Doctor Wants Me On 50,000 Units of Vitamin D3 for 8 Wks.

Just got a call from my doctor all my labs were ok, so she says except for my vitamin D3 and on top of everything my blood sugar was elevated (fasting 140). So will give me 3 months to work on the blood sugar. She thinks I have developed type 2 diabetes.

Anyway, my vitamin D3 was 17 and she wants me to start on 50,000 units of D3 for 8 weeks then a 1000 units a day.

I have read you can become toxic with this high dose and she told me so, now I am upset over taking a vitamin.

Anyone taking a Rx form of vitamin D and this large amount.

Will pick it up tomorrow, and give it a try but a little scared on this large amount. I thought she said five thousand , but no fifty thousand.

Thanks,
gg

I took that amount last year. It brought my Vit D levels back up to normal but it made absolutely no difference to how I feel or my FM.

I have maintained my levels...the tests comes back normal every time I have it. Still...no change.

I am taking 50,000 once a week. my d level was also very low. I am to take it for 8 weeks and get retested again. it hasnt made a difference on how I feel.

Thank you for your replies.

Grammy, I am going to get a copy of my labs, to have on file as I too want to see the thyroid etc. This doc is good in checking my thyroid once a year, also did the antibodies a couple years ago.

Guess I will take the D3 don't expect a change as I have gotten my hopes up to many times with different treatments and never any change. If anything I seem to be getting worse each year.

Sure wish for those of us taking D3 it could make a difference in how we feel.

Will keep you posted,
gg

How long have you been on the 50,000 units of D3? Have you had any side effects? Is it expensive haven't been to get mine yet?

What doc put you on it?

Thanks,
gg

I think you should go for it. Don't be scared as long as you are under the doc's care.

Good Luck
xx

Yes, its all so confusing . The script my doc is giving me is the vit D3 but that much??? Not sure what I will do .I hate taking medicines of any kind. I still haven't taken it and probably won't till Sat. when I can maybe be alone.
Just in case it doesn't agree with me

Been trying to avoid all carbs today and when I can't have my comfort food , I am so restless, I have just paced back and forth but trying to prepare some healthy snacks and dishes, none of which I like.

Then to, my daughter has called me 5 times today my grandson always stops by for lunch, my other granddaughter (the one with the little ones has been in and out) they will never get it ..I love them but I just can't take all this. If I had the energy I think I would run away, but no place to go and no money..

Sorry, just needed to vent.

I have been taking vit d for about 4 weeks now. and thru my insurance its free so not sure what the cost is. I do know my d level has gone up with my last blood work but as far as me feeling any diff I dont see any change. well actually i dont feel as tired. I mean I still feel tired all the time its just not as bad.

Well, I got my Rx and I agree with you all it says is vit D nothing about D3. My doc said she wanted me to take D3.

I read on the net that the Rx of D2 is ergocalcifaro, and D3 is cholecalciferol.

I may just go to the health food store and ask for D3.

Anyone taking the Rx, mine is a jell like pill, not a cap or tablet.

So I am thinking about taking them to my doc and ask her if this is what she wants me to take. Is it a D2 or D3.

I think you are right so may just go to the health food store, the tanning bed and get out in the sun and go back to drinking milk.

Thanks for your help,
gg

My doctor recently prescribed Vitamin D 50,000 mg. for me once a week. This is my second week, I have been nausea, I have had a head ache for the whole time, my moods are very bad. My anxiety feels worse, and I am on medication for that. I also feel very tired, and not much energy. I am going off it, I also have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, so go figure. My Vitamin D is low, and I don't get much sun, but I can't tolerate the Vitamin D at that level.

Take Care and listen to your body! SB

I couldn't tolerate the vit. d3 either, I had about the same side effects as you and my anxiety/ depression was so much worse. So all I am taking is what is in my vitamins and caltrate which is about 900 mg a day. Not sure if stopping the vit. d3 is the reason but my depression is lifting and I am feeling some better. But who knows with this darn dd I may be back in bed in minutes.
Glad to see your post as I thought it was just me. I too, have MCS.

Thanks,
gg

Thanks for responding to my post, now I know it is not just me. I am in the process of going off it, and I am sure I will feel better, well better than I am. I don't want to call my doctor yet, he will just put me on something else. However, I need to take something, but some doctors don't know how to deal with people like us. I am taking Vitamin D 400mg. a day right now, but the
Caltrate, the calcium gave me stomach cramps. I also have IBS, so I have to deal with constipation and the other problem.

