Update to my labs .. Vit D VERY low & UTI confirmed by culture .....

[ChitChatNine]

So I've gone back to read some of the messages in the archives .........................I've been normal Vit D all my life .. how does this thyroid and Synthroid and all have to do with it or doesn't it matter since I'm not auotimmune?

Stella, you think this is the route of my ups and downs this month and perimenopausal stuff that really probably isn't that?

My TSH is 1.3 vs. 1.8 .... I knew it changed but not in that direction ?  So, we'll keep it there for now.  That was a surprise.

And I have UTI confirmed by culture ... the same organism as a few mos ago that showed all clear the last test but I thought was still there but not enough to make a fuss but it is there alright.  And I passed that stone at the same time who knows but I have answers I guess.

So I go on Cipro now and mega Vit D prescription for 10 weeks and then go back for a retest.

Also some high cholesterol ---- tis the age .. ugh.

Vitamin D people .. come on out wherever you are .....................................not happy but may be an answer to my symptoms.

C~

[Me967]

Hi all.  I was just reading this on the Fibromyalgia forum and thought I would pass it on.

Quest Acknowledges Errors in Vitamin D Tests.  
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/business/08labtest.html?_r=2&emc=eta1

" An erroneously high result may mean patients will not take vitamin D supplements when perhaps they should, doctors said. And an erroneously low test result might lead in rare instances to a toxic overdose of vitamin D. When the Quest tests have been inaccurate, the reading has typically been too high, although not in all cases."

You might want to ask your Doctor or look to see where your labs were done for this test in the last 2 years.

[ChitChatNine]

Excellent cranberry advise but not for me :( .... I make calcium oxalate stones and the cranberry benefit is more harmful for stone production since my stones have been analyzed and they know for certain are oxalate based (calcium too).  So I cannot take them .. they were talking about maybe low dose antibioitcs therapy at one time.

The cranberries make for a slippery environment for the bacteria not to cling to and helps with UTI's.

I have had my parathryoids checked but that was awhile ago (like 1.5-2yrs ago) so maybe I should go to endo and have all re=evaluated .. I believe there is an underlying cause oftentimes .. things just don't change like this overnight .. or do they ?

C~

[Smilerdeb]

Gees C~
I had UTI's non stop (for about 2 years) when I was Hyper before RAI and a past history of kidney stones.
I was tested and found to be deficient in D/Calcium and B12 after RAI.
Took the vitamins as supposed too and still on a multivitamin as deficiencys fixed themselves with 4 weeks of bottled vitamins but have since gone on something else and not had one UTI since.
Coincidence? I dont know but worth mentioning.

I take 1000mg (1 capsule) of Cranberry everyday as advised by my Doctor.
It beats drinking the stuff and the antibiotics involved with UTI's.
Ive been on Cranberry for about 8 weeks now and not one sign of urine infection or even burning.

Food for thought.?

[redheadaussie]

Have you had the parathyroid hormone test done? Mine was low normal, doc says not a problem, parathyroid sites say otherwise! So tons of Vit D for me every day too.
You really need to go to parathyroid.com and study it all up there...far easier for them to explain the reason you get stones than I can do!
   Read the symptoms page for hyperparathyroidism and hopefully you recognise yourself there!

[ChitChatNine]

2 yrs ago  I had 11 vials of normal bloodwork done and just 6 mos ago a 24hr urine done which was normal with high normal calcium but I took a few TUms the night before so they think that was why.

I am going to look at all the posts .. thanks guys

AR no apology needed ...... all good points and great ?'s

C~

[laura1967]

Heh C-  Has anyone ran PTH, calcium tests, etc?
I agree with AR in regards to taking  D3.
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/2006-aug.shtml  
Here is some interesting reading I found....even talks about tests done researching if Vit D causes kidney stones.
Don't know who the doctors are but worth reading anyway. :)

[Me967]

Hi.  I found two post on MedHelp concerning vitamin D I thought you might want to read if you have not already.  The first one is fairly short and the second one is very long.  I also seen where Ferritin, IBS and adrenal issues play a big part with vitamin D also.  I don't know if this helps or not.  Just thought I would put in my two cents.  Take care.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/524426?camp=36

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/200915?personal_page_id=508

[AR-10]

The reason I asked aout a malabsorbtion issue is because I have one. The details are...uh...well, my intestines are not digesting and absorbing properly so I have had a mild form of diarhea for almost two years.

