VitD deficiency - low dose prescribed

[tobebebebe]

Hi, wondered if someone could advise. I had a range of blood tests taken (mainly feeling tired all the time) my vitamin D came back as deficient as you can see -

Serum total 25-OH vit D level 23.000 nmol/L- nmol/L

Gp prescribed 5300iu d3 liquid capsules to be taken 3x a week. This doesn't seem like much for the amount I am deficient. I'm tempted to just take them daily.

Any advice?

Few years ago my levels were 17. I was given 20000 iu to be taken once a day for a week then 1 a week for the following 6/7 weeks

Hi, I hope you don't mind me jumping on to ask for some help?

I want to start by saying I am going back to the doctors later this week, but I would like to go with a bit more information.

I am fairly sure I am deficient in Vitamin D. I've previously had a low count at 47, for this I have been prescribed 800 iu a day, which I have been taking religiously for over a year every day. In June my count came back as 56, which is in the realms of normal. However I feel taking tablets every day should make it higher!

I think it would have dropped in these darker months so I am requesting a blood test.

A couple of weeks ago I was a diagnosed with an iron deficiency with a reading of 11. I've been taking iron tablets for 2 weeks now.

I am also B12 deficient and have injections every 10 weeks. I also take a prescribed amount of folic acid 5mg a day.

I feel like I've been hit by a bus. My bones hurt, I'm breathless and I am having heart palpitations, the fatigue is out of this world. The pain from within my bones is making me feel nauseous.

Does anyone have advice for me ahead of appointment? Thank you

HiSalem,
a few things spring to mind with regards to vitaminD and yourself.

                   If you take 800 IU  per day ,  then the average person would expect their blood level to be  about 20  nmol/L  above your normal unsupplemented level. Much of that rise , does not seem to have happened in your case.   SO,  one would look for a reason . 1 of  2 common reasons may be the answer.

1 ) you do not absorb from your supplementation. If your supplementation is a tablet or oil filled capsule, then you may have absorption problems IF , say , you cannot digest the oil and so extract the vit D , this could be bile , gall bladder etc. You say that you have B12 injections , therefore a possibility of non-absorption due to gut problems like pernicious anaemia . You are also low in iron , again a possible absorption problem. I wonder if you have been diagnosed with coeliacs , crohn's IBS etc. ?

2)       Under certain circumstances you body will suppress its blood level of vitamin D ,   that would be if you were hypercalcaemic.  I wonder if the blood serum level of calcium has been checked.  I would ask for that.  IF  it comes back above normal, then you need treatment for that. Most likely it won't ,  but it is prudent to check. 

Here is a more comprehensive list of reasons why you may not raise your blood level as much. vitamindwiki.com/Reasons+for+low+response+to+vitamin+D

  IF   I was you ,  I would  check calcium, then swap to an oral vitD spray , of  at least  3000 IU  per day.   ( Sprays  bypass the digestive system  and go straight into the bloodstream ).   Then measure my level 3 months later.    Hopefully that will have sorted you out. 
You would be well advised to raise your blood level to above 100 ,  where vitD is much more effective.  Have a look at this thread ,   which I posted above.   <a class="break-all" href="https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2841497-If-you-are-vitamin-D-deficient-what-have-you-been-prescribed?pg=1" target="_blank">www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/2841497-If-you-are-vitamin-D-deficient-what-have-you-been-prescribed?pg=1</a>

I posted quite a bit there more fully explaining the above points.
If you need any more info , just get back to me.

best of luck .

BTBH.

@Bettertobehealthy thank you so much! I feel more prepared going to my doctors appointment later in the week.

I do notice that one of the reasons I may be struggling is due to being over weight, which admittedly I am. I eat a very health diet, but still hold weight, probably because I have no energy to exercise! I do walk every day and most days I hit 10k steps.

I'm hoping once I get my vitamin levels topped up that I will well enough to do some more intensive exercise.