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do vitamin D injections exist on the NHS? does it have side effects?

Posted , 12 users are following.

alabama231
alabama231

Hello,

At the start of the summer I was diagnosed with vitamin d insufficency, at first I was advised to change my diet (all the foods i eat are already fortified with vitamin d so little chance of significant change there) and to purchase an over the counter supplement. I ended up trialling three differnet kinds, one from a super market, one from a health food store and even a childs version but I had such poor tolerance to them that I had to stop (my symptoms included abdo distention / urgency of needing to go to the toilet to pass stool / abdo pain / loose stools - basically exacerbation of my IBS)

So I went back to the GP and he prescribed me adcal D3, two tablets twice a day, in terms of tolerance I managed to take half the dosage with no GI side affects, but upon rechecking my vitamin d levels were lower than they were at the start of the summer (i was advised to stop the adcal D3 for a month and then get it rechecked)

due to this my GP has prescribed me Desunin two tables twice a day, but again this exacerbates my GI disturbances (I can't take alternatives due to my peanut allergy).

what I want to know is, do vitamin d injections exist in the UK on the NHS?? I have previously spoken to my GP about an injection and he assures me no such thing exists yet doing a google search seems to imply an injection does exist (although i fear a high dose injection with exacerbate GI disturbances even more)

any advice or even words of comfort would be greatly appreciated as my constant exhaustion and aches can get quite depressing

0 likes, 25 replies

25 Replies

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  • karishma123
    karishma123 alabama231

    Posted

    Hi, can u help me if u have same or cme acros any similar case.

    Actually I am worrying about side effects of injections. I am taking multivitamin injections due to iron def and low b12. Have taken only 2 times so far and from yesterday noticing tiny shiny red spot. id noticed 4-5 such spots on my arms and two at my back. Is this a side effect of injection or what. Have u seen anyone getting such spot after taking multi vitamin injections.

    Thanks reema

  • louise70751
    louise70751 alabama231

    Posted

    Hi - I don't know if you've had the answer you need yet but I've just had a vitamin D injection today (on the NHS) via the nurse at my local GP practice, so I guess they are available on the NHS.  My Vit D levels where really low and this came up, as they'd tested my calcium levels that were low too (I think a vit D deficiency prevents calcium being absorbed in your body).  Have you actually had blood tests from your GP that show you are lacking in vit D?  Apparently anyone with a 'score' of under 30/35 (i'm not sure what it's out of - 100.. 1000?!) is classed as deficient but my rating was down at 12, which was extremely low, hence the injection...  Maybe the GP doesn't think your levels are low enough to need an injection, so they're suggesting supplements instead? 

    Anyway - I hope you get it sorted. 

    On another note, I suffered for most of my 20's and 30's with severe IBS symptoms and was in and out of hospital for tests and even hospitalised one time on a drip for 10 days, as I couldn't eat anything without being violently ill.  About 8 months ago I totally cut wheat and gluten out of my diet and I'm honestly like a different person and don't get ill with my stomach any more.  Maybe that's worth a try if you haven't already?  I really doubted it would help but am absolutely amazed at the result.

    Best of luck, Lx

    • alabama231
      alabama231 louise70751

      Posted

      hi! thanks for you comment. My level was 40 I believe, so I am only insuffient. My GP was adament that injections don't exist and that they would never even consider such a thing (this was despite me googling and printing things out that shows my Trust's clinical comissioning group do have injections as part of their vitamin D management policy!!). My GP kept telling me that oral supplement is the first line advice and thats what we should do!! He refused to believe me that I was having GI side affects and fobbed me off by saying he was going to speak with a colleague and get back to me the following week. almost 3months later and I still haven't heard back from him!!! 

      in this time I have been using the vitamin D spray from Holland and Barrets and I did feel better on it, still tired but everyday levels of tiredness instead of the severe exhaustion I used to feel. But this last couple of weeks the crippling exhaustion I used to feel seems to be coming back.

      I am due to be re-tested in the next couple of weeks

  • hunny59
    hunny59 alabama231

    Posted

    Although this is a late reply and may no longer be valid, you may want to think about a softgel version of D3 - this will minimise the fillers you get with some of the tablets on the market.  (Doctor's Best D3 has no fillers).  This makes it easier to absorb.  If your D3 is still low, you probably need to be thinking about 10000iu per day to increase your serum level and take with Vitamin K2 as a cofactor.  As D3 is fat soluble, it's best taken with food containing healthy fats.  FYI the ones prescribed by GPs in the UK are packed with fillers.  Not surprised you had a reaction to them :-\
  • frankiefoo
    frankiefoo alabama231

    Posted

    Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) injections of 300,000 IU exist on the NHS... However  your levels need to be severely low before you're even referred for an injection, and that is only after the oral forms are prescribed or supplied by yourself for at least 2 months first. Severe vitamin D deficiency is Osteomalacia (adult rickets) meaning soft bones. Alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme produced by osteoblasts (bone-producing cells), is raised in osteomalacia.

    Parathyroid hormone, produced by the parathyroid gland, is raised as part of your body’s reaction to the condition.

    Blood tests will be able to rule out some of the rarer causes of the condition, while an x-ray may show any cracks or fractures in your bones.- See more at: http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions/osteomalacia/diagnosis.aspx#sthash.t0obtgzY.dpuf

    • m63887
      m63887 frankiefoo

      Posted

      After a random test I discovered my vitamin D level was 12 nmol/L!

      i was given one month of 3,200 IU in a day then 800 IU per day long term

      I  have just seen the consultant who said it should have been a dose of 40,000 in a once a week dose (so nearly 6,000 a day) until the level was at optimal then maintenance dose of, I suppose the 800 IU a day. 

      6 months later my vitamin D is now 46 nmol/L which the GP says is normal. What do you think? I think it's still too low even the lab stated that 75- 100 ugl/L is the optimal level. I fear that the rise to 46 is mainly due to my deliberate regime of sunbathing over the last few months and that over the next 5 colder months my level will drop again because I probably don't absorption dietary Vitamin D and other nutrients.

      I have had malabsorption problems (of secondary bile acids) for about 6 years but it was only last March that they thought to test my vitamin D levels. This has undermined my confidence in my healthcare. I had to ask for other fat soluble vitamins and nutrients, although these are not so low as Vitamin D.

      interested in any comments or similar experience or symptoms.

  • frankiefoo
    frankiefoo alabama231

    Posted

    As with all injections, there are side-effects to an extremely high dose of vitamin D2. But the side-effects outweight the exteme pain caused by vitamin D deficiency, so is worth it in my opinion and is not toxic nor does it cause serious harm to the body, whereas continuing without supplementation DOES. 

    If your levels are below 10nmol/litre then you can insist on having an injection if oral forms of supplementation causes you stomach problems. Otherwise an easier form of supplementation is a vegan vitamin D3 derived from lichen (moss) in a spray. 1000 IU a day might be all you need to raise your levels from 40 to normal = 75-80 nmol/litre and then 250 IU a day to maintain them at that level. 

    I do hope you're feeling much better by now and managed to get your levels a bit higher. Keep supplementing then once the sunshine comes back (?) expose yourself to UVB rays every day possible for at least 15 minutes a day - that's the natural and best way to get your vitamin D.

    All the best. x

  • steven_05090
    steven_05090 alabama231

    Posted

    Hi Alabama231,

    In regard to your GI symptoms I would ask your GP for a calorotectin test if this is abnormal they should arrange a colonoscopy for you....sometimes your inflammatory markers aren't raised when you have inflammation.

    Good luck

  • m63887
    m63887 alabama231

    Posted

    What was your vitamin D level when it was at it's lowest?

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