Vitamin D going down while on loading dose

[Sick-and-Tired]

Hi everyone,

I'm 32 years old with hashimotos. I take 100mcg levothyroxine daily.

I've always struggled with getting to an ideal vitamin D level (which I believe it very common in people with hashimotos and other autoimmune diseases), and take a pretty high supplement of 5,000iu daily. However I noticed my levels were going down so I asked my doctor to prescribe a loading dose. I've now basically been on a loading dose level of 50,000 iu in liquid form a week for 6 months (and had been on and off a dose of 60,000iu a week in capsule form for the 6 months before that)

During this time, my vitamin D levels have actually decreased. My most recent test showed my level was 27 nmol/l (76-250). My doctors response was just to say that I should keep taking the same level of loading dose for another 10 weeks and that some people just don't retain vitamin D but it's not particularly a problem except that it'll make me feel tired (which, as far as I'm concerned, IS a problem!)

I'm feeling extremely unwell, and have done for well over a decade. I also have osteoarthritis, which this really can't be helping.

So, after that long ramble, my question is - does anyone have any tips for absorbing the vitamin D? As mentioned, I've been taking it in liquid form at lunchtime (at least 5 hours after my levothyroxine), I use a magnesium spray at night and take a K2 supplement. I try to get outside as much as I can and don't wear suncream except when outside for a long time in the height of summer. I would consider myself to have a pretty good diet and include lots of food that's also high in vitamin D.

Could I be eating something that's blocking the absorption or something?

I have been tested for coeliac disease but it came back negative. I also did 6 months of eating an extremely strict gluten free diet but after no improvement I have to admit I found the level of stress it was bringing me with seemingly no difference to my health, I did abandon it.

Unfortunately I'm out of work at the moment and incredibly stressed about money, so I can't afford any medichecks tests at the moment, so can only go on what the NHS is willing to test. My latest TSH level was 1.

If anyone has any advice on how to boost my vitamin D levels I should be really grateful.

Thank you so much in advance!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sick-and-Tired

I recently read (but don't have the link) that topical magnesium is not as effective as oral magnesium supplements for the purpose of aiding the body to convert D3 into it's usable form, so it might be worth trying an oral supplement for a while to see if it makes a difference.

Check out the different forms here and see which one might be most suitable for you

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Oral magnesium should be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to SeasideSusie]

Oh interesting, thanks so much! I will try this!

Thanks again!!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

I hope it makes a difference for you, maybe report back after your next test, it will be interesting to see if this actually better than the topical magnesium for this purpose

[Greybeard]

Hi, the vitamin D3 we take needs to be converted in our livers and kidneys to produce hydroxy25 which is what is tested for. Perhaps your Dr could test to confirm your liver and kidneys are doing their bit of the puzzle.

[Sick-and-Tired in reply to Greybeard]

Interestingly I do have Gilbert's syndrome but all the doctors insist that it's totally symptomless and not something to worry about. I did have an endocrinologist who was pretty good (in that she at least seemed to believe that I was experiencing my symptoms), and she was concerned my liver could be causing me to feel ill and sent me for a scan, but when it came to sitting down with her again to talk about it, she had been replaced by a new endocrinologist who said I was clearly overly concerned with my own health and that's what was causing me to feel ill and discharged me.

I will do some research into Gilbert's and vitamin D deficiency.

Thanks for the advice!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Sick-and-Tired]

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/286...

Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/273...

Vitamin D insufficiency was associated with AITD and HT, especially overt hypothyroidism. Low serum vitamin D levels were independently associated with high serum TSH levels.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/300...

The thyroid hormone status would play a role in the maintenance of vitamin D sufficiency, and its immunomodulatory role would influence the presence of autoimmune thyroid disease. The positive correlation between free T4 and vitamin D concentrations suggests that adequate levothyroxine replacement in HT would be an essential factor in maintaining vitamin D at sufficient levels.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

When were thyroid levels last tested

Low vitamin D levels linked to low thyroid levels

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine