Vitamin D deficiency

Posted , 5 users are following.

Hi All,

I am new here. Hope everyone is getting good use of the information in this forum and making their life better (like me 😃 ).

History,

I am from India and live currently in Singapore, I got heart palpitations with sweating when back home from work 4 months back. When tested I had little high BP during that time which went back to normal on the consecutive days. I started feeling tired all the time with some pricking pain chest, acid reflux and occasional pain my leg and hand. Had common cold and throat infection all the 4 months. After lot of checkup like ECG, complete heart checkup, blood work for diebetes and thyroid check and endoscopy for stomach (found mild gastrities accidentally).

Finally met my cousin who lives in Canada during the vacation where he explained me that he too was feeling tired and fatigue for span and when we checke din Canada they tested him for Vitamin D and his issues resolved withing 2 weeks. Hearing this I tested myself for Vitamin D (with very less hope as I lived closer to Equator) but to my surprise my *Vitamin D level came as 7 ng/ml. *

Medication,

I started taking 60000 IU sachet once a week, now its been three weeks I started taking the supplement.

And I am also spending 15 mins in Sun around 1 PM (when sun is in peak).

Doubt,

My fatigue reduced but some days I feel fine but suddenly I feel tired with chest pricking again once in a while. Please help with below things based on your experience,

  1. When should I test my blood again for my Vit D level ?.
  2. How much time it will take to totally get back to normal ?.
  3. If I am exposed to sun how much time it will take for my body to generate Vitamin D ?.

    ( I am a brown skin guy).

Any suggestions or your experience will be helpful.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    Stop taking supplements if you spend 15mins on sun around midday ~naked. Vit D should be quite ok within two weeks or month. Just eat healthly, don't forget eggs. Then after 2 weeks ora a month check levels. BTW check vit B12, homocysteine and liver test, enzymes and bilirubin.

    • Posted

      thanks. ofcouse have to go with the supplement as the alternative is to steamy 😛

      I went to my GP again and they are helping me with the B12 and follic acid check now. reposts yet to come.

    • Posted

      report for the blood test came with B12 and follic acid check they mentioned both are normal and to cotinue with the vitamin D supplement alone.

  • Posted

    They reckon it takes at least three months to build up vitamin D particularly if you have dropped to such a low deficiency. You are very low. Brown skinned people tend to suffer from lower vitamin D than light skinned in general. I am not sure why but I am sure there is an explanation. I take 800 iu per day as a maintenance amount.

    • Posted

      thanks for your comment. will have to wait for some more time now.

      regarding the brown skin - i have a built in SPF (melanin) in my skin thats why the delay in vitamin D absorption.

    • Posted

      https://patient.info/health/osteoporosis-leaflet/vitamin-d-deficiency

      Have you read this Siva? I am also deficient in Vit D, though I am white skinned. My level was 17 & I was prescribed 1000iu/day. My levels improved & were 51 a year ago, I am now feeling as though my levels have dropped again. I am being tested on Monday. I had blood tests in November & my PTH [Parathyroid hormone] level was elevated which is apparently a sign that Vit D levels are low.

      I have been taking prednisolone for 7 or 8 years, which could deplete the VitD. My calcium levels are ok.

      I wonder what is causing yours to drop.

    • Posted

      Thanks mrsmop for your comment.

      I took complete blood count twice and also test for diabetes and thyroid check, all seems to be fine.

      What I can think of possible reasons are,

      1. Last nine months (from the time my son is born) I don't remember the time we go out in sun.
      2. I got mild gastritis (due to my non-sense eating habit for 2 months when family was away) which might be somewhere related - not sure.

      Now I am trying to go for a walk/stand for 10 to 15 mins in sun after lunch. I am using an app called dminder (also weather app) to check when the UV is extreme.

      Hopefully after 1 more month the blood test might come clean 😃.

      Note: Between my fatigue went away as of now but started getting pain here and there all the time and my heart palpitations occurrence got reduced but didn't go away yet. These two are troubling me still.

    • Posted

      All the best on your test, hope ALL IS WELL.

    • Posted

      Hi mrsmop, How did your blood test go, was it all normal ?.

    • Posted

      Hi Siva, the results aren't back yet, apparently they take about 2 weeks.

      I hope you are ok.

    • Posted

      Its takes two weeks ... here in Singapore they mention 2 business days.

      Yes I am doing good, the recovery seems working but still it is pain to go through it.

      3rd to 4th week of supplementation I started getting muscle and bone pain everywhere and as I read the posts Magnesium seems to be essential hence I started taking more sunflower and pumkin seeds now to boost the magnesium.

      And still my heart beats are little faster sometimes which I hope will subside eventually.

      Now 5th week supplementation finished and 3 more to finish before next checkup.

  • Posted

    I am recovering from extreme vitamin D deficiency (week 5 of weekly supplementation in progress), I am not feeling sturdy when walking rather feeling some slight instability.

    Does anyone else have similar symptom ?.

  • Posted

    Its been 2 months Singapore I reported my issue, here is a quick update.

    Currently I am out of my big dose of 60,000 IU per week and in maintenance dose of 2000 IU of Vitamin D along with 350 mg of Calcium and 1000 mg of Vitamin C per day.

    Current level : 28 ng/ml [checked a month back]

    Symptoms wise, I am not great physically yet but definitely have some good improvements. Anxiety frequency reduced drastically and also the heart palpitations. But in terms of pain, I still have dull pain in right chest (ribs I hope), legs and shoulders time to time. And I feel week most of the time even though my walking confidence increased, much better than fatigue. My focus increased little but still not able to concentrate enough which my work demands.

    Hope by coming months symptoms will get further better .

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