Vitamin D Deficiency

[friday7]

Hi. I know a lot of people that have Chronic fatigue syndrome are known to have low Vitamin D levels. I assume that a lot of POTS people probably also have this issue. My question is to those that have had a Vitamin D deficiency, has it made you feel overly fatigued? I know it's hard to tell when you are already fatigued, but I have felt soo tired lately. I can't seem to get enough sleep. I got some blood tests back and nothing is wrong but the Vitamin D level is low. I know in the past I had a low Vit D level and I felt very extra tired at that time. But when I look up the symptoms it just says muscle weakness and aches. It doesn't sound as bad as this feels.

But still I thought, what is the difference between muscle weakness and weakness. Wouldn't you just feel weak?

Anyway, I guess I'm just looking for an explanation for this exhaustion I've been feeling lately. I normally dont' feel this tired. I can hardly do anything because I get so knocked out by any activity. OH and I've had blood tests recently, and this is the only abnormal that came up.

[Brye]

It's so hard to tell where the fatigue is coming from for me as well. This last round for me when my fatigue became excessive to the point I thought I was losing my mind I went to the doctor and that was the only thing that came back abnormal. The supplements did help to get me back to my normal tired state. When I was done with my round of supplements of vit D I had a relapse of vit D deficiency and the reason I could tell it was low was due to exhaustion. I was so tired it was affecting my memory and even my driving. Hope your supplement helps!!

Brye

[sue1234]

I've been on six weeks of vit. D, and can't honestly say if my fatigue has improved. I think so, but not sure. My days are spent with things changing by the hour, as in being really fatigued to not really fatigued. Or, feeling not to lightheaded to feeling really lightheaded. I am constantly trying to relook at what I ate or what did I do. So I'll have to spend months actually seeing if I have less hourly changes. I really think it has improved my mood. My mood before was not depressed, but just "blah". I seem to have spurts of actual "alive" feelings, but in my brain only, which I will take! I just wish my body could follow.

[friday7]

I've been on six weeks of vit. D, and can't honestly say if my fatigue has improved. I think so, but not sure. My days are spent with things changing by the hour, as in being really fatigued to not really fatigued. Or, feeling not to lightheaded to feeling really lightheaded. I am constantly trying to relook at what I ate or what did I do. So I'll have to spend months actually seeing if I have less hourly changes. I really think it has improved my mood. My mood before was not depressed, but just "blah". I seem to have spurts of actual "alive" feelings, but in my brain only, which I will take! I just wish my body could follow.

Did your doctor think it would improve the fatigue?

You say you've been on it for six weeks..has your doctor taken any follow up tests to make sure you were getting enough?

I'm glad to hear you feel it has improved your mood.

[sue1234]

My doctor didn't say anything--I had requested the test and he allowed me to test. Then, he just wrote the prescription when my levels came back at 17(or 22, I've had low results twice). I just did labwork yesterday to see what it now is. I have to say, though, that while I was taking it, my large joints(hip, shoulders) all ached for a few days after each dose. That is either good news, in that they are taking up calcium, or NOT good news, as they are losing calcium!!!

[Christy_D]

Last March they discovered my son was vitamin D deficient. His was 7, waaay to low. He was in bed all day and night and his POTS symptoms were much worse. After being on vitamin D for 1 week he had great improvement with everything. His POTS symptoms were still there, but he became functional by 1:00 in the afternoon and his energy level also improved greatly.

Vitamin D was a great help to him. Since he still isn't get sunlight(or not very much anyway) he still takes 2000 IU daily.

Christy

[friday7]

My doctor didn't say anything--I had requested the test and he allowed me to test. Then, he just wrote the prescription when my levels came back at 17(or 22, I've had low results twice). I just did labwork yesterday to see what it now is. I have to say, though, that while I was taking it, my large joints(hip, shoulders) all ached for a few days after each dose. That is either good news, in that they are taking up calcium, or NOT good news, as they are losing calcium!!!

How are you taking it? Are you getting injections or taking a monthly pill? You said you ached after each dose so I'm getting that you don't take it daily, so I'm just curious.

[friday7]

Last March they discovered my son was vitamin D deficient. His was 7, waaay to low. He was in bed all day and night and his POTS symptoms were much worse. After being on vitamin D for 1 week he had great improvement with everything. His POTS symptoms were still there, but he became functional by 1:00 in the afternoon and his energy level also improved greatly.

