it if your bone density doesn't warrant it. Dr prescribed for me but it didn't suit then I had a scan after first 12 months of pred and didn't need it so just on adcal. Have a look at the previous discussions on the search fAcility.

[yogabonnie]

this is a good book. Will explain a lot. Your Bones: How You Can Prevent Osteoporosis and Have Strong Bones for Life_Naturally

Pizzorno, Lara, Wright M.D., Jonathan V., Lara Pizzorno

Sold by: Amazon

[Cyclegirl54 in reply to yogabonnie]

Thanks I’ll have a look at that first.