help with vit D levels

Thanks and you are so welcome!! I was told to take 2,000 daily but decided to do the 5,000 after reading here and am glad I did. I want those levels up!!

Good luck to you on your next test. I hope they are up where you need them to be.

East Coast - that's a GREAT improvement over short period of time!  Are you taking a multi-vitamin with minerals?  I take Centrum Multivitamin/Multimineral.  That's one source of iron (plus iodine, etc) but you're right.  Getting it from food is best.  I think canned peaches are supposed to be really high in iron too. 

DesignerMom ~ I pushed my onc to test mine and twice results were <4 (I thought it was a typo at first).  My PCP said it's ok because my D3 was ok.  Argh!!   Going to see a naturopath today and hopefully she will help me out.  It's frustrating that my drs aren't more helpful.  ~ Daiva

Ginger -

My first Vitamin D test result was 7, so I feel for you. I can tell you some of the changes that you may experience as your Vitamin D level goes up -

You will have more energy, and the world will not seem quite as grey. When my D levels got over 20, I felt as though I had recovered from a case of long-term flu.

Then we went to Hawaii, and my D levels jumped 10 points in a week - lots of snorkeling, being out on the water, volcano-climbing, walking along volcanic beaches, and sun, sun, sun. I was careful and didn't get burned, but I browned nicely. And I felt good!

Now, I take 2000 m of D3 a day, and get 10-15 minutes of tanning bed three-four times a week. And I'm normal. (You can't do this during chemo - but you might want to walk outside and get some real sun on your body).

And we (my endocrinologist and I) have gotten my levels over 40. And my bones have stopped going away, right on the edge of osteoporosis - we've actually got my spine back to osteopenia. But my arms and legs - well, let's just say I'm really scared to fall.

Another thing that you might want to look into (f you are taking a good (NOT Centrum or One-A-Day) multi-vitamin, you are likely to have this covered) is to make sure that you are getting Magnesium and Vitamin K2 daily. These are the other big vitamins that you need for building and maintaining bone. And of course, you need to be getting some form of calcium, I get mine primarily from yogurt and cheese, but I do supplement occasionally.

Having a D level that low can also pull your parathyroid hormone levels out of whack. I had low D, high blood calcium, and high parathyroid levels. Was on the edge of doing parathyroid scans, but in 3 months of D supplementation, parathyroid went back to normal.

Talk to your doctor about taking any additional supplements during chemo.

Good luck - remember that most women with BC do survive, although it's not a fun time.

 Hugs

Sue

I based this information on a Consumer Reports review that I read a few years ago when I started dealing with bone health issues. Basically, the deal is that you want the vitamins and minerals to be absorbable, and of good quality. So they compared what the bottle said you were getting, with an actual analysis of pills from a bottle bought off the shelf.

What they say is, for an inexpensive general multi-vitamin - the best bang for the buck is Costco's Kirkland brand.

If you want to spend a little more, several of the small specialty brands like Pilgrim Pride are quite good. If you have a friend who's totally into health food, ask them where they get their vitamins. Personally, I like HSN's Andrew Lessman brand (how embarassing, admitting I buy from cable shopping shows, but), but his daily vitamin package contains good levels of everything, includes a fish oil and a vitamin E pill, and the ingredients are ground and put into swallowable  capsule, so your body doesn't have to try to digest a whole big compressed pill to get at the goody within.  I'm sure there are others who follow the same manufacturing process, I just found this one first. [I also like that it's manufactured in the US, and that his facility is powered by solar.]

I hope this helps - I'm trying not to turn into a crazy lady, but as a librarian/researcher/writer, I do read this sort of information, and some of it sticks.

Sue

Happy New Year D3 Gals! 

Still on the 2000 a day plus calcium, magnesium and zinc - ran blood work and we shall see the results at the 21st onc visit to see if I need any additional with it being winter and I am in the land of the frozen northern midwest. 

I saw someone speak about the gel caps being soy...don't want soy - are all the gels soy?  I will have to do some more 'bottle reading'...LOL

Hugs...LowRider

LowRider, that was me.  I re-ordered my Vit D3.  Was on chewable 1000 iu's and figured it might be nice to up to the 2000 gel caps.  Didn't read the bottle until they arrived and soy was right at the top for the gel caps.  So I sent them back and got the chewables again.  (from Puritan's Pride).

Wondering if they are okay because even though they say NO artificial flavor, preservatives, milk, lactose, soy, gluten, wheat, yeast, fish and are sodium free, the OTHER ingredients are sucrose, sorbitol, fructose, xylitol,  and vegetable cellulose.  There are some miniscule ingredients as well. 

Hello all... 

Just now trying to figure our the whole Vitamin D thing.  Are you all taking magnesium with your Vitamin D?  If I start taking Vitamind D3 (2000IUD) daily to raise my count, how much magnesium do I need to be taking?  

My vitamin D was tested before chemo and it was 30...so was thinking at starting with 2000 IUD daily to start. 

I was told no supplements during chemo (last one tomorrow-woot woot!),so I'm ready to start adding in the things that I need to from here on out....Do I need to incorporate calcium as well?  How soon after chemo can I start taking this?  I am slowly reading through this thread, but not finding the information too quickly, so would appreciate any feedback.  

Thanks!

peace and prayers,

Tori

DE COLORES! 

So I asked my new Onc. about vitamin D. She doesn't seem to think much about it causing cancer. Her befief is just take a multi vitamin and it will cover me. I asked her to check it with the blood test, will see if she did when the results come back.

My onc does blood work each visit (currently every 6 months) so I just ask him to include Vit D levels in the report.  Don't see why they wouldn't if they are taking blood anyway.  (altho I guess it depends on your insurance also)

I found a Vitamin D spray, 1000IU/spray.  I spray 2X per day= 200IU then a multi vit = 2400IU/day.  My d was less than 4, he'll be testing again in Feb.  I asked if he'd write a script to a cruise in Thaiti to bring my D level up but he just laughed...no sense of humor

   Yes Kira1234 - my insurance does cover it but I have a high deductible.

   And I agree with patoo, just ask your oncologist to include a vit D check the next time they do your labs. Even though my endocrinologist was the one who asked me to check it the onco. had no trouble ordering the test for me. I  just asked him to add it to my routine lab work, said why should I have to get stuck twice? He agreed. They sent the results to the endo. and he's the one who told me what mgs to take. Oh all of this is Vit D3 by the way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/health/25brody.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

Thank you Valgal I don't like raisins very much but will do what I need to do. I will go by Trader Joes and pick some up. I had no idea they were such a good source of iron. I think I will throw them in a spinach salad several times a week. 

Thanks again

hi East coast !

I was beginning to think I was all alone out here LOL Yes, raisins are great for iron -maybe you should try the blonde ones, slightly different flavor. I send them to my nieces in college because they are borderline anemic (vegetarian's without much knowledge). I also make them trail mix with all organic non-soy stuff (seeds,cereal,dried banana chips, or yogurt raisins are good!). Or make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (with raisins).