Vitamin D deficiency

Cincypsych
Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just found out I am severely deficient in vitamin D, which DR says can account for weight loss difficulties as well as my thinning hair, bone pain, and brittle nails.
Started supplements today, but health store worker said it will take months for my levels to get normal.
Anyone else deal with this and have advice?.
BTW, 2 year Stage II breast cancer survivor (lumpectomy, chemo, radiation). Not sure if cancer matters but I blame everything wrong with my body on either cancer or cancer treatment. :grumble:

Replies

  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Bump
    Anyone?
  • greenfalls107
    greenfalls107 Posts: 87 Member
    My daughter has a severe vitamin D deficiency, it took about 2 weeks to help her but she has improved. She does not have cancer, but has other health issues. In fact, she needs to have her blood tested to see where she is after 6 weeks of treatment. My guess is she will always need to take supplements.
  • insane5150
    insane5150 Posts: 93 Member
    I used to be defficient in Vitamin D... my Dr precribed me an extra strength supplement, something like 5,000 IU that I had to take for 2 weeks. Once I was done, I then take over the counter 1,000 IU supplements daily.

    I am sorry that I don't have more info on how it affects weight loss, but I do know the defficiency can cause joint pain.

    Congrats for beating breast cancer!!!!
  • djames92
    djames92 Posts: 990 Member
    my mom has the same thing. her doctor told her to take a vitamin D supplement every morning and her problem has gone away
  • anaquay
    anaquay Posts: 150 Member
    I'm sure the cancer treatment took a heck of a toll on your body but well done for beating it. Don't have any advice on the Vitamin D question but I know that my eczema used to be a lot worse in winter when I wasn't getting any sun and Doctor advised me to take a supplement which helped enormously. I now take a good quality multi-vitamin daily and the eczema is under control.
  • Mozzie123
    Mozzie123 Posts: 7 Member
    I am also severely difficient in Vitamin D. Dr advised me to take a high dosage supplement. Also if you can get Vitamin D fortified milk, that helps a bit too.

    I dont know where you are, but being in the sunshine also helps. That is a bit of a double edged sword where I am, as my skin is covered in sun spots from a childhood running around in the sun with no protection, and I am a bit concerned of getting skin cancer. However, I try to get at least 5 minutes a day, even if its just walking to the letterbox or hanging out the washing.

    Good Luck!
  • StheK
    StheK Posts: 443 Member
    Me too.. Doc just put me on a huge supplement I take 2 times a week and will re-evaluate in 3 months. This is actually pretty common, and has only recently started to be something they look for specifically because they've discovered just how important Vitamin D actually is- and how many people are deficient.
  • casuzyq
    casuzyq Posts: 6 Member
    My levels were at 13 and anything under 20 is considered deficient. Dr. reccommended 5,000 IU a day for a month and then drop it back. Spoke with a Registered Dietician and she actually had me go 10,000 IU for a couple of weeks and then drop down to about 4,000 - 5,000 a day. After 5 months I was tested again and my levels were at 30.

    Did notice a boost in energy, but not much in terms of weigh lost. I do swim outdoors year-round, but as a melanoma survivor, I try not to over do it!
  • staceyw73
    staceyw73 Posts: 49
    your doctor should be able to give you a stronger streath vitiam D. wail I was recovering from my back surgery they were keeping a eye on my vitiam d levels and I was very low also. so they gave me one that I took once a week along with my daily to help bring it back up to normal range. they checked it monthly and it was coming up. I think it took me 2-3 months before they stoped giving me the once a week dose but I was not always taking it so it prob would have been sooner.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    First and foremost, get some sun. No sunscreens. Cover up when you've had enough. Increase exposure over time. A healthy diet also helps with reducing tendency to burn.

    Secondly, when getting sun is not possible, then supplement with foods that contain vitamin D (fat and organs from wild or grass fed animals).

