help with vit D levels

It was my doctor who first told me about the importance of Vitamin D.  She is always reading about vitamins, minerals, herbals.  She has a program on her computer where she checks any supplements I am taking against Arimidex.  She does a great deal of research on what is happening in Europe which is years ahead of us in research. 

My oncologist knows little about supplements although he is starting to read about them.  He OK'd my use of turmeric. 

I think people need to shop around for doctors.  It may cost some money to go from doctor to doctor, but it is worth it in the long run.  I read the threads about the experiences some have had with their doctors and oncologists and I wouldn't put up with it for a second time.  Patients need to be aggressive about their treatment as human beings as well as cancer patients.  If the doctor or the doctor's staff won't shape up, then leave.

Nan, I agree with your opinion on Big Pharma.  I read an article in Yahoo News that said women with a genetic link to breast cancer should take Tamoxifen as a preventative.  Oh, yeh, tamoxifen has no serious side effects so let's take it as a preventative.    This newspaper doctor didn't even mention Vitamin D.

Notself and Melinda,

Yesterday Lori had her appointment with Dr. Perotti in Pittsburgh. He is an antiaging specialist, and she and her husband have been seeing him since May of 2009. Lori is on BHRT. She has known how important vitamin D is for some time now, and before she started taking BHRT, she coild not get her D levels up. As I have posted before, her levels are now 82.6. Her doctor knows the importance of integrated medicine, and he is more than willing to treat her even though she was dx with TNBC. He is a MD, and was a face surgeon before practicing in the antiaging field of medicine.

While Lori was in Pittsburgh, she saw a copy of the Pittsburgh newspaper. There was an article about Dr. Joseph Maroon who is the doctor who operated on Lori's husband 12 years ago for back surgery. Maroon is the team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2008 Maroon was selected to be the Senior Vice President of the A4M, the largest society of antiaging medicine in the world. He has a new book out tittled The Longevity Factor, and he recommends red wine and resveratrol.

Perhaps as more noted physicians such as Dr. Maroon join the antiaging field of medicine, we will see the insurance companies begin to pay for the very necessary BHRT, and all of the tests. Baby boomers are not going to tolerate all these addicting drugs. I am not a baby boomer...(too old), but I do not take prescription meds unless it is absolutely necessary. There is a time and place for conventional medicine.

http://www.josephmaroon.com/jcm2.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJu9SICmzDo

Dear Wink333,

You are not uninformed at all BHRT is biodentical hormone replacement therapy.These are natural hormones, unlike the synthetic hormone replacement therapy manufacured by the pharmaceutical companies, and which is derived from pregnant mares urine, and was proven to cause breast cancer. I see by your stats that you were dx with TNBC also, and just 4 months before my Lori. Have I seen you post on the TNBC site?

When you take D3 it is important that you take Magnesium also, as the D3 is not absorbed without this. From everything I have read a dose of just 320 mg of Magnesium is sufficient. 1200 mg of Calcium, 320 mg of Magnesium and from recent articles about 5000 IU's of D3. These 3 when taken at bedtime help you have a better night's sleep, but...all are fat soluble so should be taken with food. Both Lori and I take these at bedtime, and not with much food, and my levels are 66 and hers 82.6, so I am assuming this method is working for us.

Your doctor is just one of many who are not educated about vitamin D3. Yep, you are at the low end of the range, and with a dx of bc, you need to be in the upper range, and closer to 100 ng/ml.To achieve an increase of 10 ng/ml you need to add 1000 IU's of D3, so from all that I have read, you need to be taking about 5000 IU's daily. I am not a doctor, but if you read all the articles from here on this thread, you will get the same info.

You can get the 5000 IU's in a soft gel capsule at Walmart, and they are easy to swallow. That is the brand I have been taking and apparently they are good, as my levels continue to increase. I started with 1000, then 2000, and am now taking 3 to 4000 iu's during the Winter months.