So, take care, we can only do so much for ourselves! We know our bodies better than anyone. SB

My vitamin D levels were also very low. My level was 18. My doctor wanted me to be put on 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3.

50,000 units of D3 is extremely high and I believe that 8 weeks at this amount just seems too high. I found a fabulous D3 supplement from a company called Life Extension. This supplement comes in 5,000 IU, very small powdered capsule, easy to swallow.

I ordered the supplement which by the way is pretty cheap, only $11.00 plus shipping and handling for a four month supply. I took it every morning after breakfast and when my doctor checked me again in 3 months, my level went up to 40. This is how I know this particular D3 was getting absorbed into my system.

I did run out of the supplement and to my mistake, I did not order anymore because I didn't get another blood test. I called my doctor for her to set up another test for me and my blood levels went back down to 28 in just 5 weeks of not taking the supplement.

She told me to start it again right away, which I did. In another 3 months I will be tested again.

I know that many doctors tend to prescribe this vitamin in large doses. The 50,000 IU I believe only comes in D2 not D3. D2 is not as well absorbed as the D3.

I went to another doctor who also checked my levels and gave me a prescription for the 50,000 IU probably the same one as you, but for me I didn't feel as comfortable taking that amount. Talk to your doctor and let her know your concerns, that is what I did. Good luck to you. Hugs. Chelz.

I've been trying to get my Vit D up since May from 16. Started off on Caltrate w/D 2x a day which caused bleeding hemorroids. I added 2-3 acidophillus to it each time and that made it easier.

It only moved up to 19 in Sept. so I took RX D for 4 weeks. I read here about how hard it is to get levels up, so I added Nature Made 1000 IU D3 2x a day with the Caltrate and tossed in some calcuim chews fro time to time & I take the Fibro multi (which is really helping me) and other supplements w/D.

Last week it was only up to 27! Now I'm on Rx again, it's for Drisdol, Maximum D3. They're green oval liquid capsules, not too much larger than the other D3.

Thanks to those that posted about taking D3, I wouldn't have added that and would still be struggling at lower levels.

I'll take it for 4 weeks, do more bloodwork and if it's not high enough, I'll do the refill for 4 more weeks. 50,0000 sounds like alot but it's so hard to keep the levels up, it's not a bad as it may sound.

I have a long way to get it much higher but I'm learning alot from this board. Thanks everyone!
[This Message was Edited on 11/13/2008]

Not all scripts for 50,000iu are D2, some are for D3. If your doctor specifically wrote D3, then they will fill D3. Its not like a huge cost difference, its 4$ for 12 weeks at CVS (ie lower than most people's copays).

Some people feel worse when they start with D3. You should obviously talk to your Dr. about it. One of the theories in CFS-land is that your immune system starts to kick in and kill stuff. See Ken Lassensen's FWIW protocol. Your Dr. should be able to tell if you are OD-ing or not...

Hi I'm new to the board. I wanted to contribute to this particular thread because I had a deficiency of Vit D also. Three months ago my Dr. decided to take my Vit D levels. It was 12. She put me on 1000 D3 a day and took my levels again in three months. My levels have come up to 38, which is within normal limits. I'm sure all of us react differently but the non-script worked great for me. I can't tell any difference in my FM but I know my body has to be better off. I had started to get osteopenia and I am hoping the D will help me absorb more of the calcium. Good luck to you, greatgran. By the Way, I used the gel tabs because I had read they work better. LindaK

I had blood work done in July to check my Vit D levels. When they came back mine were at
17 as well I was to take the 50,000 once a week for 12 weeks then get my blood rechecked.
I have finished the 12 weeks of the med. I don't see or feel that it made any difference in how I feel. I need to now get my blood work done again to see if the levels have raised. Normal
Vit D level is 30, I asked because I wanted to know just how low mine was. So now I know how
low my levels were and still could be.
~HUGS~
Rosemarie

I am also on 50,000 units of vit D. However I take it once a week. One vit that has all 50,000 units. I have taken it twice and have 2 weeks to go until I go for blood work again. I really did not know it could be toxic! Can you please let me know why?

I was hoping higher levels improved my fatigue too but it doesn't. But based on what happens with low D - higher rate of cancer, etc. it's just better for the body.