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Vitamin D deficiency

Posted , 5 users are following.

lindsay55217
lindsay55217

About 10 days ago I was diagnosed as Vitamin d deficient 8.4. I have been prescribed 20000iu vitamin d3 per day for 15 days. I am half way into these and had no improvement. The pain I experience is mainly in my legs and upper back. Getting up from a seated position and walking upstairs is very difficult I almost have to pull myself up using the hand rail one side and the wall the other. Is there anything I can do to try and get some strength back as feeling really hopeless. I can't believe in a space of a few weeks I have deteriorated and would really like to know other people's story of how they have managed to improve or any tips. Thanks. 

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • lucas18
    lucas18 lindsay55217

    Posted

    My vitamin D was diagnosed as 17 and put on 20000 3 times a week for 9 weeks. When I was retested it had gone up to 79. I think its a slow process and would question the 15 days. I think you'd need a far longer time of tablets and then go on a maintenance dose as your vitamin D falls especially in the winter where there is no sunlight. I wouldn't know about the pain but that could be an additional problem and not just vit D - not meaning to scare you. 

    • lindsay55217
      lindsay55217 lucas18

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply. I think the doctor is going to reasses the dose after this initial 15 day loading dose. Glad to see your levels have gone up.
  • EileenH
    EileenH lindsay55217

    Posted

    How old are you? This didn't creep up on you slowly then? It may be that it isn't vit D deficiency but they happened to find that when they did blood and, to be fair, very low vit D can cause those sort of symptoms as well as being common in many autoimmune illnesses.

    It may well take more like months than weeks if the problem really is the low vit D. And as Lucas says - the GP here said to me last week it is felt a slower approach is better (my husband's vit D was 7 so he's in a similar situation except he has no symptoms at all!)

    By the way - out of interest, what are the units your vit D was measured in? I have never before met it quoted as accurately as to one decimal point and recently have seen that twice.

    • lindsay55217
      lindsay55217 EileenH

      Posted

      Hi I am 37 years old the blood result was8.4 nmol/L. Been having weakened muscles and upper back pain near ribs since May last year. Doctor said it was muscular and gave me codeine. Went back July still said muscular take codeine. Went back December more codeine but end of December they did blood tests. All normal apart from Vit D. 

      I just want to be able to walk at a normal pace and walk upstairs. I think symptoms probably were gradual but over Christmas they became really debilitating and don't seem to be improving on this vit d supplement although I guess it is early days. Your husbands is extremely low too, at least he doesn't have any symptoms, I guess that is a good thing and hopefully his levels will rise soon. 

      Thanks for for your reply. 

    • EileenH
      EileenH lindsay55217

      Posted

      If you were older I'd have wondered if you have something called polymyalgia rheumatica - but it is very difficult to persuade doctors young people get it (they do but get other labels). For most patients though the ESR and CRP levels would be high but that doesn't happen in about a fifth of patients. 

      However - if it were me I'd be looking for a better GP! To hand over codeine for muscle pain and to all intents and purposes ignore you is just lazy. If you aren't improving after a couple of months - I think you should ask for a referral to at least physiotherapy and preferably to a rheumatologist. But I'm sorry, it could take a while.

    • lindsay55217
      lindsay55217 EileenH

      Posted

      Thank you. They did both those blood tests and they came back normal. It is very worrying about how much trouble I am having at moving around but hopefully the vitamin d will work soon. 
    • EileenH
      EileenH lindsay55217

      Posted

      Do let us know how you get on - you are far too young to be feeling like that and I know exactly what it is like. When I had unrecognised PMR I crawled up the stairs on hands and knees and stomped down like a toddler. I was in almost constant pain and turning over in bed had to be done by numbers! I was at least over 50 though!
    • ysaeen81373
      ysaeen81373 lindsay55217

      Posted

      Hi Lindsay I would say your symtoms are from vitamin d because I had them symtoms to. My levels went to 72 but back down to 52 and I think it's gone down more as I'm getting symtoms again not bad as before. But these days docters don't listen

  • clivealive
    clivealive lindsay55217

    Posted

    In amongst all the blood tests do you know whether your Vitamin B12 and Folate (B9 a.k.a. Folic acid) levels were checked as the symptoms of B12 Deficiency are similar to those of Vitamin D deficiency?

    I am not a medically qualified person but one who has had Pernicious Anaemia (a form of B12 Deficiency) for 45 years and am permamently on  Vitamin D supplements - but that is mainly because of my age at 75.

    I think you need to give the D supplements a little more time as it is not an "overnight" cure.

    I wish you well.

    • lindsay55217
      lindsay55217 clivealive

      Posted

      Hi Clive 

      thanks for for the reply. The Gp has tested those and they were,

      serum vit b12 - 276ng/l

      serum ferritin - 43 ug/l

      serum folate - 3.4 Ng/ml

      i have been prescribed 5mg of folic acid.

      i am still very weak and crawl up the stairs very hard to get up from sitting down and walking is difficult. He tested my vit d levels too and the have shown improvement although I am weaker than before, due to see neurologist next month. 

    • clivealive
      clivealive lindsay55217

      Posted

      Thank goodness you have been prescribed the folic acid and a deficiency of this can produce similar symptons to that of B12 Deficiency.

      The two work together and need to be in balance.

      Hopefully you will begin to improve soon.

      Goodnight and God Bless.

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