Menopause and Vitamin D deficiency?
Posted , 7 users are following.
I have been going through the menopause for about a year, feeling increasingly unwell, but carrying on, assuming it was just the usual menopause symptoms and 'old age' with achy joints, painful beasts, foggy brain and feeling tired etc. However I started getting other symptoms including tingling/numbness in hands and feet, feeling unsteady, unbelievable fatigue etc and decided to visit the GP.
She did a range of blood tests and all seemed fine apart from Vit D, with a score of 17 (she said it should be at least 25) and has given me 20,000 IU per day for 15 days, and then recommends going onto an 'over the counter' dose thereafter.
She asked me to return after 4 weeks if my symptoms remain, at which point she will consider HRT or Prozac (for the menopause symptoms). Reading other posts about Vit D recovery, it seems to be a long process though, so I'm not sure if there will be any improvement within the first month.
I am also terrified that it could be something worse, as I've been googling which is sometimes a really stupid thing to do.
Trying not to get bogged down with the emotional side of 'what ifs' and dealing with the menopause, raising 3 kids (eldest at Uni and struggling with anxiety and depression) as well as my Mum passing away just before Christmas, everything seems to have come at once 
Can I ask about these 'muscle and joint aches and pains' associated with Vit D deficiency, do you find its just generalised, or moves to different places different days, or do you find it focuses in very specific areas? (One of the places I'm feeling a pain is specifically in my armpit and upper arm, which is very specific~GP had a good old feel and can't feel any swollen glands etc)
I guess I am here for a bit of support, wondering if anyone else has got the combination of the Vit D deficiency and menopause together?
0 likes, 25 replies
sally28732
Posted
Thank you for your detailed replies Jillian, what a lovely person you are researching all that for your Mum! I joined a Fb group for 'Vitamin d deficiency UK' shortly after starting this thread. I learnt about magnesium and K2 as co factors and bought the ones they recommended, with no fillers and good ingredients. I had the mamogram and everything was clear from that point of view. I went back to see the GP, as I was feeling like I was getting worse at one point. I got a copy of my blood results and saw a couple of things were over range, but GP said they were fine. My Vit D level increased, but GP thinks I might have fibro so has prescribed a low dose of amirtiptaline. I would say generally I feel like I have improved, but still don't feel like my 'old self' itms. Some days I have more pain than others. I do try and exercise daily, especially if I don't feel well enough to go out. I have a few minutes in a cycle machine lift a couple of tins of beans to exercise my arms. (for a few weeks I felt terrible, I could have stayed all day in bed, and realised I was in a vicious circle with that, so really pushed myself, even if I didnt go out) I have just got back from holiday with the family, which I was dreading as I thought I wouldnt cope well with all the travelling and walking and would spoil it for everyone, but I managed quite well and we went out every day. So, some improvements. I can't believe its been 5 months already, but I knew it was going to be a long road. Even when I have optimal levels I know I need to continue taking it for life.
bebygirl001 sally28732
Edited
I started having trouble concentrating, then extreme back pain, lack of interest in the bedroom, some night sweats, and weight gain, then after several years of that, i had a blood test, my Vit D levels were nill, so i started taking the supplement, but i wasnt told how much, then when i started loosing my hair, it either started falling out, drying out, or breaking off, this went on for over a year and a half, before i tried taking the Vitamin D at 4x a day, within 9 days my hair started growing back and was shiny in another week, i kept on taking the 5,000 IU 4x a day and in five months (this should tell you how low i really was) my back pain was all of the sudden gone, no night sweats, and i started loosing weight. On month 6 i started getting dizzy, started having panic attacks, started bleeding from just a mosquito bite, and had no appetite. So after seeing the danger in taking Vit d, i stopped it altogether, in 11 days my blood started clotting properly, but my hair loss was back, and so was my back pain. In my situation, i know Vit D was critical in all of these areas, all which came along the same time as menopause did. i just had no guidance on how to take vit d, and i was working in my yard several hours a day and it didn't help, so i now know i need to take this at 4,000 IU a day, and no more. I also noted that all my menopause symptoms disappeared with the added vit d, but i do suggest you get regular blood screens if you take any supplement. i hope my horrible experience can help others realize that a lot of their symptoms are due to low or no Vit D, but at the same time they can become toxic and if they have alopecia, a vit d supplement can help them, just like it helps cancer patients.
sydneysilver bebygirl001
Posted
amazing and helpful thank you
were you taking anything besides the vitamin D?
joshuapryce1987 sally28732
Posted
It may not be because of vitamin shortage but because of mental issues or over working the body.
sydneysilver sally28732
Posted
i was level 14 d, having extreme armpit pain plus a bost of other symptoms, likely breast cancer and im just so happy to see others are here trying to figure out the appropriate amounts to correct the deficiency. also so kind and hopeful to see that it takes a long time to correct so to know im on the right path. im 5 weeks in to correcting my deficiency and am now at level 70 but experiencing extreme breast arm and armpit pain, just hoping the pulled muscles go away soon as my spine regenerates. yes they say it could be menopause but im thinking its all deficiency ..... we need our bones for our immune system!
that post about the right kind of K to get was amazing and im GRATEFUL
grateful to you all
we will be seeing more of these issues after covid and we need to figure out the dosing and spread the word