could vit d deficency cause neuropathy?

[2468no]

About 5 months ago I developed neuropathy in.my thighs and arms. Around the sametime my vitamin d level showed I was deficient. My level was only 11. Now its.mid thirties. But the neuropathy continues. Could vit d deficiency cause neuropathy?

[jemma116]

The medical profession in the UK do not check for low vitamin D levels or prescribe vitamin D supplements for people with the diseases that you mention.

When I took vitamin supplements that contained Vitamin D, I experienced no relief from my problems.

[rtenketi21]

hi
there is many benifits of Vitamin D which is used for the heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It isused for diabetes, obesity,  weakness, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ,asthma,premenstrual syndrome,and tooth and many gum disease also.

[jemma116]

Thanks for passing on the info.

I was diagnosed with mp about 6 years ago.  I was referred to the physiotherapist and they hadn't a clue what my problem was, so they rang up the Triage service which is a level higher than the physiotherapist and thats what they said that I had.  

I will mention the Vitamin D to my doctor and see if he agrees to let me have a blood test for that.  The nurse took my blood test on Monday for the HbA1C which gives the average blood sugar levels over a 3 month period.
I was tested 2 years ago and my levels indicated glucose intolerance.
Nurse couldn't get any blood out of my right arm and I have a bad bruise that had a white lump in the middle - it is quite painful.  On the left arm there is hardly any mark at all.

When I had my test some years ago to see if I had diabetes (because I was complaining of pins and needles everywhere), I was sent to the hospital on an empty stomach.  The nurse took a blood test and shortly afterwards we (there were 2 of us in the same room at the time) were given a small container of glucose to drink.  After I drank it, I kept drinking like a fish and couldn't quench my thirst.  The other person was fine and didn't even drink a drop.  Nurse came and took another blood test shortly after that glucose drink.  I knew that mine would be near the diabetic mark and I was told that I have a glucose intolerance.  This means that I am not at the level that is set to be a diabetic, but I am not far off.  I do suffer frequently from Thrush which is a common problem with people with diabetes.  I know when my sugar levels are low because I start to feel extreme hunger and I feel like vomiting and get a headache, sometimes I get body shakes.

You don't have to be a diagnosed as a diabetic to suffer from hypoglycaemia (low sugar levels).  Make sure that you eat slow release foods and have something with you when you go out like a piece of fruit or anything so that your sugar levels do not slump too low.  Sugary foods will give you a sugar rush and then your levels will quickly slump down again.

Low levels of B1 and B12 can also cause feelings of neuropathy too.  Many years ago my doctor prescribed me with the Vitamin B complex as I was complaining of pins and needles a lot in my feet.  It turned out that I had a kidney stone and I think that caused pressure on nerves giving me the symptoms of pins and needles in the feet.  When the stone was removed, my symptoms subsided.  I do get pins and needles in my feet from time to time now but I know that that is referred problems in my back.

That's great that your Vitamin D levels have improved.

Keep me posted.

Best wishes.

[2468no]

I feel the mp on the front and sides of my thighs & sometimes on my hips. I wanted to share some news with you. On the neurology forum I asked if low vit d could cause my symptoms and a doctor replied to my comment. She said low d can cause symptoms that mimic neuropathy. So maybe you should get you d checked. After all it wouldn't hurt. What is glucose intolerant? How were u diagnosed? I'm asking because my A1c CAME back normal, but sometimes my sugar levels are to low. But I don't think that would cause my problems. Another thing I looked up tight jeans and mp, & sure enough there have been reported cases ever since skinny jeans hit the fashion world. I never wear skinny jeans but I do wear hip huggers. Now I by them two sizes bigger. I hope we can overcome our mp. It's hard to exercise with mp. Well at least for me it is. I started taking 50,000 units once a week of vit d three months ago. Now I take 1600 mgs daily. Had my level check two months ago and they went from 11 to 34. I need to get it checked again in a month or so.