Oh ...and Wink, do not allow these conventional doctors to tell you that due to a dx of TNBC, or for that matter any cancer  that you cannot take BHRT. This is your body and your life, and you just have to find a doctor in the antiaging field of medicine who will work with you. Lori did her research before starting BHRT, and is feeling absolutely wonderful.It is not the hormones which cause cancer, it is when the hormones are unbalanced,

Dear Harley44,

When you were on the BHRT, did you have a multitude of tests? When Lori was first tested, the lab drew 22 vials of blood and her test results were 12 pages in all. She goes to an antiaging specialist, who looks at all hormones, etc., and not just the sex hormones.

Now before I go any further, I want you to know that I am in no way knocking whatever doctor you went to for the hormones, and as we all know your dx was not in any way, shape or form your fault. You are not sitting across the table from me so you cannot see the compassion in my eyes nor can you hear the sincerity in my voice when I speak about bc, or any type of cancer. Emails and posts on cancer sites are sometimes misconstrued, and while I am sure that everyone tries to express their feelings, at times people read into what was written.

I read where many women are taking just one hormone, and yet tests are not ordered to see exactly where they are deficient or where the imbalance is. Personally, and IMHO, that is like playing Russian Roulette. When Lori had her tests, the adrenal glands were not functioning properly, and she had the highest cortisol and DHEA levels of over 3000 patients in this practice. The tests that she had were never ordered by a conventional doctor. Never! The NK (natural killer cells) test is one that most conventional doctors never even heard of, let alone ordered. Yet that one test is so very important.

BHRT is very safe, and the antiaging field of medicine will soon become the standard of care. I feel each person has to research, and find a really good doctor, and even then you must question what she/he has to say.

There is a naturopath in our area, and just 5 days after Lori was dx with TNBC in June of 2007, she had an appt. with her. Lori was terrified and going through what all you women experience when first dx. She was grasping at straws so to speak. Lori spent over $1000.00 and never used any of what this woman sold her. She never ran tests like Lori had in May of this past year in Pittsburgh.

My heart goes out to you Harley..and as I have said many times, as a mother, I see all of you through Lori's eyes.

Dear Harley,

This is a thread about vitamin D, and D is a prehormone, and before Lori started on the BHRT, her levels were 44. After a few months on BHRT, her levels went to 82.6.ng/ml.  It is about balancing all the hormones. The chemo and rads absolutely destroyed Lori's body, and the vitamin D level very crucial when you are first dx, and is a factor for recurrence and prognosis, and yet not one doctor even knew about testing for D levels. Not until I began reading on another bc site that this is one vitamin that everyone should be taking, did Lori begin to pump the D into her system, but to no avail. 

All threads/topics get off the intended subject, and that is because many things are actually related and in so many ways. 

Yes many of these doctors are very stupid...very!! It sure as he$$ is not normal for a 35 year old young woman to be dx with premature ovarian failure. Something is very wrong somewhere.

Hugs back to you Harley, and it was not my intention to upset you and your opinion is very important.

Nan

Dear Harley,

You were not rude or nasty, and you cannot help but be upset with all you have been through. Perhaps one day...and I pray really really soon for all our sakes, conventional medicine will finally accept what doctors from years ago have been reporting, and women like you and my Lori will not ever be dx with breast cancer. Or with any cancer for that matter.

Did you read that the D2 is really worthless? It is the D3 which you need. All the links which have been posted in this thread are very informative, and if a person's doctor is not up-to-date on D3, they need to have the links/copies sent to them. I just roll my eyes and shake my head when someone posts that their doctor doesn't have a clue as to testing for D levels. Especially the oncologists.

You take care sweetie and just get those levels up to as close to 100 ng/ml as possible.

Hugs,

Nan

When your Dr. prescribes 50,000 ui of Vit D it is only filled by Vit D2.  I checked with my pharmasist and he says the dosage of 50,000 only comes in D2 not D3..  I am in my 9th week and in 3 more weeks I will have a blood test on my Vit. D level and Calcium content.  to see how the 12 weeks of 50,000 ui of Vit D2 has done to increase my D level.  I will be anxious to find out. 

