Vitamin D prescription

[Headset Hellion]

I had some bloodwork done recently and was diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency. The doctors office called in a prescription to my pharmacy. Actually I think nowadays they do it online...anyway, my point is that I never had a written scrip.

When I got home and realized that the bottle contained 8 capsules...I was not happy. I have 5 refills...I don't understand why the doctor didn't just write the prescription for 48 caps and save me $25 in copays! Don't get me wrong; I am very grateful that my prescription copay is only $5...but $30 for a total of 48 capsules seems like a lot to me!

I called the pharmacy and was informed that this level of Vitamin D is available in prescription only. FYI it's Vitamin D-2 at 50,000 IU, to be taken twice weekly.

Well, as it turns out, Vitamin D-3 at 50,000 IU is available OTC...on Amazon...for a fraction of the price I would pay at the pharmacy! I did some research, and there's a lot of evidence that D-3 is better than D-2 anyway. I do not plan on getting those refills.

[bacchinalus]

Check with the Dr exactly which one they want you to be on. 2 different vitamins, 2 different absorption mechanisms, and they gave you the script based on your bloodwork:

If you go back and your bloodwork doesn't show any improvement because you've been taking something different than what the doc ordered, that helps no one to know what is going on with you.

Also, if they only wrote the rx for 1 month, they may want to test you to see if you even NEED those other refills, or if you just needed to be on the vitamin short-term. Why buy extra pills if they tell you to stop taking them?

And you may want to ask your insurance if they even cover more than 1 month of that at a time. Most people assume they can get everything at once, but the pharmacy can only do what the insurance allows, regardless of what the doc actually calls in.

[Deserted]

To add to what bacchinalus said, the dr may have selected that particular variety of D for a reason. Second-guessing your dr can have dire consequences.

[Slayer]

Doctors don't generally want patients with a six month supply of drugs; which explains why you only got 8 caps. Chances are, your insurance would reject it anyway since its likely above the supply limit. I come across that issue sooo many times at work.

Anyway, my thoughts are the same as the others so I won't rehash everything lol. Good luck!!

[Headset Hellion]

The insurance thing makes sense. Good point. As far as the difference between Vitamin D2 and D3, though, I'm secure in my decision.

[Aethian]

Huh mine of that level is 1x a week so those 8 capsules would last two months.

[crazylegs]

The insurance thing makes sense. Good point. As far as the difference between Vitamin D2 and D3, though, I'm secure in my decision.

If you're going to do that then at least let your Dr know so (s)he can make any appropriate adjustments to other Rx should it be needed.

[Headset Hellion]

Huh mine of that level is 1x a week so those 8 capsules would last two months.

Mine is definitely twice per week.

[PastryGal]

I'm on the 50,000 units capsules as well but I'm only to take mine once a month and take a regular 1000 unit one every day

[bhskittykatt]

Definitely let Doc know you're taking D3 instead of D2. D2 tends to circulate longer in the bloodstream, so making the switch will likely affect your bloodwork to some degree. Doc needs to know you made the switch so he knows what results to expect on the next test.

[cindybubbles]

I called the pharmacy and was informed that this level of Vitamin D is available in prescription only. FYI it's Vitamin D-2 at 50,000 IU, to be taken twice weekly.

100,000 IU a week? How bad is your Vitamin D deficiency?

I take 2600 IU of D3 each day, so only 18,200 IU/week.

[Lachrymose]

Whoa, I was just diagnosed today with Vit. D deficiency.

One of what you're taking per week and 2000IU per day of OTC for at least the next 3 months...

Doesn't surprise me. I neither drink a lot of milk these days nor go outside a lot.

All I know is, Vit. D is supposed to be in the range of 30-100 and mine is 8. :\

[BlaqueKatt]

Well, as it turns out, Vitamin D-3 at 50,000 IU is available OTC...on Amazon...for a fraction of the price I would pay at the pharmacy! I did some research, and there's a lot of evidence that D-3 is better than D-2 anyway. I do not plan on getting those refills.

And how much of that 50,000 IU is bio-available? In other words, you may be consuming 50,000 IU of vitamin D3, but your body may only be able to process 1,000 IU because it's in a form your body can't actually use*. This is quite common in vitamin supplements, simply because people think more=better, not if your body can't use it at all.


*this is 100% legal as the label only has to list what's IN the supplement, not what your body actually gets out of it.

[Headset Hellion]

...making the switch will likely affect your bloodwork to some degree. Doc needs to know you made the switch so he knows what results to expect on the next test.

The sad thing is, she never even mentioned scheduling an appointment to come back for a follow-up on the bloodwork.

I appreciate the concern; I understand where you guys are coming from. I was mostly upset because I felt like I was mislead and didn't get very good information between the doctors office and the pharmacy. When the dr's office called me about the bloodwork, all she said was, "Your vitamin D level was low, so we called you in a prescription for some vitamin D. You just need to take it twice a week." And that was it; end of conversation.

Even when I got the bloodwork, they never said anything specifically about any type of vitamin D. All it said on the lab order was "vitamin D." I don't know what I was expecting. I guess I should have asked more questions.

[bhskittykatt]

Even when I got the bloodwork, they never said anything specifically about any type of vitamin D. All it said on the lab order was "vitamin D." I don't know what I was expecting. I guess I should have asked more questions.

That's D2 and D3 combined on the results. The blood test doesn't differentiate between them. (Not a doc here, just an anatomy and physiology geek.)

I'd ask the doc about if a followup is needed or not. You would think there would be one at some point to make sure you're absorbing the vitamins properly and that you're no longer deficient. You'd think there would be some sort of plan in place re-check your levels when your prescription was supposed to end. I'd ask him.