The normal ways to get Vitamin D aren't cutting it.
Everyone gets the standard “vitamins are good for you” talk at their annual check-up, but this time around my doctor had a new idea. She wanted to run blood work just to make sure my Fibromyalgia wasn’t masking anything. (Make sure your doctors do this. Often we attribute new aches to chronic pain, when in actuality they may be from something else – think thyroid.) Anyway, in addition to the standard battery, she wanted to check my Vitamin D levels. Turns out, several of her other Fibro patients had low levels. Always looking for a solution, I let them run the additional test.
Sure enough, when the results came back my Vitamin D level was incredibly low*. Less than half of the low-end of normal. Eek. My doctor prescribed some heavy-duty Vitamin D supplements. Two months in, and I feel a difference. I don’t think I’m into the normal levels just yet, but I’ve noticed I can go longer between taking pain medication and I have more energy. My doctor has reported similar affects for her other patients. Other physicians have noted similar results.
There are plenty of reasons to fix low Vitamin D levels, including research saying you’ll die sooner. Perhaps there is a link between this deficiency and part of the Fibro pain? It has been linked to Osteoporosis, but more recent research finds the lack of Vitamin D connected to “unexplained muscle and bone pain.”
I’ve read a handful of articles where researchers and doctors surmise that this must be the cause of Fibromyalgia. I don’t buy that, but I could see it be a contributing or exacerbating factor.
Has anyone else tried the Vitamin D supplementation? If so, please share your experiences.
One quick note before ending: You can have too much Vitamin D. So, don’t go nuts with the stuff. Check in with your doctor and have him or her run a blood test. If you’re actually deficient, the over-the-counter stuff won’t make a considerable difference anyway. You don’t want to feel worse, do you?
* Just to make things clear to those of you thinking that I’m an anti-milk lady – I drink my organic vitamin D milk three times a week and have a silly affinity for Blue Bell ice cream. (Our freezer is always stocked.) Though, I am very fair skinned, so I don’t get my vitamins the ol’ fashioned way (the sun).
[...] So, I am debating whether it’s time to talk to my doctor again about trying the medicine. I don’t think it will be some magic pill, but wonder if it may do something noticeable. Some people say blending Tramadol and Lyrica is a godsend, while others heavily warn against it. Some of the anecdotal evidence I’ve read about the drug says the swelling of appendages, particularly fingers, is not worth the degree of pain recession. I hope my doctor has some real answer to whether Lyrica can help. She’s been right before. [...]
If you take vitamins and supplements everyday, you know that it is a bother to deal with all of the bottles and pills. I’m really not motivated enough to sort everything I take into one of those organizers either. That’s why I really like this company – Vitamins On Demand. Basically, you set up your vitamin pack (which is really simple since they have everything broken down into health concerns), choose the Auto-Ship service and they’ll send you your vitamins every 4 weeks. All packs contain at least 1,000 IU of Vitamin D3. Here’s the cool thing. They come in this calendar pack that’s marked with each day and everyday has all of the vitamins you should take. I never forget to take them anymore. Check it out at: http://www.vitaminsondemand.com
[...] have continued to experience improvement of my Fibromyalgia symptoms from increasing my Vitamin D levels. I’ve heard of a few others who have gone the same route [...]
My pain stopped 3 days after Integrative Medicine started me on supplements including:
Inflam-X–rice-based,contains turmeric, ginger and rosemary, vitamins
2,000 mg/day L-Carnitine
100 mg CO Q 10
1,000 mg Fish Oil
I was already taking the CO Q10 and Fish Oil, when I remembered to.
The next week they called to report my labs showed a Vit D deficiency as well as a Carnitine deficiency. By then my fatigue was dissipating.
The Dr then ordered 2,000 IUs of Vit D for 12 weeks
with follow up labs. Now my strength is also returning.
I also sleep well for the first time in years, wake up without my muscles burning and generally feel the best I have in about 12 years. I’m alert, happy, remembering my words and don’t suffer from the mental “fog”.
Acupuncture and Biofeedback were ordered but denied by insurance, but I’m more able to do my yoga, which helps with flexibility, and walking for cardio.
I urge everyone to try Integrative or Complementary Medicine if at all possible.
I have recently started taking Vit D, the pain in my hands and arms has slowed down some. But, I am having intense ankle swelling, so bad it hurts to put on my shoes ! Has anyone else had this problem ? My primary told me if it was caused by the vit D, my body would regulate itself. Any info would help.
I haven’t experienced any problems with swelling from taking the Vitamin D. Maybe it depends on the dosage?
Not that I’m impressed a lot, but this is a lot more than I expected when I found a link on Delicious telling that the info is quite decent. Thanks.