I can't remember, but someone mentioned taking K1 with D.  I think it's K2.  I'm taking K2.  You can ask Mr. Google.   

Geesh....1992 some docs were already noting the cancer/vitamin D connection.....20 years later docs have still not yet come aboard the Vitamin D train???  Amazing

"There have been a number of scientific studies in the last 20 years that support the view that sunlight can inhibit cancer, and it is clear that the mortality and incidence of breast cancer and colon cancer in North America and other areas of the world increases with increasing latitude. In 1992, Dr Gordon Ainsleigh published a paper in the journal Preventive Medicine in which he reviewed 50 years worth of medical literature on cancer and the sun. He concluded that the benefits of regular sun exposure appear to outweigh by a considerable degree the risks of squamous-basal skin cancer, accelerated ageing, and melanoma. He found trends suggesting that widespread adoption of regular moderate sunbathing would result in approximately a one-third lowering of breast and colon cancer death rates in the United States. Colon cancer and breast cancer are the second and third leading causes of cancer deaths in North America and Dr Ainsleigh estimated that about 30,000 cancer deaths would be prevented each year if moderate sunbathing on a regular basis became the norm.
The Healing Sun by Richard Hobday, page 68

Chiropractor or not, he and several other doctors and researchers were on to something 20 YEARS AGO and it's taken oncology quite a while to catch up. Lok how many of us have had to bring our doctors on board???? Guess what...sunlight in short doses is good for us, Vitamin D is great for us, and as you move further and further north in the country, breast cancer rates go up and up and up.

If "sunbed" manufacturers decide to take his thoughts out of context and use them to their sales advantage, that's really not his fault. And he is certainly not the only proponent of vitamin D and sunlight these days.

Dear notself,

You are so right. My friend sent this video to me the other day, and if this is one which is already posted, someone please tell me and I will edit and delete. You will not hurt my feelings. Do the women on the regular forums read posts from here? This is not alternative treatment by any means, and yet many people just ignore the facts on vitamin D.

http://www.ucsd.tv/series/index.aspx?show=show&seriesnumber=520

It's so maddening that doctors would  shoot us full of E-coli (Neupogen is made from components of e-coli, believe it or not).....rather than take time to help teach us how to boost our immunity levels from day 1 with Vitamin D and proper nutrition. 

Ask them and they will say , "well, we can be sure that you are getting your shot....but we cannot trust everyone to take their Vitamin D religiously and to eat properly".   Translation:  "It's easier to just shoot you with more poison every week,  hell we're already shooting you full of all kinds of other dangerous shit so why not just one more?"

unklez: It can help.   There is a neutrophil diet plan which helps with keeping your immunity and your WBC count up, so that you don't need the shots.    Often it just helps prolong the number of weeks before you need a shot.......for me it was 8 weeks of chemo and then they wanted me to have the shot.

Depends on how low your WBC count is.  I think if it is 2 or less they want to give you the shot.  They don't want you to risk infection.  They don't trust you to take your temperature every couple of hours to alarm you if infection is pending....so the shot is the easy way out. 

 Some doctors will let you wait a week to see if your WBC count can improve on it's own.  If you are on weekly Taxol like me, a week is really not enough time to boost your blood with Vitamin D and diet.   And if your WBC count is down (mine was 1.7)...it is risky not to take the shot.  Whether it is riskier than TAKING the shot, I don't know.  Some people are allergic to the shot, some people get spleen damage, and some tumors grow bigger from the shot (the drug website says there is not enough data to rule this out....hmmmmm).

DO NOT HAVE A NEUPOGEN SHOT until 24 hours after chemo....or within 24 hours of your next chemo!!!

