Newly Diagnosed - Vitamin D query

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi

I am newly ‘fully-confirmed’ diagnosed with RRMS (2 months). I have Vitamin D deficiency. Back in July, before diagnosis, they discovered the Vit D deficiency and I was told to get some Vit D from any chemist or healthshop & take 2500UI supplement per day. I bought a pot of D3 tablets from the chemist shop.

Now after confirmed diagnosis of RRMS, my bloods reveal I am still Vit D deficient and my Neurologist has requested I go on ‘high dose’ Vit D. My GP liaised with Neuro to confirm what she means by ‘high dose’.

GP has now written me a prescription for Colecalciferol, 4000UI per day (they are 1000UI capsules, and dose says take 4 per day). She’s given me enough for one month (when my bloods will be tested again and then prescription re-assessed).

I have discovered that Colecalciferol is infact just Vit D3 by its correct name. However, my question is why it has been prescribed this time instead of just telling me to take 4000UI & leaving me to purchase it from the healthshop/chemist like before?

Is there a difference between what is prescribed and what you can by yourself over the healthshop counter? (just asking because its actually cheaper to buy than to pay for prescription each month).

Thanks for your help

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Hi, as far as I know, vitamin d over the counter is a lot lower dosage than the ones you will get on prescription. The high dosage you are on is prescription only.

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I take 5000iu and you can get them easily enough on Amazon. Getting tested regularly is a good idea though.

The Barts Blog covers this subject a fair bit and their evidence is reliable.

http://multiple-sclerosis-research.blogspot.com/2016/01/researchspeak-moderate-dose-vitamin-d.html

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I take 10,000iu a day and have done for 9 years. Even my ms nurse is now taking 5000 a day. I buy 365 packs from Amazon very cheaply. It’s the same stuff!

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Thanks everyone. I thought it must be the same. Just couldn’t understand why the first time they put me on it, GP told me to go and buy some, yet second time she prescribed it.

Just wondered why…

id prefer to buy it myself (from Amazon or somewhere) as cheaper than an NHS prescription charge.

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I was diagnosed with severe Vitamin D deficiency in April this year. My level was down to 10nmol and my doctor prescribed 3200iu per day for 60 days. However, after doing some research, I discovered that this would not be enough and bought some from Amazon. It is the Drs Best range, 5000iu gelcaps. You need the gelcaps because the ones from health shops etc, are full of fillers and quite often that is why people start to experience some side effects. I have been taking 10000 iu per day along with Chelated Magnesium. I had my levels retested in August and they had increased to 74nmol but after reading about Vitamin D deficiency on The Vitamin D Council website (highly recommend this website because the NHS is still behind with it’s thinking on this essential vitamin), I wanted to increase my levels further to ensure that I got optimum results for my health. I paid for a hometest kit a few days ago, and my new level is now at 122nmol, which is more inline with what is required. The bone pain that I had been experiencing has gone, however, I am now back at the doctors because of other symptoms.

Maybe your doctor prescribed the Vitamin D to ensure that you had the correct gelcap and not one that is full of fillers.