[barb02]

I am sure this has been covered here before, but when I searched Vitamin D I could not find any guidelines regarding normal levels. I was dx with moderate to severe osteopenia last week. I just received a call regarding my vitamin D bloodwork and they said it was low. When I asked them what that meant, the number they gave me was 20. Researching it on google was not alot of help -- different numbers for different sites. My bloodwork for vitamin D two years ago came back as normal.

[Kitty]

I've tried looking it up, too, Barb and cannot find much in the way of guidelines. There's not even a recommended dosage for it (that I could find).

I'd put the ball back in my doctor's court.....and make them give you some guidance in this. Not just tell you "your levels are low" and leave it to you to figure it out. That's what you pay them for.

I've read alot about vitamin D being helpful in the treatment of MS. It'd be nice to know what dosage is optimal.

[barb02]

Both my pcp and gyno have told me to take 1000 iu's per day. I started taking that dosage a few weeks ago. I am waiting to see if my neuro has a different opinion.

[Foggy Brain]

I searched medline plus values for vitamin D:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...569.htm#Normal Values

My PCP also prescribed 1000 iu's daily for me as well. Hope this guideline proves helpful for you.

[SandyC]

Jim's is 24 and I was told normal is 30 and over. He's on a low dose of D3 per his spinal cord doctor, 400 iu's a day and he'll be checked later on to see if the numbers changed at all. We'll also be seeing his neuro on the 22nd to discuss if that is enough.

[RedPenguins]

The doctors at Johns Hopkins told me that normal was between 20-100. Obviously, 20 is on the low side.

I tested at 6.

~Keri

[Natalie8]

Hi Barb

I started out at 14 when I was diagnosed. I was given prescription 50,000 iud to take once a week for 9 weeks. Then I was told to take 1,000 iud per day. I managed to get it up to 34. That is technically in the normal range But my MS clinic told me that the bigwig MS doctor/director of the clinic likes to see MS patients with levels between 60-80. So I am taking 4,000 iud a day now. I am up to 46. Still trying to move up more. There are lots of good threads on NT about Vitamin D.

Take care,

Natalie

[lady_express_44]

The "norms" seem to be changing, and some will tell you that we should be up around 100 with MS. I don't buy into the whole vitamin D movement myself, and feel the standards that are out there are sufficient for everyone:

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp

I think some of us have reduced vitamin D levels because of the many meds we take.

Whatever you do, just make sure to have your kidney/liver monitored by a doc, and DON'T self-medicate. I've heard horrow stories about people who have ...

Cherie

[april1848]

My doctor, a big Vitamin D fan, told me that 40 and up is what he likes for his patients. I've been deficient since he started testing me; I've never been above 20. I take D-3, I eat well, and I spend a little time in the sun, at least when I'm gardening. I don't think there's much else I can do, so I'm choosing not to worry about it at the moment.

It is odd that in all those MS population maps, most of us are far from the equator. It makes you think! I haven't felt any difference since I started the D-3 though. I'd love to get the increased energy my doctor says I'll get.

[barb02]

I heard back from my neuro and he agreed that I should stay at the 1000 iu's. He wants me to be retested in three months.