Vitamin d

[hatsofftoyouall]

I'm dealing with menopause so it could be that.

Been hypothyroid for all my adult life. Only really had big issues with joint pain etc in peri menopause after having children.

My vit d in the past is always around 70. However I was taking the better 3000 spray last year but stopped around March this year. Latest test last week was 74. So "good" but not optimal and even the Gp app I have has a range of 75-150 listed. I'm using more sun cream than I used to as I find my skin is more sensitive with age. I've also found aches and pains and stamina has got worse over the last few months.

Has raising from this level helped your aches and pains? Feet and lower back especially. Recently upper back too.

I'm giving it a go over the next two months (with vit K) to rule that out before I both continue raising oestrogen persue testosterone and then ask if actually, I have osteoarthritis.

My thyroid levels are really good and stable.

Watching with interest. I’m on a double dose of prescription vitamin D and they mark my 54 results as ‘normal’ even though I know it needs to be over 75 for bone protection so interested to hear what levels other peoples GP’s are happy with.

I do have diagnosed osteoarthritis though, so those joints hurt, but the bone pain I experienced when I was deficient in vitamin D has gone. Are you on HRT? Joint pain is really common in peri/menopause.

Well I can be the test subject then !

Yes I'm on hrt and actually that could well be the issue. I know that in May my oestrogen was not high enough for bone protection despite patches. I had loads of meno symptoms. I'd also been on a little too much thyroxine, now ok, but obviously worry about bone density.

I'm slowly moving up my hrt patches. The last oestrogen test level on 75s still wasn't really what the Gp would like to see, and I did still have occasional night hot flushes and insomnia. It's possible I may need 125 eventually but it's early days on 100.

I suppose I'm querying the vit d level and if it will help going higher. If that's now after the summer and even some supplementation earlier this year I do think I should supplement over the winter.

You say over 75 for bones? I've not seen that before

I have the Airmid app that accesses my nhs Gp records. On the vit d test record the range says 75-200 (or 150, can't quite remember). But definitely over 75.

I've just gone into my airmid to check as my vit D is 50.4 with over 50 being okay...

As that's the end of the summer I'm assuming I should supplement? Do I just start taking them?

As in over 50 is marked as normal on my airmid.

Am then deficient?

It's a mine field. The usual longer record for vit d, with the list of ranges, tends to say adequate for around that level and optimal for over 75 🤷🏻‍♀️

I personally would at that level for the winter.

Ive been taking vitamin d3 for the whole of lockdown and up until may (as it got sunny then so that should be enough providing I go out in it for 20mins a day) and my joints all still hurt and I can only assume it’s as im peri.

But they hurt less when I started taking Seven Seas Jointcare Supplex morning and night. Costs £6 in Asda. Took three days to kick in. It literally picks my joints!

Will go back on D3 too come next month as the sun will be too weak to do much good.

Oils not picks. Stupid spellcheck

Ok so it may or may not do anything. Worth a shot but I suppose I won't know if it's the hrt.

I'll look at the seven seas thing too thanks. Do take fish oils though

I take 4000 iu every day, high amounts are meant to help PCOS. Have not noticed one shred of difference and have been taking for over six months now.

Not according to our lab and my Dr. 50 is normal range but over 75 offers bone protection, not all labs have the same reference ranges though due to differences in equipment.

www.southtees.nhs.uk/services/pathology/tests/vitamin-d/

Seems bizarre that at 50.4 it's just put on the "sufficient" pile and I wasn't told to supplement! I'm so surprised it's low after summer!

As an aside, I met S Pearce once; he was heavily involved with the British Thyroid Association and did a talk. Yonks ago.

I think given that I've been heavily in peri for the last 3 years, breastfeeding and had fluctuating thyroid levels and lots of aches and pains during that time, I'm going to see if I can be "optimal" rather than "adequate."

It's only going to help to supplement from now on I feel sunflower. U.K. nhs guidelines are to generally supplement during winter anyway.

There's a number of helpful threads on mn which describe raising your blood test levels by 25 for every 1000ug. So a 3000 spray taken daily should after a few months have raised by 75. But probably best to monitor with a test.

OP, I took fish oils too but that seven seas other stuff for me was a game changer.

All the other omega and cod liver oils didn’t give me the same improvements as I get with that stuff. Worth a try if you can afford one box, as it kicks in quickly so you’ll know whether or not you need to buy any more.

I hope it works for you like it has for me.

Ok thanks, I'll have a look.

I was looking for anything Louise Newson has written on vit d but I think it's been on podcasts (that I heard.)

I did however find this accidentally which explains the way the guide is set out.

Basically the U.K. is set too low (these drs think) though I think it may have changed now to above 50? The American academy of endocrinology says over 75, hence the "optimal" label.

www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/21/1/e48

Same, I don't take it for PCOS but I was massively deficient (level of 12)
Did a high dose course and now take 4000 daily. Feel exactly the same

I'm interested in this as well as my levels really fluctuate and I have joint pain. Had my hormones done and have seen the results but not spoken to doctor. Does anyone have a view on optimal oestrogen levels pre ovulation? Mine were 244 pmol on day 7

During peri menopause oestrogen tests are not useful. My Gp said that when on hrt it's supposed to be a consistent level (though I'm not sure I experience it like that!) so they do test to see how you are absorbing. actual tests have been fairly consistent with hrt raises though. - Accidentally taken around low oestrogen times however
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