Severe vitamin D deficiency

General health and lifestyle
1

Hi everyone, i just got diagnosed with a severe vitamin D deficiency (6ng/ml) following numb patches on my body, a weak arm and leg and severe dizziness/balance issues. I'm now on 20,000 iu a day. Does anyone have any experience with this? How long before I get better? My elbows ache and I'm constantly sleepy I'm only 22 feel like an old woman 

2

You can expect to wait at least three months. You are pretty low so could be longer. You can get vit D from the sun, if there is any at the moment, you must not wear sun screen though. Also a few foods do give vit D which may help a little, eg mushrooms, oily fish, cheese, egg yolks, beef liver......

3

It does depend on whether the cause of the symptoms is really the low vit D or whether the low vit D is associated with an illness, it is very common alongside some autoimmune disorders. My husband had an even lower vit D level - and felt fine! The only thing that changed was his BP - which had been raised and fell once his vit D was brought up to somehting more acceptable (vit D deficiency can lead to raised BP). 

As ptolemy says, it can take a few months - but I also know a couple of people whose aches and pains went within a relatively short time. One had a good vit D level at the end of the treatment and was fine for a few months and then the symptoms returned - lo and behold, her vit D level was in its boots again! A second course of high dose vit D brought it back up and she has been fine since - but takes 2,000 IU a day all the time now. 

4

Thanks! Oh yeah, i've been checked for other illnesses, i'm fine. It's definitely the vitamin D 

5

Thanks so much! I feel a little better already, the balance issues have gone away. I've heard a lot of people say it can take up to 6 months for weakness to go away!