Hi, can anyone recommend an alternative to Adcal D3 tablets on prescription? I really find them revolting and far too sweet!
Thank you for your help 😊
Alternative to Adcal-D3?: Hi, can anyone recommend... - PMRGCAuk
Alternative to Adcal-D3?
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JoLou12
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A good place to start would be to ask the practice what they are ALLOWED to prescribe. Some practices are quite restricted.
My GP swopped me onto Cholecalciferol without asking. I suspect they were cheaper. Not nice but not quite as gagmakingly sweet.
But that is just vit D isn't it? I get a 4000 IU tablet - small. swallow whole, no taste.
Whatever this was included both vitamin D3 and Calcium. Guess it was a generic pill cheaper than Adcal. Threw mine away so can't check.
Oh right - I stopped calcium supplements - caused bladder problems. Good excuse to eat cheese ...
Ah think these might have been called Natecal d3 now I think about it properly. Same problem here and also made me fart.
yes, I had thesame problem. Not sure if I was wise or not, but I just tried to eat more cheese and drink more milk.
Don't drink more milk - a litre lasts 4 days-ish, I only use it in tea. I DO eat more natural Greek yoghurt. Ate a lot of cheese 
but equally - not sure that was that good an idea. Cholesterol was high (no higher on more cheese) but higher still on tocilizumab 
I sometimes think you can’t win!
No you can’t win - but coming second sometimes would be nice!
i so agree!
I had the same problem and they aggravated my sensitive teeth. I’m now on Accrete, which you don’t have to chew, but they’re quite big, something to bear in mind if you have trouble swallowing pills.
I am prescribed Accrete which are tablets you swallow.
I had both flavours of the chewy AdCal - Lemon and Tutti Fruity - both revolting, and I asked pharmacist if I could change. I now have 2 AdCal tablets at nighttime … they are quite big to swallow but with a big glass of water ok.
I now take them rather than deliberately forget the chew ones that I had.
You should probably take the 2 tablets separately - the body doesn't absorb more than 500mg calcium at a time.
Thank you PMRpro I had forgotten that! Has the 2nd tablet been wasted then by taking it at the same time? How much time should I leave from taking the Pred in the morning? I have been taking 2 at bedtime. 😳
Not sure - I think up to 600mg is absorbed. But spreading it out is much better.
Ah I see Koala Jane takes her 1st dose at lunchtime… got it!
How much calcium do they contain. They body can only absorb 500 mg at a time, so may be better taken morning at evening. If you are on thyroid meds, separate by 2 hours.
Thank you Jane 424 Ftom today! I will take 1 at lunchtime and 1 at supper. No thyroid meds! 🌺
thank you for your replies, much appreciated
I take Accrete d3. 1 tablet with lunch and one with evening meal
Hi, I take calcium with ergocalciferol, one a day. I’ve been fine with this. (I couldn’t tolerate Adcal). Good luck.
Yes - but what brand? AdCal is calcium with ergocalciferol, otherwise known as vit D
Hi, I’ve just called my pharmacy and they advised me it’s called “essential generics” Hope this helps. ❤️
Adcal is not available here in Denmark. We just buy OTC vitamin D and calcium together in one tablet or separate. Recommended here when on pred. is calcium (800-1.200 mg) og D-vitamin (20-40 mikrogram) per day.
My surgery changed Adcal to Evacal D3.
I don’t like chewable ones. My back two molars started to get very sensitive and I wondered if chewing on these tablets caused it.
I used to have the ones you chew but couldn’t take them. My GP changed them to the Adcal tablets which are fine. No taste, just swallow .
Why not just get 350 mg Calcium citrate tablets and take twice a day 1.5-2 hrs before or after medications? Taking D3 30 minutes before. Calcium is water soluble and D3 is oil soluble. I took the D3 before with food to get it in my gut so it could facilitate metabolizing the Ca. Also, by splitting them you can increase or decrease either without affecting the other’s dosage. Have you had your 25-(OH)-D blood levels checked?
I changed from chewy ones to sugar free effervescent’s as they were affecting my gums. They were okay at first but began to make me feel nauseous so changed to tablet form. No taste and easy to swallow.
