help with vit D levels

Hi, coonie ~
the 50,000 units of prescription Vitamin D2 (assuming you're in the US) is one single pill, so no, it's not "a whole lot of pills".  I've been taking a weekly pill for 3 months plus OTC D3 (1100 IU daily), and while I don't know yet if my blood levels are higher (mine was 8.5, so I *hope* it's getting higher, lol), I do know that my hip pain is much improved.  I've also been taking calcium and magnesium.

Once I'm finiished with the scrip and get re-tested, I'll decide how much OTC D3 to take.  Right now, I'm thinking a minimum of 5000 IU since I learned (in this thread, maybe?) that it can help with asthma which is something that plagues me along with bone pain.

Artemis

Hi Elimar, LOL - fair is fair !   Grandiose are the delusions of those who insist that after reading anonymous postings on a message board they'll be better educated than their oncologists, LOL!

Hi Coonie- yeah, what Artemis said!  The 50,000 units/week of vitamin D supplementation is pretty standard. It's likely that your pills are D2 instead of D3, and there is a lot of controversy over which is better, but you can read all about that if you want.  You may want to ask your doctor what he/she says about it find out whether they think you should do over-the-counter D3 instead. My oncologist had me do the 50,000 for a while and then switch to D3 over the counter later.

They'll monitor your levels, so you'll know if (or how well) it's working in your specific case and adjust as necessary.  Anyway, a lot of people do report feeling better after starting vitamin D, so hopefully that'll be the case for you!  Best of luck!

Coonie ~ I *think* the magnesium needed for Vit D absorption is 300-400 mg per day.  Hopefully, someone else will come along soon and speak to that.  Anyway, with my daily multi-vitamin and my Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc/D3 combo, I'm getting 449 mg daily.

QUESTION:  I'm taking about 1200 mg Calcium daily.  Is this enough, and if not, how much should I be getting?  Thanks!

Artemis

Just a post to the poster who asked about pain and Vitamin D. I started taking 50,000 IU weekly Vitamin D2 for 2 weeks, then I switched over to the oil based drops (over the counter) of D3. (My OB had given me a script, but I decided to use the D3 based on some of the information I read)

Within 3 weeks of the initial start of supplementation, I feel like a NEW PERSON. My levels were previously in the low 20s, and at my last test they were at 39.  Honestly, I got to a certain point where I felt like I could do a triathlon. When you contrast that with the person I was before--- someone who had to take 3-4 tea and coffee breaks while cleaning the house-- you can see that it benefitted my pain threshold and my energy enormously.  I feel like the 21 year old version of myself!! I cannot say enough good things about Vitamin D.

coonie.....ask your pharmacist if they are filling the prescription for 50,000 with d3 or d2....most people here have found that there is not 50,000 of d3 and the pharmacists are filling with d2 instead of d3.....like it is interchangeable

I switched to Thorne brand and brought mine up from 22 to 61 in 4 months using 15,000 to 20000 mg a day.

Julio - I am curious about your post concerning the parathyroid.com website.I realise you don't wish to go into details, but I had the vitamin D/ hyperparathyroid situation explained differently to me by an endocrinologist.The high levels of PTH can cause you to become vitamin D deficient.

I am also curious that you say you have primary hyperparathyroidism for the second time - and no tumor.As far as I understand it, the increased parathroid hormone levels are caused by a parathyroid adenoma,so how do you account for your increased PTH? It would seem possible that your first surgery missed the second affected gland, but there would still be a tumor.

It is also interesting that you had hyperparathyroidism pre-dating bc; there seems to be a definite correlation, and some have even thought that the one is implicated in the cause of the other.

Best wishes,

Sam

RE: What Julie said:

    I will defer to my oncologist and endocrinologist-surgeon and breast surgeon who all say that the vitamin d deficiency can cause the spike (again) in the parathyroid levels.

 I was found to be severely Vitamin D deficient (7), with high calcium, and high (on the borderline) parathyroid. We have gotten my D up into the 30s (and what a job that was!), and both the parathyroid and the calcium have gone down to normal.

So, don't automatically distrust your doc - mine's not a great communicator, but she went to a really good school, and knows her onions!

Fans of vitamin D - I love this thread!  I am here to tout my oncologist and all the oncologists that my friends (have way too many women I now know with bc)  have in the city I live in....they ALL test for vitamin D when you are diagnosed, and test my level quarterly.  My onc. is at a NCI center, but I know of oncs in neighboring hospitals that are on top of this too.  Possibly it is because we are in a very overcast area in the NW.

