In early May my rheumy tested my vitamin D ( I have osteopenia) and it came back a little low (26, I think). So she called in a prescription for 50,000 i.u. once a week for 2 weeks and then 1000 i.u. over-the-counter every day. I went back for a recheck on June 28 and it had gone up to 33. On my own I increased my over-the-counter dosage to 2000 i.u. most days, and mentioned this to the p.a. at my next visit. I had it rechecked again on August 16, fully expecting it to have gone up again but to my surprise it's back down to 27. The nurse called yesterday to tell me that and to find out what I'm currently taking and I told her again I take 2000 i.u. most days but at least 1000i.u./day plus I try to get 15 min of sunlight most days. So my rheumy's response is to do basically the same thing again, 50,000 i.u. for 2 weeks and then 1400 i.u./day. Does this make sense? To me if it's didn't work the first time why do it again? Plus I'd actually be taking less than I am now, how is that going to fix it? I'd like to know if anyone else has been diagnosed with low vitamin D and if so what did you do about it? I hate to question my rheumy but...this approach makes no sense to me. What do you guys think?
FYI, and to bump...I had mine tested recently, RD was happy to test in light of recent news articles, but it was 40. So I guess that's okay?
Your issue with D is my issue with iron, currently. I'm on a big supplement but I keep going back and forth from the 11's to the 12's. RD wanted to wait two more months to see if it will go up anymore before considering ordering a colonoscopy. He has me scared there's an issue but keeps wanting to give it a little more time to kick in I guess?
I have a D, magnesium, and potassium levels that keep bouncing around. For me it's normal and have them checked every 3 months or so for adjustment. I'm also 62 years old and there may be an age factor.
You might want to consider following your doctor's orders this time and if the levels go back down talk seriously with your doctor about your concerns. Also, do some internet research. Lindy
I, too, was recently Dx'd with Osteopenia by my RD (after a DEXA scan) and told that I had to increase my Calcium Citrate to 1600MG/ day and my D to 1200MG/day. In addition, she wanted me to take Fosamax.
I declined the Fosamax butdid increase my Citra-Cal+D as she ordered and within 4 days, I became so terriblyconstipated that....well, I won't go there other than to say that no sh*t, it was bad!
I'm now taking a stool softner and have reduced my daily dose to 1000C/800D and will test again in a couple months to see how that worked (or didn't).
I had never taken calcium supplements and didn't bother to study on it, thinking it was such a benign addition to my at home pharmacy. Wrong! As far as the D goes, I was already taking 400 in my multi-vite but she wanted me to have 800 more because I don't do much dairy.
K.
Guess I'm in this club too. I also have osteopenia and my D levels have tested low in the past. My doctor prescribed doses the same as yours but mine did go back up. Mine tested low in the winter months so I think the sun helped mine too.another low vit D person here!! I was a FOUR last fall.. at my age my endo wants me to be at 50 or higher...
We did the 50,000 iU script... then I take 1600 OTC .. I just called to schedule my 6 month check up.. and she'll be sending me the orders for blood work..
I had alot of pain when my bones were touched at the low level (particularly the front shin bone) ... I hope I'm much better now and the pain upon touch is less..
this is a great fact sheet about Vit D:
If I was you, I'd just ask my RD to explain why he wants you to repeat the treatment.
I have had low vitamin D and it took around six months or so for my D levels to start to return to normal. I also was prescribed 50,000 IU of vitamin D and it really helped get rid of the bone/muscular pain that I was having.
I still supplement with Vitamin D in the winter/spring months. In the summer and fall, I can get my vitamin D the natural way and my levels stay up. A fair-skinned person can manufacture 15,000 IU or more of vitamin D in as little as 30 minutes of sun exposure.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM), a group that uses scientific research to formulate public health policies, currently recommends an Adequate Intake (AI) rather than a specific daily amount of vitamin D. The AI for vitamin D is 200 International Units (IU) for adults under age 50, 400 IU for those 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those age 71 and above. As new studies continue to showcase vitamin D's potential benefits, more scientists are calling for increased recommendations. Some suggest as much as 10,000 IU—currently the tolerable upper intake—daily.
Late last year, a group of leading scientists published an editorial in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition calling for an "urgent need" to increase the AI for vitamin D. Among them was Walter Willett, MD, the widely respected chairperson of the Harvard School of Public Health's department of nutrition. "The range we are talking about—1,000 IU per day—is still a small dose," Willett says.
Hope this helps,
Lynn
Lynn492008-08-27 06:26:11Thanks so much to all of you for your input. KatieG, thanks for the bump, I hope you get your iron levels up soon, that must be frustrating. As LinB recommended, I have done some research online. Babs10 that link was very helpful, it confirmed what I had seen elsewhere about the prescription form of vit. D, which is D2:
"Vitamin D3 could be more than three times as effective as vitamin D2 in raising serum 25(OH)D concentrations and maintaining those levels for a longer time, and its metabolites have superior affinity for vitamin D-binding proteins in plasma"
Lynn49, for how long did you take the 50,000 IU? Two weeks just seems like not enough to me, from what I've seen online 6 weeks seems to be the usual starting point when taking large doses weekly.
This
site seems pretty authoritative in case anyone's interested in doing more research, I also found
this one which also advocates using the OTC form rather than the prescription form.
I've decided to go ahead and take the 2 weeks of 50,000 IU but I'm also going to call and talk to the nurse about possible absorption problems and the thinking behind repeating a tactic that didn't work in the past, although I'll try to phrase it a little more tactfully.
Thanks again,
Andrea
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