# Urgent information for Vitamin D users



## backtonormal (Apr 7, 2011)

Hello all!
I'm a 46 year old Hashimoto's hypothyroid patient and I have news. It won't be "new" news to the extremely well-informed among you, but just in case you're one of those like me, who thought they were doing themselves GOOD...
I was diagnosed w/ hypo Dec 2 2010. I was very nearly comatose when I was finally diagnosed in an emergency room, TSH 194.46. Thankfully, Levothyroxine treatment has brought my level down to 15, but, I've been nearly debilitated by new symptoms that have cropped up along the way - racing/pounding heart, extreme shortness of breath, new types of swelling. My practitioner prescribed blood pressure med, which didn't help and up until I joined this forum a few days ago, I was convinced that I would go to sleep one night and just never wake up. (I couldn't get up from a sitting position without being fully winded, my heart pounded in my ears and chest - EVEN at REST - until I thought I would pass out. I would accomplish one load of laundry and have to lie down - for hours. My life was over and my husband and four children were devastated.) This has been going on since mid January, without relief, absolutely constant.
Then Andros, on this thyroid board, posted a link (which you can find if you read thru the posts of the last few days on the "Other complications" forum), which referred me to research regarding the immune system and vitamin D. I'm not going to post direct links, and you'll understand why when you begin your own research, but I'm going to tell you the name of the foundation and the protocol which has sprung up as a result of the findings. Please research the Autoimmunity Research Foundation and the Marshall Protocol. The information you find will astound you, as will the fact that over 80% of my symptoms have disappeared since I stopped taking vitamin D 4 days ago. I kid you not.
I have not arrived, I am not stabilized, but for the first time in months, I believe that I am going to live and that there is hope, afterall. ALSO, I'm not promoting anyone's products - nothing is for sale as far as I can tell - I just want everyone to know what I've learned about vitamin D.
God bless and guide you,
Jenn


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

backtonormal said:


> Hello all!
> I'm a 46 year old Hashimoto's hypothyroid patient and I have news. It won't be "new" news to the extremely well-informed among you, but just in case you're one of those like me, who thought they were doing themselves GOOD...
> I was diagnosed w/ hypo Dec 2 2010. I was very nearly comatose when I was finally diagnosed in an emergency room, TSH 194.46. Thankfully, Levothyroxine treatment has brought my level down to 15, but, I've been nearly debilitated by new symptoms that have cropped up along the way - racing/pounding heart, extreme shortness of breath, new types of swelling. My practitioner prescribed blood pressure med, which didn't help and up until I joined this forum a few days ago, I was convinced that I would go to sleep one night and just never wake up. (I couldn't get up from a sitting position without being fully winded, my heart pounded in my ears and chest - EVEN at REST - until I thought I would pass out. I would accomplish one load of laundry and have to lie down - for hours. My life was over and my husband and four children were devastated.) This has been going on since mid January, without relief, absolutely constant.
> Then Andros, on this thyroid board, posted a link (which you can find if you read thru the posts of the last few days on the "Other complications" forum), which referred me to research regarding the immune system and vitamin D. I'm not going to post direct links, and you'll understand why when you begin your own research, but I'm going to tell you the name of the foundation and the protocol which has sprung up as a result of the findings. Please research the Autoimmunity Research Foundation and the Marshall Protocol. The information you find will astound you, as will the fact that over 80% of my symptoms have disappeared since I stopped taking vitamin D 4 days ago. I kid you not.
> ...


{{{{{Jenn}}}}}

Tears are running on my end. Thank God and thank you!


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## backtonormal (Apr 7, 2011)

I'm hugging you in my mind. You get all the credit for this breakthrough!


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

This is very interesting yet very confusing information. Seems to be quite a bit of logic to it but also a lot of controversy surrounding it.

It is often recommended that many of us that live in the north and have limited opportunity to see the sun for 6 months of the year to supplement our vitamin D. I am going to have to think about that recommendation and take a closer look at my Vit D levels and my bone density. According to my OB/Gyn the primary cause of osteoperosis is not lack of calcium but instead lack of Vit D to aid in that absorption of calcium.

This is what I love about boards like this, the ability to share different pieces of information to help people piece together the info that might benefit their health and wellbeing. It really sounds like this Vit D recommendation is not a one size fits all.

Gotta research this one and look into it a little more....


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## backtonormal (Apr 7, 2011)

I'm with you Northernlite!
The really fascinating part of all this has to do with bacteria, check bacteriality!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

northernlite said:


> This is very interesting yet very confusing information. Seems to be quite a bit of logic to it but also a lot of controversy surrounding it.
> 
> It is often recommended that many of us that live in the north and have limited opportunity to see the sun for 6 months of the year to supplement our vitamin D. I am going to have to think about that recommendation and take a closer look at my Vit D levels and my bone density. According to my OB/Gyn the primary cause of osteoperosis is not lack of calcium but instead lack of Vit D to aid in that absorption of calcium.
> 
> ...


Bear in mind this applies to those who have antibodies that automatically down-regulate vitamin D to protect the body from further rise in antibodies.

I am absolutely NOT against vitamin D for those who need it and test negative for certain antibodies and autoantibodies.

Myself? I get mine from natural sources. Eat foods high in vitamin D and get outside every day for some sunshine weather permitting. Here in Ga., it permits. LOL!! Too much at times.

And may I add that this could possibly turn out to be a very good diagnostic tool? If I were a doctor and the patient was below range in D, I would run certain antibody tests. I sure would.

We get a lot of exogenous D in our diets today so I would say that below range vitamin D would be a real "red flag!"


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

backtonormal said:


> I'm hugging you in my mind. You get all the credit for this breakthrough!


