Calcitriol Tips from Pharmacists

• You can take calcitriol with or without meals. However, try to take your medicine at around the same time every day.

• Store the oral liquid of calcitriol at room temperature. The oral solution comes with single-use dispensers. Use each disposable dispenser once to measure the dose and discard it.

• Keep all your medical and lab appointments. Your doctor will order laboratory tests to check calcium levels and may need to stop your calcitriol prescription for some time if your calcium levels are high.

• Do not take calcium supplementation or other vitamin D compounds during treatment with calcitriol without checking with your doctor. This can lead to hypercalcemia and vitamin D toxicity (excessive vitamin D and calcium) and cause serious side effects.

• Check with your doctor before taking over-the-counter laxatives and antacids. These products contain calcium and magnesium and can interfere with calcitriol.