I had a bunch of lab work done last Thursday as part of my annual celiac checkup (anti-gliadin antibodies, thyroid, iron, B-12, folate, calcium, and vitamin D). I got the test results back Monday and everything looked good except for vitamin D; apparently normal vitamin D levels are 32-100 and people feel best at 50. Mine is… 9.8. I’m now on prescription vitamin D (50,000 IU twice a week) for the next several months because regular supplements won’t do the trick at this point. I also went in yesterday to get a parathyroid test.
I guess vitamin D deficiency helps explain why I’ve been so tired and listless over the past few months, eh?
Move over, Chaos. I need to share that sunbeam with you.
*bliss* -Chaos
Mmmm, sunbeams.
Hope you feel better soon…
I spent about an hour yesterday in the sun reading and felt almost as good as Chaos!
There are worse things than needed to spend more time in the sun. Feel better soon. Move over Chaos!
that would explain it – Nadie’s was 15 at her last check
My doctor just ordered a check on my vitamin D levels…not because she suspects anything but because it is low in a huge percentage of people. I’ll be interested to see what mine is.
I just got diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency last Monday. I have a new prescription to take the rest of my life! I haven’t really been tired…
That simple? How long before it takes effect? Can we look forward to more knitting
i think a hammock is needed
Yeesh!
Drink milkshakes and sleep in sunbeams – except that Minnesotan sunbeams aren’t as strong as, say, Caribbean sunbeams.
Quick, get the doctor to write you an Rx for a flight to Grand Cayman!
Hope you feel better soon!Maybe you can come with us to a cruise to the Caribbean next month!
Hope all is well soon!
Get ye to a beach!
Actually, I’m the same…and boy can I feel it, but it is an ongoing problem for me. My friends think I’m a bit nutty with the sunning myself on a rock like a lizard thing that I do, but it feels soooooo gooooood…
I take 2000IU’s a day, and my Vitamin D level is a normal 68 or so. The “recommended” daily dose is woefully inadequate for those of us that live in the northern Northern Hemisphere.
(take your calcium/magnesium…just sayin’…)
Hi Chaos! *scritch scritch scritch*
Here in the ever sun-shiny city of Seattle? Yeah, people recommend 1000 IUs daily.
Hmmm this explains why we drink so much fancy coffee…all that calcium rich whole milk with the vitamin D? It all makes perfect sense now.
I hope the Vit D helps. Also it’s supposed to be a lovely weekend, so I hope you have something fun planned outdoors. : )
Sunbeams (as long as I am inside)?? Save me a place!
I’m not surprised you have a vitamin D deficiency after Minnesota winter!
More and more, many of my clients are dealing with that same issue (vitamin D deficiency) and it is incredible what it causes. Interestingly enough, all the skin care products that filter out the bad UV’s seem to also be blocking out the good stuff.. at least that is what my clients are telling me (I have no medical proof of this).
A few of them are also now doing “prescription” tanning sessions. yes, truly.
Sounds like you might be in need of a sunny vacation spot !
I hope you are feeling perkier soon.
Whoa – you’re even worse than me. I just tested at 23, and also have to take those 50,000iu pills. My doctor told me that something like 90% of her patients tested as Vitamin-D deficient.
This is obviously the “new big thing” for doctors this year. My mother had a test done at her physical yesterday.
Sadly, my insurance does not pay for the test. Ouch!
That is some serious low vitamin D! Hope that the new supplements and the re-emergence of the sun boost your #’s.
But the good news is that the prescribed supplements will work. You live at too high a latitude for the sun to produce enough Vitamin D in your skin for most of the year (plus then your risk skin cancer). The other good news is that Vitamin D studies are showing that it really is very helpful, whereas all the hoopla over vitamin E several years ago, was based more on intuition (it’s an antioxidant so it should be good for you) that didn’t turn out to be true. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so it can be stored in your body. Therefore, (and I know you’ll do this) take it as your doctor advises. There aren’t many studies on its toxicity (unlike Vitamin A), but you should be careful. Can you tell I work in a lab that studies the receptors for Vitamin A, D and thyroid hormone, which are all heavily related? Have a great weekend.
Pshaw – I take 5000 iu per day! And I’m freaking happy all the time!! At least you got your Dr. to prescribe it – I had to pay!
