vitamin d deficiency

This summer I got my blood tested and during that time I spent hours in the sun daily. I started getting knee pain that I never had before and was told i have arthritis and cycts in the back of my knee.... now it is december and my doctor looked up my file and told me that my vitamin d is dangerously low and it is serious because I am high risk for multiple sclerosis among other things. I eat a lot of tuna, salmon eggs milk, i don't know how it could be so low? Esp spending so much time in the sun at that time suntanning everyday.
Well after blood tests were done I started to feel very weak and ALL my bones (from my fingers to my back to my chest and esp my feet) and muscles would ache. Walking is hard for me because of the weakness/fatigue/dizzyness and pain i spent a lot of my time indoors for the last few months and taking painkillers. I now have other things going on I get weird tingling sensations and numbness in my face hands feet, blurred vision at times, basically all the symptoms it says. I didn't knwo what was wrong with me until going to my doctor and he told me it is dangerously low and seemed very concerned. could this mean that my vitamin level could be even lower since i have not been out in the sun for a few months (maybe once a week). Should I get my levels taken again since it was last taken in august? Also I have been taking vit D supplements and I was wondering how long will it take? Some days i feel like I am dying.

[Renee Radenberg]

Vitamin D may decrease from certain medications such as certain anti-seizure, corticosteroids, heparin, certain antibiotics, mineral oil, and antacids; or certain disease states such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and Whipple’s disease. The recommended Vitamin D dose for women is 400 IU. You should not go over in supplementation. 2000 IU is the tolerable upper intake level for adults; supplementation over that may cause a risk for toxicity (weak muscles, weak bones, excessive bleeding, and kidney stones). Vitamin D is available through our foods - Fortified milk, breakfast cereals, egg yolks, fatty fish, and fish oils. Sit at a window with the sun shining in for about 1/2 hour (few times a week) and that will help you get enough Vitamin D. You did not mention your Calcium levels and suggest getting it checked, too. Since you have been taking vitamin D supplementation for awhile, suggest getting retested.