The chewable Adcal made me feel nauseous, so my GP changed me to these, each tablet about the same size as a paracetamol:
Adcal-D3 750mg/200 unit caplets two twice daily.
I take the same as you but only one twice daily as couldn’t tolerate more.
I take TheiCal D3. I haven't got a sweet tooth at all but don't find them unbearable. I've not been prescribed Adcal so I can't compare, maybe someone else can.
Yes, Calcichew. I have these because I am unable to have Adcal . I have them on prescription.
I have Adcal I swallow whole
I take one Calci D 1000 micrograms daily - chewable and pleasant taste.
My surgery changed my prescription from Adcal to Calci -D because they were cheaper. I take it in 2 halves, one after lunch and the other after my evening meal. Can’t say I notice them tasting sweet so maybe ok for you
I have taken Calceos since being diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2004. The tablets contain sorbitol, sucrose and soybean oil, but I don’t find them too sweet or unpalatable. Might be worth suggesting them to your GP for a try-out?
When I was on a low sugar diet, tutti frutti adcal were a yummy treat. How different we all are. 😊
Sorry, fingers clumsy! Shot through one of my molars. So now wondering if it is the Adcal!
I was on Fosamax for about six months but it caused GI upset big time. Rheumatologist stopped it and I went back to lunch and dinner taking 5000 iu of D3, 500mg of calcium pill, and 91mg of Vit.K2.
Just had my bone density and my numbers improved and I’m now am in the normal range.
I learned how to take these supplements from this wonderful forum. Thanks
"went back to" - were you not taking them with the Fosamax? It is an essential add-on with a bisphosphonate.
I was told it was enough on its own. 🤪
But it needs a source of calcium to send it to the bones. If the blood calcium gets too low because of that effect then you can get pretty unwell. Safer to make sure there is enough.
Blood calcium is kept within a fairly narrow range (both too high and too low can have adverse effects) and if there isn't enough in diet, the body scavenges from the bones which leads to low bone density. With bisphosphonates the demand is higher and can easily lead to low blood calcium. There seem to a few of the doctors whose physiology knowledge is a bit dodgy!
yes this doctor thinks I’ve been on prednisone too long. He mentions taking methotrexate every time I see him so I can get off prednisone. I keep putting him off. May end up changing rheumatologist again. He is number two. In a fifteen minute appointment, he looks up from his laptop maybe three times. Never asks a question just reads my response to the iPad questions. Reads my labs and listens to my heart and lungs and that’s it. Sigh!
Sigh indeed. How long is "too long"? Has he told the PMR it's been around too long?
if you go past two years it must be something else he said the first time I saw him. I sent him an article from Mayo and he never brought it up to discuss with me. Sad! And he is so young.
Shakes head sadly ...
In between appointments I can only reach him by writing on their website page for patients. My physician assistant is much more responsive to my PMR needs. Maybe I’m just wasting my time and insurance money on the rheumatologist?
Can the PA do everything? That rheumy sounds a serious waste of money And even space ...
Yes I think so. He helped me with the last flare, with my bleaphritis, my ruptured tendon to my bicep and my vertigo over the past six months. I told my rheumatologist and he didn’t have any comments other than getting off prednisone.
I just looked at my record online from the rheumatologist and there is NO report. Yes I think I will let him go! I’ll cancel my next six month appointment.
My PA can call in my prednisone prescription.
Who does the PA work with/for?
He is supervised by a medical doctor. I’ve not met him as of yet. The PA has been enough so far and he consults with the medical doctor in the office.
My husband is a retired PA and they are trained to be educators of their patients.
I've never taken AdCalc, I take Vitamin D and K2 but think I get enough Calcium through my usual diet and my last DEXA was excellent. Which reminds me I need to get Doc to book me another one for January.
I’ve got my first DEXA scan next week so should be interesting to see the results. How often do you have them?
Ideally every two years, but some areas/docs don't always seem so keen to do that and I think there is probably a lot of pressure on the centres with the scanners.
