Please simplify taking Vitamin D for me

[kissedbyamoonbeammyarse]

Please may I get some advice and experiences re vit d? I have been diagnosed with low vitamin d. Below 20. Gp has me on Accret D3 calcium/vit d. 2 daily gives 2 x 400 IU. Vitamin D council say 5000 IU up to 10000 IU. I have been taking them for 2 weeks and do feel a little bit better already, it takes a while I think to really feel the difference? I wondered if my dose is enough? Should I get back to the gp and ask for an increase? Thank you.

To me 800 IU sounds a bit low, I take 5000IU daily with no diagnosed low vitD. However, you are under the care of a doctor, and there are reasons to avoid high dosage vitD.

It’s worth googling “vitamin D protocol + [where you live]”. I’m looking at the protocol for Suffolk, which says that for your level, you should have 50,000iu daily for 14 days, then wait three weeks and be re-tested. The protocol for my area says 50,000iu a week for six weeks. 800iu daily is not now regarded as even a maintenance dose.

Check your local protocol against what your GP has done and if they don’t accord (as I suspect they won’t), print it and go back and see him.

Raising vitamin D levels is, in my experience, one way to feel appreciably better in a relatively short time.

I googled. In our area 800 IU is recommended to maintain levels of vitamin d.
Other than that, it doesn't deal with deficiency other than an attachment that says if you are treating bones 800 IU would take a year to replenish bones, higher doses are recommended. As far as I am aware my bones are fine. Just tiredness and brain fog.
It was interesting reading. Obviously what the gp is following. It doesn't address what to do with a patient already deficient.
I am going to read the page again. Make sure I haven't missed something.
Thank you for the responses.

Ah. Found another attachment. Its not available at the moment, hopefully its just a temporary glitch and I can access it later.

It's probably cheaper to buy vitamin d OTC rather than on prescription. 800 IU per day is too low if your level is 20. It will take ages to see a real improvement to over 50 on that dose (I didn't start to feel right until my levels were 85+) I take 5000 IU Vit D3 daily. I buy bio vitamin d3 from my local health food shop, it's £9.95 for 40 capsules. Dare I suggest better value than your current prescription? This has been the best winter I've had for ages thanks to Vit D supplementation, my seasonal tennis elbow of about 9 years duration has all but disappeared.

It's probably cheaper to buy vitamin d OTC rather than on prescription. 800 IU per day is too low if your level is 20. It will take ages to see a real improvement to over 50 on that dose (I didn't start to feel right until my levels were 85+) I take 5000 IU Vit D3 daily. I buy bio vitamin d3 from my local health food shop, it's £9.95 for 40 capsules. Dare I suggest better value than your current prescription? This has been the best winter I've had for ages thanks to Vit D supplementation, my seasonal tennis elbow of about 9 years duration has all but disappeared.

I was wondering about self medicating. I was starting to feel a bit brighter but have hit a wall of fog again. I think I may. I have had the diagnosis so surely prescribing for myself isn't unreasonable. As long as I take calcium as well for absorption. A chat with a pharmasist won't go wrong either. Thanks PoshPenny

that sounds low.
I was recommended 1000 iu a day october to april to maintain my levels. (you get that cheap-ish at drug stores)

as long as you eat dairy and plenty of green veg calcium shouldn't be a problem

Ok. Thanks mousmous

Normally I can spell pharmacist

When I was diagnosed with Vit D deficiency I was prescribed Lamberts 1000iu tabs.

First 8 weeks - 6000iu/day
Following 16 weeks - 1000iu/day

So your dose seems very low.

I felt a huge improvement in my mood/motivation/fog after a week or so.

I opened the protocol document. It says to prescribe Fultium 3200 IU x4 daily for first 12 weeks then 800 IU maintenance.
I feel a phone call coming on.