Hi everyone :)
I've just discovered that I'm deficient in Vitamin D (my level is 19). I am 35, female and live in Maryland. My doctor put me on 50,000 IU's weekly for 12 weeks, then monthly for 6 months, although I don't think she believes the deficiency is causing my symptoms, which are:
extreme fatigue - this has increased drastically over the past 6-8 months
brain fog
poor memory
poor concentration
anxiety
depression
frequent headaches
muscle/bone aches (particularly lower back, also hips & legs)
weakness (exercise doesn't help much)
grinding teeth constantly (not sure if this is related)
rapid/irregular heart rate
This forum has been so helpful for me! It's been really scary and frustrating to be "blind" for so long as to the mystery cause of my ill health. My deterioration over the past 6-8 months finally drove me to seek professional help. My doctor began treating me for depression and anxiety, thinking that was causing my fatigue, but I knew that it wasn't - I was exhausted after a full night's sleep, even when I wasn't anxious or sad. I want to take naps ALL the time, but I often can't fall asleep. I just need to lay down and then I can't get up again. I felt like I was literally falling apart and had to stop most of my personal activities and focus on just keeping my job. I kept noticing my heart beating funny - too hard/fast sometimes, other times it would be normal with interspersed sudden thumps - and that really scared me. At first, when I was more active, I thought it was due to not getting enough sleep, but it didn't go away fully when I started sleeping all the time.
The anxiety meds began to help my outlook after about 2 months. It took me that long to actually get my bloodwork done. When I did, the only thing it reported was the low Vitamin D. I started to read about Vitamin D deficiency symptoms and was shocked that they could be so extreme - and so similar to what I was going through. I took my first weekly pill as soon as I got it, anxious to begin recovering my health. Afterward I discovered this forum and realized that it will be a longer recovery than I had first realized. I have a few questions for anyone who has experience in this:
1. Should I be taking a magnesium supplement along with my vitamin D? What about calcium? I don't know much except that they're all connected somehow. I would love it if someone could suggest a trustworthy brand. I wasn't tested for my magnesium level, do I need to know this before taking a supplement?
2. To anyone recovered/recovering: How long did it take you before the foggy-headed, spaced out feeling went away? What about the fatigue?
I realize that this forum doesn't get a lot of activity, but I would be so grateful if anyone could help me to understand what I'm going through.
Thank you and best regards,
Rita