posted
I have low Vitamin D so I was prescribed 50,000 IU. I thought I read somewhere that a high dose of Vitamin D could affect the liver. I already have elevated liver enzymes. Does anyone know if this is true?
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
You're right - overdosing on Vit D is not a good idea, if your levels are normal.
But if your Vit D level is very low, it's important to get it back up.
I take 50,000 IU once a week, plus 2,000 IU daily.
Your Rx is not a daily dose, is it? That would seem high - so if it is, you might ask your doc about it.
If it's once per week - I don't think it's unusual when you're trying to get your Vit D level back up to normal levels.
Hope that helps a bit.
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I just started taking 50,0000 twice a week. It is supposed to help with muscle and bone pain.
It is the same as when you start taking iron though..it takes some time for the effects to be seen.
I am not sure about the liver damage. High doses of Vitamin D are dangerous but it would have to be pretty high over a long time frame. Since your levels our low it shouldn't be harmful in that sense.
Why don't you give your doc a call and remind them of your liver enzymes just to be safe.
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Vit D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins are harder on your liver. If it were me, I'd ask whoever is keeping track of my liver enzymes if it's OK to be on Vit D right now.
When my liver enzymes were elevated, my doctor took me off of all fat-soluble vitamins until my enzymes came down. That said, my liver enzymes were VERY high.
I couldn't tolerate the 1X per week dose of vitamin D. It made it difficult to sleep and messed with my fluid balance.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Thank you both for replying. I forgot to mention that it was 50,000 IU once a week. My Vitamin D level was 13.5 and it is supposed to be from 30-100.
The nurse called me back saying she was calling it in and I did mention the elevated enzymes to her today and two days ago but haven't heard anything yet.
Maybe the pharmacy will know.
Kit: Im so glad that you mentioned it helping muscle and bone pain because that's exactly what I have. The pain is horrible.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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Ugh! I truly need this right now too because I think that's what's causing so much of my pain. I will ask before I take it. I wish there was an at home test for liver enzymes.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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TerryK
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Member # 8552
posted
LymedOut, It may be fine if your liver enzymes aren't too elevated. Mine were 15X's normal. They came down very quickly and I was able to get back on all my vitamins and meds within a few weeks.
My Vit D was 9. I brought it up slowly with 2,000 IU 2X per day. Hopefully the 50,000 IU's will be fine for you but if not, don't despair. You can bring them up just fine with lower daily doses.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Thanks everyone. I talked to the pharmacist and she tried really hard to find something but she said all she could find was interactions with other meds. She didn't think it would hurt me but I still think that I will wait until Monday and talk to my doctor. It's not like two days would make a huge difference anyway.
Terry: Do you remember what your numbers were? My alkaline phosphate was in the 100's(I think it was 160). My AST was 60 and my ALT was 196.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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TerryK
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posted
ALT 564 normal 10-35 AST 254 normal 8-39
My regular doctor wasn't too concerned but my LLMD was the one who took me off many things and put me on a specific product to help my liver.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Lymeorsomething
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Member # 16359
posted
Though controversial, some will say taking D3 is preferable to taking D2. The 50,000 IU dose of D is generally D2. You may want to try taking 2000 IUs of D3 per day instead.
Another poster, Doctor Luddite, used to know a lot about D, but I have not seen him on in a while.
There should be a lot of info. in the archives though if you do a search...
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
As far as we can tell, it was artemisinin.
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
Yikes! Was this the first time that happened? With me, my enzymes are up and down. They've never been in the 100's though. In March, they were normal. When they do go up, I usually have one is the 60's and the other around the 40's. Alkaline phosphate was always normal until now.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
LymedOut, I take a high dose of Vitamin D because I am very deficient. It is helping with my leg pain.
I get my liver enzymes tested once a month and they are fine. I also take Milk Thistle supplement every day which helps this.
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
I took 50,000 IU for 4 weeks to get mine up when I
still did not know I had Lyme. Went severe neuro. I
think I fed them. Coincidence? I don't know. But if
you experience worsening symptoms, heads up. It
may be like a lot of things in lyme. Everyone is
different and you may have to ramp up like so many other things in lyme.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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Thank you for replying. The reason I am concerned is because my enzymes are already elevated and I don't want anything else to bring them higher.
Pinelady,
Thank you for the heads up. I do have neuro problems so I will watch everything closely. I've taken 50,000 IU before, about two years ago, but I don't remember my enzymes being elevated. I do remember feeling better while I was on it.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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Hi there I know that you need sunlight for your body to process vitamin D. At least 15 minutes of direct sunlight perday or your body won't absorb the D at all.
I also heard the other day on a radio health show that most people are severely dificient in D.
~hugs~
-------------------- ~Things may happen in my life time to change who I am but I refuse to let them reduce me...~ Posts: 968 | From private | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
There is currently a very helpful and informative video under General Support posted by StephenC regarding Vitamin D3.
I listened to the entire video. According to the doctor as I understand her, it is important for the liver to be healthy to absorb Vit D3. Here is the link:
Personally I am overcoming elevated liver enzymes and am waiting until they normalize before taking D3 again. This was my personal decision, but you may want to check with your doctor.
Posts: 515 | From In His Loving Care | Registered: Apr 2009
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I think it may be a good idea to wait too. Thank you for the link.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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posted
I personally choose to go very slow on everything I try...including vitamins or minerals because I just never know how I will react to anything. I am very low on vitamin D as well and my LLMD gave me the prescription for 50,000 IU a week also. But I chose to take it slower.
I started out with just some 1,000 IU D3 that I bought online. I am glad that I did that because when I tried to bump it up to twice a day I got very bad heart flutters. I tried it twice and both times that is what happened. I can't imagine what would have happened if I had taken the 50,000IU.
So now I am building up very slow with my 1,000 IU D3 soft gel pills but I also bought some D3 drops in liquid form. One drop is only 100 IU so I can go up as slow as I want with adding it in with the 1,000 IU pills I am already doing.
So you could just buy a low dose D3 and start out with a small amount to see how your body reacts to it and if it effects your liver at all etc.
Just do what you feel is best for you. I always do that.
Take Care! Pam :-)
-------------------- Sick since 10/2001. Tested CDC positive for Lyme 10/2008 through Quest and Igenex. Started treatment 1/2009 with LLMD. Lyme, Erichilosis, Chlamydophila Pneumoniae, Q Fever, Strep Syndrome and probably a few others I am forgetting. Posts: 451 | From Virginia | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
Thanks Pam. That's a great idea. I will talk to my doctor on Monday and see how she feels about everything. She already knows that my enzymes are elevated and still prescribed me the high dose.
I also read that toxity only occurs when your levels of Vitamin D are already level and you take a high dose of Vitamin D. Everything is so confusing!
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
LymedOut, do you take the supplement Milk Thistle? If your liver is healthy, it can help keep enzymes normal. You may want to talk with your doctor about it.
Good luck at your appointment.
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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I was taking Milk Thistle but felt like I was herxing on it. I was sweating really bad and felt bad too so I stopped it for now.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
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