Why vitamin D is so important for people with RA: Part 1

Christine Miller Living With It I was diagnosed as a toddler with JRA and since then have gone... Send Message Subscribe: Christine Miller

Friday, July 11, 2008
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ave you seen the recent news about how Vitamin D may be underestimated for its health benefits and how Americans may be terribily deficient in the vitamin? We can let the scientists battle that out, but Vitmain D may be important for those of us with Rheumatoid Arthritis. What is vi...

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Vit D for RA
bon410
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 10:25 AM

At least 15 years ago my Rheumatologist put me on 800 units of Vit. D. That is a high dosage but it was so my bones would absorb Vit. D. I did fine on this but when I moved to Louisiana the doctors here refused to write the prescription. The doctor who prescribed it for me was into research and was very sharp. She taught also. Now all the Vit I get is what is in the calcium caps I get from Walmart and a little sun shine.

re: Vit D for RA
wendy
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 11:00 AM

I take 2000 IU's of vitamin D daily--1000 in my multivitamin and 1000 from an inexpensive capsule available over the counter.

Vitamin D
Wendy
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 10:55 AM

I know that Vitamin D is crucial for Osteoporosis patients, but this "simple" test is quite expensive. My 2 recent tests cost $240 each.

re: Vitamin D
Christine Miller
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 12:25 PM

Yes, You're right, it can be expensive. And insurance companies vary on if, when and how much of the test they will cover. As a side note, I've found that my doctors' and lab centers bill really high charges for most blood work blood work and other labs. When insurance covers it, we don't see how expensive everything really is (and I'm sometimes appalled when I ask my physicians what a prescription or a test will cost and they have no idea). I recently got a bill for $650 for for one piece of lab work taken during a procedure. Luckily, when I called to question the bill, the insurance company recognized its error in not covering it the first time.