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Q. I have been struggling with joint pain and just found out that my vitamin D level is really low. My doctor put me on a megadose of 50,000 IU (international units) each week for 8 weeks. Then I will switch to 800 IU daily.I took the first 50,000 IU pill yesterday and today I can't believe how good my joints feel. My wife thinks I'm crazy. I just returned from a 6-mile walk and then did my weights. I have no pain and wonder if the vitamin D is responsible.
Shouldn't a vitamin D check be part of a physical? After reading about the problems low vitamin D causes, it seems it should be.
A. You may be right. Rheumatologists have reported that low vitamin D levels often contribute to joint and soft tissue pain. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Insufficient vitamin D can mimic other serious problems, too, as this reader reported: “I was diagnosed with MS until the doctor found that my vitamin D level was 8.3 (dangerously low). I'm on 50,000 IU twice weekly, and I can tell you it makes a huge difference!”
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I have FMA,RLS and hit my head on a poll a few months ago. I have been haveing diszzy spells and bad headache I just finish a MRI,Sleep test and blood work and so far everything has come back okay. I cant sleep and with all this pain. I saw in an paper of your about Tonic water.That has helped more than any thing.
I have been taking Vit. D 1400 iu daily for 4 months. I have noticed a major improvement in my frizzy hair (more manageable) and less bruising on my arms (I have Irish skin and sun damage from childhood sunburns).
Also - after reading about the person using Listerine for folliculitis, I started applying it to my facial Rosacea after showering and it has made a big difference. My dermotologist agrees. My dentist gives me extra Listerine after visits for my "facials". Funny.
You wrote my story. My level was 6. I'm 59 and fat and miserable with muscle/bone pain, depression, wgt gain. My endocrinologist. My test results was 6. How much Vitamin D should I take?
tx
I take 2K units of d a day and to my surprise my level was 17. My doc recommends continuing 2K. I will add I increased from 1K to 2K a month or so ago. Been on 1K for ages. Why take the same and expect a change in my D level? So, I just took 4K more units. I'll figure it out myself and redo the blood work in 2 months.
leila
My doctor has put me on vitamin D 50,000 once a day. Is this safe?
I started taking 1,000 iu Vitamin D recommended by my internist after my Vit. D level results came back VERY LOW... don't remember the exact number. I have spondylosis and severe lumbar scoliosis. I suffered daily from severe stiffness in my back as well as severe, DEBILITATING chronic pain from this condition. I also felt very sluggish and depressed every day. I have been taking the Vit D every day for the past 2 weeks and just not thinking about it or even hoping for results or change. The last 3 days, I've begun to noticed my pain and stiffness have DRAMATICALLY improved. I have tapered down on my pain medication and I am SO MUCH less depressed than I was! Just wished my pain management doctor had told me about vitamin D or checked my levels before recommending me for this expensive spinal cord stimulator I had put in a few months ago that DID NOT WORK. I'll give it some more time but, I do believe that Vit. D is what is pulling me out of the pit of chronic pain due to arthritis.
The latest National Institute of Health report has said that there is no proof yet for the benefits of doses higher than 4,000 IU, and that there were folk in the study that got renal and tissue damage that (-can-) occur.
You can read, however, the research and recommendations on D3 at the vitamindcouncil.org site, and about magnesium (it is linked to all the same issues as D3)
And they're right! If you take D3, combine it with 1) A quality multivitamin 2) A magnesium supplement at 200-300 mg, where the magnesium is balanced with the b-complex vitamins, and some selenium and vitamin E.
I suspect the NiH report is the results of their testing D3 as a supplement alone, without the magnesium and helper-nutrients it requires to work properly. I recommend naturally working step by step with your doctor. Good fortune and good health!
I need more information.
I started taking Vitamin D3 2,000 IU a week to see if it would help my arthritic knee joints. I also take a good multivitamin. I have noticed a wonderful absence of pain in my Joints after the third day! I have had the pain for so long that I am almost sure the relief is due to the vitamin D3 capsules. God bless all and may you be able to get pain free thru this supplement. Be sure to be careful about so-called mega-doses of anything. Use discretion and medical advice along with your effort.
I'm a 56 year old female and I have been suffering with serious joint pain and muscle stiffness for over a year now. Went to the doctor and had my blood tested. Results came back low on Vitamin D. Although at the time, I didn't know how significant this deficiency was and didn't take the supplements like the doctor suggested. I had been loading up on 800 mg of Ibuprofen for almost a year to help with the pain, but the pain got worse. My legs felt heavy, joints hurt tremendously to the point I almost couldn't walk or use the steps. Couldn't stand for more than a few minutes at a time.
I finally started to do a little research and saw that these symptoms were associated with a vitamin D deficiency and decided to finally listen to my doctors advice... I know.. I was being silly for not doing so. In just a couple weeks of taking Calcium 600 with D twice a day, I began to notice the pain starting to subside. Each and every day I started to feel better, less joint pain, no muscle stiffness and even my back pain eased. Today is the first day I was able to walk down the stairs of my home without using the hand rail. I really don't know if this was the problem, but I'm certainly happy to be almost pain free for the first time in over a year. I'll listen to my doctor from now, that's for sure.