I found out today I have low vitamin d levels. I also found out that low vit D can cause weight gain. I never knew that. Might be why perhaps I am four and half stone overweight instead of having a T3 conversion problem. Thought I would post the link in case others find it helpful as well.
All the symptoms I have I want to get tested for this now. I want to lose stones too ! I'm trying hard to
Nowhere in this article does it mention calcium (or have I missed it) and seeing as calcium and VitD are so closely linked I find that amazing. The more VitD you have in your body the more calcium your body makes so if you supplement without a test you run the risk of your body making to much calcium which it then deposits in your kidneys (kidney stones) or, even worse, in your heart. If anyone is going to ask there GP for a VitD test then their GP should automatically be doing a calcium test as standard. Low vitD can also be a sign that you have a parathyroid problem - if your VitD is low and your calcium is high then taking supplements could be the worse thing to do - and parathyroid symptoms are so similar to thyroid symptoms that this condition can be easily missed.
Moggie x
That's interesting Moggie. My GP recently did a vit D test for me (which came out very low) but didn't do a calcium test.
Maybe you need to ask him/her why - I have had two low VitD readings (one of 12.5 and the other in the 30's) but I have also had three high parathyroid readings. My calcium levels have always been just in the high end of the range but, if my research is correct, this will change and my calcium levels will increase.
If your GP has not done a calcium or parathyroid test how does she know that it is safe for you to take VitD. My silly GP tried to give me VitD with added calcium until I kindly pointed out my calcium levels (2.59 - range 2.3 - 2.6) to her, she did a double take and said "no calcium". I just sat here amazed that, even with the results on the screen in front of her, she could make such a mistake.
You think you can go to your GP's and they will do their best for you but unless you have researched and have a certain amount of knowledge of what to ask for and why then most GP's seem to now do the bare minimum.
What is your GP doing about your low VitD result?
Moggie x
Same here, but I had to then have a base line test for vit d3 and calcium as my d3 was only 12.
I Have a vitamin D12 deficiency and I just recently found out it is associated with thyroidism on this site . I
Vit D12 ... didn't know that existed. What is it's function please?
Maybe this link from Barts Hosp in London will explain what/how vitD does and is used in your body.
icms.qmul.ac.uk/chs/Docs/42...
Moggie x
Very interesting, my GP wont test for Vitamin D deficiency as my Calcium levels are ‘within range’, I know that this does not necessarily mean that they are at the level I need them to be. Does anyone know what the optimal Calcium level should be and should I be looking at the Serum Calcium reading or the Corrected Serum Calcium readings?
Its the corrected one
Jo xx
Thanks Jo, so if my corrected calcium levels have gone from 2.19 to 2.18 over the last year within the range of 2.15 -2.55 would you suspect that maybe my Vitamin D levels are a little low as well?
I cant understand why your GP has taken this approach - my calcium levels are in range but my VitD level was 12.5 - which is very low. If I were you I would go back to your doctor and ask him/her to explain the reasoning behind this decision as it just does not make sense.
Moggie x
You can have perfectly normal calcium levels with a vitamin D deficiency. There is no sensible reason for your GP to refuse to test. Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in the UK and getting it sorted out could mean that you don't need to see him so often because you will be feeling much better.
Please do push on this one.
Carolyn x
My Vit d test was refused twice, not enough clinical details apparently!! Vit D deficiency gives similar symptoms to being hypothyroid, so the Dr needs to put down on the request form all your symptoms, from hair loss, exhaustion and the rest, or the labs just wont do it!!
They even refused for the senior consultant endo that I saw!!
You have to make sure your Dr puts a lot of symptoms on the request forms
Ann xx
My GP agreed to do it. He did say he wouldn't do it then but would do it with my next lot of thyroid tests. He lived up to his word and the lab did the test. I don't know what he put on the form but I had told him I had to avoid the sun due to breaking out in hives whenever I went in the sun. Turns out these hives were due to the vit D deficiency
Carolyn, thats very interesting about hives. On and off for about 4 years I have been getting hives although not necessarily from the sun but definitely worse during winter months. Doctors shook their heads and basically left me to it - had no answer, except it might be an insect bite!! I ask you!!
Had no luck getting Vit D, or B's tested by my doc, usual story TSH is in range (4.7 ish) so everything must be working okay.
I just had a private Vit D test, currently with the lab awaiting results.
Did they tell you the hives were caused by vit B deficiency, or have now gone since taking Vit D supplements.
Very interesting and thanks
Carolyn, its me again but can you clear up a confusion in my mind about Vit D deficiency. If you have a D deficiency and normal calcium, how do you treat the D deficiency without increasing calcium - I think I must have lost the thread somewhere along the line.
Thanks so much
The endo I saw did the Vit d test as a deficiency gives similar symptoms as hypothyroid. Mine came back at just 47, under the 60 -150 test range,
Without testing my calcium levels, he gave me a vitd supplement that had a high amount of calcium in, It gave me horrendous headaches. These were changed for another vitd, again with calcium, and again I got horrific headaches!!! I went back again, to say that I cannot take these, and he just said that if I followed a healthy diet, I would get enough vit d........ Yeah I am fat, but I do not sit there with pies and chips and chocolate that he implies I do!! He is oblivious to the fact that I am lactose intolerant, so cannot have the yoghurts and milk etc.
I cannot win with him at all!!! I went to Holland and Barrett and got Vit D3 from there.
Ann xxx
I can't win with mine either had a argument with one of them who says I don't have thyroidism. I only see palliative nurses mow but they are not much better.
Thanks for this. I'm on the lower end of normal, at least I think I am, and have syarted 20,000 iu a day. Looking forward to an improvement generally!
I was first tested for Vitamin D about a year ago and found to be low. I was prescribed 1000 units to take Mon-Friday for 6 weeks and then 1000 units once a week since. I have remained on this dose since las summer and my last Vit D around 3 weeks ago is still on 60. Any suggestions on how mcuh I should be on daily ?
I still have a huge amount of thyroid symptoms.
a Vit D study
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
I was taking 4000iu drops daily to get up to 80, then a maintenance dose of 1000iu or so, but I haven't taken any lately as have been able to get some sun instead (although the joint pain etc is sneaking back). Personally, from what I've read it's not good to take with calcium as there's usually enough calcium in diet anyway and too much can lead to kidney stones etc. - however there is just not enough research and everyone is different. But it's helped me, took a few months 'tho (not on any other medication/supplement except epsom salts and a mg spray). no weight loss 'tho! J x
Also the various UK chief medical officers have written to all GPs to recommend it to 'at risk' groups....
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