Vitamin D levels too low
 

My doctor let me know that my level is 32 and normal is between 20 and 100. So he wants me to bump that up some.

HOW do I do this? I get plenty of calcium. I eat cheese and milk. I do not get a lot of sun because I get too hot and burn easily.

he wants me to have 1200 mg of calcium and 1000 of vit D a day. Anyone doing this? I need some help with this.

He didn't say this level was low enough to be causing my problems though. But he still wants my levels higher.
LA

Mine is at the same level as yours. I am supplementing to try to get it higher

THere are some good threads in the Vitamin forum on Vit D.

Make sure you get D3 to supplement with. D2 is not nearly as good.

I did six months of prescription(50,000IU) high dose to get my levels up to normal (I was a 7!) and now do 2500 units a day of D3 to keep it at a normal level.

I work nights and don't get a lot of sun, but the doc said to get SOME sun daily without sunscreen and as much skin exposed as I could stand. I try to sit outside for 1/2 hour a day in the sun, summer or winter, without a coat, long sleeves, etc. even if I have to split it up into blocks! (I live in Maine and it gets COLD out there!)

This is reprehensible.... to test and then give you that advice!

Very poor advice!

You need high dose intervention, until you get your levels up.
This involves D3, perhaps 5000 IU daily. Then retest.

The 50,000 IU capsule sometimes used by doctors is the very OLD D2 formula, which is very inefficient.

There is a website to explain this:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Some people need more than 5000 IU D3, but I will not recommend that here without "a" doctor's supervision.

Once at normal levels, 2000IU D3 may be enough. But you only will know that with testing. The tests will show if you become normal. One other thing: I'd recommend D3 supplements that are liquigel caps, not powder. These are absorbed better.

All they sent me was an article on how important vit d is. I am going to call them on Monday and ask what they were expecting me to do. I can drink THAT much milk and I'd be burned to a crisp if I sat in the sun that long.

Thanks!!'

LA

there is only
 

100 IU of D2 in 8 oz of milk. D2 is very inferior. And just drinking milk would not raise anything.

I meant to say I can NOT drink that much milk.

i take 1200 mg of Calcium (with D). 600 mg in the am and 600 in the pm.
my vit D level is also low. you can buy 1000mg tabs of vit D in pharmacies OTC. i got mine in walgreens.

i'd write some of your Q's down and bring to your next dr visit.
your dr should give you more information. you can also call his office and ask to speak to the nurse or medical assistant.

Direct sunshine on your face, or hands for 10 to 15 minutes a day helps. Also look for D3 NOT D6 or D2 You want D3. its the one that we as MS patients need.

"Nobody can gauge your vitamin D need by looking at you, by your skin color, size, or other simple measurement like weight or body fat. A vitamin D blood level needs to be measured specifically─period."

"I’ve had 98 lb women who require 12,000 units, 300 lb men who require 1000 units, 21-year olds who require 10,000 units. (Of course, this is a Wisconsin experience. However, regional differences in dosing needs diminish as we age, since less and less vitamin D activation occurs.)

Let me reiterate: Steroid hormone-vitamin D dose needs to be individualized.

There’s only one way to individualize your need for vitamin D and thereby determine your dose: Measure a blood level."

http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/20...ld-i-take.html

Some people can not handle even 1000IU of Vitamin D, so please make sure to have continued monitoring of your liver, etc. once your doctor recommends a suitable amount of supplementation.

Cherie