blood test for vitamin D question

Midwest Alice · 03-01-2009, 08:33 AM

Haven't been posting lately just reading. Is the Vitamin D you all are talking about Vitamin D3? Wanted to make sure I am taking the right one. D3 Cholecalciferol is what mine is. After reading this, I doubled to 1600 IU. I may add more. I wonder if my onc checks my vitamin D levels when he does my routine blood test?

Thanks my warrior friends, may you be aware of Gods blessings shining on you today!

Lida · 03-01-2009, 11:15 AM

Hi Vickie and her2 friends,
My vit d. level was at 24, though I was taking over 1000 of d3 supplements per day. My prim. doc recommended taking weekly 50,000 iu d2 for 8 wks and then rechecking. I am on a pretty tough regimen now of Herceptin/Taxatere/Carboplatin and am concerned about additional side effects from the large dose of vitd. An onc I had in the past said this combo (with the vid d) could increase my side effects such as nausea. My nutritional onc. dr. suggested taking 4000 iu per day of d-3 instead. Vickie and any of you on chemo and high dose vit d, do you find increased side effects from the vit d? Any other friends had any side effects from high dose vit d? Thank you so much. Lida

Shadowpilot · 03-01-2009, 11:28 AM

Hi all,

I take 10,000 mg/day and my levels were at 66 last check. My naturopath thinks that is a low level of normal. Living in the NW, I will continue on this dose until the level gets a little higher and the sun returns for its brief summer. I can't find much on side affects of too much Vit.D. Anyone else?

Sue

Mary Jo · 03-01-2009, 03:56 PM

Hi Alice,

Yes, I am talking about D3. That is what I take.

Hugs to you,

Mary Jo

Linda · 03-01-2009, 05:22 PM

My onc has been testing Vit D levels for some time. She believes that women who've had bc should be on the high end of normal, and most of us are low. I took supplements for a while and ended up having to take 7000 units a day to get my levels where she wanted them (last level was 66.) We continue to test because she believes that too high a level can be damaging. I think the top level would be in the 80's or so (I'm sure someone else will know.)
I'm happy to keep taking the supplements. They're (d3) easy to take, cheap and I have no adverse effects. I actually think I'm not getting colds and flus when everybody around me is sick.
Linda
(dx 05, stage 3a)

StephN · 03-02-2009, 03:42 PM

Got my result today from last weeks blood test for Vit. D level. This is AFTER the 8 week megadose of 1 50,000iu cap per week.

Number is up to 50 - wow, the BIG 5-0.

Up from 30 pre-megadose.

So now Shadowpilot has me wondering if I need to really do more than the 4,000 iu/day I was planning???
(Since we share the same climate and can't always drop whatever we are doing and run outside when the sun does decide to shine!)

I was figuring on trying to hold around the level of 50.

Will see my med onc in a couple of weeks so will decide with her, since my general doc is only recommending the standard 1,500 iu supplement per day.