VIT D

[rustyrussell]

Hi ive been on Pred now for 2 and half months on 15mg and now down to 12.5mg.im 54 and male should i start to take vit D and calcium by now?.i go for a 3 mile walk about 3 times aweek.Thank you

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

A VitD/Calcium supplement should have been prescribed by doctor when you started Pred...so contact surgery. Most common in UK is Adcal D3.

Bit of info here - silversurfers.com/health/ge...

Are available without prescription - if that’s the cheaper option - but GP needs to know, some people have issues with too much calcium. Plus you need to leave at least 2 hours between Pred and supplement- so usually Pred am, Adcal midday & evening.

[rustyrussell in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes she said get some vit D over the counter and keep up the walking.was asking because some people say the walking will helpcause your outside and i work quite often outside as well ie the sunshine Vit ? also the doctor gave me some other tablets for my stomach but i dont like them.i have a greek Yogurt every morning

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to rustyrussell]

No one in UK gets enough VitD - especially during winter - but the guidelines do say the supplement should be prescribed - so she’s being a cheapskate!

Walking may well be enough to protect bones in normal circumstances- but again Pred can make you more susceptible to osteoporosis.

Omeprazole? So long as yogurt is enough to protect stomach - fair enough.

[rustyrussell in reply to DorsetLady]

yes Omeprazole bloody awful

[123-go in reply to DorsetLady]

You've provided some very useful information, DorsetLady: thank you.

I've been taking my Calci-D after my evening meal that includes several of the food items that reduce effectiveness! I'll remedy that today.

[Corriescot in reply to DorsetLady]

I haven’t been told to take my supplement at a different time, I have been taking them both in the morning with breakfast. What is the reason for splitting them and should I do that.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Corriescot]

Calcium and pred interfere with each other - it is thought that calcium coats the pred tablets and stops absorption but there may be other mechanisms. However, by taking the pred and leaving it a couple of hours before taking the calcium you get the best of both. Pred for breakfast, calcium for lunch and tea (having some fat present, not a lot but some, helps absorb the calcium better.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

TY

[Corriescot in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you, I was only prescribed vitamin d once a week, I didn’t make it clear it was once a week.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Corriescot]

Vitamin D once a week is a different matter. I was talking about calcium supplements which are required on a 2x daily basis because the body only absorbs about 500mg at a time - and you need double that a day.

[Corriescot in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for a quick reply

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You should have been started on a vit D and calcium supplement at the same time as pred, especially if your diet is low in calcium. Your vit D is probably low - your GP should really do a blood test to check it and see if you need more vit D to start with to get it up to optimum levels.

[rustyrussell in reply to PMRpro]

yes i did bloods 4 weeks ago and all was ok thankfully

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to rustyrussell]

Did they actually DO a vit D level?

[rustyrussell in reply to PMRpro]

yes they said they did

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to rustyrussell]

Impressive! Most try to tell you it is too expensive! (It isn't)

[rustyrussell in reply to PMRpro]

really? i will try and find my paper work but they did say they did

[ChinaWuntoo in reply to PMRpro]

My GP did just that. Only to be told to stop Adcal D3 by the rheumatologist because it is dangerous. After I sacked the rheumatologist my GP put me back on it. Thanks to the advice I got on this site.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to ChinaWuntoo]

All things in moderation ...

[ChinaWuntoo in reply to PMRpro]

And a pinch of salt....

[ROB5]

I have been on Pride m for five years now started off 15 mg are now down to 7 1/2 unfortunately I can’t go for three moles as I’m waiting for two New knees PS I’m 83

[piglette]

My original rheumy said I did not need a vitamin D test and that I could buy it if I wanted in Holland and Barrett. In the end I got the test done at my local surgery with a result of 25 and have been prescribed vitamin D with calcium ever since.

[PMRCanada]

Yes, K2 and vit D3 is part of my daily consumption...I just take my supplements at suppertime (and pred split dose at 11am and pm).

I get loads of sun in the summer months and get my annual vit D test in August, and even with taking 2400 units of vit D, my results have been ok, but on the low side of the range (97 and 103 respectively in the past two years, on a scale ranging from 75-250).

I also eat Greek yoghurt and cheese daily but still waiting for my annual bone scan which is delayed due to Covid. You may want to consider getting a bone scan soon so they have a baseline to compare it yearly.

Great that you walk as well, I try also but weather is getting colder here in Canada. K

[lcove]

Everything I've read stresses that people with low vitamin D levels have a much worse case of Covid if they get it. The people who do the worst, in the hospital, are the ones who's levels are low. I started taking more Vitamin D with my calcium. You need the calcium in order for your body to process the vitamin D. I'm now taking 5,000mg, up from 3,000. I actually take extra strength Tums, 2,000

[lcove in reply to lcove]

Sorry, 2000 mg of calcium in that dose of Tums, and 5,000 mg of vitamin D, and Magnesium. the magnesium has definitely helped the leg and to cramp/spasms.

[AdoptMeow in reply to lcove]

Glad that you brought up magnesium. It's essential for calcium to be utilized in bone formation and essential for muscle functions, most importantly for your heart.