[jemma116]

I found that touch the outer thigh above the knee was very painful.  But now it is numb all the time.  But the sensation of pins and needles start in the lower belly and groin and run down the outside of both thighs the more I stand and walk.  I am overweight.

I find that arching my back, like trying to touch the toes, helps to relieve the pressure a little, but only lying down relieves the worst discomfort.

Best not to wear the tight jeans - it's not worth the pain and discomfort.
Fascinating to know that thin people can get the problem too.  I never experienced it when I was thin - but I never wore tight clothing.  Baggy trousers were the fashion when I was young.

I look forward to hearing how you get on when your Vitamin levels get higher.  If there is an improvement in your condition, I might pester my doctor to check my D levels.  I had a blood test taken yesterday to check my glucose levels.  I am glucose intolerant and my last blood test was taken 2 years ago.

[2468no]

Nope I'm not overweight, so thin people can get it to. Doc said jeans can squeeze the femoral nerve and cause it to become entrapped. He also said if your overweight, become pregnant, or wear a tool belt. I will keep u updated on whether or not the d supplements help me. When I first got my d level checked it was 11 , normal range is 30-100. My pain started right before my doctor checked my vit d. I had my d checked two months ago and its at 34. So its slowly getting higher. The pain has gotten less severe. But it still hurts like a u know what if I wear jeans. It feels like a million bees are stinging my thighs. Even if the sheets touch my skin I want to scream. Mp is a mysterious

[jemma116]

Thanks.
I suffer from meralgia parasthetica and this gets worse with standing and walking.  I was never told that it was caused by wearing tight jeans (I don't wear trousers) nor anything about low levels of Vitamin D.  What I was told though was to lose weight to ease the meralgia parathetica.  I did take vitamin supplements containing Vitamin D and D3 for quite a while and found no benefit at all.  I did lose some weight and it did help, but the weight is back up again, and the legs are worse.

I was told that I have peripheral nerve damage by a neurologist some years ago (before I had the mp) and was told to control my diabetes (I was not and am not a diabetic) but I am glucose intolerant.

Doctors in the UK don't normally take blood tests for vitamin D levels, so I have never had a blood test for that.  

I do know that Vitamin D is required to help the absorption of calcium and a lack of it can cause rickets (bone deformity).  Having too much Vitamin D can also be damaging to health.  The fat vitamins A, D, K are stored in the liver.  Exposing your skin to the sunlight for a few minutes each day, allows your body to make vitamin D from absorbing the sunshine.  It is also referred sometimes as the Sunshine Vitamin.  These vitamins, I read, are also not destroyed by cooking.

Water soluble vitamins, like B12 and C, need to be consumed every day.  These do not get stored in the body and an excess amount in the body is excreted through urine.

I would be interested to know if the Vitamin D helps to relieve your nerve pains and whether you are overweight.  As I have been told to lose weight to relieve the discomfort of mp, it would be interesting to know whether you are overweight or not and whether thin people do get this problem.

Other people with more knowledge of Vitamin D hopefully will join this forum to give you (and me) more input about this Vitamin.

Best wishes.

[2468no]

Your good.... My neuro told me I have merliga parasthetica in my thighs. And I do have slight carpel tunnel in my wrists. But he believes tight jeans & low d caused the mp. In addition my arm pain is from low d. I have always had neck problems. He never even asked me about my neck. I was tested for diabetes and my b 12 is fine. I can't find any info anywhere that states vit d can cause all my symptoms. That factor is stressing me out!!

[jemma116]

I do know that neuropathy can be caused by lack of Vitamin B1 and  B12 and also nerve damage can be caused by having a glucose intolerance or diabetes or by trauma to the nerves.

Neuropathy in your thighs can be from a conditional call meralgia parasthetica which is compression of nerves in the groin area.

Nerve problems in your arms can stem from problems in the neck.
Wrist and hand problems can be from compression of the nerves in the carpal tunnel.