Fibro and Vit D deficiency???

[tasjane]

I'm seeing a new rheumatologist and he found that I was deficient in Vit D. He said that a study was done and found that people who were deficient in Vit D had symptoms of Fibro...does anyone else know about this?
Come to our Tues. night chat and lets talk about this.

[Tracy]

tasjane -

thanks for sharing that information - very interesting

I'll be in your chat next Tuesday evening and look forward to others with fibro joining in to talk about this subject and other fibro topics as well.

tracy

[sleepyinChicago]

Yes, I've heard of that connection. My mother's rheumatologist found out she was vit. D deficient at her initial assessment, and would not make a fibromyalgia diagnosis until her vit. D levels were normal, saying that the vit. D deficiency could be the source of her muscle pain.

[Willow2007]

This thread was amazing to me. I don't think I'm vitamin D deficient, because I don't normally use any sunscreen and I spend quite a bit of time outside in the garden. But it is a shock, because I am a PWN and I have previously been diagnosed with fibro (the symptoms of fibro went away about 6 years ago, and have now started coming back lately). So its interesting to note this. I've been thinking about taking a supplement of vit. D anyway because the studies have shown that people that take more vit. D live longer and feel better, and also have more calcium in their bodies. So I was going to buy some vit. D anyway. Amazing, how everything is all connected, isn't it?

[buddie]

Hi.

I am glad that I found this site as I have severe chronic insomnia. I have also been diagnosed in the past with iron deficiency anemia, Serum Sickness, Osteopenia, Grave's Disease, paroxysmal Atril Fibrillation. FM and Spondylitis.

The insomnia has, by far, been my most life altering and relentless symptom. I hate it.

When I was diagnosed with Grave's disease 13 years ago, the endocrinologist suggested that I supplement with Calcium and Vitamin D. I also receive regular newsletters from the Harvard Nurses Study, which I have been a participant in for many years. One of those letters suggested Vitamin D supplements may be a good idea. So I started to take 500 iu of D everyday along with Calcium. During the next five years, I developed severe joint pain (diagnosed as Serum Sickess), muscle pain and insomnia (diagnosed as FM), intermittent heart palpitations (diagnosed as paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation), back pain and elevated sed rates (diagnosed as spondylitis) and osteopenia.

I have been researching autoimmune diseases for several years, not only because I have developed several of them, but also because my mother died of Pulmonary Fibrosis, my Dad died from a stroke; secondary to high bp and diabetes, my sister died of a heart attack; secondary to severe diabetes, my brother had his colon removed due to ulcerative colitis and so many other members of my family and my friends have developed these chronic inflammatory diseases at younger and younger ages.

I no longer take vitamin D as I feel it did not prevent any problems for me and according to new research in molecular medicine it may be doing more harm then good in people with chronic inflammatory immune diseases. Low 25D levels may really be a consequence of these diseases and not a cause. If your doctors are going to check your Vitamin D levels, they really need to be checking both the inactive form, 25D, and the active form, 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D, to get a true reading.

If you would like to learn more about the role of vitamin D in chronic immune disease, you may be interested in watching the series of lectures made by Trevor Marshall, PhD at the American Association of Environmental Medicine conference in 2006 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FzYARFQ9ZE or read the information at http://bacteriality.com and at the Marshall Protocol study website at http://www.marshallprotocol.com This information is fascinating.

Hugs to all. Chronic Insomnia is torture and no one can truly understand this unless they have it.

buddie

[pipipi]

I just started Oral Vitamin D therapy today. I'm concerned my stomach and lower digestive track won't tolerate it. My doctor wants me to take 6,000 iu each day of D3 with Isoflavones (soy, which I don't tolerate). I'll try it though. I did have 25-hydroxy, D3 and D2 tested.

I don't have any other indications of inflammation but I've been Fibromyalgic and I've been on Ambien for 7 years because I can't fall asleep at night in time to get up for work in the morning if I don't take Ambien. I also take meprobamate (600-800 mg) and Celexa (20mg) every day. Unfortunately, lots of stress lately. Spouse could no longer tolerate my chronic pain, fatigue and insomnia. Spouse sleeps at the drop of a hat and never gets aches and pains. Anyway, for the past month or so, under doctor's supervision, I've increased my does from 10mg each night to 15mg. I don't want to do this for long.

Everyone talks about the dangers of Ambien but it isn't dangerous if you incorporate sleep hygiene. No late meals. Limited caffeine. No caffeine after noon. Do not take other tranqs (such as mepro) within 4 hours of Ambien or else you could be up and sonambulistic. Is it correc to say sonambulistic? Also, with the high dose I believe there is more of a chance that you will sleepwalk, sleepeat, or whatever. I've only been a sleepwalker and sleepeater.

Thanks again for your caution.

[buddie]

Hi pipipi,

I never heard that Ambien was dangerous. What have you heard?. I took that for about 2 years and then it stopped working. I remember telling my doctor way back when that I thought it was doing something to my blood sugar because I would wake up starving in the middle of the night and I gained 35 pounds on it. I lost the weight fortunately. Not too long after I wasn't using it anymore was when they discovered how some people who were taking it were sleep eating - bizarre. I was always fully aware of the brownies I was stuffing in my face at 3AM

[pipipi]

I sleepeat but then I used to have to wake up for a snack before I took Ambien. I have gained weight but most of it is more likely the result of not being able excercise since my Fibro and general pain became as bad as it is now. I am hoping that the D3 will help. My doctor truly believes I am way too low with a D3 blood level of of 18 mg/mL.

I can go months on Ambien and not sleepeat. I really can't handle being disturbed in any way when I take it or I will be up and somnambulistic.

When I said, "dangerous", I meant that people supposedly have driven while on Ambien among doing other bizarre stuff. In that sense it is dangerous. Bad sleep hygiend contributws but when I am really distraught emotionally I tend to get up and sleepeat.

I hope I don't offend anyone but you would have to be an idiot to take it at any time other than right before getting into bed for the night (or day if you work nights).

Thanks for responding. I appreciate that someone is reading my posts.

[buddie]

Pipipi,

About the D tests; you had a 25 hydroxyvitamin D D2 D3. These are inactive forms of D. It doesn't look like you had the 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D test, which is the active form. I had both done and the active form was high.

Here's a good link that explains this research:

http://www.marshallprotocol.com/forum2/364.html

I don't think you offended anyone by saying you would have to be an idiot to take Ambien at any time other than right before getting into bed for the night.