Hospital wouldn't test me for vitamin D

[Karmaone]

I asked my doctor to test me for vitamin D, iron, thyroid etc. When I rang for results, I was told that they hadn't tested my vit D levels as bone marker results were normal. Can someone explain this to me please! Thanks.

That's so useful BTBH. I will try to convince doctor to retest. It's interesting what you say about groin hip and leg pain as that's what I have. I can't walk too far without being in pain and some days my legs and hips ache so badly. Can you tell me if low vit D can cause mood problems?

Karm, speaking for myself yes it can cause lowness and anxiety. My doctor asked how bad it was but I told him it's easier to cope when I've managed to sleep (insomnia, another symptom!).

I got caught by one of those people who like to talk a lot - hadn't seen her for a while so much to catch up on - could barely move with the pain in my hips!

Lowf vit D can cause low mood, as it stops your thyroxin working properly in the cells - hypothyroid symptom.

It is my understanding that at the end of winter/early spring virtually everybody living in Scotland and most people in England are likely to be running low in VitD - not as detailed and evidence based an explanation as BTBH's, but I think it's a fair assumption as the sun simply does not rise high enough to give light in the wavelength needed to generate VitD in these latitudes.

VitD is not often tested here because it does not harm to take a supplement, most people could do with taking it anyway (certainly in the winter) and unless there is a particular concern re bone metabolism there's not much to be gained.

Karmaone, in your shoes I think I would simply take a supplement and see if that improves your symptoms. At the end of the day you want to feel better and not treat a lab result number IYKWIM. I think a further conversation with your dr would be a very good idea.
There is so much more to VitD than just bone of course and I am all for supplementing it, but I am not so sure about the value of widespread testing tbh.

My test result helped me - my friend, who had been looking into it for some time, was always on at me to try supplements. I was pretty sure I had it covered with diet etc, but I was so wrong. It shocked me into doing something. Now, I think I have probably been low for a long time.

If you are convinced, though, there is no harm taking OTC supplements. I understand NICE encouraged supermarkets to stock them because of the low levels in the population, after a few headline cases.

I also read that having babies close together and breastfeeding doesn't give your body a chance to replenish the vitamin D that they're taking from you. I had three under five, all bf and lived in the far North for years!

I too suffer from ongoing insomnia and lean towards depression too. This is very interesting and I had no idea about any of this. When I've sat down for any period of time, I'm in pain when I stand up and I'm limping. I thought this was normal for my age!

Well, I've had my first 5,000 iu pill (from Amazon).

Will update in a week, if anyone's interested.

Please do update Fifty!
I've had my second 20,000 unit one but I've also ordered a uvb face light thingy to try and get some results a bit quicker. My brain is in total fog down at the moment!

mine was just tested
vitamin d was 15 and calcium is also low.
ive got chewable tablets called calcichew. they are disgusting.

Not sure it was covered in the thread, I am confused with the different unit measurements. What would be the ideal dose daily if you suspect levels might be low?

I have 10ug tablets, how many per day would be good?

Each is 400 iu.

400IU is pretty low IMHO.I take 5000IU a day with no reason to believe levels low.

Thanks, need to rethink when I buy again then! Do you get from shops or is there a better way? I picked the highest available in H and B, would Amazon be better I wonder?

Amazon is quite good, make sure it us D3 not D2

(I don't get mine from Amazon as I need vegan D3)

Wow! Amazon so much better! Got a years supply of 10000 for not much more than what I paid in H and B...

If your vitamin D tested at 15, you do not need Calcichew. You need a large loading dose and then a maintenance dose. Google the vitamin D protocol for your are and then show it to your GP.

Well I have been taking Vit D for five or six weeks, and the difference is amazing! My hips do not hurt when I get out of a chair, I am more mobile and feel loads more positive.

I also started taking Glucosamine supplements so these might be contributing and also the fact that I am doing 'something' is likely to improve my outlook, but it does feel as if this is a very positive difference.

yddraigoldragon Great ..... , it will be really good for you in the long run as well.

       It seems that the message is getting out ,  Vit D is very beneficial !!

BTBH

Thanks for the advice BTBH, I had no idea before I started reading this thread, acted on it as a whim and am so glad I did.

yddraigoldragon Your welcome !

By the way , did you know , Vit D can boost the production of serotonin in the brain , which helps fight depression and lifts mood. As I posted somewhere here , Vit D helps make the protein that converts the amino acid tryptophan into seratonin.

BTBH

I suffer from anxiety too so would vit d help with that?

I've got 20000iu tabs but is that too high to be taking every day?
I'm quite tempted to see if regular doses (high doses) impactositive.y on my anxiety levels.

'Impact positively'

rummikub 20,000 IU per day , is not a normally accepted daily dose.

Some people in some situations might take that , but under medical supervision. You would probably have no problems - but it is quite a high dose. Hypercalcaemia would be the condition to watch out for. That is the condition that would arise if Vit D was becoming toxic for you.

The IOM ( institute of medicine ) in USA have said that 10,000 daily is the NOAL ( no adverse event level ).

Perhaps it would be better if you limited yourself to that, then measured your blood level, after 2 to 3 months, if it is then in the range120-140 you are more than likely having enough. It would not be a worry if your blood level even reached as high 200, as some outdoor workers do achieve that.

It is possible that Vit D  will help with your mood,   especially if you have low levels now. Sufficient Vitamin d will help in the regulation of serotonin levels.   It is also thought that  omega-3 , will help when the brain comes to use that serotonin , i.e  that the seratonin that you do have will work better.   Give it a chance to work,  ie.  keep your blood level constant for months. Sudden ups and downs is not good.       

4000 IU daily is often considered sufficient , if you are starting with an acceptable blood level.If you are starting from a low level, then a top up dosing schedule is sometimes undertaken. That is when 20,000 IU is normally used, but not long term daily.

D3  form is better to use , rather than D2 form.   Daily dosing is better than intermittant very high doses.  

good luck

BTBH

I'm really interested to read this thread as I came on to say my Dr won't test my D levels either. I've got all the symptoms as you say and just tried the sternum and shin test and they feel really bruised and tender. Why don't Drs take vit D deficiency more seriously?

BTBH thank you for that. My vit d3 levels were low after I had my thyroid removed. So I was given that dose to use for ten days then I think it's meant to be weekly dose of 20000. Would that be a better way to go? I've been very very lax in taking my tablets as after my op I was taking a lot of different meds and I kind of got sick of taking them all! So, I think from what I've read of your posts, because I've stopped taking the d3 my levels will have gone back down to around the low level it was originally? If I do ten days again at 20000 then weekly do,you think that'd be ok? Or 20 000 every other day so it's not over the 10000 NOAL?