Vitamin D Levels Low

lobosabby · February 2013

So of course after my high of loving my RE yesterday, I got a call last night from my PCP. I had my physical last week, and my blood work came back and my vitamin D levels are low.

So to combat this, she wants to put me on HIGH levels of Vitamin D supplements for 8 weeks. After the 8 weeks she wants me to take a daily vitamin D pill. I'm not sure exactly what the dosage levels are - I was driving when they called, I couldn't write it down.

So of course I emailed my nurse at the RE's office first thing this morning to make sure this is OK to take (I'm thinking it is, everything I've googled says it's fine and that low Vitamin D levels could actually make TTC difficult).

So my question is for you ladies - Has anyone ever had to deal with this? Did you feel any side affects from the low levels? I feel fine, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling honestly. I know Vitamin D occurs naturally and most of us get it from sun exposure, but I'm super white and avoid the sun like the plague. I ALWAYS wear sun block. Tan is something I'll never be.

Any and all input is appreciated!!! TIA!

rbtrumpet · February 2013

My dr. noticed I have very low Vit D levels a couple years ago during routine bloodwork. I've been taking Vit. D pills, and making more of an effort to be outside for 15 min/day without sunblock on. The last couple times I had my bloodwork done (including my CD3 b/w last week), my Vit. D levels have been fine.

Honestly I don't feel any different now than I did before I was taking the suppliment. I have also heard, as you said, that low Vit D can affect fertility, but I don't think that has been a factor for us.

kerrbear72 · February 2013

My levels were very low (which is incredibly common, btw), I now take 5000IU a day and have been for almost 2 years. I never felt a difference nor did I ever see a change in fertility.

artistlife · February 2013

I deal with low D. I have darker skin, so I don't absorb enough sunlight. My doctor prescribed me a 50,000 IU vitD. I took that EOD for 8 weeks. Now I take an additional 2000IU everyday and a booster of 10000IU once a week.

My PCP and OB said that plan was fine while TTC. I don't know about the high dose. You will be really surprised at the things that vitD helps to regulate. Both Docs recommended that I get my levels under control before getting pregnant because its even harder to keep your levels up during pregnancy.

ETA- fixed auto-correct

novelblessings · February 2013

I don't know that having symptoms of a deficiency are very common. I do know that it can cause depression and fatigue. I found out last year my levels are low and I take 2,000IU a day.

jchickiem · February 2013

I was diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency when I was being treated for thyroid cancer. I was put on a 50,000 iu dose of Vitamin D for a month or two and then one 50,000 iu dose every other week. My surgeon and her PA were doing research on the relationship between thyroid and parathyroid tumors and Vitamin D deficiency.

I am also very pale, and up until that time, tried to stay out of the sun and always wore sunblock. From what I understand, Vitamin D is very important, and 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure can be a good thing, but you really don't need much more than that for your body to get the Vitamin D it needs.

I've read lots of internet articles on Vitamin D related things. Some good, some questionable. FWIW, most suggest that have optimal Vitamin D levels when TTC is important. Your PCP seems to be making a good call, and getting your levels to a good place should only help TTC. Good luck!

ChuggingWater · February 2013

Hey, I haven't ever experienced low Vitamin D, but it is something that my rheumatologist really focused on at my first appointment with her for some reason. She was pleased with the results (at the second appointment), that were in the normal range, but she did attribute that to me taking a PNV. I know this is something that she will specifically test again when I see her next week.

That being said, it was a really expensive test! :P

Let us know what your RE nurse says about it. I'll be interested to hear for sure.

Sidebar: I work in mental health and many of our consumers are on vitamin D supplements because of the correlation of low levels and depression.

Enchanted616 · February 2013

Yes, my levels were super low as well, as as PPs stated, it's very common. I was very tired/sluggish/feeling blue all the time, which they say can be attributed to low levels, and once I started taking the supplements I really did noticed a difference.

BUT, it was caught at the same time as my super underactive thyroid (TSH of 58) as well, so I can't really say that taking the Vit D supplements, it was probably more getting my thyroid under control.

One thing I wanted to mention is if your PCP prescribes a pill, its probably going to be D2. D3 is much better for you and mimics more of how you get Vit D naturally, so I ditched the perscription and just picked up an over the counter sup with D3 and matched the dosage.

MrsM507 · February 2013

My level has been "borderline" low but my doctor just had me spend a bit more time outside. I didn't need to take supplements.

Easy fix? Come to Mexico with me on the 25th. I can cure you! Paradise

LuClo · February 2013

shecodes:
I have always been very low because I have very dark skin and live in the northeast. I take 1000 IU per day. Even after taking D3 for 2 years, I showed up low in tests two months ago. I think that I've had slight improvement in mood since taking it but not much.

