Large doses of Vitamin D??

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Lily Mae - 05 Apr 2004 18:31 GMT

Has anybody had any experience with this regimen and the side effects
involved? It's legitimate but dangerous I think!! My mom has lung cancer
that is in remission currently. It was stage 3b in the beginning. She's had
a rough road for 2 years. Husband died, sister died, brother has lung cancer
and aspestidosis(sp) too, she had to move closer to us, her children. She
has no energy now and was recovering well. All her bloodwork comes back
fine. She also has a hiatal hernia. It's been 2 years and 1 year since
radiation and chemotherapy. She had 3 back operations for crushed disk due
to radiation damage. Of course she has osteoporosis now too. I tell her to
exercise all she can but it seems that currently daily life is her exercise.
Thanks for any of your info

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J - 05 Apr 2004 19:54 GMT

> Has anybody had any experience with this regimen and the side effects
> involved? It's legitimate but dangerous I think!! My mom has lung cancer
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> exercise all she can but it seems that currently daily life is her exercise.
> Thanks for any of your info

Hello and welcome to alt.support.cancer
I'm sorry there's so much illness and death in your family recently.

If she's following her doctor's advice, then there's no problem.
If she's not, then she should be talking to her doctor about what to take and
doses.

There's also prescribed meds for bones but the names of them escape me at the
moment.

Here's what I think is a good (general) source of information about Vitamin D
http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/supplements/vitd.html
It is especially important for individuals with limited sun exposure to include
good sources of vitamin D in their diet.
The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of
calcium and phosphorus (4). Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping
to form and maintain strong bones. It promotes bone mineralization in concert
with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones. Without vitamin D,
bones can become thin, brittle, soft, or misshapen. [end quoted material]

Mom had back problems long before the lung cancer. She was in a great deal of
pain and could not always walk nor sit up (in her late 60's and early 70's).
I'm unsure what you are asking and/or the age of your Mom, but perhaps you could
go with her to her doctors and ask if it's time for palliative care at home? (ie
what can be done to improve your Mom's quality of life and address your
concerns).

Keep in touch and let us know how it's going.
Sending warm hugs to you and yours,
J - not a doctor
PS Lying down soon after meals can exacerbate hiatal hernia symptoms (some of us
call it GERD - gastro reflux). There's medications for that also, but if she's
lying down quite a bit, raising the head of the bed by putting phone books
under the legs of the bed, may help.

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Lily Mae - 05 Apr 2004 23:51 GMT

> > Has anybody had any experience with this regimen and the side effects
> > involved? It's legitimate but dangerous I think!! My mom has lung cancer
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Hello and welcome to alt.support.cancer
> I'm sorry there's so much illness and death in your family recently.

Hi, and thanks for the welcome. Her Vitamin D is for the calcium absorbsion
and it is perscribed by a doctor. She is on Fosomax too.

> If she's following her doctor's advice, then there's no problem.
> If she's not, then she should be talking to her doctor about what to take and
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> what can be done to improve your Mom's quality of life and address your
> concerns).

Mom is 69 and my brother and I go with her to appointment with the
oncologists but she hates losing her independence so when she feels well we
let her do her regular dr appointments. She refused me and her best friends
help today and then she get so tired waiting in line at the pharmacy. She
had to go to 3 in order to get Oxycodone. I will mention the lying down to
her. She can't lay in her bed. She sleeps in her recliner, but I've seen her
push back in it after meals. The dr has her on Prilosec. I will keep in
touch because I'm an information hound. Mom won't do computers :-)
P.s I'm 49 years old and a wreck from worry. I'm trying to take care of
myself now. I used to be very much in shape. I haven't exercised in 2 years
and put on 50 lbs in 4 months. I'm dieting and going to Curves now to get
motivated enough to do exercise at home. I have tons of equipement. I turn
50 in December and like Oprah I want to turn my life around. After losing
just 15 pounds my feet don't ache and I can go down stairs one step at a
time instead of two feet on each step. That's a big improvement.
Thanks again, Lily Mae

> Keep in touch and let us know how it's going.
> Sending warm hugs to you and yours,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> lying down quite a bit, raising the head of the bed by putting phone books
> under the legs of the bed, may help.

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J - 06 Apr 2004 12:30 GMT

> Hi, and thanks for the welcome. Her Vitamin D is for the calcium absorbsion
> and it is perscribed by a doctor. She is on Fosomax too.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> time instead of two feet on each step. That's a big improvement.
> Thanks again, Lily Mae

I am happy to hear that she is mobile (getting around when she can).
It sounds to me that her doctor is doing what's right for the osteoporosis and
GERD and even if she had a large (sizes vary) hiatal hernia, surgery would not
be an option.
Would (s)he be checking her blood pressure? Vitamin B12 and anemia levels?

It's a difficult situation.
Perhaps her doctor could check her oxygen levels - I think it's a finger prick
test and for diabetes ( I just had a 2-hour glucose challenge and my friend
tells me I should have had a 6-hour one). Not an easy test to just be sitting
around and waiting, but they have to monitor a person to make sure they're okay
during the test.

If the former, she would need oxygen (which I think is very expensive) and if
the latter, some dietary rules/changes.
If you can try to stop her from "pushing back" so far (after meals), that might
help a little.
She's far enough out from the treatments (and/or surgery) that side effects
would not be in the picture.
If she had surgery, perhaps she lost some lung function and she's at her maximum
capacity now, although they say that walking might improve that some, but since
she's got disc and other back problems, we're back into difficulties.

Is it an availability problem with the drug stores? Or is she going to the best
price? Or gets tired of waitng in line? If so, is there a light-weight
collapsible "stool" she can take with her ?
Perhaps calling ahead if it's availability or pricing? I know it's not easy at
pharmacies right now. My friend had to make 3 trips in for her asthma med, some
bureaucratic foulup. My drugstore has been ticking me off, either they mess up
the prescription or I go in and they're all behind a counter with their heads
down and ignore people standing at the counter. It looks to me like they're all
hoping the "other one' will take care of it. Maybe next time, I'll take a cow
bell and ring it until someone comes to the counter <smile>

Your brother and you are doing the best you can for her. Know that in your head
and your heart.
Try not to worry, there's only so much that's under our control.

(has your thyroid been checked? - 50 pound weight gain in 4 months?)
Congratulations on the weight loss Lily Mae !

Keep in touch and let us know how you and your mother and brother are doing.
Take care of you,
J

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Steph - 06 Apr 2004 02:43 GMT

> Has anybody had any experience with this regimen and the side effects
> involved? It's legitimate but dangerous I think!! My mom has lung cancer
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> radiation and chemotherapy. She had 3 back operations for crushed disk due
> to radiation damage.

I don't think so...........

> Of course she has osteoporosis now too. I tell her to
> exercise all she can but it seems that currently daily life is her exercise.
> Thanks for any of your info

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