Here's some info on keeping blood counts up and preventing infections:

 NEUTROPENIC DIETARY PROGRAM
Neutrophils are an important defense against infection, especially bacterial infection. Treatment and disease progression may compromise neutrophil counts. When neutrophil counts fall below 1000 (1.0 x 109/L), patients are in jeopardy of infections from bacteria found in everyday foods. If neutrophil counts drop to near or below 1000, patients should be on a neutropenic diet and should be in close touch with their Oncologists or Hematologists. These dietary protocols may be used when you are neutropenic. It is important to follow a low bacteria diet until your immune system returns to normal. You must prepare foods in such a way that you avoid risk of infection. As your neutrophils increase your doctor may liberalize your diet.

KEEP FOOD CLEAN
Check expiration dates on all products before you buy them. Be sure nothing you buy is past its expiration date. Wash with soap/citrus cleanser and hot water before and after touching food: counter tops, cutting boards (wash them in a dishwasher if you have one) all cooking utensils, all silverware, and all pots and pans. Food preparer should wash hands frequently with warm soapy water and dry with paper towels. This is especially important after touching raw meat, chicken, eggs, and fish. Wash dishes in hot soapy water or in dishwasher. Air-dries dishes--DO NOT use cloth towe (full of germs) l. Keep perishable food very hot or very cold. DO NOT leave perishable items at room temperature for more than 10 to 15 minutes. All perishable foods should be cooked thoroughly. Yes, that means no rare meat. Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator overnight or quickly in the microwave. DO NOT thaw food on the counter. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in airtight containers. Use leftovers only if they have been stored properly and have been around for no more than 24 hours.

NEUTROPENIC DIETS
Give your immune system a boost by including lots of yogurt that contains live active cultures of LACTOBACILLUS BULGARICUS & STREPOCOCCUS THERMOPHILUS. Some other specific foods to include are GARLIC, and shitake mushrooms. These mushrooms may not be appealing, so try pureeing them to add to spaghetti sauce, or chop them fine and add to a meat loaf. Other immune boosting foods are FRUITS & VEGETABLES. They may not increase white cell count, but they will make the white cells grow stronger. The best choices are the deep green and orange ones like spinach and carrots, melon and oranges. On the other hand, fish oil is an immune system enhancing agent. Serve a cup of yogurt with pureed strawberries for dessert. Serve fresh salmon with some tender cooked broccoli florettes or spinach that has been steamed with fresh garlic and a little water; (garlic needs to cook longer than the spinach so give that a head start). A NEUTROPENIC DIET includes all well-cooked foods and eliminates foods that may contain potential disease-causing microorganisms

GENERAL GUIDELINES
You could also take fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, first wash them thoroughly under running water, microwave or steam them until well-done, cool covered in the refrigerator, and then use them in the shake. Some fresh produce even has better availability of nutrients and phytochemicals with cooking although other nutrients are also decreased with cooking. However, remember that this diet is only for short term use and try not to worry too much about the lost nutrients.. Do not purchase nuts, rice etc from scoops in "open bins".

SPECIFIC FOODS RECOMMENDED BY THE ONCOLOGY NUTRITION PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS:
-Pasteurized yogurt
-Peeled thick-skinned, unblemished fresh fruit (banana, citrus, melon - be sure to wash the outside peels prior to cutting through the fruit with your knife)
-Peeled apples, (rinse, peel, then rinse again before eating)
-Cooked dried fruit (warmed prunes, apricots)
-Processed fruit juices - pasteurized .

SPECIFIC FOODS TO AVOID]
-Fresh-squeezed fruit juice
-Unpasteurized fruit juice
-Too much fat [polyunsaturated vegetables oils adversely effect immune system strength]

Be sure your blender and its cover, cutting board and utensils are clean, preferably by washing them all in the dishwasher. If you need to wash these items by hand, use warm soapy water, rinse well, and then rinse again with very hot water. Air dry . WASH HANDS W/ SOAP AND WATER BEFORE HANDLING THE FOODS AND PREPARING THE SHAKE. [1]

NOT PERMITTED: Raw unpasteurized juices such as ODWALLA, raw fish and seafood.

