Vitamin D and calcium

Hello Polly,

this is a common question, whether Calcium/Vit D is prescribed seems to depend on the judgement of the diagnosing team, probably mostly based  on the age and physical condition of the patient. Would suggest you Google The NICE Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. It's a lot of reading but it helps you understand their train of thought and it helps you to ask intelligent questions if you feel like querying a line of action. 

PS: I am on Adcal D3 - quite tasty !

Hi Polly1912 ,

I've been on Abiraterone with Prednisolone for 2 years along with 3 monthly injections, my oncologist wrote a letter to my GP asking him to prescribe Alendronic acid 70mg weekly and Adcal-D3 750mg twice a day for the duration of my HT (3 years). These were prescribed by the GP and I now get these on repeat prescriptions via the NHS app.

Before getting the alendronic acid I had to get a dental check, as while you're on that medication you cant have tooth extractions, and they wanted to ensure I dont need one. I also have more frequent dental checks for that reason, as while fillings are ok extractions are not. Also when taking it you need to stay upright/standing for 30 minutes to avoid it getting to the upper parts of the stomach.

Hope this helps.

G

Good Morning Polly

This is an interesting one. The NICE Guidelines 1.4.12 - 1.4 15 say bone protection should only be offered to people with osteoporosis or with a high "frailty score" - well surely that's too late!

I have a great Consultant who I can talk to and right at the start of my Hormone Therapy journey a Community member advised calcium and Vitamin D tablets. I asked my consultant and she told the GP to prescribe them. She did also offer Alendronic Acid but having read the side effects I declined - thank you.

It's prescribed to keep your bone strength up and counter the effects of Hormone Therapy. In the 4 years on my journey I have fallen over twice (both times sober) once in the dark over a suitcase and broke 1 rib and once in the park over my dog - no broken bones - so overall I think it works,

Best wishes - Brian.

Only now that recurrent has my bone density been mentioned never mind investigated! It was not during the c.30 mths I was on HT in 2021-2022.

Being now on 2x HT "forever " a dexa scan was given and with poor density i have been told to buy Vit D tabs and to consider a 12mth injection (forget name for moment).

Stable door and horse come to mind!

Dave.

Hello Polly, my husband was 75 when diagnosed. He had 18 months of ht and radiotherapy . We did ask about vitamin d and calcium supplements and were told they were not necessary. I bought some from a local pharmacy but he stopped taking them! Roll forward 2 years and he was advised to have a Dexa scan and, as a result, was diagnosed with osteoporosis,. Now, this might have occurred as part of the ageing process but I think the treatment would not have helped! The oncologist asked our surgery to prescribe alendronic acid, vit D and calcium. We are no experts but we were told that the vit D and calcium would help prevent further bone loss and the alendronic acid would help replace lost bone . However, when we read the side effects of alendronic acid he decided he did not want to take it as the scan result did not suggest severe osteoporosis and as he is already taking medications for other illnesses .He was also hospitalised at one point with drastic side effects of or reaction to one of his non cancer medications. For him it was a matter of weighing up risks versus side effects versus quality of life. I do worry that he will fall and break something, though!

He might have made a different decision about the alendronic acid had we lived in an area of the country where we could access NHS dental care.Here, it’s impossible  and the cost of private dentistry is very high.

I was advised before my HDR Brachytherapy to take Vitamin D which I was doing anyway but uped the rate a little bit, nothing else suggested. Role on a year having had 20 sessions RT and 12 months on Ht I fell twisting and breaking my ankle very badly 6 weeks ago following an operation I now have a titanium plate and nine screws holding it all together, its still giving me a bit of grief as it recovers! Not the sort of fall that I would of expected to result in such a break so I am pretty sure bone weakness because of my treatment was the cause? I would urge others on a similar path to try for meds to counteract this ,I now have vitamin D on prescription but nothing more but will be asking for tests to see if its needed once back on two feet!?