# Vitamin D treatment 'out of control' as prescriptions increase 40% in four years



## Northerner (Mar 31, 2016)

EXCLUSIVE Prescriptions for vitamin D have risen 40% over the past four years in England, leading some experts to warn that testing and treatment is ‘out of control’, a Pulse investigation has revealed.

The rise has happened since the Government’s chief advisor sent out a warning that one in four people are deficient in vitamin D and that GPs should advise certain at-risk groups to take a daily supplement.

This is despite experts questioning the effectiveness of putting people on vitamin D, warning that it is risks overmedicalising the population.

http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/clinica...ns-increase-40-in-four-years/20031460.article

(free registration)


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## Copepod (Mar 31, 2016)

I'd like to see prescriptions to exercise outdoors, with hands and face exposed or short sleeves for set periods of time, without getting sunburned, depending on season and skin colour, instead of prescriptions for oral supplements.


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## Northerner (Mar 31, 2016)

Copepod said:


> I'd like to see prescriptions to exercise outdoors, with hands and face exposed or short sleeves for set periods of time, without getting sunburned, depending on season and skin colour, instead of prescriptions for oral supplements.


A friend of mine actually suffered a stress fracture to her femur due to Vit D deficiency  She had to stop running longer than I did when mine broke!  Hers didn't snap like mine did, it was just a hairline. She was quite pale-skinned and kept covered up, although she did run and spend time outdoors.


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## pottersusan (Mar 31, 2016)

Im part of that 40%. Ive been told that we only get the right quality of sun for a short period of the year, plus Im very fair skinned and I dont absorb things properly. They only discovered I was falling short when I stamped my feet. Ive got 'significant' osteoporosis due to malabsorption of calcium partly due to vit d deficiency.


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## Pumper_Sue (Mar 31, 2016)

Personally I believe that people should buy their own supplements, they two a penny in most supermarkets.
There is only so much the NHS can pay for and vitamin supplements would not be on my list of priority funding.


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## Amigo (Mar 31, 2016)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Personally I believe that people should buy their own supplements, they two a penny in most supermarkets.
> There is only so much the NHS can pay for and vitamin supplements would not be on my list of priority funding.



I see your point Sue in that the NHS has finite resources but for high risk groups, the amount of Vit D supplement wouldn't necessarily be 'two a penny' and the main issue is diagnosis. So many doctors fail to take this seriously enough and yet identification can prevent some pretty serious conditions.
Vitamin D deficiency is linked with an increased risk for serious diseases. Reduced levels of the vitamin are associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, and autoimmune disorders. Deficiency is also linked with multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, depression, and more. Failing to prevent these things could cost the NHS a fortune over time. However, I accept that wholesale vitamin funding is unrealistic.

My Consultant has just agreed to do Vit D and magnesium testing for me even though it's well known that my cancer attracts very low Vit D levels. Although I've tried supplementing, there's no way I can know how much I need. I think that's why people don't bother. They don't know if it's doing any good.

But all the advice I've read does agree with short periods in the sun without getting sunburn to try and top it up. Just need to find some sunshine now!


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## Vicsetter (Mar 31, 2016)

I take vitamin D3  (40ug)1 tablet per day bought from Cosco (you can buy it online without membership) for £7.99 for 600, similar prices on Amazon. However I couldn't find a price for tablets in BNF, only creams for skin problems.

P.S. I started taking them as there isn't much sun up here in winter, it's fine in summer.


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## trophywench (Mar 31, 2016)

I think women such as myself (post menopausal old hags LOL) tend to get calcium and Vit D together when we're 'at risk' through bone-thinning, Vicsetter - name like Calcitrol is it?

A Welsh T1 we know (well he's Canadian actually, but they live in N. Wales LOL) gets Vit D since he's had a couple of fractures in a short period, both in fairly 'non violent' circumstances (hadn't thrown himself under the horses, or jumped off the top of the wardrobe) so the hospital decreed he should take a Vit D supplement.

However, my GP won't give it me, even though I had a DEXA scan and my one hip was starting to disappear, and a blood test showed my VitD was low.  Won't repeat the blood test even.  (Think I shall have to wait till I slip on some  ice and fracture my hip before they'll do anything ..... and probably won't want to then, cos they'd rather old people died cos we cost too much)


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## Lynn Davies (Mar 31, 2016)

trophywench said:


> post menopausal old hags



I resemble that remark!!!