    Thirdly, as a last resort, supplement with D3/K2 liquid. I live in the Arctic and I take 10,000 iu daily in the winter.
  • Tiff050709
    Tiff050709 Posts: 497 Member
    I am vitD deficient. I have been taking my vitamins for about a month. My nails are not so brittle anymore and are actually growing and don't have the lines in them. I think I am feeling better already.
    I can't wait til it gets nice cause 15 mins out in the sun will do a person great :)
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    I am a person who has pretty much had a deficiency for the better part of my life. I also find myself often deficient in vitamin B (apparently all Vit B's), calcium and iron so I have health related issues but it isn't because of cancer that I have my issues. Since I have an undiagnosed autoimmune disorder and have allergies/intolerances it has made it hard to keep good levels and it affects my hair, skin, nails, even the way I smell believe it or not and it exacerbates certain symptoms that I get, having proper levels I have had less recurrences of bi-lateral and uni-lateral optic neuritis and have had felt noticably better. The only thing I haven't figured out is why I get bouts of insomia frequently and for extended periods of time (asymtompatic - lasts between two weeks to a year at a time)

    Edit: I was also recommended to take about 14,000 IU per day for two weeks, 10,000 IU for 4 weeks after that and scaled down to a regular 4,000 IU during the summer and 7,000 IU during the winter... pretty much until the end of time for me.
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
    Vitamin D is a wonderful thing. It prevents cancer, aids our immune systems and keeps us healthy in a variety of other ways.

    During the winter, I take 8,000 - 10,000 IU daily, orally. In the summertime I bump it down to 2,000 - 3,000 because you can usually get what you need from sunshine.

    I was vitamin D deficient several years ago and have been illness free ever since i started taking supplements. My skin looks better and I simply feel better too.

    I wouldn't worry too much-- deficiency is extremely common. Just take a supplement and move on. :)
  • MelissaVoci
    MelissaVoci Posts: 69 Member
    I just found out the same thing, and my dr prescribed me 50,000 units once a week for the next 6 months, and THEN switch to 3,000 to 4,000 units daily after that. :) I have been stuck at 195-205 pounds for almost a year, working out with no results. They did a fasting test on my thyroid, and discovered it was sluggish. ALSO, lactose intolerant, AND recommended to cut out gluten to help the thyroid. SO, a pill a week for the Vitamin D, a pill a day for the thyroid, no dairy, and no gluten - 9 pound weight loss in the first 10 days :)
  • gwicks54
    gwicks54 Posts: 201 Member
    I have an elderly friend that had breast cancer two years ago & just found out this week that she is Vitamin D deficient. It does seem to have a relationship plus she has been told to avoid sunlight, so that would keep the body from producing it. It seems to me the doctors should check this early on rather than two years later. She also has thinning hair now and is so weak she can barely get around. We thought after the radiation she would regain her energy etc. but so far she has not.
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    Vitamin D deficiency over here! I've always had an iron deficiency, but when I was without insurance for a few years, I just didn't worry about it. Wasn't taking vitamins or anything. At my first appointment, he did bloodwork and weighed me. (This was March of last year and I was about 208). And then he said both iron and vitamin D were deficient, so he started me on a regular multi-vitamin with iron and the over the counter 1,000mg Vitamin D. He checked again in 3 months and I had gained about 6lbs and my Vitamin D was even lower! So then he put me on the 50,000mg of it that I take once weekly. I didn't start on MFP until the latter part of August and by that time, I was at 219lbs (with doing summer activity and whatnot). I can't say for sure that being deficient was the root cause of it, but I feel much better now that I take it weekly. I've been doing that since last summer and I constantly get my levels checked. It's definitely helpful to make sure your body has what it needs. I severely lacked energy without enough iron/vitamin d, so I think having those at stable levels has helped boost that for me. Read this article too. I found it to be interesting in regards to all this.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/457020-low-vitamin-d-levels-fatigue-with-weight-gain/
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    Just found out I am severely deficient in vitamin D, which DR says can account for weight loss difficulties as well as my thinning hair, bone pain, and brittle nails.
    Started supplements today, but health store worker said it will take months for my levels to get normal.
    Anyone else deal with this and have advice?.
    BTW, 2 year Stage II breast cancer survivor (lumpectomy, chemo, radiation). Not sure if cancer matters but I blame everything wrong with my body on either cancer or cancer treatment. :grumble:

