Wellness

[Lipstickdiva]

I had bloodwork done at the end of February and my doctor called me to say my Vitamin D was very low.  She put me on a prescription of 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D twice a week for 8 weeks and I have to have my level rechecked.  

[maestra]

My oncologist was having me take 150,000 iu a week (50,000 3x a week). I could only do that for about 3-4 weeks b/c I broke out in terrible rashes on my back and arms.

He then lowered it 50,000 a week.

I have no idea what to do now, since I dont have an rx for Vit. D and am unsure how to take it. 

[maestra]

Has anyone used the Vit. D from Purity/Dr. John Cannall? There is an informercial and I ordered some.

I know I should take this but dont know how to re-start?

[Moonchilde]

@maestra And @Lipstickdiva -

When I was given the Rx by my doctor it was for vit D2, because for some odd reason, vit D3 (which is the form sold everywhere and is much better absorbed by the body than D2) is the only form insurance will pay for. My doctor said she does it that way because she knows that if she just tells someone to start taking vit D most people probably will blow it off and not bother, but if she writes a Rx people will take it seriously; I think she's right.

There are all sorts of doses but as 5,000 IU is the recommended max per day, I buy that - one pill per day instead of trying to remember multiple smaller doses. I have never had a single "toxic" side effect from "too much."

I just buy the ones in CVS, either theirs or Nature's Bounty, that are usually 2 for the price of 1.

[x Hedge]

I was told to stop taking D3 by my PCP, because my vitamin D levels were too high. Another Dr I see questioned that, agreeing no upper limit was established in adults for D, but he didn't override the order to stop taking it.
Has anyone else had instructions to STOP taking vitamin D?

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Interesting.  My PCP ordered a check of my Vit D levels at least 15 years ago, due to a significant finding of low levels in a large population (he attributed it to avoidance of the sun - for good reason - and topical sunscreen).

Mine was not low at the time.  Don't know about it now, but will bring it up at my next exam.

[NickNack]

@maestra  My doctor told me to take 5,000 iu Vitamin D daily, which I've been doing for many years.  She always checks my levels with my annual blood work, and they've always been in range.  I usually buy Nature's Bounty.

[Moonchilde]

@x Hedge, if you google "vitamin D toxicity" references come up (I think the first was Mayo Clinic) as to the symptoms of too much vit D. I have never had any of those symptoms, and none of them are more than annoying, rather than dangerous, unless a person knows they have liver or kidney issues to start with. In that case, no one wants a possible extra workload on those organs of course.

You could try greatly decreasing the dose to something like 500-1000 mg/day and going with that if you don't want to stop taking it.

[Bri36]

I just had my annual exam last week.  My doctor, for the first time, said I should have my Vitamin D checked. 

Imagine my surprise when I saw on MyChart, my Vitamin D level is 8.3.  I'm horrified that it's so low.  I'm curious what he's going to tell me about it when I talk to him tomorrow.

[hckynut]

@hoosieroriginal

During my 6 day hospital stay with cellulitis I was on several different antibiotics via IV. They did certain blood tests on a regular basis, and they found out my Vitamin D level was pretty low.

After that was discovered my doctor ordered 50,000 I.U. per day the rest of my hospital stay. He also gave me a prescription, I believe it was 75,000 I.U., for 7 days. After that I now take 2,000 I.U. every day. My reading is now pretty steady at 50 ng/dl. My blood tests are paid for only because of my previous deficiency.

I will stick with my 2,000 per day routine.

hckynut(john)