Progress at last!

[Fairycake1973]

I saw my consultant, Dr E, on Saturday and I feel like I'm finally getting somewhere!

All of my thyroid tests came back within range (stupidly forgot to ask for copy of results but will rectify this for my own satisfaction) - at this point my heart sank and then he said my Vitamin D levels were very low and cortisol was very high!

I felt vindicated, like I can stick two fingers up at people who didn't believe me and to the doctor who had me down as 39, single, childless and therefore depressed.

He told me that vit D deficiency is very common in women (1 in 4) but it is generally overlooked by GPs even when the symptoms are evident....we all know how that works (especially when it comes to cost). I wasn't aware that it causes extreme fatigue, bone/joint pain, weight gain etc.

I now have to start on Vit D tablets and I've got to do a 24h pee test and get another cortisol blood test.

The lovely doctor is taking no chances and I am also getting an MRI scan on my kidneys, spine and hips/pelvis - I get bad hip pain/burning and also my lower back regularly seizes up and I literally cannot move.

All in all generally positive and I came away feeling better than I have done in a while and I'm thanking my lucky stars that I have private medical insurance through work.

Best wishes to all - this website has kept me sane x x

[Fairycake1973]

Oh the other thing was that my blood pressure was very high first thing in the morning - odd as I've been in bed all night!

[Fairycake1973]

Argh, bl**dy brain fog....I also have a couple of nodules on my thyroid but he says nothing to worry about at moment but need to keep an eye on them.

Think that's it!!

[HMH65]

I am very pleased for you and hope things improve. I am off to see my private Dr S on Friday and hope I come away feelings as good as you. I hope you don't mind me asking but what dose of Vitamin D were you prescribed ? My GP has put me on 1000 units (25mcg) a week and I have been on this for over a year. I think it is a very low dose which obviouswly hasn't helped at all as I still feel like c..p!! x

[Fairycake1973 in reply to HMH65]

Hi! I don't mind you asking at all - that's why I love this website, everyone shares and helps! He's put me on 800iu per day (not sure what this equates to) and gave ne 6 months supply.

I think I felt so good because he's taken the time to listen and do loads of tests! I really hope you feel you're getting somewhere after you see your doctor. I've been lucky in that I've only been feeling crap for 18 months but that has been bad enough.

Please let me know how you get on - will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Hugs x

[Southlondon in reply to Fairycake1973]

Hello - I am interested in the Vit D3 - I take 20,000 once a week - so 4 x 5000 capsules every Saturday - Not sure what the D3 means though!

Kate x

[Fairycake1973 in reply to Southlondon]

Hi Kate

Am pretty new to all this too but am sure the very knowledgeable people on this sit do!

Apparently I have to take the 800iu every day - no idea if this is low, average or high!

I should have asked questions but my brain just siezes up...

Can I ask do you feel better for taking I?

X

[Heloise in reply to Fairycake1973]

Newer thinking on vitamin D....you are not even taking the minimum maintenance dose. D3 is preferable to D2. I wonder if hypothyroids can't convert sun into D, just as some can't convert T4 into T3. I took 15,000 i.u. twice weekly and barely moved up 15 points on my blood test.

I don't know if they archive the videos on this site but a PhD interview with Dr. Mercola gave wonderful information about the importance of vitamin d.

[Southlondon]

Hiya

yes I am feeling better

I was put on all my drugs at the same time - so its been since 18 April when I started on 50mg and I am now on 100 and 75 every other day - that's levothyroxine - iron - folic acid and the Vitamin D - on Saturdays!

I have not lost weight but it has stopped rising for now. My calves seem swollen today.

I do slump in the pm and I have muscle pain climbing stairs which is very odd - I am a young 52 and have been slim and fit forever and so that and the weight gain (small compared to others I know) is an issue..

Take care

Kate x

[Fairycake1973 in reply to Southlondon]

Glad you're feeling the benefits! I really need to get a look at the test results so I can see what my other levels are though.

It's the weight gain that's killing me - I've never been tiny or slim but I feel constantly bloated and fat, like a little buddah - and I had started running but that's been knocked on the head recently as the pain in my calves in just too much!

Will let you know how I get on with the supplements!

Take care C x

[Blossom234]

Hi Fairycake

I don't take vitamin D supplements but I've noticed when I went abroad for a holiday in Tenerife at the start of the year I noticed that I seemed to feel better when being in the sun. I mean it wasn't roasting hot like it probably is around this time of year but I remember coming back to the UK with all the snow - and the cold weather hit me straightaway!