I tried Adcal - D3 chewable, as prescribed recently (second time over the last 2 to 3 years) and stopped fairly quickly both times. They just did not agree with me. I try to make sure I get enough calcium from my diet using an online calcium calculator.For example : Daily, a morning porridge with milk (100mls) gives me 120mg approx, 120mg of yogurt gives 180mg, 100mls of kefir gives 110mg, 2 slices of wholemeal bread gives 100mg. Throw in a suitable cheese, say edam, haloumi 0.5oz gives 120mg. I also use creme fraiche and cottage cheese.
I have tried vit D from chemist but system did not like them so am now about to take a vitamin D+C from British Supplements. They are a small company producing CLEAN supplements - no fillers, no binders - in veg capsules.I use low fat cheese, yogurt etc as can have a reflux problem. The daily kefir seems to have helped to get on top of that also. I hope this helps some of you out there.
I'm on Calcichew, but I also find them too sweet and I don't like the orange flavour. I have, however, got used to them and clean my teeth straight afterwards which helps a bit.
me too Tonkinca. I’ve resorted to buying tablets on line. I agree they’re disgusting
Why are they prescribing this in particular? Several points: a diet high in sugar may drive both calcium and vitamin D deficiency. The overconsumption of sugar may also impair bone formation by causing high glucose levels in blood. Moreover, hyperglycaemia (which is commonly driven by a diet high in sugar65) is associated with lower bone quality and density. So why in a sugary format?
The body can't absorb more than 500 mg calcium at a time. Carbonate is less well absorbed than, for example, citrate. Calcium should be with magnesium 2:1
Vit D is more effective in oil capsules taken with a meal with fat in it.
So why not get individual supplements? Jane RNC
I have Calfovit D3 dissolving powder. Very sickly.
GP insists I need to take but causes bladder problems. Have left off last 4 days and bladder problems gone
I buy mine as they also contain K2 which helps absorption. Just swallow with a glass of water.
Cytoplan - Bone Support.
thank you, I will look into these
I buy D3 2000iu, 50ųg, in bottles of 600 capsules from Costco for less than £10. Although I eat enough calcium in my diet as shown by blood tests, I also have a bottle of 600 x Calcium 600mg with D3 10ųg, also less than £10 from Costco for backup. Those are tablets but are not for chewing like the NHS "icing sugar" ones.
I take Evacal D3 1500mg/400iu chewable tablets I have been on them for about 6 years and they are ok to take but about a year ago when I collected my medications I was given a different type same ingredients but different manufacturer. I could not chew them the taste was horrendous I spoke to the chemist about it and since then he has always dispensed me Evcal. Hope you can get yours changed.
I've been on Aďcal 2yrs. Last visit Rheum told me Adcal is needed to support the weekly Alendronic. I had reduced to one but immediately returned to 2. Wish this had been explained 2yrs ago as I wouldn't have reduced at same time as reducing Pred for GCA.
Yes i so agree...i have to take one a day and so bad for our teeth..
Hi Tonika
I struggled to take Adcal initially - unpleasant, upset feeling in my stomach etc but discovered that if I broke each tablet into 2 pieces and ate each with a meal or snack throughout the day there were no adverse effects. Hope that is helpful. Best wishes.
This discussion has made me think. I have been on Pred for nearly three years and initially took Alendronic Acid once a week and 2 chewable tablets of Adcal but was a bit lazy about taking two a day, not thinking it was all that vital (no effective medical supervision for two years and didn't know about this forum). After a year I stopped AA and a DEXA scan showed that I didn't need it.. Continued with haphazard doses of Adcal. However, a year ago, severe and I mean severe pain, in my right knee. In September an XRAY showed a subchondral insufficiency fracture (used to be called bone necrosis, a more graphic term) at the end of my femur and bone oedema (fluid within the bone). Which came first I don't know but either way it may entail a partial knee replacement (waiting for a consultation) and I wish I had been better with my Adcal now - so be warned. I don't mind taking them but as they have a sweetie/supplement quality, I maybe didnt take them seriously enough. Last prescription was for Calci-D - only just realised that it is not just Adcal in different packaging (a tube), though tastes different and apparently I only need one a day #musttakemorenotice
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