Thank you for the hugs!! I love hugs! And we both know where the credit really belongs!

I still have to find the time to get into this stuff that you turned up. It "is" on desktop and I "will" get to it.


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## backtonormal (Apr 7, 2011)

Andros said:


> Thank you for the hugs!! I love hugs! And we both know where the credit really belongs!
> 
> I still have to find the time to get into this stuff that you turned up. It "is" on desktop and I "will" get to it.


 You and me both!
BTW, I'm feeling a little drained today, but I ate a lot of D-bearing foods yesterday, plus I'm trying to do a lot more. I may be one of those who has to avoid D intake altogether. There's so much information on this, and so many different variations of the Marshall Protocol....it'll cross your eyes! But I'm gonna keep working on it!
Many blessings

explode


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

backtonormal said:


> You and me both!
> BTW, I'm feeling a little drained today, but I ate a lot of D-bearing foods yesterday, plus I'm trying to do a lot more. I may be one of those who has to avoid D intake altogether. There's so much information on this, and so many different variations of the Marshall Protocol....it'll cross your eyes! But I'm gonna keep working on it!
> Many blessings
> 
> explode


You may have to avoid foods high in D. But do get just a little sun every day; not only that, your pineal gland (3rd. eye) needs to be outside a bit each to keep that circadian cycle set just right.

Plus, I wonder what the half-life of exogenous D is?

Going to see if I can find out.

Here we go.

The half-life of 25(OH)D in the circulation is reported as ≈1 mo in humans (68), the results for the submariners suggest a 2-mo half-life (Table 3). Conventional pharmacology indicates it should take 4 half-lives before a drug's 
http://www.ajcn.org/content/69/5/842.full

Unlike Vitamin C which has a half-life of 30 minutes, Vitamin D is a hormone with numerous and variable lengths of activity. Vitamin D3 (25 hydroxy vitamin D3), measured in blood tests has an approximate 2-1/2 month half-life.

This means that half of it will be gone from your body in 2-3 months, depending on the amount of sun exposure you receive each day, your diet and your activity (exercise) level. 
http://www.antioxidants-4-life.com/vitamin-d-toxicity.html


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I have been on 50K IU of D weekly for months and notice it gives me more energy I also notice it can almost make me feel hyper. Unfortunately for me as soon as I quit taking it my levels drop to below range.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Lovlkn said:


> I have been on 50K IU of D weekly for months and notice it gives me more energy I also notice it can almost make me feel hyper. Unfortunately for me as soon as I quit taking it my levels drop to below range.


Your body may be down regulating your D. How fast do your levels drop? Have you charted this?

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/arf-vdm040809.php


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## backtonormal (Apr 7, 2011)

> This means that half of it will be gone from your body in 2-3 months, depending on the amount of sun exposure you receive each day, your diet and your activity (exercise) level.


Right, and I didn't expect to feel results anytime soon. However, I think that there are a couple reasons why I felt better so quickly - I had a stomach virus (a BAD mammajamma) that started around 2 am on Wednesday, lasted thru the day on Wednesday, I couldn't even drink for about 14 hours and the _lower_ GI symptoms lasted thru Saturday night. So, while I did take my last vit D on Tuesday evening, it was violently rejected within a short time! So, actually my last dose was the Monday evening dose. Now, considering the length of time I'd been taking D with calcium citrate, about 3 years, there's no telling what kind of overload my body was tolerating. I honestly believe that discontinuing the supplement, added to the cleansing effect of the stomach virus (WHAT a price to pay!!) made a difference_ just discernable _enough for me.
I'm going for blood work, which I hope has improved a little due to the last increase in levo, and I'll talk to the nurse about tests that can evaluate my vit D level and, of course, the antibody panel has got to be done. I don't know if the vit D level will actually reveal anything, it should be low based on what we've learned about autoimmune disease...what do you think?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Andros said:


> Your body may be down regulating your D. How fast do your levels drop? Have you charted this?
> 
> http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-04/arf-vdm040809.php


I just know from how If elt 8or so weeks after stopping the 50K IU several years back - d levels went from 65 to 47 in 8 weeks or so. Then I began taking 2-3K IU daily and my doctor thought my levels were too low on that dose so he wanted me to stay o 50K IU daily. I have taken 24doses and will now take 5K IU daily. I am on the line for osteopenia/osteoperosis so the risk outweighs the gain in possible bone mass for me.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

backtonormal said:


> Right, and I didn't expect to feel results anytime soon. However, I think that there are a couple reasons why I felt better so quickly - I had a stomach virus (a BAD mammajamma) that started around 2 am on Wednesday, lasted thru the day on Wednesday, I couldn't even drink for about 14 hours and the _lower_ GI symptoms lasted thru Saturday night. So, while I did take my last vit D on Tuesday evening, it was violently rejected within a short time! So, actually my last dose was the Monday evening dose. Now, considering the length of time I'd been taking D with calcium citrate, about 3 years, there's no telling what kind of overload my body was tolerating. I honestly believe that discontinuing the supplement, added to the cleansing effect of the stomach virus (WHAT a price to pay!!) made a difference_ just discernable _enough for me.
> I'm going for blood work, which I hope has improved a little due to the last increase in levo, and I'll talk to the nurse about tests that can evaluate my vit D level and, of course, the antibody panel has got to be done. I don't know if the vit D level will actually reveal anything, it should be low based on what we've learned about autoimmune disease...what do you think?


I think what you think; absolutely. (about the low D) And,my goodness! I sure am sorry you had some kind of virus! It sounds like it was really bad!

Can't wait to see your lab work results and ranges if you care to share.


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