Low vitamin d?

[jenniferk86]

I don't know if this is the right place to post this but, I asked and was finally given a blood test for this.  


My vitamin d level was 22.  How low is this and could it be causing a lot of my pain or is this not low enough to be causing all my symptoms and pain...

I am hoping that this could be my long awaited answer, but research is not clear, and it is not super super low, so I am unsure what to think of this, my doc is going to test me for ms as well because of my blurred vision and headaches, but Im wondering if my vit. d levels could cause these symptoms as well?

I am just posting here because I have seen a lot of you out there who know a ton about this.  Your help would be greatly appreciated.

also i already  get at least 2000 iu a day from diet and supplements so it doesn't make sense why its low.
  

[jujuminx]

Hum, good question.  They could be starting with the brain and will move to the spine if brain is negative.  I had brain MRI's for 18 yrs with negative findings and it wasn't until they did a spinal MRI that they found lesions and ultimately I got the MS dx so it's important.

The strength of the MRI machine is important (1.5T at least!) but from what I hear the 3T can be hard to find. So, that being said, if your only choice is the 1.5T, do it.  Lesions are more visible in the brain than in the spine.

I would have a talk with your dr and get the answers to these questions. He/she may have a plan, the goal would be for them to let you in on that plan.

Julie

[jenniferk86]

Oh and I've only had blood tests done, I've had about every one of those you can think of,i had ex ray of spine and ct... Have not seen a neurologist except a year ago about my seizure and then had an eeg to see if I had epilepsy, but that came back normal.

My thyroid panel was a little weird and low,but not out of range but I'm on hormone to see if it helps.

My albumin is consistently low and recently had an anion gap low out of range as well but nobody had been concerned with that, everything else came back normal except now low vitamin d at 22

[jenniferk86]

I have medicaid and I don't think they will cover what I ask for unfortunately. Its just of my brain, and I don't know what strength, how do I find this out and or request one of my spine too?

[jensequitur]

My vitamin D was super low as well... my neuro said it was "super super-dooper low" if that means anything - but I didn't get the numbers, unfortunately.

Jen, what have you had in the way of tests?  And what strength will you be getting the MRI at?  The squeezing pain definitely sounds like the MS hug.  It indicates damage at the level of the symptoms in your spinal cord.  And the shooting sensation down your neck sounds like L'Hermitte's sign, which is an indicator of damage in the neck.  Your sensations of pain in your leg sound like spasticity/spasms, which is caused by damage to the spine.

Make sure that your MRI is a 3T MRI.  I can't stress this enough - I've seen so many people looking for a diagnosis get blown off because their MRI is a 1.5T or .7T, and the lesions aren't visible many times on something that low.  Also, you should be getting an MRI of the cervical and thoracic spine - it's where many of your symptoms are.  If you show up at the clinic and they tell you they're doing a .7T, don't go through with it.  If it's a 1.5T on your spine, don't bother with that either!  A 1.5T of your brain might be okay.  

I was diagnosed with a 1.5T, but only one lesion was visible.  I had to go through a spinal tap as well.  But when I started complaining about symptoms around my torso, I had to ask specifically for a 3T MRI.  The idiot sent me to a open MRI first, and when that didn't find anything and I kept having symptoms, he sent me to a 1.5T.  Still didn't find anything.  It wasn't until I insisted upon getting a 3T that they finally found some.

[Ojibajo]

I'm not a doctor, so I don't know if it is HORRIBLY low, but I think they like it over 30, or at least they wanted mine over 30. Mine was 15 and I had horrible muscle cramps and pain so bad I was sure I had stress fractures.

I took 2000IU/day. When that didn't work I took 6 weeks of 50,000IUs and it finally went up.

Amy

[jenniferk86]

Thanks so I prob do have another underlying issue whether out not that seems to be ms or something else, its just the only test that had come back abnormal in a while and everyone thinks I'm crazy they think its all in my head...  

I've been going through trying to get a diagnosis or answer for a year of constantly bugging the doctors...  I am just preparing if my mri comes back negative, if my answer could be solely vit. D def. I'm def gonna get the mri, But prob not sure to just the def... That would just be an easy fix.

[jujuminx]

Your dr is testing you for MS cause a lot of your sx sound like MS sx. The squeezing you describe sounds like the MS hug. The good news is just because you have a sx, even if it is MS related, doesn't mean it stays with you forever. The majority of people (I think in the 80% range) are dx with RRMS, which means the sx remit (go away/go into a remission of sorts).

The low vit D levels would not cause all the sx you are describing.  You keep asking if the low vit D could be the answer INSTEAD of the MS.  What I am trying to tell you is low vit D and MS often go together.  It's another piece. And no, brining your vit D levels to "normal" will not take away your sx IF your sx are sx of MS.

Julie

[figuerpa]

I am not sure of all the symptoms of low vitamin d levels. Mine was 10 when I was tested and havent' been tested since then. I do take vitamin d supplements and plan to soak of natural vitamin d from the sun every chance I get.

Go with what your doctor says and get tested for ms to see what comes of it. I can say at least your doctor is taking an aggressive approach to what is going on, some doctors lally gag about doing what needs to be done.

Wish you the best of luck and keep taking those supplements.

Paula

[jenniferk86]

Severe pain in hips and low back feels like joint partum and not able to fully empty bladder, constipation, nausea, feel like someone came up behind me and is squeezing super hard making it almost hard to breathe right at my bra line,

muscle pain in my right leg like someone is pulling my leg apart. Shooting sensation down my neck and back when I tilt my head forward, sensitivity to cold, feel like I have the flu all the time, numbness on my left side of my scalp, weight gain

I'm taking percocet for pain as it is that bad have been having the fatigue for a year. This all started after an unexplained seizure and very bad head concussion where I was unconscious for at least 5 min didn't even remember my name for 15 minutes.

My pain started in october and my pain and fatigue is my main complaints.

[jenniferk86]

I guess I'm more wondering how low is low enough to cause symptoms? Is 22 really even that low? I figure its close enough to 30 so prob not correlated with some of my symptoms or is it possible that it is, even though it is just a little low? I will be supplementing and hope out helos but I'm wondering if this could quite possibly be my answer instead of ms? Hopeful thinking.

My sx are blurred vision for past month along with migraine, severe fatigue even after up to 12 hours of sleep

[cainer]

hi!!  have to share- vit d- and d3- and lol d2-  are different....me and a bunch in a group took mega doses of d3 with calcium, it helped me alot, more energy,feel better but is no cure. there was only like 2 out of say35 in group that it didnt help- just a group on the web with ms-so its not expensive i get mine at cvs. had to share   hugs tick

[jujuminx]

Jen-
A lot of MS'rs have low vit D.  I had a 13 when they first tested me. I think the low end of normal is 30.  My levels are now normal now that I have taken suppliments.  Getting your vit D levels back to a normal level is good but if you have MS it is not a cure and won't stop your symptoms.

There seems to be a correlation between vit D and sunlight and MS for some people. They don't really know what it is or what comes first, the low levels or the the fact that maybe our bodies use/process it differently. I know I didn't fit the mold for low vit D as I have always gotten a lot of sunlight and have lived in "sunny" states.

I don't know what your sx are but it sounds like your dr is suspecting MS. What tests have been run and what sx are you having?

Yes, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people on this board so ask away and I am sure you will get some of your answers.

Nice to meet you and I hope you keep posting here. Good luck and keep us updated on your tests.

Julie