Vitamin D deficiency and fibro?

[KittyB52]

I have possible fibro and some sort of arthritis-like illness - I have been referred to a rheumatologist who prescribed hydroxychloroquine, but it hasn’t done much. I had blood tests in Feb before a rheumy appointment which was postponed due to illness - it’s now in October and I don’t have the test results.

In previous blood tests (2018), my vitamin D level has been on the low side (as has my folate and ferritin). I know there is some overlap with fibro symptoms, but I need to try something, I just feel rubbish. I ‘might’ also be perimenopausal - periods are very irregular, and I haven’t had one this year.

If I was low in Vitamin D and started taking a supplement, how soon could I expect to feel an improvement?

About two months, atleast it did for me, and it was one of those things where you don't notice you're getting better until you stop taking it and start to feel worse again

I have fibro and I take vitamin D regularly, and if it is doing something, it doesn't remove all symptoms. What I've found does deal with the symptoms well for me is a combination of good mental health management (therapy - because often neurology has been affected by either sudden or chronic past trauma), daily exercise (starting and ramping it up very gently to avoid a relapse), and good diet.

My diet has been poor since lockdown - I have found myself craving fresh veg! I might see if I can get a veg box delivered.

@BertiesLanding What exercise do you do? I was thinking of trying some very gentle yoga to start with, as I am unfit and don’t want to overdo it.

Yoga is great, but you also do need cardio. I start with a walk, then work up to a fast walk (about 4 mph) - which is more than enough. Fibro sufferers benefit HUGELY from exercise. The knack is finding the balance between gradually building your body-tolerance up so that you exercise regularly, with stretching (yoga) and cardio (walking, or more if attainable), and not overdoing it so that you end up sliding back or going into a flare-up.

I was diagnosed with fibro 19 years ago (I was lucky enough to live 15 minutes away from one of the first specialists), so a lot of this has been through trial and error. What I have come to know for sure: lack of movement allows symptoms to worsen, which then can put you in a spiral of increasing pathology and increasing inability to exercise. So, baby steps - even when you don't want to. I have to force myself up and out sometimes, and I always, always feel better for it if I don't overdo it.

I used to love going for walks, but anxiety has worsened so haven’t done anything much since lockdown.

Thanks for the advice.

Anxiety is part of the symptomatology, and walking really will be far more beneficial than staying at home out of (mostly misplaced) fear.

I was never much troubled with anxiety until lockdown - had my first proper panic attack, complete with chest pains, in March. Being asthmatic didn’t help as of course I felt breathless as well (anxiety) which just led to more panic. Thankfully I haven’t felt that bad again for a while now.