1. < Just Want to Talk
Profile picture for EllAmster

Vitamin D deficiency: anyone had this?

Posted by EllAmster @ellamster, Sep 4, 2022

I have had bad health issues for years. I would every once in a while tell my GP who then said it was all in my head, it was stress, it was the traumas. I told them I didn't go outside and didn't live and eat healthily, but nothing was done, they have a 'next' mentality so I recently switched GP. He immediately sent me to the lab for bloodwork. Not only that: the results came in not even two hours later!

I was diagnosed with major vitamin D deficiency. There are weird and very off values concerning muscle and mass as well, which only proves what I wrote about a while ago: I have lost so much muscle due to depression and only sitting on the sofa with the laptop for work. I haven't been outside in years, living an online life that was a bit easier to manage, avoiding extra stimuli that would create flare-ups of the traumas I worked on during therapy (which is still ongoing).

My major concern is: can the damage of this deficiency be reversed? I have had so many complaints about my health for YEARS that now seem to come together. I was so depressed for so long, have tingles and strange sensations all over my body especially in my legs, I can't concentrate and focus, am very forgetful, have headaches, high blood pressure and my heart doesn't even react well to the medication anymore. I am, all things considered, quite the mess.

Does anyone here have any experience with this?
I hardly go outside, I know I should get some sun, but this is not yet possible for me (too stressed, too much happened). I am a mess! I used to be outgoing and moderately active a few years ago but something bad happened and I'm working through it with help, until that time I won't go outside, but I think I may be getting there.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Profile picture for debbie081263
debbie081263 | @debbie081263 | Jun 8, 2025
In reply to @imallears "@debbie081263 The vitamins, diet and exercise routine you have suggested is exactly what I have adhered..." + (show)
Profile picture for imallears @imallears

@debbie081263

The vitamins, diet and exercise routine you have suggested is exactly what I have adhered to for many many years. I take my MG Glycinate at night because it’s very calming and a collagen powder in my coffee. That d3 k2 combo is so important . I take those 2 every other day plus a daily eye vitamin and tumeric curcumin with pepper.
In addition to daily walking I attend 3 weekly active senior classes. I live in Florida so sunlight is no problem and it is essential to hydrate because of the heat and (especially now) the humidity. I have never had a weight problem but try to avoid too many bad carbs like white flour…ugh.
At 84 I can keep up with most anyone and have good energy and take no medications. Good whole food is so important to me. I have good genes also and am surrounded by a very active healthy family which is a blessing. I also try to take a short nap in the afternoon.

Stay Healthy
FL Mary

Jump to this post

You are so spot on. I have studied a lot of holistic medicine. Sounds like
your on top of the game with the life to prove it. Hope I am in as good
shape as you are at 84. I'm 62 and I also am at a good BMI weight. No meds.
Just thyroid med. If know how to reverse low thyroid let me know.

REPLY
Profile picture for celia16
celia16 | @celia16 | Jun 8, 2025

I may start Vitamin K2. I already take D3 and magnesium. I’ve never heard much about K2.

REPLY
Profile picture for vitdmike
vitdmike | @vitdmike | Mar 3 10:27am
In reply to @artscaping "Good evening, I was just jaunting by and came upon your discussion. So I thought I..." + (show)
Profile picture for Chris, Alumni Mentor @artscaping

Good evening, I was just jaunting by and came upon your discussion. So I thought I would sort of barge in and add a recent supplement adjustment I received from my endocrinologist at Mayo. He recommended that I reduce my vitamin D3 from 5000 IU daily to 1000 IU daily. Accordingly, he apprised me of recent research showing that women who are older and fighting issues like osteoporosis need to be careful and not take too much D3 because it has been proven to add to dementia in older patients.......like me.

Thanks for having such an open and helpful discussion. Save some dessert for me.....I might be back you know! Just teasing you all. Good night.

May you all have happiness and the causes of happiness.
Chris

Jump to this post

@artscaping
take a look at this study, search "Vitamin D supplementation and incident dementia: Effects of sex, APOE, and baseline cognitive status"

REPLY
Profile picture for jorenee
jorenee | @jorenee | Mar 13 5:44am

The something bad is taking control of you maybe ?? It's baby steps...don't go outside ..just stand in the doorway twice a day ...I didn't go out for 2 months...then I just started slowly ...I was lack of vitamin d...falling asleep like passing out...Finally got it taken care of ...teeny small steps will work ...

REPLY
Profile picture for lee07
lee07 | @lee07 | May 1 6:34pm

My CRNP neglected to tell me to take D3 with a meal that included fat (otherwise it isn't absorbed). I took it with coffee in the morning. Wrong! Needs to be with food.

REPLY
Profile picture for Jake
Jake | @jakedduck1 | May 3 9:30am

@lee07
If you take vitamin D without a fat containing food it will still increase your vitamin D level but at a slower rate. I wouldn't drink much coffee maybe a cup or two but ideally I'd have the coffee an hour or so after taking the vitamin D. Caffeine interferes with absorption, depending on how much you drink.
I've been taking vitamin D for many decades because seizure medication's accelerate the metabolism of vitamin D. I have always taken my vitamin D along with all my other medication's in the morning with water and my vitamin D level is where the doctor wants it to be.
Take care,
Jake

REPLY
Profile picture for Ren
Ren | @reneeross76 | May 19 4:08pm

Hi, I am in a very similar boat to you in a lot of ways. I have history of healthy issues, but the severe fatigue, back/joint pain and other random symptoms that doctors could not explain started well over 10 years ago. The last two years the fatigue has gotten worse and worse, to a debilitating level. Ntm, I've developed headaches, insomnia and stomach issues I've never had in my life. I've had so many 'full panel' blood tests over the years, including a few months ago. All looked relatively normal, but I went back to my PC and basically cried and pleaded to him, so he ordered additional tests incl vit D levels. Sure enough, results came back as a severe deficiency.

Over the years, doctors also made me feel like most or all of it was in my head or the symptoms of depression. I kept telling them I was depressed because of how fatigued I was, not the other way around but they wouldn't listen until now. I have no idea if my vit D levels were checked before now, which is CRAZY given the symptoms I reported. This may have been the cause of my life basically being destroyed for over a decade, and I'm trying not to be furious about it!

Did your Dr prescribe you D2? I am taking prescription levels of D2 once a week for 12 weeks. Plus I am taking otc D3, K2 and magnesium daily. It has not been 2 weeks yet so I'm not really seeing any improvement, and I know it can take many weeks or more to start seeing improvements, depending on the symptom. People do tend to report full or significant recovery though! I am staying optimistic. Wishing a full recovery for both of us!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.