I've been unwell for on and off now for almost a year. I remember phoning off sick a couple of times before feeling tired and 'achy'. I thought I was just being lazy and this was psychosomatic. Then I started getting really ill when I developed a sudden onset of neck/shoulder pain which is still an on going problem now although the pain has turned into discomfort/ache which I have learned to manage doing exercise and stretches. I also feel sensitivity on other parts of my body (like invisible bruises.For 6 months I was coping with my neck/shoulder problem (symptoms are crawling/tingling sensation in the arm, sensitivity to touch like its bruised and cold feeling and dull ache on my shoulder blade).
Then gradually I started developing 'flu like symptoms' without cough or cold but with tiredness/fatigue and dizzy headache which are intermittent throughout the day, until 2 weeks later I started getting throbbing ache in my legs and eventually I couldn't sit all day without getting restless legs and crawling/tingling sensation in my legs which caused weakness in my legs and worse when I'm going upstairs - and my knees keeps clicking. I went to my doctors who prescribed me with naproxen. And told me that I had something called Reactive Arthritis, which i thought was a misdiagnosis. Overall I though that it could be viral related
This time I've been off work for a week when I started to feel better after a week on naproxen. I came back to work for a week feeling like i thought I recovered. Then boom 2 weeks later gradually the flu like symptom came back with extreme tiredness / fatigue and I've been in bed since. I'm still achy all the time regardless. I have no energy to do anything, even showering is a struggle. Ive been in bed most of the time, sometimes I try to go out with my husband for a few hours but I come back home absolutely exhausted and the soreness/headache i get is a different level. Most of the time I feel like my body is inflamed.
So i decided to get a second opinion and i went to see another GP who referred me for a blood test. A few days later, my results came through and I have Vitamin D deficiency. Everything else they tested seem fine. I have a better outlook now though after the diagnosis, apparently it will take months for the treatment to take effect. I guess now they found something they will stop investigating further (which worries me a little bit) but i guess its process of elimination so treat one thing at a time. Would be great to hear from others who also has this deficiency and whether the treatment was effective?
Natural sources of Vitamin D animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, fortified milk, and beef liver.
Vitamin D deficiency can even cause cancer. You must focus on your diet. Focus on vitamin D rich foods, try to take advantage of sunlight atleast 20 mins a day. Reha also gave a very good advice. Must follow that.
Vitamin D deficiency is caused by a lot of conditions, not just cancer. Vitamin D is the only vitamin that we should be able to make naturally. When we are not producing enough, it generally is not because of a shortage on our part, it is because there is something wrong with our body. If you take more vitamin D and you still have symptoms, check for other conditions such as auto-immune disease or cancer.Vitamin D deficiency is also common among people of African descent. I hope this helps!
Hi Helen - just reading thru this further to our chat in the other discussion - interestingly I am also on naproxen for osteoarthritis, as i mention over there on the other thread - bbut I also have hypothyroidism (due to my lithium) and so many of your symptoms sounds lilke thyroid! The prob with that is, many doctors see a normal test result and assume yr thyroid is OK but what a normal result is can vary from peron to person and some people need an additional boost of T3 to help them process thyroxine... Theres a lot of controversy about thyroid at the moment there seems a real issue of underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
Go back tp GP and ask for thyroid to be retested, in the meantime read up on test results - what results are normal range, becasue.....
Hypothyroidism is a cause of vitamin D deficiency!
Hi,
I know this is a old post but if you do see it was wondering if you are feeling any better, I have just been diagnosed with low Vitamin D and have been put on a Suppliment and can't wait to see if it's the answer to so many health issues.
Thanks.
Hi joan I have been taking supplement for about nearly 3 months now. I have good days and bad days. I was really feeling horrible for weeks at the start then felt better almost normal for weeks then fot back to feeling horrible again. I dont know.anymore whats causing it or if my dosage is wrong. I thonl i am gettong better but its such a slow progross. Can i ask what your symptoms are?
