Vit D Levels - Frustrated!

Candie, The one thing I have totally given up is dairy products. I have read so much about the way diary breaks down and I just do not trust it. I hope you are looking carefully for the hormone free stuff. When they feed hormones to these cows, it goes right to us ER+ women. After I read Jane Plant's book, I was convinced. I think giving up diary is a major reason,  I have been able to lose weight so easily. I will eat some imported cheese once in a while, but not daily like I use to. I use vanilla flavored rice drink on my cereal and in fruit smoothies that are really yummy. I take a 5000 IU Vit. D supplement daily that I get from my chiropractic doc. The brand is by ortho molecular, and they only sell to doctors, so you may have to ask your doc to get it for you. Or check their website to find where to get it near you.

The more I read, the more I realize how important Vit d is to our health. It is too bad our diary products are so polluted that we cannot get it there. Even if we are in the sun, it does not seem to be enough. I am committed to taking this stuff forever.

Hi stillrusty,

     I was on the 50,000IU dose daily for two weeks and then weekly for another four weeks.  You might want to talk with your doc about taking Vitamin D3 instead of D2.  The 1.25 mg pills are D2 and not D3.  Vitamin D3 is absorbed more quickly and processed more efficiently by the body, so long term it's better to be taking it versus the D2.  My doctor agreed when I talked with her about it and I stopped the weekly 1.25 mg. pill in favor of about about 6,000IU daily of D3 (I order mine online from Swanson...1000 IU per capsule). 

     I get my levels checked again next week.  I'm sure they are up because I've been feeling SOOOO much better.  It's been about two and a half months since my deficiency was found.  I've read it can take up to 6 months for things to normalize, especially if levels were very low.

Gayle 

Thanks Gayle,

That was very helpful. It bothers me that it doesn't say anywhere on my prescription about being D2 or 3. How low was your level? In what way did it make you feel better. Lately i feel like I get tired so easily. Are you taking anything else?

There is a lot of recent research, but it seems like a good number of people in the medical community aren't up on it yet.  When my DCIS was diagnosed, the area of suspicion of 1.2 cm. The biopsy from my lumpectomy showed the DCIS was 2mm.  I know the "suspicious area" is likely to not all be DCIS, but I really think that getting my Vitamin D levels up helped to "shrink" the area.  

I have to drop into my onc's office for post-chemo bloodwork on Monday, and his nurse practitioner is usually there hanging around (that's all they do on Monday AM is bloodwork)....anyway, I'm going to see if she can add Vit D to my bloodwork. 

Hi wishiwere

I looked up the names of both of the D tests I got (the wrong & the right one)

Here they are from my Report.   It looks like the 25-OH-D is the right one

25 HYDROXYVITAMIN D2 D3  Right one

VITAMIN D,1,25-DIHYDROXY- wrong one  

Pam

Thanks DJ and Stillrusty.  I know my pcp is a very kind and fairly well-rounded doc, but sometimes lacks the knowledge in BC and will readily admit it.  But I have to say, as my dh noticed (and he's one of those that normally just does what the doc says with no ?'s asked), that this doc ALWAYS listens intently and will do the research if he doesn't know the answer.  I've had many docs in my family and my life that would give patent answers and would later find out they were off base, or completely wrong in their thougths.  This one is so honest, I love him totally!  IF he doesn't know, he'll say that and find the answers. 

Anyway...waiting on the test results of other type and unfortunately I was lacking in brain cells in teh question area as far as supplements, but do plan to talk with him about them this week, so I appreaciate your guidance

Thanks again!

Hi my  Onc is going to put me on a prisciption of Vitimen D and check my levels every week.I take 1000 a day and get sun but its not enough so my Onc is going to put me on 50,00 IU a week and see if that helps......godbless roxy

I did read somewhere that above a certain latitude, it is difficult to get enough vit D from the sun. I'm in the Northeast.   I'm also taking 50,000 IU once per week. I don't know how accurate this is- but just now, I was in the waiting room at my Doc's office, and read a statement about Vit D  (in a magazine about bc), that said women undergoing treatment for breast cancer who have low vit D don't respond as well to treatment compared to women with adequate levels of D.

OK, I looked it up...there was an article about Olivia Newton John, and how she used acupuncture to treat her nausea from bc meds- so I googled Olivia Newton john and found the magazine ...  oh , the Internet is great!

www.womenandcancermag.com

and here is the article that caught my eye-

http://www.olivianewton-john.com/wacfall08olivia.pdf

Thanks, I'll read them!  Always interested in reading more!  UGH! Seems as though this part if never ending.  We should have earned degrees after going through this mess, you realize that?

 Thanks again!

There is a great book called "Don't Drink your Milk' by Frank Oski, M.D. Frank A. Oski, MD, is the former physician-in-chief of John Hopkins Children's Center and Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. I DON'T drink milk...Don't eat cheese...no dairy!!! Like LindaMemm, I think my consumption of dairy caused my BC, among other bad lifestyle choices i was making. Based on this book, the energy necessary for our bodies to digest animal sources of calcium actually depletes the critical nutrients in our bodies...So, if we are properly fueling our bodies with the necessary foods (That have been on this earth from the beginning of time, to sustain us), we shouldn't have issues with our vitamin D levels, or anything else...? Not only are cases of skin cancer increasing, but cancer in general, osteoporosis, heart disease, etc..  

What about Dr. Mercola's lamps that work like the sun? You have a choice to buy the one that makes you tan or the one that doesn't. Both make you produce vitamin D. I don't know what to believe anymore.

OLB - When I was tested at a 10, my doctor put me on megadoses (50,000 IU once per week) of Vitamin D for 6 weeks.  I followed that with 1400 IUs per day.  They wanted me to wait 3 months before restesting to be sure the result wasn't residual from the megadoses.  Just had the blood drawn yesterday so expect results in a few days.  With most recos now being in the 40-50 range, and given that you have been taking 1200-2200 IUs for 3 years, consider talking with your doctor about megadosing .  It was a relatively small gel capsule - not difficult to swallow.