Like Kate I've had muscle pain climbing stairs in the past - and my boss who I worked for at the time (I have since left the company) told me to use the lift. Maybe I should call the council and get them to fit a lift for the odd one or two stairs into my flat then? The boss really didn't do anything to help me and at that time I felt I should've been urgently seen. The pain was unbearable and hurt even when I wasn't using my legs! I had a minor attack a few days ago but I've been getting the odd pains in my lower legs and not my upper legs like before.

Although I'm hypothyroid I haven't yet gained any weight, but I'm interested in taking Vitamin D. Can you get them in dissolvable form or just in capsules? Are the capsules very big?

Take care xx

[Fairycake1973 in reply to Blossom234]

From what my consultant said it's how your body converts the vit d that can be an issue. I too love the sun but when I went on holiday last year it didn't have the same effect as it usually does (other than making me smile that is!).

I find the pain in my calves is like the muscles have been stretched and can't be stretched any more and the pain in my shins is like I've been repeatedly kicked.

Seems I'm not hypo (still not convinced) but the weight is awful so I really hope you don't get that side of it - just makes you miserable and unhappy.

I think the best thing is to get your levels checked before you take any supplements so a proper reading can be done. If your doc won't do it (and mine didn't) then maybe ask for advice on this forum and get them from Holland & Barrett.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

C x

[Southlondon in reply to Blossom234]

I take 4 x 5000 a week of D3 and they are capsules - My edio said after the winter we had had in the UK and last summer and the year before - most people are slightly Vit D deficient now.

I do feel better in the sun and now need NO excuse to get my c-card out and book! So I did! Turkey for a week next Thursday..

[waveylines]

i would recommend that those interested look at The Vitamin D Council website. it has lots of useful information about how much and what plus the latest on research... The vitamin D Council are saying that 5000iu per day can be taken safely. They recommend a blood test to find out your level first. then a follow up one after 6 months -everyone should have their vitamin D levels checked through a simple blood test that your GP can do. Please note that the GP's levels of what is sufficient for you may not match what is recommended on the Vitamin D Council. There has been much pressure to increase the blood levels that put you 'in range' and some countries have done so but many have not. I have forgotten the name of the levels...is it nmol....(sorry it has gone) but my understanding is that we should be aiming for over 80. (NHS guidelines are much much lower)

it is very very common in the northern hemisphere for people to be deficient -linked to poor sunshine levels but also the fact that we have all been told to cover up and slap on suntan lotion -this block the uptake of vitamin D on our skin..... which is way we normally absorbed it. Ther is small amount of vit D in food but you would have to eat an awful lot of it to get anywhere need the amount you need -so food is NOT the best source for it. (Some GP's have told people to eat more vit D friendly food -i was told this.....)

D3 is the most useful form of vitamin D to take. There is D2 but this is not as effective and it's effects die off more quickly.

Low vitamin D levels will interfere with the uptake of calcium from your diet -this causes bone density to drop -causing aches and pain. Low vitamin D also causes fatigue, weight gain and non-restorative sleep -that is you sleep but wake up in the morning feel unrefreshed. Low levels will interfere with your immune system and you may find you are more susceptible to flues and colds -and they lost longer then other people. Vitamin D is now considered to be hormone and affects your metabolism. I have been told by a specialist that vitamins D levels when corrected help with the uptake of thyroid hormones in the cells/ system.

Vitamin D3 will be absorbed into the body and stored. Our levels are meant to be higher in the Autumn and at their lowest come the spring..... Care does need to be taken not to take too much as we cannot excrete it once we have absorbed it if taken orally -however the Vitamin D Council has said that even 10,000iu taken orally per day has not been shown to be toxic. Most people need about 2000iu-5000iu but you should be guided by the blood tests that you do. Your skin has a mechanism to shut down absorption of vitamin d through our skin when you have absorbed enough ( very clever of our body)

On a personal note my Vitamin D level was 3nmol -extremely low and it caused my bones to become weak resulting in a major bone breaking -if i hadn't been treated I would have ended up with Osteomalacia (soft bones) -luckily caught in time and my bones have now returned to normal lucky me!

[Fairycake1973 in reply to waveylines]

Ruddy hell Waveylines you should be a healthcare adviser!! That is an amazing amount of very interesting information and I will be passing it onto several friends. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain how it work, really appreciated!