Vitamins

[mummycaz]

Hi Everone, Just a bit of advice. I am type 2 and just lately have been feeling really run down, resulting in mouth ulcers, tongue spots, sinusitis and now this week a very sore cyst growing on my neck, right next to the Lipoma I have had for years. I take vitamin D every day (1 tablet) and wondered if anyone could advice any other vitamins that might give me a bit of a boost, mentally and physically. I am really struggling with life at the moment and seem to be in a constant state of anxiety which isnt helped with all these little health issues popping up! Thank you for your time and any help you can give me, I really do appreciate it. x

 

[Art Of Flowers]

It take Berocca Immuno every morning ... see https://www.berocca.co.uk/products/berocca-immuno/berocca-immuno-effervescent-tablets

They usually have a buy 2 get one free offer at supermarkets.

 

[Rachox]

It maybe worth consulting your GP about these new symptoms. How are your blood sugars? I’m just wondering if higher blood sugars may be at the root of all this, I’m not attempting to diagnose, that’s for you to discuss with your GP.

 

[Art Of Flowers]

When I had tingling sensations in my hands and some brain fog, I took some vitamin B12 and use Alpha Lipoic Acid supplements.

Vitamin B12 deficiency causes neuropathy, so if you see your doctor ask about that. The Berocca vitamins I take has B12.

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

How much vitamin D is in the one tablet that you're taking...?

I take 6000 IU every day, and through repeated private blood tests, I know that that puts me roughly in the middle of the reference range.

The NHS recommendation of 400 IU is woefully inadequate for raising levels of vitamin D.

But it's not a miracle cure, and we have no idea if your problems are caused by a vitamin D deficiency.

 

[Nicola M]

No one here can really diagnose you as those symptoms could result from any number of things and your GP should be your first port of call so they can take some bloods

 

[mummycaz]

Thanks for your replies guys. I know that a lot of these problems come from a higher blood count last three monthly check, but because of how down I am at the moment its so hard to get back on track. I get really motivated and start of well and then it all drops off again. I was just hoping with some help with vitamins to give me a bit of a boost might help me get back on track.

 

[Art Of Flowers]

If you haven't got a blood glucose meter, then get one and check your blood sugar levels. High blood sugars cause a lot of medical issues.

 

[ElenaP]

Thanks for your replies guys. I know that a lot of these problems come from a higher blood count last three monthly check, but because of how down I am at the moment its so hard to get back on track. I get really motivated and start of well and then it all drops off again. I was just hoping with some help with vitamins to give me a bit of a boost might help me get back on track.

I am sorry that you feel unwell. It is a hard, continuing effort, to keep your blood glucose down. However, you can do it, as many on this site have demonstrated. As well as vitamin D (well done), you need some vitamin C every day to fight infections. Are you eating correct foods to keep your gut bacteria healthy?

 

[Pipp]

How much vitamin D is in the one tablet that you're taking...?

I take 6000 IU every day, and through repeated private blood tests, I know that that puts me roughly in the middle of the reference range.

The NHS recommendation of 400 IU is woefully inadequate for raising levels of vitamin D.

But it's not a miracle cure, and we have no idea if your problems are caused by a vitamin D deficiency.

Whilst I would agree that most of us living in UK do not get enough VitD, particularly in winter, from sunlight. Beware taking too many supplements. Especially if they are not prescribed, and you are not getting regular blood tests to check levels.
I was on prescribed Vit D and calcium supplements. Throughout the covid pandemic blood tests were less frequent that they ought to have been. I have recently been diagnosed with very high levels of blood calcium, and hypervitaminosis D. It is not pleasant. This article has info.

Vitamin D supplement ‘overdosing’ is possible and harmful, warn doctors - BMJ Group

‘Hypervitaminosis D’ on the rise and linked to wide range of potentially serious health issues ‘Overdosing’ on vitamin D supplements is both possible and harmful, warn doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports after they treated a man who needed hospital admission for his excessive vitamin D...

www.bmj.com

 

[Melgar]

I see that you have been a member here for quite a while, so blood sugar issues have been an issue for a few years. Obviously we are not drs, so you need to touch base with your medical team. From my own perspective, has anything changed in your life , stress levels, big life issues, and I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how old are you? Are you near or past menopause ? Ed spelling

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

Whilst I would agree that most of us living in UK do not get enough VitD, particularly in winter, from sunlight. Beware taking too many supplements. Especially if they are not prescribed, and you are not getting regular blood tests to check levels.
I was on prescribed Vit D and calcium supplements. Throughout the covid pandemic blood tests were less frequent that they ought to have been. I have recently been diagnosed with very high levels of blood calcium, and hypervitaminosis D. It is not pleasant. This article has info.

