Vitamin D by Judy Bechtle

Vitamin D 

by Judy Bechtle 

 

A few months ago I started feeling overly tired and I noticed my stride wasn’t as straight and strong as usual. In a nut shell I wobbled when I first took off walking. I also have a lot on my plate in my daily routine of caregiver for my disabled (he thinks unable) husband and the management of two of my grandchildren. I marked it up to sitting at a desk for too long,  home schooling the kids and trying to finish another book.

I also had trouble sleeping on my left side. My hip hurt terribly. I marked this up to bone density getting worse. I found I had to force the energy to do things I used to speed through. I considered it was my age catching up with me - finally. As you can read I had little time to get out in the sun. I drink milk and take several vitamins to be healthy enough for what I need to do. My hair got very thin and my nails tore easily and pealed. My skin tones were overly pale and to my dismay my eye sight was changing. After complaining to my husband’s doctor about his energy level and finding he was moderately low I asked my doctor to check my vitamin D level. In a few days I found my D level was 19, much lower than my husband’s. A level this low is life threatening. A normal Vitamin D level should be between 30 and 100. I was put on 50,000 units of Vitamin D once a week. The dosage is working and I can tell if I skip a week, like when my doctor’s office dropped the ball and didn’t call in a refill.

I wasn’t prepared for the side effects that came with regularity on a daily basis. The day I took the little pill I chilled under a blanket with outside temperatures of over 90. I didn’t feel well enough to go outside more than my routine demanded. The second day was better with more energy but the third I was in mega pain all over my body. The fourth and fifth day I felt good. On day six I was eating Iubprofen like breath mints. Day seven it started all over again. The vitamin drop affected almost every muscle in my body.

Vitamin D is a hard level to bring up. It takes time and regular medication therapy over a long period of time. Other vitamin levels bounce back quickly. Until recently vitamin D was ignored as a possible problem to many ailments, but it has stepped to center stage taking responsibility for many muscle and nerve problems. In my research I found it can be responsible for major catastrophic illnesses. Remember your heart is a muscle, too.

I probably had a worse case scenario, but what happened to me could happen to anyone. If you are a writer, or work indoors, or live in an area where the sun doesn’t shine in the winter, and/or have sun exposure only to go from one building to another that may not be enough sun rays. You may be deficient in vitamin D. If you are having any symptoms that you have chalked up to something else you might want to ask your doctor to test for low vitamin D levels. It could save your overall health, your bones, your muscles and possibly your life. The body’s fat can store vitamin D for around two weeks. If you are unable to get a few hours in the sun on your day off you may be heading for trouble.

There have been studies showing hope that this vitamin supplement may help with other medical problems like diabetes. Supplements are very inexpensive and can be bought over the counter. But please, do your research before you add any supplement to your daily routine. There is an article by Julie Lichty Balay in Diabetes Self-Management  Vitamin D (Page 1) :: Diabetes Self-Management magazine that goes more in depth. You can check Julie out at www.jlbnutrition.com.   

I have been on the Vitamin D therapy for four months and it is working but it will take time to get it back in normal range.  

Judy Bechtle signing off for now