Subsequently, I am taking lots of supplements and every time we test a handfull of vitamins and minerals, I seem to need another supplement. Calcium is the latest, with D, of course. So I'm taking over 2,000IU a day of D from three different sources.

As for the D2/D3 debate, all I know is my Endo told me to go buy a good brand of D3 and start taking it.


My understanding is that D2 is found in vegetables and D3 is manufactured under your skin from sunlight. I don't know why one is better than the other, but doctors seem to recommend D3, from my personal experience and from what others here have posted.

And ChitChat, the reason I asked about sunning was, I assume it is around ten degrees wherever you live. LOL!

Wasn't even thinking about the other reasons you might not be out in the Sun. Sorry.

[ChitChatNine]

AR ... I had melanoma removed 6 mos after my thryoid came out so no sun parties anymore but I don't hide in the shade either LOL or coat myself with 50+ .. I just sit more in the shade but that's been for 2yrs and I've been retested inbetween by the urologist.

See, I have to be super careful cause I have calcium oxalate kidney stones .... I asked for a copy of my tests to send to the Uro.  I have no current endo w/o a 7week wait so that is ueseless.  

Pep -- you too!  Thanks for sharing ......... we seem to be in the same boat, eh?

I wonder if the long term UTI may have been the culprit and messed up the intestinal tract leading to the hard stools ... that is very likely .. so the Doc said to treat the UTI, take the Vit D and retest and then we'll see .. he also wanted me on Lipitor type drug for now readings of high cholesterol .. I said, diet first .. he finally agreed to let the UTI settle down first and that was not a fasting test ..........I didn't know he was running a panel like that .. I thought only uric acid + TSH ... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I am also on Mobic 15mgs which is a NSAID for my ankle arthritis problem documented thru MRI and isn't going away with any mor Vit D although I wish :(

C~

[pep88]

Chitchat I'm in the same boat and I've been stagnating here for a while.  I started 50,000IU's in the summer once weekly, but didn't understand that he meant for me to be on this dosage until further notice (as in, the rest of my natural life...)  Well I was out in the sun with my daughter at the pool a ton so I stopped taking it.  At my next visit I got a stearn lecture about being on Vit D forever as my levels were still not even close to normal.  Ever since then it's been a battle.  After having been back on the perscription D for a couple of months now and seeing my levels today, (mine = 25 norm = 32-100), he upped me to 50,000IU's TWICE a week.  UGH!

And I also have low calcium.  Ever since my TT I've been mostly below, but once or twice at the very lowest end of normal.  I can't seem to get that to stay up either (and most probably because of the D)... I'm 8.8, norm = 8.9 -10.3.

I've had the conversation with my doc, two different pharmacists, as well as here about Vit D2 vs. D3.  My doc just keeps saying that your body will convert the D2 I'm giving you and has little to say about D3.  But the internet has all kinds of things to say about D3 and how it works SO much better... UGH!

So AR, what really is a mal-absorbtion issue?  What would cause this to happen?  Done any research you'd care to share?

Oh, and my TSH went up.  Up to 1.42 from .17.  All from my self perscribed drop of .5mcg's Cytomel from the 15 I was taking in addition to the Levo.  So now it's Thyroid Med Roulette again... Upping the Levothroxine and keeping the Cytomel the same (self-perscribed dose) of 10mcg's...

Oh how I long for my 20's again....  Never went to the doctor, partied all night, worked all day... never got sick, always felt young and strong... (and maybe that's why I sit now where I do???)

[AR-10]

Could you be having an absorbtion problem, as in, your intestinal tract is not absorbing enough nutrients in general?

Are you laying out sunning for a half hour a day?
(I wanna hear the answer to this one.)

I'm taking 1,000IU per day, plus what I get in a multivitamin. It didn't take long to pull my D level back up. I should probably get it checked again.

Did you know vitamin D is a hormone?