# Low Vitamin D



## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

I found out my vitamin D is low. It's 21 and should be at least 30 according to the doctor, so I was prescribed Vitamin D 50,000 IU. It's one pill per week for three months, then switch to a maintenance dose. My parathormone was high - 47. I don't have ranges yet. I wasn't surprised because I've been feeling pretty bad lately (almost daily headaches, lots of fatigue, heart palpitations, etc.).

Has anyone here been on a high dose of Vitamin D? How long did it take for you to feel better?

Btw, my thyroid diagnosis is autoimmune thyroid disease/maybe Graves, multinodular goiter and subclinical hyperthyroidism.


----------



## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

I'm also on the same here. I was done with my dose and started to feel tired, guess when you go off the D you start to crash. I was feeling great until treatment, then I started to have all kinds of graves related symptoms and now feel crappy ;o{ This seems to be a try this and wait kind of thing for me.


----------



## nicole0310 (Sep 7, 2010)

I am on the same dosage and have been on it for about a year with not much change. My last blood work in May I was at 27.59 normal range 30. I have Hashi's with a multi nodular goiter. I still feel very tired and have no energy.


----------



## amourdunmonstre (Oct 8, 2013)

I take 5,000 IU vitamin D daily, and my level is at 94 (30-100). I've read it takes several months of supplementation to normalize your blood level, but I'm not sure how different diseases and syndromes affect absorption of oral supplements.


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I started with the 50K IU for 12 weeks, I began with a maintenance dose of 2K IU and had to increase as time went by.

In order for me to stay in decent range I now take 5K IU 6 days a week.

One thing I have noticed is if my D gets to top range it makes me feel hyper.

I'm posting my lab history to give you an idea of how to maintain and dose yourself.

5/09 26.5 starting
8/09 51.1 (32-100) 12 wks @ 50K IU weekly (32-100)
11/09 41.3 no maintenance at this time
Current dosage is 2000 -3 K IU daily 
7/10 62.3 - will increase to 4K IU daily
8/11 92.9 - 5k IU daily
4/12 60.9 - 5KIU 4x wk
10/12 63.5 - 5KIU 6x wk
8/13 75.3 - 5KIU 6x wk


----------



## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I guess it's just a try it and hope it works type of thing. I was reading user reviews of 50K D supplements on a drug review site and some people said it really helped give them their energy back and the others didn't notice a change at all.

I haven't had any headaches since I started, but that could just be a coincidence. And thanks Lovlkn for posting the lab numbers. Very helpful


----------



## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

curious - what kind of doctor recommended that high of a dose for that long? Were your levels really low? thanks

My endo said -- 2,000 per day


----------



## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

Swimmer said:


> curious - what kind of doctor recommended that high of a dose for that long? Were your levels really low? thanks
> 
> My endo said -- 2,000 per day


An endo prescribed it. My level was 21 and they said it should be at least 30. It's only one 50K pill per week.


----------



## aggierose (Oct 11, 2013)

Does anyone know if there are certain levels your Vit D should be when taking specific amounts of supplements? As in, if you're consistently taking 5K/day your levels should be at least "x"? I'm asking because I've been taking 5K/day for about 9 months and my levels are still in the low 40's. I know that's within the normal range, but still seems low for taking a high dose everyday.


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

aggierose said:


> Does anyone know if there are certain levels your Vit D should be when taking specific amounts of supplements? As in, if you're consistently taking 5K/day your levels should be at least "x"? I'm asking because I've been taking 5K/day for about 9 months and my levels are still in the low 40's. I know that's within the normal range, but still seems low for taking a high dose everyday.


We all process supplements differently. I also think D takes a long time to build up in your system.

Some supplements have fillers - maybe you should try a new manufacturer to see if your levels go higher.


----------



## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

So I’ve been on the Vitamin D for about a month now and it seems to be helping with the fatigue quite a bit. I’ve only had a few headaches instead of the daily headaches I’d been having. Coincidentally, my hyperthyroid symptoms like heart palpitations, fast pulse, stomach issues, hair loss, etc. have gone away. I’m not on any meds, so I have no idea what happened. I added Selenium to the list of basic vitamins I'm taking, but that's it. Anyways…I go back to the Dr. next month for re-testing and follow-up. Now if these stupid thyroid nodules would go away...wishful thinking!


----------



## Prolixity2013 (Nov 8, 2013)

On my local news a while back, a report was given about Vit D supplements and the best ones which actually provided the dose stated on the bottle. Costco's brand rated the highest.

My recent test showed my level was 33, R: 30.0 - 80.0. I consider that too low even though my endo did not recommend taking more. At the time I took 4000 I.U.s per day. I recently increased it to 5600 per day in divided doses. The test indicates that 21 - 29 is insufficient and below or equal to 20 is deficient. Maybe I will take 2000 more for a bit because winter is coming here and the hours of sunlight are few.


----------



## jade (Aug 6, 2013)

Thanx for the info, Prolixity2013. I'm not a Costco member but there's one close by. I've probably been Vitamin D deficient for a long time. I've had horrible fatigue and wasn't sure what was causing it. Since I've been on the Vitamin D my energy level is more normal. I wish I'd been tested a long time ago.


----------



## BlindMag (May 17, 2013)

My vitamin D tested low (28.9) about 8 weeks ago at my last appointment so I was put on the 50,000 ui a week pill. I just got tested again and got my results back - 28.4! My doctor just said to keep taking the once a week pills and maybe it'll start working? Anyone know why it wouldn't be working?

-Maggie


----------



## Monokera (Aug 20, 2013)

Why does it seem vit D is low with so many of us?


----------



## LMSchune (May 30, 2013)

My latest bloodwork shows I am deficient in Vitamin D, as well as B2 and possibly ferritin (waiting on lab):

Vitamin D, 24 (30-100)

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin; <5 (6.2-39)

Iron % saturation; 13 (15-50)

My doctor wants to 'talk'  to me about these results Thursday, but I have no idea what he is going to say - pills, shots, you-are-fine-here-are-some-anti-depressants...

Does anyone take vit D shots in lieu of pills? I have heard that oral supplements and vitamins are typically a waste of money as they are not absorbed that well by the body, and you end up peeing out most of it.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Unfortunately, the body w/autoimmune automatically down regulates the vitamin D because it triggers the antibodies.

I believe the same thing is true w/ferritin.

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

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/vitamin_d_more_may_not_be_better

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130501192929.htm


----------



## thumper54 (Sep 2, 2013)

I too have always struggled with Vit D even though I take 5000mg a day, but I just got tested after becoming hyper and both my ferritin and my Vit D jumped up about 50%. I was tested after being on anti thyroid meds and taking prednisone so I don't know if these affected the levels. I can't believe the Vit D is really that high because my teeth hurt and my gums are bleeding which is how I've been able to tell that I'm deficient (and then the blood test verifies). Thus far all antibody testing has shown it's there, but not high, ie: ThyrAb <25 so I can't even blame my low levels on antibodies. Anyone else also fight anemia?


----------



## ssMarilyn (Nov 15, 2013)

Monokera said:


> Why does it seem vit D is low with so many of us?


Our vit D levels are low in so many of us because of our over-use of sunscreen. We're supposed to get approx. 15 minutes of sun, afternoon sun, a day, with NO sunscreen. If you stay out after 20 mins or so, you can then put on sunscreen. I've read this in many books written by MD's. My MD/NA had me take 10,000 a day because we couldn't get a smaller dosage to get my D levels over 30. I'm at 34 now and feel much better. I take 5,000 - 9,000 units of D3 a day now.


----------

