When I was first diagnosed with fibro one of the initial tests done was checking my vitamin D levels, as it seems for some reason a lot of fibros have low vitamin D. My levels were of course very low, so my doctor put me on 2000 IU's vitamin D/day. Within 3 months I got my levels back up into the normal range, and I continue to take 1000 IU's/day. Its one of the many supplements that I take that I feel makes a difference in my health. (Even if someone does not have fibro keeping your vitamin D levels in check are a good idea!) It may not be a "cure" but I think it is one of the stepping stones in helping me feel better and healthier! Seems like studies are just now being done and coming to the forefront on how these low vitamin D levels relate to our chronic pain and fibro. I love how the article starts off describing "general pain that doesn’t respond to treatment." -- helloooo fibro! :)
http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-chronic-pain-link?ecd=wnl_cbp_022411
"Plotnikoff notes that vitamin D is a hormone. 'Every tissue in our bodies has [vitamin] D receptors, including all bones, muscles, immune cells, and brain cells,' he says.
And in March 2009, researchers at the Mayo Clinic published a study showing that patients with inadequate vitamin D levels who were taking narcotic pain drugs required nearly twice as much medication to control their pain as did patients with adequate D levels."
"Plotnikoff says that there is no evidence from randomized, controlled trials that replenishing vitamin D levels will cure chronic pain. 'But it doesn’t hurt to do it,' he notes.
So if you've got chronic pain, it can’t hurt to ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels. 'I believe this is absolutely medically indicated, and it should be the standard of care for everyone with chronic, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain,' Plotnikoff says.
If you have severe vitamin D deficiency, any efforts to boost your D levels should be done by consulting with your doctor. Too much vitamin D can be dangerous and lead to an excess accumulation of calcium in your blood, which can lead to kidney stones.
Oh, Vitamin D. I never knew that deficiency was linked to the fibro, but spending my winters in Chicago, I knew I got terribly deficient every year. I'm probably going about it all wrong, but since I can't take Vitamin supplements, I'm just making sure to get more than the recommended amount of sunshine daily. I can already tell that it's drastically improved my mood and attitude, and I've only been home three weeks. Times like these, I'm thrilled the sun and I are on such great terms and I don't sunburn despite being super pale. That's like, the best possible recipe for getting loads of Vitamin D this way. :)
ReplyDeleteI love it, a prescription for sunshine :) And I'm jealous! I love getting my vitamin D via the sun, but my pale skin does burn :/
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