Calcium and Vitamin D for bone density

Hi, I have fibromyalgia and get horrible burning in my legs. The only thing that has helped is Gabapentin which a dr needs to prescribe. Hope this helps.

Thank you for this information! Did you discuss these supplements with your doctor or did you try them on your own? Feel well.

@kahli Thanks for your response I have had my magnesium checked and it is within normal limits. I have fibromyalgia and Dr. did subscribe Gabapentin but the dose doesn't agree with my so I will talk to her about reducing the dose to see if it will work out . The fibro group stated that more magnesium is needed for us fibro folks so I take 450mg but my labs are all within normal limits for this so it maybe something you @janett18 may want to talk over with your Dr. like I'm going with gabapentin.

@kahli I’ve seen vitamin K mentioned a couple of times. What does that contribute?
JK

Vitamin K2 makes sure the calcium goes to the bones and not to the arteries and other places. I will try to find time to get you some references for that statement. I just wanted to answer you quickly.

The best way to tell if you are taking too much magnesium is that you will get diarrhea. 400 mg is my magic number, but my friend needs more than 500 mg. Take what works for your body.

@parrotqueen thanks. With that to go on I can do some research myself, I don’t want to put you out. Is there a lab test for vitamin K like there is for D? I really do not understand why my PCP prescribed D2, not D3 either.

Before my transplant I was taking 400 mg of magnesium two times a day.
JK

I have been sickly since I was a child. I have more than 15 autoimmune diseases, a pituitary tumor, no immune system, and more! I started taking Vitamin C when I was a teenager because I had a cold every week! (I had my tonsils out when I was 18 and that stopped that at least.). But I had that undiagnosed pituitary tumor and I didn't know why I had all these other symptoms (my adrenals weren't working, I didn't have any Human Growth Hormone, my thyroid wasn't working, etc.). I started experimenting with other supplements. I had a very bad skin disease called Hidradenitis suppurativa that didn't really have many treatment options back in 1976 - but I learned that people in India didn't suffer from that disease - and I learned that it was because they eat a lot of turmeric. I began taking turmeric and my skin disease went away (my arthritis also thanked me). This led me to look for other remedies amongst the vitamins and herbs. Also, doctors used antibiotics on me so much, I became resistant to all but the three IV hospital antibiotics such as vancomycin. My infectious disease doctor told me to look at herbs for answers. I should also say that I worked in one of the first biotechnology research labs (where polymerase chain reaction was discovered!) with many scientists and doctors, and there were many conversations about healthcare. I do extensive research - and as I have mentioned here before (I know we are not supposed to mention websites - but this one was allowed) - I am also a member of ConsumerLab.com which is a consumer watchdog group for supplements. They post MANY peer-reviewed research papers about vitamins and herbs, and they test supplements to be sure they are what they say they are and do not have anything else in them, they are the strength they say they are, they are in a form that can be used by the body (some of these pills don't come apart fast enough in the body - so the pills go right through you), etc. I try to be as informed as I can be before I take a supplement. Finally, because my adrenals do not work, I must take a low dose steroid pill daily. Steroids, antibiotics, hormones and stress are some of the things that can disrupt the balance in your gut and cause Candida overgrowth. This is not a problem that most doctors will acknowledge. I became very ill and could not leave the house for three years. I finally figured out I had Candida overgrowth, and I treated it myself with probiotics, herbal antifungals, and a no-sugar diet. To see a functional doctor for this problem would have easily cost me $2,000 for the first visit. I decided I would educate myself, and that is what I have done. I read everything I can get my hands on that talk about gut health. Hipppocrates said that all disease begins in the gut and I think he was probably correct. My body is turning around big time since I embraced this diet. From my teeth to my toes, everything is healing - even though I am 68 and almost 69. I had pre-cancerous cells in my gut, and they are gone now! So that is my history with herbs and vitamins. I learn a lot from being in online support groups also. I get ideas from other people (like you) and that leads me to do some investigating. One last thing I'd like to say: When I was 61, my parrots' veterinarian (!!!) called me at home to discuss my thyroid. He suggested I try Armour Thyroid because I complained I never felt any benefit from taking synthetic thyroid meds. What a huge boost that was to my system! So I have learned throughout the years to always question my medications and to keep looking until I find what works.

D2 is a plant-based form of vitamin D and is not as well absorbed as D3 is. I've always been told to stick with cholecalciferol. I would be interested to know why your doctor prescribed D2 also.

I give up on mg and understanding how it works. I'm now taking a calcium pill that has 1,000 mg of magnesium - which would normally be a massive overdose for me. I decided to try it and I'm not having an issue. I'm sure it must be measured some other way - I need to look into it. It doesn't surprise me then that you could take 400 mg twice a day! I need to read the label of this new calcium this weekend - it has been perplexing me.

Regarding a test for Vitamin K2 - there is not one yet that I know of. My doctor was concerned about the supplement I'm using for vitamin K2 - she wants me to take it every other day. There is no hypervitaminosis with Vitamin K2. Also, the most common recommended dose I see is 45 mg or 45,000 mcg. There was something about K2 on You Tube that I watched - and there are books about K2. If you go to Amazon, there are maybe 5-6 books on Vitamin K2. One that is quoted a lot is Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox (I think that is the name - if you type in Calcium Paradox the book will come up).