help with vit D levels

Thanks!  The nearest Whole Foods is 96 miles away,  I'll have to see if the local health food store will get some for me. 

Calcium, Vitamin D3 and Magnesium should all be taken in the proper amounts.  I agree this study is flawed because many doctors only recommend calcium.  They have not been trained in nutrition and may not realize that calcium alone is not a solution.

I just looked up calcium, magnesium, vitamin d3 on PubMed and found this abstract.  For years I have been taking calcium suplements without knowing the importance of magnesium.  I wish I had known this.

Does a higher ratio of serum calcium to magnesium increase the risk for postmenopausal breast cancer?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20371155

Department of Internal Medicine, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Fargo, ND 58102, USA.

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among United States (US) women. Established risk factors explain only about 13% of breast cancer incidence among women in the US. Thus, the cause of most cases of breast cancer remains unknown. In postmenopausal women, serum calcium (Ca) and serum magnesium (Mg) play an important role in skeletal health, cell proliferation and cancer. Mg is essential for DNA duplication and repair and Mg deficiency favors DNA mutations leading to carcinogenesis...  Thus a high serum Ca/Mg ratio is more appropriate and alterations in this ratio could lead to increased development of new and recurrent breast cancer.

JO--when does your doctor want you to be retested for your vitamin d level?  I finished my 12 weeks of the 50,000ius of D2 last Wed., and my endocrinologist wants me tested Sept. 8th.

I don't have high hopes that the D2 will have increased my vitamin d levels, and will have a very long frank discussion with him when levels come back.  It also affects my calcium/parathyroid levels as I have primary hyperparathyroidism as well.  Can't take calcium supplements.  I had taken 1000ius of vitamin d3 daily and became quite deficient.

I also would be interested in the liquid form of vitamin d3...will look for that, thanks all!   ~juli

Jo-5

Just wanted to tell you that I have been the one INSIDE,with a fan and cold drink for a long time! I live in Texas, and you normally would not find me outside during the daylight hours in the summer months EVER.

HOWEVER, since starting Vitamin D supplementation, I can *strangely* bear the heat now.  I first mentioned it to my husband when we were out gardening at around 10:00am in June. Now that we're in full-fleged summer heat (well over 100 degrees!), I still routinely stay outside until around 10:30am. Strange how that has happened, since it literally used to make me feel ill.

Just another good SE, I suppose.  

p.s. Have I told you lately how much I love Vitamin D???

(((Coonie)))

I'm curious to hear what your levels are as well.  Best of luck to you.  Please let us know and hopefully with adequate vitamin D levels, you will start to feel better. 

I'm sure a lot of your pain can be from Armidex, so many people have that side effect.  I'm on Tamox and I know I feel old!!!

Hang in there!

coonie--tummy troubles can come from the heat, and from the arimidex.  Stomach problems aren't one of the most common side effects, but it can and does happen.  Try one of the over the counter stomach medicines like Prilosec and see if it makes a difference.  Just don't stay on it longer than the recommended time because those medications cause bone loss, too.  Gotta love chemically induced menopause!

I was at 34 back in March.  Took 5,000 D3 daily and just got my updated results.  After 4 months on the D3, I'm up to 57.  Should I continue with the 5000mg/day or cut that in half or do every other day???

I have just been retested for Vitamin D and thought you would find the results interesting.

I began with a level of 22ng/ml.  It went up to 32ng/ml after three rounds of 50,000 IU of D2.  The doctor switched me to D3 and I was at 54ng/ml after 6 months on 4800 IU of D3 daily.  I decided to reduce my intake to 3800 IU and check to see if I held steady.  I had been gardening a lot and though the sun would make up the difference.  The result I received today showed my level had dropped to 45.  Needless to say, I am going back to 4800 IU per day.

Everyone has a different response to Vitamin D supplementation so be sure to get regular testing until your levels stabilize.  Don't forget your calcium and magnesium.

Best wishes for a clear mammo.

Thank you, notself:  Mammo was CLEAR~!  One hurdle down.  Now we'lll see what the bone density shows (has been fine yearly so far with parathyroidectomy and hyperparathyroidism still and the vitamin d testing in a few weeks). 

StillVerticle:  Gosh, that's awful.  I empathize as I have daily migraines and have been to the ER many times (driven myself mostly--vomiting all the way, lol).  YESSSSSSS we MUSSSSST advocate for ourselves.  When one is ill, we still have to do it.  No one else knows us like WE do.

I hope your synthroid and b-12 shots help you, plus the vitamin d issues...ugh!   *hugs*   ~juli

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend...summer is a-coming-to-a-close (SHUSH juli!)    :O

Jo, I'm just confused. At first it was 50,000 once per week and still 2,000 per day. My level was 25. Today he said to quit the daily and just do 50,000 once per month until he got back with me on what my level is now. I have NO IDEA. I've wondered if this could be the cause of the stomach problems too. But I'm seriously thinking it's Arimidex causing stomach problems. Whewwwww I'm getting more and more confused. I just told him I don't want to add anymore pills to my daily batch:)

Acid Reflux caused by Arimidex?  I didn't know.  Lordy, I have been having it off and on for a year.  The only thing that helps, other than antacids, is eating an apple before I go to bed.  Why that helps, I haven't a clue.

Holy sh*t, what isn't a SE of Arimidex?  I hope these SE's end when we stop taking this stuff.  By the way there is a new article on Arimidex saying the following:

"ASCO has recommended an aromatase inhibitor for these patients since 2004, but provided no guidance on the optimal duration until now.

The update, published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, recommends no more than five years' duration for aromatase inhibitors." http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/new_research/20100715b.jsp

Thank you for the information, chrissyb.  I do eat a good amount of greens every day.  I didn't realize they had so much calcium.  Good news. 

I was diagnosed about 10 years ago as having osteopenia.  That is when I got serious about taking supplements.  My current bone density studies show I am within normal range. So, for me supplements are necessary in addition to my normal diet.  Of course, there are many components to the building and maintaining of bone health and calcium is just one of those things.

Jo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you SO much for your posts. It seems like I've had most of the SE's from Arimidex, but it makes me feel better to know that some of them go away once you're done. I'm on it until May 2013, but I'm just trying to take one day at a time. I've thought of quitting, but my doctor just says try to stick with it. Soooooo, I'm sticking-------for now at least When I feel like complaining, I just try to remember the REASON for taking it. And as I've heard you say, it's better than cancer. I'm anxious to see what my vitamin D level is now. I guess I'll find out next week. He's also checking my thyroids.....seems like everything else has been checked, so might as well check those too........LOL.

Hugs to all of you!