Less than 4 ng/ml, treatment help please

[Jenmandy]

Hey there,
My name is Jennifer, I live in Germany.
I have had my vitamin D levels checked after having been very sick with all kinds of infections and a plethora of other symptoms that made my life difficult.
Test results are back with a level of less than 4 ng/ml (lab cannot specify more precisely).
Please give me your experiences as to how I can up that number as fast as possible. My doc had me started on a booster of 200 000 IU once yesterday, and wants me to stay on 20 000 IU per week- which to me seems not enough?
I'm very relieved that I finally found the cause for my miseries, but now am confused about the different numbers I find on the internet.

Thank you!
Jennifer

[Jenmandy]

I know you mean well, but I know exactly what I can import and what I cannot. What you linked to and explained applies only if you yourself, as a person, take it with you for your personal needs while traveling.
It does not apply to ordering and having the items shipped.

I have extensive experience in these matters.
There is no problem in importing high dosage vitamin d from The Netherlands, or get 20 000 capsules prescribed. 5000 IU and more from The Netherlands go through because we're in the EU.

[deksman2]

A bit of an update (had some time).

I found something pertaining to your situation from a poster on another forum.
This is a copy/paste from there:

You are allowed to import 3 months worth of medicine/supplement for your personal use only. High dose vitamins and certain nutritional supplements are considered medicine for customs purposes.

More here: http://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Reisen/Rueckkehr-aus-einem-Nicht-EU-Staat/Einschraenkungen/Arznei-Betaeubungsmittel/arznei-betaeubungsmittel_node.html

(in German, but google translate is your friend)

Forget mailing anything to Germany, DVD/CDs and Medicines are are always pulled out in the screening process (they have started using xray scanners automated like the baggage screening) and you get a letter.

As a sidenote: iHerb does have 120 softgels (10 000 IU Vitamin D3 per softgel)  in a single packing... that could be seen as a 3 month supply, and its fairly cheap ($10).

So... try doing some more research to see if there's any way to get this done, and if its possible, use the DHL delivery ($4) which is unlikely to go through customs.

[deksman2]

Another option is that if you have some friends in UK or elsewhere in EU, you could have iHerb ship it to their address and then they could send the package back to you as a gift or something (do more research on that).

I could possibly do it, but I would probably then have to open the thing, repackage it as a gift and send it to you (though sending it from Croatia can cost about 6.5 EUR - yeah, they are ridiculous in those price tags).

I think you could try through the regular DHL service because that's not an airmail and is therefore less likely to be opened by the customs (especially if the price is low).
Make sure its just that 1 order of Vitamin D3 of 10 000 IU per softgel (but as I said, try a cheaper packing with fewer softgels to see if it goes through like that - it just might - but a safer option would likely be to deliver it to someone else in EU and then have them send the item to you as a gift).

[deksman2]

Excuse me?

I don't get it... I was under the impression that EU regulations for imported items would be valid across EU, not vary from country to country.
Croatia had strict import taxations on other items, but ever since we joined EU, those taxations were removed from numerous items on specific prices.
As such, if my vitamin supplements easily crossed the customs, then I don't see a problem that yours would either.

I find that the practice of destroying what you bought to be downright criminal.
It just goes to show how 'private ownership' is a fantasy that never existed (and in reality is a ludicrous concept since everything you have is temporary).

I don't even think the customs would even open the package if its below $50.
Then again, I'm not familiar with German practices.

Also... why would 5000 IU capsules from Netherlands go through fine, but the 10 000 IU softgels from iHerb (coming from USA) would not?
5000 IU is 6.25 larger than the RDA... so I find it idiotic that they would allow this to go through (given its an extremely high amount) compared to 10 000 IU (which granted is double of that).

It doesn't make sense to be honest.
I guess you could try ordering a smaller/cheaper 10 000 IU package (not the 360 economy packing) and see if that goes through.

Also, try searching for people who ordered from iHerb into Germany to see about their experiences.
There could be a workaround.

[Jenmandy]

Supplements with over 1000 IU are considered a drug here in Germany (sold only in pharmacies) and cannot be imported legally, sadly. Meaning my order from iHerb would be destroyed by border customs. German customs are super diligent, worse even since 2010 (got some new regulations then).
That's okay though, I can get prescription vitamin d which is then even covered by my health insurance, and also can order reasonably priced 5000 IU capsules from The Netherlands. :)

[Jenmandy]

Thank you!
I ended up taking the 200 000 IU of vitamin D and then the following three days 100 000 IU. I then went down to 5000 IU and will have the levels retested in a few weeks.
After researching for a couple of days I came upon studies cited by a German physicist who also wrote a book on vitamin D deficiency etc. He explained that each 10 000 IU supposedly raise the D levels by 1 ng/ml.
Great deal on the softgels on iHerb! I don't dare to order though, EU customs might seize and destroy it due to some import regulations. :(