I am having a blood test tomorrow for thyroid screening and this will include vit D.  Known to be diminished by a spluttering thyroid!


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## Flower (Mar 31, 2016)

I'm one of the 40% and take a maintenance dose of colecalciferol daily after taking high loading doses to try and raise my very low level and keep it normal as I've had so many fractures in the last few years. I had no idea of the importance of Vitamin D in calcium absorption until it was explained to me.These are prescribed as they are a higher dose than I could buy.


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## Copepod (Mar 31, 2016)

Did GP mention getting vitamin D from sunlight though summer months when they prescribed supplement, Flower?


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## Flower (Mar 31, 2016)

My Vitamin D was originally prescribed by an orthopaedic surgeon and is now prescribed by my gp. If it is sunny then I am usually to be found in the garden however not all low vitamin D can be rectified by sunshine alone and as my bone chemistry is seriously poor I need a high dose to try and maintain normal levels.


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## Amigo (Mar 31, 2016)

Experts can't seem to agree how much in terms of UV rays we need and it's almost impossible for some people in the northern hemisphere to attain a sufficient level through sun or food alone. I'm happy to buy my own supplements if I'm prescribed them (but I realise not everyone could) and often the over the counter supplements are not in high enough dosage.


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## trophywench (Mar 31, 2016)

Flower said:


> colecalciferol




That's the word !!  LOL


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## trophywench (Mar 31, 2016)

Copepod said:


> Did GP mention getting vitamin D from sunlight though summer months when they prescribed supplement, Flower?



Copepod - we are naturists and spend as much time as we can exposing our bodies to the sunshine - at the time I was diagnosed I was still at work, so only able to get to the Club at weekends and some evenings - plus the usual building and gardening work we were also doing at the time, and about 6 weeks every year pegged out on Greek Spanish and French Mediterranean beaches.  My GP actually said to me You! Of ALL people! when he told me the result of the blood test - before not prescribing it ........


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## pottersusan (Mar 31, 2016)

trophywench said:


> However, my GP won't give it me, even though I had a DEXA scan and my one hip was starting to disappear, and a blood test showed my VitD was low.  Won't repeat the blood test even.  (Think I shall have to wait till I slip on some  ice and fracture my hip before they'll do anything ..... and probably won't want to then, cos they'd rather old people died cos we cost too much)



@trophywench Do you take calcichew and alendronic acid for osteoporosis? I eat calichew like its going out of fashion and an annual infusion of zoledronate (which costs much more than alendronic acid - about £1500  against £50 a year!) as the alendronic acid didn't stay in my body long enough to do any good. The consultant wouldn't prescribe the infusion until they'd got my vit d levels up to something resembling 'normal'.


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## trophywench (Mar 31, 2016)

No - I only had osteopenia when the test was done Susan - I'd had an offer to take part in a clinical trial and the DEXA scan and Vit D test were part of that.  I can't imagine to osteopenia won't have worsened in the interim of 8 years, but despite significant additional pain on walking (I already have that in the calf of the same leg (L) due to the intermittent claudication, however the pulses in my groin apparently aren't affected to a huge extent yet, only knee, ankle and strangely - the instep of my right foot!)  nobody is at all interested in it, medically speaking.

Only me!


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## Copepod (Apr 1, 2016)

trophywench said:


> Copepod - we are naturists and spend as much time as we can exposing our bodies to the sunshine - at the time I was diagnosed I was still at work, so only able to get to the Club at weekends and some evenings - plus the usual building and gardening work we were also doing at the time, and about 6 weeks every year pegged out on Greek Spanish and French Mediterranean beaches.  My GP actually said to me You! Of ALL people! when he told me the result of the blood test - before not prescribing it ........


I know that physiology also matters. What concerns me are the people who spend very little time outdoors, sometimes only a minute or two between house / car / other buildings. Especially those with dark skin, which is better adapted to living nearer the equator, while pale skin is adapted to lower light levels of higher latitudes.


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## @Fractis (Apr 1, 2016)

I know that there are a lot of people with diabetes of all types that have a history of Thyroid problems. Like many, I take Thyroxine (Levothyroxin) and Metformin, both of which have a significant association with Vitamin D problems. If you do, it is well worth asking your GP for a check when you have a blood test for your annual review - don't assume your doctor will spot problems or check on their own!


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## pottersusan (Apr 1, 2016)

@Fractis said:


> don't assume your doctor will spot problems or check on their own!



too true!


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