How long can you take high dose Vit D?

[Satori]

Were having great fun around here, one child is getting over the stomach flu (which resulted in a couple trips to the Dr/ER) and the other came down with the regular flu yesterday, or is it the day before? I don't remember, I've barely slept the past week and I got hit with the stomach flu last night, thank god I was only down a couple of hours instead of the several days everyone else has been hit. I've already been on high dose D (50,000IU) for a couple of days and I credit that to the quick recovery. Hoping it doesn't come back, as it is I'm still down 5 lbs from last night. Anyway I'm also worried because I'm also on a Medrol pack (Prednisone) so I need to really do what I can to not get sick. Can I continue on the D? I'm upping the D in the kiddo with the flu, the one with the stomach flu won't keep it down and is refusing to eat anyway (there gummy D's and I can't go get the drops right now)

[tanyalynn]

Healthy people can make 20,000 or 30,000 IU on a sunny, bikini-clad day in Texas, so you should be fine for a good while longer.

[Heavenly]

I have severe, severe Vitamin D deficiency and I am taking 50,000IU A WEEK, not a day! I don't think it's a good idea.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by Heavenly

I have severe, severe Vitamin D deficiency and I am taking 50,000IU A WEEK, not a day! I don't think it's a good idea.

Short term its fine to take high doses like that. Its not like my body holds it anyway, I've been on the 50k week thing for a year and my levels are still not normal.

[KimPM]

Originally Posted by Satori

Short term its fine to take high doses like that. Its not like my body holds it anyway, I've been on the 50k week thing for a year and my levels are still not normal.

Corticosteroids like prednisone deplete your vitamin D stores. Could be part of it.

You also need to get enough pantothenic acid (B5), as it's a cofactor for vitamin D.

Are you taking D2 or D3?

[KimPM]

Oh, and here are Dr. Eisenstein's recommendations:
http://homefirst.com/info-1/current-...itamin-d3.html

[Satori]

Originally Posted by KimPM

Corticosteroids like prednisone deplete your vitamin D stores. Could be part of it.

You also need to get enough pantothenic acid (B5), as it's a cofactor for vitamin D.

Are you taking D2 or D3?

I'm taking D3. Last week was the first time I've been on pred in years. I don't hold it due to malabsorption issues so even though I may be taking a huge amount that's not what my body is getting yk? I do make sure to get high dose B complex.

[KimPM]

Then it's possible your D levels have been low for years, since taking the pred back then, as well as having the malabsorption.

You can try a liquid form topically. This might help avoid the malabsorption issue. Start with a small dose because topically it's equivalent to a larger dose taken internally.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by KimPM

Then it's possible your D levels have been low for years, since taking the pred back then, as well as having the malabsorption.

You can try a liquid form topically. This might help avoid the malabsorption issue. Start with a small dose because topically it's equivalent to a larger dose taken internally.

We know its been low for years, they found I had severe bone loss starting 9 years ago but didn't start looking at the cause until about 2 years ago when I threw a fit and demanded tests when my T score hit the major risk of hip fracture range. It was just a Vit D issue.

Its been kinda odd, usually I'm on it for about 6 weeks then off it once hypercalcemia symptoms kick in for 3-4 weeks then the whole body aches come back and I know to go back on it. Taking it daily the past week even though I've been hit with the stomach flu (thank god the worst past only lasted a day) and fighting the regular flu now I actually feel better energy wise now then I have in a long time and no symptoms of getting to much.

Anyway, I have never heard of tropical D, any links?

[KimPM]

For topical vitamin D...

You can try a pre-formulated cream like BioEntopic Natural Vitamin D3 Creme. They say that 1/8 teaspoon provides 500 IU of Vitamin D3 Equivalent to 2,000 IU of Vitamin D3 taken orally.

But, if you want to avoid all the other ingredients in the cream, you can just use something like the Carlson D drops. Those come in 400, 1000 or 2000 IU/drop. Just put however many drops you need on your skin, and rub it in. Just like you'd do with a progesterone/hormone cream. I'm guessing you won't need anywhere near what you are taking orally, as you bypass the gut malabsorption problem. You might also be better able to take a lower steady dose long-term. I'd also rotate the locations, and apply it over fatty areas...inner thighs, stomach, inner arms.

Pure Encapsulations makes a liquid that is 1000 IU/drop. But that is a "professional brand", harder to get.

RxVitamins, Nature's Answer, and Life Extension all make a liquid that is 2000 IU/drop.

Biotics makes liquids that are 400 IU and 2000 IU/drop.

Xymogen, Source Naturals, and Nutri-Supreme all make a liquid that is 400 IU/drop.

NOW foods makes a liquid that is 100 IU/drop if you want smaller dosage.

There are other liquids that are so many IU per ml or teaspoon, but topically, you probably want it as concentrated as possible.

I don't know if you are avoiding any particular substances, like soy or gluten. I came up with a spreadsheet detailing the name, form, D source, and excipients for a lot of different brands. You're welcome to a copy if you PM me with your email address.

[KimPM]

This is the BioEntopic Vitamin D3 Creme:
http://www.harvesthealth.com/binavid3crcr.html

But really the cream is just a vehicle for applying the vitamin D. So really any liquid form of D will work similarly.

I would use the 4x factor above as a good estimate for the dosage you would be getting through the skin.

[sbgrace]

I'm a little concerned about the hyper-calcemia kicking in. Are your blood calcium levels really high at that point and are the D levels above 80 as well? I think you're saying you've never had adequate let alone high D (it can't be fluctuating high to low in a matter of weeks, right?) yet hypercalcemia is kicking in when D starts to get more normal perhaps. That's really concerning (I'm sure to you as well).