Low here too. I think everyone in New England has a Vitamin D deficiency. It's just what happens when you have to hibernate half the year.

novelblessings · February 2013

ChuggingWater:
Sidebar: I work in mental health and many of our consumers are on vitamin D supplements because of the correlation of low levels and depression.

I always recommend my clients with depression have their PCP look in to it, if they haven't already.

peanutmuse · February 2013

Another low D girl here. I always notice that I feel more fatigued & have bouts of mild depression during winter, so I'm sure that it's related to vitamin D deficiency from the lack of sun exposure.

BankerBSN · February 2013

They are finding that Vit D deficiency is extremely common. I would for sure ask your RE about it but I am sure that you can take the lower dose when TTC and pregnant. I am not sure about the high dose for 8 weeks.

lobosabby · February 2013

Thanks ladies.

I do notice that I'm tired a lot, but I figured it was just because I've become so active lately. (Training for a 10K, have a puppy in the house, working long days, ect.) I collapse when I get into bed but I got about 100mph everyday.

I'm waiting on a call back from my RE to make sure this is OK to take before I start it. My doctor is putting me on a weekly pill of 50,000mg for 8 weeks. At the end of 8 weeks I need to come in and have levels re-checked.

I am to continue on a daily pill of 2,000mg after the 8 week high dose period. I just got all this clarification from my PCP who is awesome and returned my phone call uber fast.

kmwills · February 2013

I'm low, too. I was directed to take a loading dose of 150,000 iu, and now I take 10,000 iu/day for a month. After the month, I'm supposed to take 5,000 iu/day. I was told that it can be a big factor in TTC & it's important to get your levels up before you get pregnant.

P.S. Glad you love your RE!!

lobosabby · February 2013

Thanks BBG! You're such a wealth of info - thanks to everyone else too.

My RE callled, told me to go ahead with the weekly dose of 50,000 for 8 weeks. But the time I would be starting any treatment, I will be on my daily dose of 2,000 - which won't affect anything.

My level right now is 28 so it's bad, but it could be a lot worse. I just wish I would've known about this sooner - but I seriously had NO idea. Oh well, attacking it now!

Emerald27 · February 2013

I'm currently taking 8000 vitD3 every day, plus 1200 calcium citrate. Vitamin D is safe up to a pretty high dosage, from what I understand. Hope your levels balance out. Get out in the sun, palms up, for 10 minutes a day, if you can. That's the easiest and fastest way to absorb sunlight that helps your body produce vitamin D.

lobosabby · February 2013

Emerald27:
I'm currently taking 8000 vitD3 every day, plus 1200 calcium citrate. Vitamin D is safe up to a pretty high dosage, from what I understand. Hope your levels balance out. Get out in the sun, palms up, for 10 minutes a day, if you can. That's the easiest and fastest way to absorb sunlight that helps your body produce vitamin D.

I would but this winter has been wretched and I think we've only had 5 sunny days since September. (That's probably an over exaggeration, but it's been a gloomy winter here.)

Shayliz · February 2013

Note: I didn't read replies.

My vitamin D level was a 6 when I was tested. I followed the same treatment you listed and my level went to 33, I didn't have symptoms that I could pinpoint to being related either before or after.

adawn1981 · February 2013

I have low Vitamin D levels. I take 4000iu every night plus the 400iu in my PNV. I do not feel any better now that I take so much, I'll get my levels tested again in May to see if they are going up.

Cara1024 · February 2013

Low levels here also. My RE says they test everyone for it at their clinic because it is quite common for it to be low. Both my hubby and I got scripts for Vit D for 6 weeks and then were told to switch to a over the counter Vit D after that. Its really nothing to be worried about. With TTTC you don't want it to be low, but this is the easiest fix/treatment we will go through.

lamo1210 · February 2013

I've been known to have low levels of D since I was diagnosed with cancer. I figured my body was being sucky bc of the cancer, but it's still sucky! And my mom kept telling me after my loss last month to go back on vit D pills from my dr to help. I do a high dose weekly one, just started this week.

Here is a little pip for ya

curlylocks3 · February 2013

Vitamin D levels are the thing to test these days, and the vast majority of people are low. I've been on supplements for a while and feel no different than I did without them. FWIW, I am pale in the winter but spent most of my time outside on a beach during the summer and I am still low then so I wouldn't beat yourself up about it.

CalinAZ · February 2013

I did get diagnosed last year with low Vitamin D (before TTC). Didn't honestly think it could be connected. This makes me want to go back to the doctor and get retested to make sure my levels still aren't low. I spend plenty of time outside and eat a varied diet, so I feel like my levels should be fine. I didn't feel any side effects of having low Vitamin D.

Good luck figuring it out.

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