Check your Vitamin D levels

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clariceak
clariceak Member Posts: 752
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Although the results aren't necessarily conclusive yet, there is growing evidence that vitamin d levels are important to breast health and preventing reoccurance.  Many women in sunny states wrongly assume that their vitamin D levels are adequate just from spending time outside.

Make sure your onc is checking your vitamin d levels during blood tests.

I live in dark, rainy part of the world and my vit d level was only 17 last fall. Despite taking supplements (2,000 a day) and spending most of my time outdoors in California for the past 2 months, it has only risen to 21.  It takes serious work and time to raise your levels.  I believe the minimum healthy level is 30, but it is preferred that you reach 40 or above.  I was just told by my onc nurse that oral supplements may be absorbed more efficiently.  I just thought I might share this info since we seem to have quite a few newbies.

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  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited May 2010

    My Vit D levels were tested for the first time right after diagnois.  I scored a 13!  since then I have been doing drops and the weekly mega pill and I will get retested in a couple of weeks when I visit the oncologist again.   I find it really interesting that so many of us with breast cancer have low levels.  I know that I have now heard that anyone in the northern hemisphere is low in winter---especially now that so many people are loaded up with sunscreen or working inside all day but still I wonder. My non-scientific thought is that everyone may get low vit D but that some of us who are more inclined to have stupidbreastcancer, will have bodies that react to low vit D by developing breast cancer. . .

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  • Dragonfly1976
    Dragonfly1976 Member Posts: 1,637
    edited May 2010

    How do you know what to take or what to buy at the store? I see people taking vitamin D but I'm not sure on the right amounts? I've never had mine tested to my knowledge?

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  • 3monstmama
    3monstmama Member Posts: 1,447
    edited May 2010

    Our pediatrician said you can't o-d on Vit D.  I find the drops to be the easiest and I buy them in the health food store.  its my understanding what you want is called D-3.

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited May 2010

    Mine were at 17 then the oncologist put me on a perscription for vitamin D- It is now at 60 after 6 weeks. What she perscribed me did wonders. I now take 5000 iu;s of vitamin d-3 per day.

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited May 2010

    Wow Jen! That's impressive. Was your vitamin by prescription only, or was that just the recommended dose?

    I need to start taking 3,000 according to the onc nurse, but maybe I can up it some more.

    Dragonfly1976 - I was told to look for D-3.  My onc is in Seattle and is on a vitamin D crusade.

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited May 2010

    My onc said you CAN OD on Vit-D.  That it's an oil soluble vitamin, not water.  Which means it builds up and does not get secreted.  I told him I take 4,000mg a day and he said that was a fine amount.

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited May 2010

    I am having mine tested again next week. If they are closer to 100 I will then lower the dose.

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  • mmm5
    mmm5 Member Posts: 1,470
    edited May 2010

    Hi after a year of increasing mine were at 104 last week and that was taking 5000 a day, now I am dropping back down to 3000, make sure you are taking D3.

    Does anyone know about giving d3 to children?

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  • NotAgain2015
    NotAgain2015 Member Posts: 223
    edited May 2010

    NIce to see this topic.  I found out my vitamin D number was 25 today.  Dr. said to take 1000mg day.  The D3s i bought are 2000.  Sounds like maybe i can take 2000 2x day?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited May 2010

    Great post - so important.  My  onc. (also in Seattle) is also on board with the Vitamin D and tests my blood each visit (which is quarterly for now).  When diagnosed my D level was 23.  It is now 55.  I did not take vitamin D during chemo or rads, but started taking 4000 iu of D3 (pills) daily for about 2 months - then had my blood test.  I now take 1,000 daily.  My onc. likes it to be around 50.  There is a thread in the Alternative/Naural forum on Vitamin D and some reports show it should be higher.

    Ironically I started taking 1000 D3 a few months before I was diagnosed.  I also have my kids take it - figuring that if my level was low, so is theirs.  One drinks a bit of milk, one doesn't like milk.

    Dragonfly - I see you are in Oregon - get tested.  This is a simple blood test that your onc. or GP can do.  I am from Portland - moved to Seattle in 2007.  BOTH areas have high breast cancer rates.

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  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 586
    edited May 2010

    Mine tested at 19 about toward the beginning of chemo.  I've been taking 5000 IU per day of D3 since then, so for about 4 or 5 months, and will get the results of my retest next week.  I've also managed to get at least 30 minutes in the sun almost every day, so hopefully that helped, too.  They said if I'm not over 30, they'll switch to the Rx megadose for the next 3 months.

    Pure - Did you mean it was at 60 after 6 months?  (You wrote "weeks")    I thought you went on it about the same time as I did...?

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  • jan-m
    jan-m Member Posts: 88
    edited May 2010

    Thanks for the info clariceak!

    I started taking a Vit D supplement of 2000 IU per day for about 2 weeks before starting chemo (May 11th) & since. Will be picking up my pre chemo blood test results on tuesday.. now I am very curious as to what my Vit D # will be! 

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