Vitamin D supplement ‘overdosing’ is possible and harmful, warn doctors - BMJ Group

‘Hypervitaminosis D’ on the rise and linked to wide range of potentially serious health issues ‘Overdosing’ on vitamin D supplements is both possible and harmful, warn doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports after they treated a man who needed hospital admission for his excessive vitamin D...

www.bmj.com

Who prescribed you vitamin D...? My GP said that in the event of a test coming back as deficient, they "weren't required" to treat me for it.

How many IU were you taking to cause vitamin D toxicity...?

My dosage has been arrived at through repeated private blood tests, like I said.

 

[MrsA2]

@mummycaz your gp can test for vitamin D and the B vitamins, so it's double worth talking to them (mine I just fill in their request form. If they want to talk to me they do, else the tests just get arrnanged)

 

[Pipp]

Who prescribed you vitamin D...? My GP said that in the event of a test coming back as deficient, they "weren't required" to treat me for it.

How many IU were you taking to cause vitamin D toxicity...?

My dosage has been arrived at through repeated private blood tests, like I said.

Hi @LonelyFatGuy . My reply was not aimed at you specifically. More a general observation so people can make informed choices on whether or not they should take vitamin supplements.
To answer your question, though, I was prescribed
Evacal D3 1500 mg/400 iu chewable tablets (1 x twice a day) by GP following routine blood tests and diabetes review in 2015. My VitD levels were deemed to be way below optimum. I started to feel ill the following year with abdominal discomfort, fatigue, bone pain. This was attributed to other health conditions such as arthritis and allergies. No change made to prescription, as no connection was made.

Since the covid pandemic blood tests and GP appointments have been almost nonexistent for a while. In July last year I was ill with severe abdominal pain. Found to have raised vit D and extremely high calcium levels and parathyroid levels in blood. So the prescribed Vit D was changed to one without calcium, Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 400 iu, once a day. In January there was no improvement, so endocrinologist stopped all Vit D supplements after blood tests showed hypervitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism.

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

Hi @LonelyFatGuy . My reply was not aimed at you specifically. More a general observation so people can make informed choices on whether or not they should take vitamin supplements.
To answer your question, though, I was prescribed
Evacal D3 1500 mg/400 iu chewable tablets (1 x twice a day) by GP following routine blood tests and diabetes review in 2015. My VitD levels were deemed to be way below optimum. I started to feel ill the following year with abdominal discomfort, fatigue, bone pain. This was attributed to other health conditions such as arthritis and allergies. No change made to prescription, as no connection was made.

Since the covid pandemic blood tests and GP appointments have been almost nonexistent for a while. In July last year I was ill with severe abdominal pain. Found to have raised vit D and extremely high calcium levels and parathyroid levels in blood. So the prescribed Vit D was changed to one without calcium, Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 400 iu, once a day. In January there was no improvement, so endocrinologist stopped all Vit D supplements after blood tests showed hypervitaminosis D and hyperparathyroidism.

Have you had any tests since January then...? Did stopping the vitamin D see your levels return to normal...?

 

[Pipp]

Have you had any tests since January then...? Did stopping the vitamin D see your levels return to normal...?

Still too high, but slightly less so , in April.

 

[LonelyFatGuy]

Still too high, but slightly less so , in April.

No doubt the longer it stays high, the more you will question whether it was the supplement that caused it in the first place.

I'd be interested in an update on the situation in future months, if you remember / care to provide one.

 

[Pipp]

No doubt the longer it stays high, the more you will question whether it was the supplement that caused it in the first place.

I'd be interested in an update on the situation in future months, if you remember / care to provide one.

Possibly, will, but in a separate thread so this one is not derailed.
Before I leave this thread, would add that I had most of the symptoms listed in the article I linked, apart from the weight loss. Those symptoms are slightly improved, but return intermittently. Still under observation by endos.

The point I had hoped to make was that it is possible to ‘overdose’ on what appears to be a rather ‘harmless’ beneficial supplement. Even when it is prescribed.

 

[mummycaz]

I am sorry that you feel unwell. It is a hard, continuing effort, to keep your blood glucose down. However, you can do it, as many on this site have demonstrated. As well as vitamin D (well done), you need some vitamin C every day to fight infections. Are you eating correct foods to keep your gut bacteria healthy?

I will try Vitamin C. The reason I havent replied until now as I have been in hospital having this horribly infected cyst cut off my back. So hoping things are going to get better now. x

 

[mummycaz]

I see that you have been a member here for quite a while, so blood sugar issues have been an issue for a few years. Obviously we are not drs, so you need to touch base with your medical team. From my own perspective, has anything changed in your life , stress levels, big life issues, and I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how old are you? Are you near or past menopause ? Ed spelling

Im 67. Lots of stress in my life due to work, kids, grandchild etc. Too many to mention.