Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
Just curious...
How many of you were screened for Vitamin D Deficiency when you were diagnosed either by your GP or your Rhuemy?
The test they run should be a 25-Hydroxy test. Each lab has a different "normal" range but you can be pretty sure your're okay with a level in the 65 - 80 Range..
I was never screened by either of my doctors. I live in Canada and more than 50% of the population is suspected of have D deficiency. I live an urban lifestyle that isn't likely to get me enough D from sunlight - not to mention that at least 6 months of the year here the UB Index isn't typically high enough to stimulate Vit D production in skin. I also wear a daily SPF15 in my facial moisturizer which also gets put on my hands. My skin looks great but I don't think I make much Vit D from sunlight. I do eat dairy and I foolishly thought that would be enough.
My RA is much better under control in the last year than it was yet I still had lingering symptoms that the RA drugs didn't seem to treat. I did some additional reading and they were classic low Vitamin D sypmtoms. I started supplementing about 1,000 IU per day on-top of diet. I didn't want to go overboard so six weeks later I went to my GP and asked to be tested. I wanted to be taking the right amount.
Considering I had been supplementing some already and we've had a very sunny spring here... my level was only 57. This was considered in the low range but not defecient. Even then my doctor said I should be taking 3,000 - 4,000 IU daily to bring it up to normal range and to get re-tested in six months. It can take a while for Vit D to stabablize in your system.
He then made a comment ... "We wouldn't want you do get osteoporosis on top of everything else!" My mom has it so its a risk... but the thing that chaps my butt is, its also likely why my RA has been so severe and hard to treat. I think that is a much more pressing concern than poreous bones at age 50.
I was RF negative in the begginning and can chalk almost half my early symptoms up to plain vitamin D deficiency. If someone had screened my and I started supplementation early... could I have only mild RA. Guess I will never know.
Too soon to tell if more D is gonna help me now so I guess the jury is still out. How about you... anybody here seen signifigant improvement with D supplementation.
This link is from my government who is still only recomending 200 IU (two glasses of milk) for adults. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/vitamin/vita-d-eng.php
There is a paragraph about new research in the bottom but they have yet to change thier recomdendations.
Well I can tell you that two glasses of milk doesn't cut it for me!
How many of you were screened for Vitamin D Deficiency when you were diagnosed either by your GP or your Rhuemy?
The test they run should be a 25-Hydroxy test. Each lab has a different "normal" range but you can be pretty sure your're okay with a level in the 65 - 80 Range..
I was never screened by either of my doctors. I live in Canada and more than 50% of the population is suspected of have D deficiency. I live an urban lifestyle that isn't likely to get me enough D from sunlight - not to mention that at least 6 months of the year here the UB Index isn't typically high enough to stimulate Vit D production in skin. I also wear a daily SPF15 in my facial moisturizer which also gets put on my hands. My skin looks great but I don't think I make much Vit D from sunlight. I do eat dairy and I foolishly thought that would be enough.
My RA is much better under control in the last year than it was yet I still had lingering symptoms that the RA drugs didn't seem to treat. I did some additional reading and they were classic low Vitamin D sypmtoms. I started supplementing about 1,000 IU per day on-top of diet. I didn't want to go overboard so six weeks later I went to my GP and asked to be tested. I wanted to be taking the right amount.
Considering I had been supplementing some already and we've had a very sunny spring here... my level was only 57. This was considered in the low range but not defecient. Even then my doctor said I should be taking 3,000 - 4,000 IU daily to bring it up to normal range and to get re-tested in six months. It can take a while for Vit D to stabablize in your system.
He then made a comment ... "We wouldn't want you do get osteoporosis on top of everything else!" My mom has it so its a risk... but the thing that chaps my butt is, its also likely why my RA has been so severe and hard to treat. I think that is a much more pressing concern than poreous bones at age 50.
I was RF negative in the begginning and can chalk almost half my early symptoms up to plain vitamin D deficiency. If someone had screened my and I started supplementation early... could I have only mild RA. Guess I will never know.
Too soon to tell if more D is gonna help me now so I guess the jury is still out. How about you... anybody here seen signifigant improvement with D supplementation.
This link is from my government who is still only recomending 200 IU (two glasses of milk) for adults. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/vitamin/vita-d-eng.php
There is a paragraph about new research in the bottom but they have yet to change thier recomdendations.
Well I can tell you that two glasses of milk doesn't cut it for me!
I am still supplementing and will be having another test next week. I suspect my levels are much higher. Not sure if they are normal, though.
The days/weeks before I got my initial results, I was feeling VERY LOUSY to say the least.
Good Luck !!!!
Lynne