Have you looked into parathyroid disease? That can cause hypercalcemia on it's own and adequate vitamin D makes it worse. The body also lowers vitamin D levels in an attempt to lower calcium. Also, bone density is affected. My sister had ostopenia at 20 years old with parathyroid disease. She's treated and everything corrected (well, except the damage done to the body of course). The initial indicator is any calcium level above 9. Ten isn't normal.
http://www.parathyroid.com/parathyroid-symptoms.htm

Anyway, it's really rare but it does happen and I wanted to mention it because doctors are so unaware and pass of the symptoms and even high calcium levels without realizing what they are dealing with.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by sbgrace

I'm a little concerned about the hyper-calcemia kicking in. Are your blood calcium levels really high at that point and are the D levels above 80 as well? I think you're saying you've never had adequate let alone high D (it can't be fluctuating high to low in a matter of weeks, right?) yet hypercalcemia is kicking in when D starts to get more normal perhaps. That's really concerning (I'm sure to you as well).


Have you looked into parathyroid disease? That can cause hypercalcemia on it's own and adequate vitamin D makes it worse. The body also lowers vitamin D levels in an attempt to lower calcium. Also, bone density is affected. My sister had ostopenia at 20 years old with parathyroid disease. She's treated and everything corrected (well, except the damage done to the body of course). The initial indicator is any calcium level above 9. Ten isn't normal.
http://www.parathyroid.com/parathyroid-symptoms.htm

Anyway, it's really rare but it does happen and I wanted to mention it because doctors are so unaware and pass of the symptoms and even high calcium levels without realizing what they are dealing with.

HPT is what caused my bone loss but it was set off by low D, my calcium levels have always been low, I remember a NP had me taking like 5000mg a day when I was like 18 trying to get the levels up You tell the difference between the low D vs tumor by the calcium level, low is D, high is tumor. I am assuming the calcium is going high because I start getting the non stop headaches. My D level hasn't been tested in a few months but its never been above 25 for the combined number. When I picked up the script the pharmacy told me to watch for the headaches and stop taking it when that happens because it means the calcium is rising. It drops over a couple weeks and my whole body just starts aching, like bad case of the flu aching and my brain gets fuzzy. Start the D again and I'm fine pretty quick. The Endo and GI is blaming the D issue on the Celiac (went un dx'd for 24 years and have perm damage) Anyway, my calcium levels tend to be staying on the low side of normal with the D instead of the usual out of range low so its really doubtful its a tumor.

[sbgrace]

What a mess for you.
Low calcium wouldn't be tumor, I agree. But then your calcium isn't causing the headaches/isn't high? I'm not sure how you're getting hypercalcemia in response to vitamin D if your levels aren't above 25 so I'm wondering what's causing the headaches. And if it is hypercalcemia then tumor is a possibility, right? So it's probably not the calcium. Is this prescription D? I don't know of any scripts that are D3. D3 is going to raise levels faster and more safely.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by sbgrace

What a mess for you.
Low calcium wouldn't be tumor, I agree. But then your calcium isn't causing the headaches/isn't high? I'm not sure how you're getting hypercalcemia in response to vitamin D if your levels aren't above 25 so I'm wondering what's causing the headaches. And if it is hypercalcemia then tumor is a possibility, right? So it's probably not the calcium. Is this prescription D? I don't know of any scripts that are D3. D3 is going to raise levels faster and more safely.

I dunno, never had my calcium checked when I had the headaches to see if that was the cause, just assumed based on what the pharmacy told me. Yes there prescription, I just looked at the bottle, I thought they were D3 but it just says Vitamin D 50000 CAP something I don't remember, there little green gelcaps. I'll ask the pharmacy next time I'm in which form it is, shouldn't be to long. I was there ummm, 5 times the past 2 days? Should have gone today, to dam tired! Its a royal PITA to get in to see the Dr so unless its something major like clawing off my skin like the past 2 weeks I don't hassle with going to anything thats not routine.

[Satori]

Duh, I googled the pill, its D2. I could swear it was D3!

[sbgrace]

Switch. Any D3 will do worlds better than what you've got. Maybe the D2 is the headache issue rather than your actual D levels or calcium levels.

[Satori]

Originally Posted by sbgrace

Switch. Any D3 will do worlds better than what you've got. Maybe the D2 is the headache issue rather than your actual D levels or calcium levels.

Believe me I will, I'm at myself for not double checking all this time.

[bluets]

I was just reading on vit D the other day (my level just came back supremely low - yikes). some who started out on D3 found that they were actually better able to up their levels using... ta-da... cod liver oil. and they weren't using Blue Ice - jsut CLO from their local store.

[sbgrace]

Originally Posted by bluets

I was just reading on vit D the other day (my level just came back supremely low - yikes). some who started out on D3 found that they were actually better able to up their levels using... ta-da... cod liver oil. and they weren't using Blue Ice - jsut CLO from their local store.

I don't know where you read that but it's not true in my experience and research. To correct a low level you are likely going to need a lot more than you can consume in cod liver oil of any sort (including Blue Ice). Further, sometimes the A appears to inhibit in those who are already low. There is probably a balance there but when you're starting at a deficit the rules change in my experience.

I did 9 to 10,000 IU per day and corrected a deficiency in I think under two months. Corrected to 79 so really I was likely normal long before the two month point.