Saw my endo today and since I am not absorbing well the mega doses of D she prescribed the Rocaltrol / Calcitroil. Am I supposed to continue taking my D as well as this? Do we even absorb this stuff, looks oil based.

: /

start rant - my iron/ferritin has been deficient for a LONG time, I can't get it up orally (snicker) I want infusions and she told me to stop taking iron since I'm not absorbing it anyway (i am so freakin tired) and that we will talk about the possibility fo infusion in 6 weeks... FFS I just want infusions to have energy again  /cries - end rant

you are taking the dry D3-50, yes? Are you taking it WIth oil or with other foods or on empty?

I haven't seen the calcitriol do much for ppl, as you said, it's oil, but if it gets you 5 pts, is it worth it?

Yes I'm taking your Dry 50K's. I don't take with food or oils and take them with time in between. I assume I still take the 50Ks with the calcitriol?

Because it's oil, try separating them. My thinking (not fact) is if you are malabsorbing fats/oils, why piggy back something you desperately WANT (the D) onto the thing you are sure to lose (oil)?

Make sense?

Makes sense. Thanks so much Michelle!! <3

I've done both. The Rx didn't really do anything for me....the OTC stuff Michelle sells worked, but I had to take 100,000 IUs a day. So for a long time I took both.

Have you heard about the shots? I heard they are suppose to work, but I don't have a lot of information about them.

Scott

I'll ask my endo about the shots when I go back in 6 weeks and let you know. Not sure of their status in Canada.

I was taking 50K a day (of MIchelle's) and was still trending down, am taking 150K D now and the calcitroil to see what it does.

My endo doc told me that they have had success with using liquid (not in oil) calcitriol for stubborn vitamin D deficiencies.   I believe that calcitriol is a Vitamin D analog.   It did not work very well for me with infusions, but apparently it works better when administered via the gut.     I haven't done any research on it, and I'm severely overdue for a trip back to Detroit to see him, so I'll see what more I can find out.

Thanks Julie, if I keep trending down I will mention the liquid form.

I take 150,000 dry Vit D. 2xday. I also take the prescribed calcitroil. Have for 2 years.. 97 on my last for Vit.D that was 3 months ago, and I will be getting them checked next week again. Hope to taper off some as I have been steady for over a year now. I take my oil based calcitroil away form everything. I also take my Profrinn Iron that I begged my hemo for. She kept insisting it would not do anything, so I said what does it do to try. My iron/ferrittin hold there own now. No more infusions, lets hope it stays that way. Karen