Vitamin D Deficiency

.j.e.j

Mojisola wrote: »

You have to have taken extreme amounts as a supplement to get kidney problems.

Not necessarily. What happens is it interferes with the body's ability to regulate phosphorus and calcium. Too much vitamin D will cause excess calcium to be absorbed, which will lead to kidney damage and other health problems.

It should only be taken if there is a proven medical need, ie deficiency.

Mojisola

.j.e.j wrote: »

Not necessarily. What happens is it interferes with the body's ability to regulate phosphorus and calcium. Too much vitamin D will cause excess calcium to be absorbed, which will lead to kidney damage and other health problems.

It should only be taken if there is a proven medical need, ie deficiency.

Way, way too much - for months.

The DoH recommends that people who don't get out in the middle of the day and expose their skin for long enough during the summer take 10mcg a day. In the UK we can't make vitamin D from the sun from October to April.

.j.e.j

Mojisola wrote: »

Way, way too much - for months.

The DoH recommends that people who don't get out in the middle of the day and expose their skin for long enough during the summer take 10mcg a day. In the UK we can't make vitamin D from the sun from October to April.

You don't need to - the liver stores it over the winter months, providing you get some sun during the summer. Also, many foods are fortified with vitamin D, and some contain it naturally, - mainly fish and dairy.

Feral_Moon

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi Feral Moon!
I was never actually diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The rheumatologist basically said "if the bazillion blood tests come back normal it's probably fibromyalgia" but then the vit d was almost zero and he said that explains the fibromyalgia-like symptoms. Luckily my calcium was ok so despite the bone pain I'm unlikely to have had any bone damage. He said the medication he would prescribe if it were fibromyalgia is pregabalin which is actually an anti seizure drug I believe but it changes your brain's response to pain. I don't think I would have taken it even if I had fibromyalgia. It's a very strong drug and too many likely side effects for me.

It sounds like it's definitely worth asking for a vit d test especially if you've been deficient before. Or just go straight for supplements. You've got nothing to lose. I just ordered 2000iu dosage d3 tablets from simply supplements and I think it was £6.99.
I would also maybe look into whether it's worth taking a b12 vitamin in tablet form if you can't get to appointments.
Personally if I thought I could improve my symptoms through supplements rather than a heavy duty drug I would definitely do it. Or even if it just gives some added relief on top of a prescription drug I think it's worthwhile. I'm definitely improving on the vit d in terms of pain, mood and tiredness. I still struggle some days but much less than before.
I hope you find something that works for you!!

Thanks for your response. Yes, the drugs prescribed for fibromyalgia are often psychotropic because the illness is in part psychological. The reason my GP prescribed Gabapentin over more traditional meds is because I'm also bipolar so he had to take that into consideration.

Fortunately I've had a very positive reaction to the drug and so far, and in combination with my other meds, I've never felt more stable psychologically as well as physically. But maybe it's early days yet as I've only this combination of meds a couple of months.

I will certainly look into buying D3 supplements though and yes, I need to make more of an effort to keep my nurse appts for the B12 injection.

I have an annual blood test already but it's just the general haematology and biochem tests. I've not had a full screen for vitamin deficiency, thyroid etc for a few years now. Maybe it's time I request one.

Feral_Moon

.j.e.j wrote: »

You don't need to - the liver stores it over the winter months, providing you get some sun during the summer. Also, many foods are fortified with vitamin D, and some contain it naturally, - mainly fish and dairy.

Some people can't metabolise the VitD from dietary sources.

.j.e.j

Feral_Moon wrote: »

Some people can't metabolise the VitD from dietary sources.

I'm guessing that in those cases it would show up in tests as a deficiency, in which case supplementation would be required. It just isn't required for the majority of healthy people.

Feral_Moon

.j.e.j wrote: »

I'm guessing that in those cases it would show up in tests as a deficiency, in which case supplementation would be required. It just isn't required for the majority of healthy people.

Only for those who recognise they're deficient and request appropriate blood tests. Many people are unaware they're deficient.

just_trying

Feral it's interesting what you say, I've heard/read of people being wrongly diagnosed when it was vitamin d, not fibro.

Jej, you're wrong with your info, lots of healthy people are vitamin d deficient and don't know, you would never get enough vitamin d from eggs and oily fish if you were deficient. Your calcium wouldn't necessary be lower for a long time. You would have to take extreme, really extreme amounts for it to affect your kidneys.

It's in fact now recommended you take vitamin d supplements. As far as the sun is concerned, yes it's recommended you get 10 minutes a day but the sun has to be at the right height etc, so not that straight forward.

Mojisola

.j.e.j wrote: »

You don't need to - the liver stores it over the winter months, providing you get some sun during the summer. Also, many foods are fortified with vitamin D, and some contain it naturally, - mainly fish and dairy.

You'd better tell the DoH that their advice is wrong.

divadee

I was diagnosed with vit d deficiency last year. I was out on 50,000 twice a week for 2 months and then 800 a day for maintenance. My level was down to 16, and now I am up to about 50. I am very pale skinned, don't go out in the sun without sunscreen as I burn in as little as 20 mins so I am not getting anywhere near enough vit d naturally.