At my most recent appt we talked about the whole Vitamin D thing - she really thinks there is something too it, and it is not coincidental.  I guess the same ferver surrounded vitamin C and vitamin B (that low levels contributed to cancer) but vitamin D is proving to be a serious contributor.  My onc. seems to welcome the questions that I have - mainly about subjects that i learn on bc.org.

I really really trust and love my onc. and if I thought she was out of touch, I would change doctors.  I dislike the medical community trashing that I read on bc.org - the majority of them really do keep on top of their specialty.  If your personal doctor doesn't then why not find one that does?  Our lives depend on great doctors that work well with us!

edited to add:  My onc. does tell me that the medical community really is not sure that super high doses are best - she told me that the studies indicate that high average is best to reduce reccurence.  She cited a canadian study that the women with super high levels of vitamin D had as bad as a prognosis as super low - the only article that I could find about this is www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24654464/

At the end of the article a doc is quoted that those with super high levels had worse outcomes - although it was a small sample.  

My onc. likes her patients to be in the high average - over 50 but under 70.  I started out at 23. I know the vitamin D council recommends higher.

April: I so dislike the trashing of doctors that happens on these threads too. Both my onc and my GP test for vitamin D levels also. I don't know why some people would value advice of non-professionals on these boards more highly than that of qualified medical personnel. I think that's just asking for trouble. However, I do think it's important that we educate ourselves so we can talk to our doctors and ask informed questions.

Didn't mean to do any doctor bashing, and don't believe I did.  Yes, the more we know about vitamin d and talk to our doctors about it, and how it affects the rest of our medical history is so very important.  I'm just glad this subject was brought up, it really does need all our attention.

I also have great doctors, if I did not, I'd 'fire' them, which I've done in the past (a very ineffective endocrinologist, not doctor bashing, just facts here)...and moved on to the next absolutely awesome endo.  He listens to me and knows that I somewhat know what my body is telling me and listens to it and me.  SO important.  Again, I wish you all well in our challenges!   ~juli

MariannaHB~

I would be very interested in your results when you receive them re:  your vitamin d levels, your PTH and your calcium.   I'm sorry about your IBS, that has to be difficult.  I will be having my levels rechecked after the 12 weeks of 50,000ius of vitamin d (10 more weeks from now).  I have other medical issues going on, which is no part of this thread, so I will defer!       ~juli

(You can certainly send me a PM, I'd love to know the levels have leveled off so to speak after your vitamin d treatments as well!)

It must be time to re-post some information about the research being done on Vitamin D3 by doctors.

The following links and many others including videos can be found at http://www.grassrootshealth.net/

Vitamin Role in Calcium Metabolism Safety

http://www.grassrootshealth.net/media/download/2010-04-9-Heaney.pdf

Vitamin Mechanism of Action Status of the Evidence

http://www.grassrootshealth.net/media/download/2010-04-9-HeaneyVitDMechanisms315pm.pdf

Video: What's a Vitamin D Deficiency?

http://www.ucsd.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=15751

One is not necessarily bashing doctors by pointing out that some doctors are behind in the current research on Vitamin D. 

I hope those of you who are confused about D2 vs D3 will read the links and listen to the video.  It will be time consuming but you will have the facts about D as they are currently understood by researchers.

I hope you did not think I was bashing doctors. I have the utmost respect for them.  In my case, it was my GP who wanted t test me for vit d deficiency.  My onc did not kow why she would want to do that.  She didn't realize there could be a relationship between cancer and vit D.  SHe is in her 30's and is a Harvard Grad.  Now, whenever I go and see here, I bring her articles to make sure she is reading them.  I am not bashing doctors, I do understand they are busy, but I also want what is best for me.

I believe in the PATIENT being the most proactive in our own healthcare.  Good for you, Makraz. 

I also believe in informing our own doctors, they may not like it, but mine have respected my research, lab test copies and upkeep on my own health issues.  I just believe one HAS to, if we don't, heck, WHO WILL????       ~juli

Totally agree with being proactive with your doctors. They are busy people, and more often than not, we are a chart with a body attached. They read the chart a few minutes before our appointment, and then make decisions based on protocol. Now, don't get me wrong, I think we need protocols. It's just that most healthecare systems are not set up for doctors to establish a really profound, uniquely individualized plan for each patient.  So, proactive patients who arm themselves with information and ask good questions can actually help the doctor to make better decisions!