PERMITTED: Shellfish well cooked, home prepared meat, and fish salads, pre-packaged sandwich meats
NOT PERMITTED: Raw or rare meat, raw fish, raw eggs, undercooked poultry commercially prepared meat and fish salads (deli salads open and scooped at deli) , sushi, and sandwich meats from the deli

PERMITTED: Pasteurized yogurt
Pre-packaged ice cream or frozen yogurt, pre-packaged hard cheeses: cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, Swiss, mozzarella pre-packaged soft cheeses: cottage cheese, cream cheese, ricotta
NOT PERMITTED: Soft serve ice cream or frozen yogurt hand-packed ice cream or frozen yogurt, feta, brie, camembert, blue, gorganzola, and quesco fresco cheeses any imported cheeses, and any cheese sliced at a deli

PERMITTED: Breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta, all pre-packaged or homemade breads, muffins, cakes, rolls, donuts, cookies and crackers all boxed hot or cold cereals, except those with dried fruit or nuts, cooked potatoes, rice, noodles
NOT PERMITTED: Bakery breads sitting out in bakery, muffins, cakes, donuts, cream, or custard filled cakes, commercially prepared potato, or macaroni salad, popcorn (due to dental problems)

PERMITTED: All well washed and thoroughly cooked vegetables, all cooked or canned fruits, raw, thick-skinned, well-washed fruits (unbruised): oranges, grapefruits, melons, bananas, tangerines
NOT PERMITTED: Raw vegetables and salads without rinsing well first, any unrinsed fruit.

PERMITTED: Processed peanut butter, packaged roasted nuts, cooked nuts (in cookies, cakes, etc)
NOT PERMITTED: Raw nuts, uncooked nuts, unprocessed nuts, nuts scooped from a store bin.

PERMITTED: All cooked fresh or canned spices (add at least 5 min. prior to end of cooking) ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, served in separate containers with clean utensils, sugar, jelly, honey served from clean containers with clean utensils
PERMITTED: Thoroughly cooked frozen dinners, thoroughly cooked frozen pizza, canned entrees. Try not to eat out at restaurants or to eat deli foods from restaurants without REHEATING THOROUGHLY AT HOME. No self-service buffets or salad bars.

EAT SMALL, FREQUENT MEALS OR SNACKS
Add margarine, butter, gravy, cheese, to appropriate items. (If you're having dry mouth as a result of treatment you'll really appreciate these suggestions.)

Drink Instant breakfast, Ensure, Sustacal, or other commercially prepared supplements.
Some people may have trouble digesting milk products. Watch for symptoms of bloating, gas, cramps, or diarrhea after consuming milk products. You may want to switch to Lactaid Milk, or chew lactaid tablets when eating dairy products. Discuss this with your dietitian, nurse, or doctor.

Additional recommended foods to boost white blood cell count:

Foods That Increase WBC Count

Yoghurt
Garlic
Dark meat turkey
Pumpkin
Shitake mushrooms
Spinach
Carrots
Melon
Oranges
Fish oil, sardines, wild salmon
Beets
Milk
Figs
Boiled eggs
Beans, barley
TOTAL Cereal
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Strawberries

Almost 60% of people on Neulasta experience bone pain....some of it severe....and some of it lasting a lifetime.  Both Neupogen and Neulasta can cause rupture of the spleen.  And you risk your tumor getting bigger on Neupogen (not sure about Neulasta).

 Lastly, if Vitamin D is found to PREVENT cancer....someday people may not have to worry so much about Neulasta and Neupogen at all! 

Docs don't shoot us full of E Coli anymore than eating mushrooms is equivalent to eating s**t fresh from a cow. (Mushrooms are grown in soil that is heavily fortified with cow dung).  Neulasta is made from E. Coli which are engineered to produce the active drug.  This process is similar to, but more technically complex method that is used to make beer from grain using yeast.

After the active drug is made by e. coli, it is harvested and virtually all rements of the e. coli are removed with multiple clean-up steps.  The product then goes through many tests to ensure that rements of e. coli are indeed removed before it is further processed (sterilized, formulated and packaged).