Sunlight and Vitamin D

Hi Everyone,
I know you all have a tremendous amount of information between you so I'm sure someone will be able to help!!

Some of the side effects of taking so much vitamin D can be kidney stones and the build up of calcium around the heart. I was just wondering how are people protecting themselves from this? I'm taking 10000 iu's per day and took the mega dose but won't be able to have another blood test for a year when I go back to see my neurologist. My levels were 97 nmol (in UK) before I took the mega dose. I want my levels to stay around the 180 mark.
I've read the research that confirms large doses are safe but these people were under medical supervision, I'm not!!!
The reason I'm worried is that a good friend of mine takes Vit D for a bone condition. Her consultant, an expert on Vit D (he lectures about the epidemic we have of low levels of vit D in the UK) was really concerned about the levels I was taking when my friend mentioned the dose. Thanks,

I take 10,000 iu/day, as well. I am not a doctor or a dietician, but you can always go down to 5000 iu/day, if you feel more comfortable with that. Since I was recently diagnosed with MS, I feel like I need all the help I can get, so I am starting off at 10,000 iu/day, but may reduce it over time, if I don't have any significant relapses. What is a Mega Dose?

Shawn Caroline

Thanks for your reply Shawn Caroline,

A mega dose is a large dose of Vit D some of us have taken (150,000 ius) as an initial boost to our Vit D levels. There are posts on this stream which will give you more information on it. Sometimes I get a little nervous about what I'm doing which is why this forum is so important to me. Wouldn't it be great if we had medical practitioners who embraced this way of managing our MS. I would just love to be able to look someone in the eye when I'm feeling vunerable or just not sure about things! Anyway, thanks for your support, be well,

I have a very supportive GP which is a really great help, I have not seen a neurologist for 5 or 6 years as I did not find that at all helpful.

I follow the diet, take 50,000IU weekly (equivalent of 7,000 IU daily) after an initial megadose of 150,000 IU. I'm also getting 15 minutes of sun several times a week now that it is summer in New Zealand. My Vitamin D level was 202 nmol when it was tested a month ago, and I want to keep it there, so over summer I will reduce the capsules a little now that I am getting enough sun. I'm getting a feel now for how Vitamin D/sunshine works for me, that's the key - it WORKS for me!

My GP checked my calcium levels to just make sure there were no issues, everything was perfect (her words). Prof Jelinek also speaks on this site and in the book, about the positive impacts of high levels of Vitamin D like these. So I am very comfortable with what I am doing and feel (and look) better than I have for years.

So taking control yourself with the support of your GP is the best way in my 11 years of experience with MS.

Wendy

My GP is relatively clueless about MS. The neurologists I have seen were less than helpful and one of them was VERY unsupportive. I have health care restictions, because I live in the US and get my health insurance through work, which is Kaiser Insurance. Unfortunately, I cannot afford to go out of network. I think having a supportive GP or neurologist would be great.

Shawn Caroline

Thanks Wendy for your advice, I think I will ask my GP to keep a check on my calcium levels, I don't really want to stop my Vit D as I do feel much better than I have done in more than a year. Shawn Caroline, I'm sorry you don't have any supportive medical help, hopefully this forum will plug some of the gaps for you. Take Care,

Heya,

I haven't noticed any negatives at all since starting my vitamin d supplementation. My initial level was 32 (in Australia) so I really wanted to boost my level up quickly. I took a mega dose of 300,000 units then 5,000 units a day for the last 6 months. Got my levels back recently only at 117 but still so much better than they were at the start. I took another 300,000 unit mega dose a few weeks ago and will supplement 5,000 units a day again for another 6 months then check my levels again. I'm pretty confident they will be up to the 200 mark.

I have had absolutely no ill feelings at all and as you can see I've had a fair whack of mega doses . I really wouldn't worry at all about it unless you start feeling ill, which I very much doubt.

All the best,

Ruby

Hi Ruby you have had similar issues to me with trying to get your levels up despite megadoses. After the initial megadose of 150,000IU i have maintained a 10,000IU daily dose for 6months but still have only managed to get to just over 100 nmol/L from an original 79.
I am also having major issues with Iron levels.

I have an appointment with a Doc here in NZ in 3weeks to look at the whole picture, hormones, mineral/vitamin levels etc and it will be interesting to see if there is anything in the body that is draining the VitD and iron etc.

Will report back with results.

Hi Kashu, I would be very interested in the results, I've decided to keep up with the dose as I am feeling much better. Take are and keep well

I think that everyone needs to have regular Vitamin D tests until they learn exactly how much Vitamin D3 they must take to stay at the high end of the normal range. This amount can vary by person. Even then, things are complicated because one absorbs vitamins less well as one ages. All in all, I think when you first start taking supplements a test once every three months is wise. Later, that can be dropped down to once or twice a year.