Is this number low enough to cause symptoms?

[jazzmynn]

Hi,
I want to thank those that answered my last post, it made me feel better.
I still have a few questions I need help with.
I looked at my last lab slip and the vit d level said it was 29.9 and marked low.
I know some of your labs are a lot lower.
But, is mine low enough to cause symptoms like I'm having?
I have been having mood swings like I'm happy and calm to anxiety to feeling fatigued and bummed out and even llike crying sometimes.  I also get pain in muscles and joints.
My family dr sent me to a psychiatrist and they only wanted to put me on some strong antidepressants and other drugs.  I don't want to take them.  If low vit d is causing this, what is the use of being addicted to drugs?

About three months ago, my vit d was low and I was on supplements, then the dr told me to take a lower strenghth supplement after that and well, now it is low again.

I also have only one kidney and my fam dr said that could cause low vit d.

You are my only source of knowledge and support, please tell me what you think.

Why don't doctors I see know more about this or tell me what you do?

Do you get mood swings that drs think are treatable only by psychotic meds? When I ask if my low vit d could be causing my symptoms the dr looks at me like they don't understand.


Help!!!

Jazzmynn

[Phyllis2010]

That's a great insight and one I will remember if my next test results reveal my levels have continued to rise and they want to cut my dosage. I had to go up gradually therefore it makes sense that you'd have to titrate the dosage down gradually to avoid crashing, sort of the way the do with psychotropic drugs. As far as I'm concerned, I'm staying at between 4000-5000 IUs permanently or until my levels approach those of a 20 year old lifeguard!!!! The take home message for me here is beware of lowering vitamin D -- it's a hormone that I believe might affect serotonin levels among other things. Why, why aren't there more studies???? I know it's not a big pharma drug....

[Seattleanne]

I strongly suspect that lowering d too fast after getting a good test for the first time is really detrimental and causes a resurge in symptoms. I got great test results after 3 months of d therapy and immediately dropped my intake from 10k/day to 5. Within a few weeks I was slammed by a depression that I'm still not totally free of. I started 10k again tho and am feeling a bit better again. My guess is that my body is still in repair mode and is using higher than normal levels of d to do the work. So lowering it was a bad idea for me.
Hang in there!!

[Phyllis2010]

I had a whole constellation of symptoms (see symptom thread) but the ones suggestive of what was believed to be an anxiety disorder were weight loss, heart palpitations, sleep problems (possibly due to frequent urination)...I never believed for one second I had an anxiety disorder and sought out further tests. In addition to D deficiency I also have nodules on my thyroid. BTW, I had to refer myself to the thyroid specialist. Now that my D level is in the 40s I've gained weight, no palpitations, weight normal. GEt your D levels up and see if your symptoms disappear....

[jazzmynn]

What symptoms made your doctor believe you had generalized anxiety disorder?

I was labeled with that and doctors wanted me to take meds for it, but I said no.

Thanks for your post.

Jazzmynn

[Phyllis2010]

The only way to find out if your symptoms are related to D deficiency is to raise your levels and see if your symptoms improve. As 9na says, this will take time; it took 7 months for me...Also, initially the neuro  felt I had generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), an opinion he's since revised...I've also been frustrated by my docs lack of knowledge and have had to rely heavily on this forum for support (and, dosage instructions and understanding of side effects, etc). At least my neuro has admitted to his lack of knowledge and has tried to educate himself by attending lectures on D; however,I've found those on this forum to be more informed than the traditional medical establishment.

[9na]

I will try to answer at least some of your questions based on my experience and knowledge - I'm no expert, though.. ;)

About your level - yes, I think some people will have symptoms of VDD at 29 ng/ml. Here in Norway that wouldn't be considered deficience by the doctors, they claim that 'normal' is 50-113 nmol/l, which equals about 20-45 ng/ml. But they are wrong - like doctors very often are when it comes to VDD. They have too little knowledge and have not adapted recent research into their practice. Very sad, really - I think lots of people could get better help with their health issues if doctors knew more about vitamin D.

Another thing is that it takes time to feel better! You say that you were low and on supplements 3 months ago, and now you have become low again because you were adviced to drop supplements - I'm thinking that even if your level was great now, you might still suffer from symptoms because you were deficient not long ago.
I myself have a great D-level now, but most of my symptoms are still with me, if not all of them. I've been taking D for 4 months now, and still am (but I lowered my dosage quite a bit after getting the great retest results). One of the links you were tipped about in your other thread is about the time aspect in recovering from VDD. We're talking months here, many months - some say 6-12 months.

I know it is really hard, I've been so depressed myself and sure I was terminally ill. I'm still scared sometimes, and yes I experience mood swings a lot!

I don't remember all the links you got in the other thread, but here is a very informative page on vitamin D:
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/Vitamin-D-facts.html

Oh, and I met a doctor a few months ago very eager to diagnose me with a depression. I denied it, and my regular doctor says that I clearly have no depression. Some doctors actually scare me with their hang-up on 'it's all in your head, dear'...