    Vitamin D deficiency could be the reason why you got cancer in the first place. The Canadian Cancer Society is now recommending that all Canadians take 2,000 units a day of supplemental Vitamin D--especially in the winter months. Vitamin D is actually not a nutrient as much as it is a hormone. You might also want to eat more grapefruit (one of the best sources of calcium di-glucarate--a potent cancer fighter) and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts) and especially broccoli because it contains sulphoraphane, a potent cancer fighter (broccoli sprouts are even higher in this important nutrient). The good news is that breast cancer is now considered to be very curable--the five-year survival rate is pretty high. Check with your doc about taking Vitamin K2 along with your Vitamin D. There are some studies that suggest that K2 is important when you are taking Vitamin D so that the increased calcium uptake induced by the Vitamin D goes into your bones and teeth rather than into your soft tissue. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • jbbrannon
    jbbrannon Posts: 167 Member
    My endocrinologist told me to take 2 -2000 IU Vitamin D-3 softgels every day.
  • courtney3988
    courtney3988 Posts: 999 Member
    I have 2 questions first is should liquids be added to the food tracker? How do i write on the message board create one of these so people can answer my questions?
  • sszbarber
    sszbarber Posts: 45 Member
    I have a Vitamin D deficiency and very low on calcium. Mine is due to my thyroid removal and the para thyroids do not like to work after they are messed with!! Loading up on tons of D and calcium!!! I can tell now when I am low on calcium and my lips are numb or my fingers and toes get tingly...I take 3 Tums and it will clear up. What a pain!!!
  • choconuts
    choconuts Posts: 208 Member
    Me too. My level was an 8 at the last check. I'm on my 2nd round of prescription strength Vit D--50,000 IU's a day.

    It's becoming more common, because doctors are more aware of it now--and are testing more for it.

    I am curious why your doctor didn't prescribe Vit D for you? Mine said the OTC stuff won't help until my levels are normal, and then the OTC can help maintain.
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Thank you all so much!,
    Couple things: I live in Ohio so it s difficult to get sun exposure, particularly this winter! I also now tend to get sun poisoning even with light sun exposure.


    I am also now wondering why my DR dd not give e prescription vitamin D, I am now on 1000 IU 2 times a day, seems I need more. I see DR in 3 weeks, I will ask.


    Thanks for encouragement!
  • missmacsays
    missmacsays Posts: 681 Member
    Thank you all so much!,
    Couple things: I live in Ohio so it s difficult to get sun exposure, particularly this winter! I also now tend to get sun poisoning even with light sun exposure.


    I am also now wondering why my DR dd not give e prescription vitamin D, I am now on 1000 IU 2 times a day, seems I need more. I see DR in 3 weeks, I will ask.


    Thanks for encouragement!

    I'm in Ohio as well, so I understand the complete lack of sunshine we have most of the time! Your doctor may just want to see how you react to that level first and then up if necessary instead of starting you on the highest. Mine did that with me.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member

    It's becoming more common, because doctors are more aware of it now--and are testing more for it.

    It is also becoming more common because people are paranoid about skin cancer. So they use sunscreens ALL the time and sunscreens prevent the development of Vitamin D in the skin. :frown:
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I take 5,000iu daily
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    Its not lack of sun.

    Im in Virginia, where we get plenty of sun, and until I lost weight (and got COLD!) I lived in short sleeved T shirts.

    And yet, I had a Vit D level of 13...

    Dr put me on 50,000 a week, since then, I take Prenatal vitamins, (advised to as they are more complete than any complete vitamin out there) plus more Vit D, - Bloodwork came up beautiful so I must be doing something right :)
  • Cincypsych
    Cincypsych Posts: 116 Member
    Its not lack of sun.

    Im in Virginia, where we get plenty of sun, and until I lost weight (and got COLD!) I lived in short sleeved T shirts.

    And yet, I had a Vit D level of 13...

    Dr put me on 50,000 a week, since then, I take Prenatal vitamins, (advised to as they are more complete than any complete vitamin out there) plus more Vit D, - Bloodwork came up beautiful so I must be doing something right :)


    So can you tell me how long it took to get your levels back up to par?
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    For just the D, about 4 months on prescription, I could tell when they were working as I'd have boundless energy the day I took them.

    Non prescription OTV Prenatals, I feel good ever day, that only took about 3 - 4 weeks to get everything straight

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