Hi,
I have got pains every where essential tremor and deep anxiety can't enjoy anything,just been for a walk round the block because of panic but now feel like I have done a marathon.just lay on the bed most of the the so lethargic,what are yours .
Yeah fatigue is a common symptom apparently. The fatigue i used to get is like similar to what you said, its like i ran a marathon. My fatigue has gone now but i still feel muscle and bone pain. Its like i have invisible bruises all over my body and my body aches all the time but the pain level varies throughout the day. Its worse when im not doing anything all day. I have mentioned my other symptoms on my description above. Just keep going and think positive, you will feel better after a few months. Try and google vitamin d deficiency forums, it really helps reading about other people 's experience etc. I have my blood test 1st july so ill see if my level has been corrected.
Sorry I had read your symptons forgot.
Sorry meant to ask what us your med and what dose
My vit d level was 32 nmol or 13 ng/ml.... But my doctor only told me to take 1000!... Which i was thought was too low. I questioned this and she said she doesnt want my calcium to shoot up. I kinda upped the dosage so im taking 2000-4000 at the moment. When i up my dosage my pain level significantly reduces but i noticed i satrted getting diarrhea a few weeks later and nausea so i dont know if this is a reaction due to dosage. Whats your level and whats your dosage?
My level was 62 just a bit low and have given me 800 which is 20 micrograms. Should be 50 to 75
hI Helenab,
I wanted to know how are you feeling now that it has been a dew months? I was just diagnosed with vit d deficiency, level at 10. I've been feeling awful for the last months and lately the dizzyness, lightheaded and foggy brain have been the worst. Dr said it will take a few months to see a difference, guess Im just looking for some reassurance.Would love to get an update from you!
I was diagnosed with PMR in January but asked to be checked for Vit D defficiency as the symptoms can be similar. Shoulder pain, extreme tiredness, flu like symptoms etc. In fact I was Vit D deficient about 25 if I remember rightly, but did have PMR too. My GP gave me Vit D and calcium and also I sat out in the sun every day if it wasn't raining! My last test I was on the lower limit of Vit D OK. It seems the sun is a lot faster at improving vit D defficiency than supplements. Food alone cannot give us our full amount of vit D apparently.
Highest source of vitamin D are fish and fish oil.
HI Helen, Just read this blog as I take Vit D for two reasons. I keep out of the sun as I am prone to rodent Ulcers on my skin (BCC's or Basa Cell Carcinoma) and also live in Scotland where there can be a paucity of sunshine, especially in the Winter months. This site gives a very full explanation of the need for Vit D and although it mentions a number of serious health conditions I have been assured that they are quite rare unless you are seriously depleted of Vit D. For many years it has been added to staples like cornflakes and margarine, so it's increasingly unlikely that people fall into that category. However, this site explains that 90% of our requirement comes from sunlight, so your diet is a top-up. So the absense of sunlight seems to be the most crucial factor, hence my taking a supplement. I also get SAD syndrome too which adds to the problem. Before taking the supplement I too had lethargy and aches and pains of no known origin. I have since noted a general improvement. I take a very rational approach to self-care and look for what I might be contributing to the problem. So, I watch my diet but don't avoid treats. Exercise is a must despite the aches and pains. Having a dog helps, at least for me.
Kind regards, Ben
I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency today when my lab results showed my levels <3 and not measure able...I had earlier on complains of tiredness ,pain in tail bone and of late flu like symptoms...last month I was diagnosed as hypertensive...I read that hypertension is one complication of vitamin D deficiency..let's wait and watch how my treatment works...50,000iu vitamin D3 weekly for 8 to 12 weeks...
Dear Drasadaf,
Any update of your situation?...What is the level of Vitamin D now?...What symptoms are still continuing?..What relief you have seen so far?...
hi...I am much better now...though I have not checked my levels again but I feel lesser pain on exercising and also psychologically I have improved ..I mean I am more happier now compared to being more depressed earlier ..my BP is also in 130/ 90 reduced by 10 mmhg...less pain overall...I can definitely feel the difference after treatment....I grab in as much sunshine as I can......