Huh. I never thought about vitamin D deficiency as a problem. Maybe I should be taking my multivitamin/multimineral on a more frequent basis (right now it is regular, as in regularly once or twice a month). Dang!
Hopefully the supplement will do the trick and not be too much of a pain to take.
Have you checked out the Sound of Music Video over on Youtube? Should brighten up at least five minutes!
I’m picking up some Vitamin D this afternoon – heck – can’t hurt.
So that’s why I feel so good after a day outside playing with my horse (in the sun), and why I drink “far too much milk” as my Mother used to say. I can easily consume a half gallon a day by myself. No problem. Hmm. What happens when you have a Vitamin D over-efficiency?
Have a sunny weekend and feel brighter soon!
Awww…I love that pic of Chaos
For all your readers that are running out to buy vitamin D supplements, google “vitamin d overdose” first. You don’t want to take high doses of supplements unless you need them. Prescription-level doses of vitamins should be, well, prescribed. That’s the end of my public service announcement.
And Chris, if you need a doctor to write you a prescription to go to the Caymans, I’m your girl. I think you might need a personal physician to go with you, though. I could be available.
It’s contagious!
I was diagnosed last fall and did the 50,000 iu per week for 12 weeks, and am now on 1000 per day.
I can honestly say it made a huge difference for me and I was well – no sinus issues and such – for the entire winter.
(my rheumy thinks the fact that I felt better is bunk, but my PCP doesn’t agree with him)
I had a few “adjustment” issues with the high dose, but it was worth it!
And I hope you feel as good once your levels are back to normal as I’ve been feeling!
(((hugs)))
Yikes – come here – we have lots of sunshine at the moment.
Wow. The good news is you will probably feel super better pretty quickly. Vitamin D is like crack to me!
I got the opposite news. My cholesterol is “fantastic” so I no longer have to take any pills. I guess the weight loss did the trick. Yay!
Oh, that sucks! Well, at least they figured it out and you can do something about it. Hopefully you’ll be feeling better really quickly! (((hugs)))
Oh gosh, I’m sorry to hear that. With luck, the arrival of hey-I-can-go-outside-without-putting-on-a-gazillion-layers-first weather will help you get more vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency? Sounds like the perfect excuse to take a tropical vacation!
It’s because you never, never get outside.
(Um….Chaos takes those faboo pictures?) Good thing there’s something to fix it! I wonder if global warming will help or hurt.
Bummer! Still, it’s good to know that there are things you can do to help. Plus doctor-mandated time outdoors sounds like just the ticket as the warm weather approaches.
I take vitamin D and it makes a world of difference in how I feel.
most of us in the cold and wintry areas don’t get enough vitamin D. That reminds me, I didn’t take my supplement today!
Ta!
I don’t remember my Vitamin D level, but my doctor had me taking 7000 iu a week for a couple of months at least, so I guess mine were low too. Which is so weird, because I feel like I’m outside all the time!
Vitamin D comes from sunlight. You live in the Frozen North. Am I the only one who sees a connection here?
I live in California’s Central Valley where you can get sunburned in 20 minutes. No one has Vitamin D deficiency here!
Chris- I think we all feel tired at this time of year, but certainly the Vitamin D will make a big difference.
Cats will hog all the sunbeams, if you let them.
I would think it’s hard to get enough vitamin D in the winter in the northern areas. Hopefully the prescription vitamin D would make a big difference at your levels and perk you up.
At my last doctor’s appointment they checked my vitamin D levels. He said that doctors were being encouraged to check vitamin D because so many people were found to be deficient.
I think maybe you need a quick vitamin-D-stock-up trip to Florida or Hawaii or Cancun. Doctor’s orders.
Yeah, sunshine… I’ve heard the Japanese go out early in the morning as the sun comes up. Something about the angle of the sun and the light wavelengths is supposed to be better for Vit D absorption or something. So yes, you need to go outside naked at 6 am in Minnesota. Uh huh, yup.
I’ve heard several news stories recently about the current rise in Vitamin D deficiencies. I hope the supplements do the trick, Chris!
9.8? Yikes! I hope the supplements work quickly.
Some of the vit.D deficiency that has become so common recently may have to do with the use of sunblock, as well. Can’t win for losing, as they say. Too much sun and you can get cancer. Too little you will become vit.D deficient and have the problems associated with that.
Hope the Vitamin D supplements do the trick!