Vitamin D deficiency

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I've been unwell for on and off now for almost a year. I remember phoning off sick a couple of times before feeling tired and 'achy'. I thought I was just being lazy and this was psychosomatic. Then I started getting really ill when I developed a sudden onset of neck/shoulder pain which is still an on going problem now although the pain has turned into discomfort/ache which I have learned to manage doing exercise and stretches. I also feel sensitivity on other parts of my body (like invisible bruises.For 6 months I was coping with my neck/shoulder problem (symptoms are crawling/tingling sensation in the arm, sensitivity to touch like its bruised and cold feeling and dull ache on my shoulder blade).

Then gradually I started developing 'flu like symptoms' without cough or cold but with tiredness/fatigue and dizzy headache which are intermittent throughout the day, until 2 weeks later I started getting throbbing ache in my legs and eventually I couldn't sit all day without getting restless legs and crawling/tingling sensation in my legs which caused weakness in my legs and worse when I'm going upstairs - and my knees keeps clicking. I went to my doctors who prescribed me with naproxen. And told me that I had something called Reactive Arthritis, which i thought was a misdiagnosis. Overall I though that it could be viral related

This time I've been off work for a week when I started to feel better after a week on naproxen. I came back to work for a week feeling like i thought I recovered. Then boom 2 weeks later gradually the flu like symptom came back with extreme tiredness / fatigue and I've been in bed since. I'm still achy all the time regardless. I have no energy to do anything, even showering is a struggle. Ive been in bed most of the time, sometimes I try to go out with my husband for a few hours but I come back home absolutely exhausted and the soreness/headache i get is a different level. Most of the time I feel like my body is inflamed.

So i decided to get a second opinion and i went to see another GP who referred me for a blood test. A few days later, my results came through and I have Vitamin D deficiency. Everything else they tested seem fine.I have a better outlook now though after the diagnosis, apparently it will take months for the treatment to take effect. I guess now they found something they will stop investigating further (which worries me a little bit) but i guess its process of elimination so treat one thing at a time. Would be great to hear from others who also has this deficiency and whether the treatment was effective?

13 likes, 304 replies

304 Replies

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  • Posted

    Natural sources of Vitamin D animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, fortified milk, and beef liver.
  • Posted

    Vitamin D deficiency can even cause cancer. You must focus on your diet. Focus on vitamin D rich foods, try to take advantage of sunlight atleast 20 mins a day. Reha also gave a very good advice. Must follow that. 
    • Posted

      Hi Sentinelmed,

      I became unwell around 7 years ago with chronic fatigue type symtposm, every test came back normal. Then around 2 years ago they tested again and included vit d, my levels were 12, they px vit d, blue pills and just told me to take them and that was it. I still felt illish though my sleep which was terrible (2/3 hours per night) improved. I haven't taken any vit d since, and feel awful. because it never really worked that well the first time, I decided it couldn't be that. Now my new GP wants to test my levels again as he said they are only just understanding how vit D depletion affects the body. My question is, is it possilbe that vit d defeciency could cause a host of unexplainable symptoms (fatigue, not sleeping, sweating, always over heated and heat intolerant, irritable, metallic taste in mouth, low mood). the list goes on of symptoms and new ones appear, like weird sensations in my legs.

      I live in UK where getting sun light is hard. Do you think I should take a daily supplement, even in the summer, and how much should I take?

      Thanks!

    • Posted

      Please have your thyroid levels checked (T3, T4, TSh) as well as checking for thyroid antibodies. I was recently diagnosed with Graves Disease, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid, where my immune system is attacking my thyroid, causing hyperthyroidism. Your symptoms sound identical to mine.

      And I never think it hurts to supplement with any vitamin. Good luck!

    • Posted

      Hello,

      Have got the same problem but not diagnosed yet except vitamin d deficiency. Have you recovered?

  • Edited

    Vitamin D deficiency is caused by a lot of conditions, not just cancer. Vitamin D is the only vitamin that we should be able to make naturally. When we are not producing enough, it generally is not because of a shortage on our part, it is because there is something wrong with our body. If you take more vitamin D and you still have symptoms, check for other conditions such as auto-immune disease or cancer.Vitamin D deficiency is also common among people of African descent. I hope this helps!
    • Posted

      Also worth noting that hyperparathyroidism can also cause d def. Maybe worth getting gp 's to check calcium in blood and urine. I am now awaiting surgery along with dexa scan and kidney scan for stones.

      I hope this is useful to others.

    • Posted

      Have you been checked for lupus??? I had the same symptoms as you did for yearrrssss!! And to every Dr I went they found "nothing" wrong with me. I did however Vid D deficiency, low on magnesium and potassium, buuuut lupus was the culprit...

    • Edited

      You need to check your facts, vitamin D deficiency cause sickness in the body, not the other way around.

  • Edited

    Hi Helen - just reading thru this further to our chat in the other discussion - interestingly I am also on naproxen for osteoarthritis, as i mention over there on the other thread - bbut I also have hypothyroidism (due to my lithium) and so many of your symptoms sounds lilke thyroid! The prob with that is, many doctors see a normal test result and assume yr thyroid is OK but what a normal result is can vary from peron to person and some people need an additional boost of T3 to help them process thyroxine... Theres a lot of controversy about thyroid at the moment there seems a real issue of underdiagnosis and undertreatment.

    Go back tp GP and ask for thyroid to be retested, in the meantime read up on test results - what results are normal range, becasue.....

    Hypothyroidism is a cause of vitamin D deficiency!

    • Edited

      No, no, no !!!!!!!! what's wrong with you people on here? vitamin D deficiency cause sickness such as. hypothyroidism.

  • Posted

    Hi,

    I know this is a old post but if you do see it was wondering if you are feeling any better, I have just been diagnosed with low Vitamin D and have been put on a Suppliment and can't wait to see if it's the answer to so many health issues.

    Thanks.

    • Posted

      Hi joan I have been taking supplement for about nearly 3 months now. I have good days and bad days. I was really feeling horrible for weeks at the start then felt better almost normal for weeks then fot back to feeling horrible again. I dont know.anymore whats causing it or if my dosage is wrong. I thonl i am gettong better but its such a slow progross. Can i ask what your symptoms are? 
    • Posted

      Hi,

      I have got pains every where essential tremor and deep anxiety can't enjoy anything,just been for a walk round the block because of panic but now feel like I have done a marathon.just lay on the bed most of the the so lethargic,what are yours .

    • Posted

      Yeah fatigue is a common symptom apparently. The fatigue i used to get is like similar to what you said, its like i ran a marathon. My fatigue has gone now but i still feel muscle and bone pain. Its like i have invisible bruises all over my body and my body aches all the time but the pain level varies throughout the day. Its worse when im not doing anything all day. I have mentioned my other symptoms on my description above. Just keep going and think positive, you will feel better after a few months. Try and google vitamin d deficiency forums, it really helps reading about other people 's experience etc. I have my blood test 1st july so ill see if my level has been corrected. 
    • Posted

      Sorry I had read your symptons forgot.
    • Posted

      Hi Helen just want to ask how you feel now I just been diagnosed recently of vit d def with on and off tiredness. One day I will wake up in good condition and then the next day I'm really tired. Is it the same feeling you feel before and how long it takes you to feel better. I'm taking my supplement for two weeks now and I can't wait to feel better just the same way before xxx

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