Vitamin D was a great help to him. Since he still isn't get sunlight(or not very much anyway) he still takes 2000 IU daily.

Christy

I'm glad to hear you Son has had improvement on it.

I know myself last time it was low I felt really tired and felt better a few weeks after taking it..I just don't quite understand why I dont see fatigue listed as a symptom on the medical sites.

I did do a search for Vitamin D and fatigue", and got a lot of different sites with articles saying it could cause fatigue..In fact a lot of stuff about Fibromyalgia and Chronic fatigue syndrome came up and it told about people having some improvement in fatigue and pain, after taking Viatmin D.

I guess your regular healthy person might not feel it if their Vitamin D level was low but if you have something like POTS or Fibromyalgia it's going to make you feel worse.

[sue1234]

I take 50,000 IU, one every week. I have skipped the last two weeks, trying to take a break from the pain. The pain has disappeared, so I know it was related to taking the vit. D. At least I know the pain goes away when I will be through with the heavy doses.

[delphicdragon]

I too was diagnosed as D deficient. Took anywhere from 2000-10000IU per day orally and didn't really feel a difference other than my legs, specifically my shins, no longer hurt. However, the doctors did more blood work after looking at some strange bruises and found out that I was also B12 deficient. I started with 1000mcg of B12 and 800mg Folic acid and within a week noticed an improvement. I now take 5000mcg B12 and 1600mg Folic Acid 2-3X a week along with 7000IU D 2-3X a week. This has helped tremendously.

For those taking D, make sure it is D3 - as D2 is not absorbed properly (or so I've been told).

Sara

[jem15]

I think it depends on the person. My level was 7 too, like Christy D's son. I was put on the 50,000IU pill 1week for 8 weeks, it brought my level up to normal, and now I take 2000IU to maintain, but I have no difference in fatigue or any symptoms. And I really was hoping I would! If anything, my fatigue and other symptoms have been growing worse, ha, so who knows..

[sue1234]

I just got my labs back. After 6 weeks of prescription high-dose vit. D, my level rose from 22 to 27. Wow. And the vit. D council prefers that we get up in the 50s. At this rate, it'll take me until next summer to get into a good range!

[crowebirds]

I am on the forum because my daughter has POTS. However, I have a Vit D deficiency and I don't have POTS. I take 50,000 IU twice weekly. In the first few months, I had to take an additional 20,000 on a daily basis. Yes, it can make you feel fatigued, very much so. However, the worst symptoms come from the bone pain and popping. You really feel like an arthritic 80 year old. When taking it regularly, you don't get a euphoric "I feel good" symdrome, you just feel normal. However BIG WARNING, DO NOT self medicate on VIT D, It CAN/WILL KILL YOU! It is easy to overdose even on a daily dose of 2,000 IU. Get checked by a doctor before you start taking more than 1,000IU a day. If your body needs it you won't get sick, but if it does not need it, you will get sick.

[friday7]

I just got my labs back. After 6 weeks of prescription high-dose vit. D, my level rose from 22 to 27. Wow. And the vit. D council prefers that we get up in the 50s. At this rate, it'll take me until next summer to get into a good range!

Thanks for that info. my Level is now up to 28, still a little low. And I was wondering too..the range is up to 100, but what is optimal?

I will print out and take that info from the Viatmin D council to my doctor when I go.

Problem is most doctors stop as soon as you are in the normal range. But maybe some of us that are Vit D deficient need a level of 50 ng/ml to feel improvement.

[kayjay]

This is so interesting to me because i am vit d deficient and I am in the sun a lot.

I have children and a pool. I sometimes wear a hat but almost never wear sunblock. ( gives me zits ).

How many of us have this problem? I also am iron deficient even though I take iron and take hormones to only get my period every few months.

i just think this is weird. Any thoughts?

[crowebirds]

This is so interesting to me because i am vit d deficient and I am in the sun a lot.

I have children and a pool. I sometimes wear a hat but almost never wear sunblock. ( gives me zits ).

How many of us have this problem? I also am iron deficient even though I take iron and take hormones to only get my period every few months.

i just think this is weird. Any thoughts?

According to my family physician, most women are deficient. I am the same that I get plenty of sun and a bowl of milk every morning. He said that for me it is not about getting too little, but not being able to synthesize the vitamin D.