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Bad reaction to my first Vitamin D supplement? I'm frustrated.

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Posted 10/16/2012 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, the main purpose of this will be to vent.

A few hours ago I had one little gummy vitamin D bear and now I don't feel so good. I'm keeping in mind the placebo effect, but I think its probably more than that.

Got home from work and figured it would be an okay time to try the vitamin. Started feeling funky about 15 minutes after. I'm having slight vertigo, the top of my skull feels funny, and the bottom of my feet feel a little tight.

A year and a half ago, when I was first diagnosed with FM at a rheumatologist's, my bloodwork also came up low in Vitamin D (maybe 18 or 19?). He prescribed vitamin D pills but I didn't fill them or take them because of my fear of sabotaging myself when I felt okay, and at the time I felt okay. Since my body is so strange with medicine, foods and substances, I just am terrified to take anything, even vitamins.

So lately, since I've been doing more research, I decided to pick up vitamin D gummies at Walmart to give them a try but now I feel slightly dizzy and as if I'm getting a slight headache. Its that 'sway' feeling people talk about that I get when I'm 'flaring', am sleep deprived or having a reaction to something.

One of the most frustrating things about my body is that I can't consume normal things, and when I say I'm having a funky reaction my friends and family look at me like I'm crazy, but my body is so high maintenance!.. Like an overly sensitive friend that you have to walk on eggshells around 24/7. "Oh.. I hope this doesn't displease you" lol

Wondering if its too much D? It said one bear is 250% of daily need but I assumed it wouldn't be too much. Should I not take so much? Could it be the 'gelatin' ingredient?

Sorry if I sound crazy. Just need to vent about it.
Posted 10/16/2012 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hey, it doesn't sound crazy.

My stomach is really sensitive too. Sometimes a coffee or a single beer is enough to put me in the toilet for a few hours, dizzy and puking. Because of this there are a lot of medications I can't take. My body just doesn't handle them well.

Although I've never had a problem with vitamin D (I take 2000 iu a day) other supplements can make my stomach queezy (iron especially). I'd suggest taking the vit D before bed (so you sleep through any discomfort). Taking them on an empty stomach helps too.

Also, from what I understand you can never have "too much" vit D. My doctor said I could have up to 10,000 iu a day (like 10x the recommended daily dose) without any ill side effects. But you could certainly try to take a lower dose to see if it helps.

Vit D (and iron) has tremendously improved my fatigue, so I'd urge you to keep up with it!

Good luck
Posted 10/16/2012 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Also, I forgot to mention that you could sunbathe instead. If you live in a warm climate, 10 minutes of sitting in the sun with a tshirt and shorts is all you need (if you live in a colder climate, it'd have to be more during the winter).

Cheers!
Posted 10/16/2012 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Tara! I feel better now after a few hours. Not sure what that was about though it may be one of the accompanying ingredients that I reacted to(?) and I'm not ruling out placebo cause sometimes its hard to distinguish. I'll try a smaller dose of it tomorrow and see what happens.

:)
Posted 10/16/2012 6:00 AM (GMT 0)
I know I pick up some calcium from the store. I didn't read it very careful and pick up one with shellfish. I never have been allergic to it before. I was vomiting every morning for a few days. Finally I figured it out, it was my new calcium tablets. I went back to my old bran. Maybe it's something in the bears your allergic to. Even vitamin B made my heart race real fast. I had to stop it. I have a high heart anyways, just made it worse.

Tara- you can have too much vitamin D. Vitamin therapy needs to be monitored by a Dr. I found out the hard way. My vitamin D got 4 times the high and caused kidney stones plus surgery. I didn't get my vitamin D rechecked after starting a large dose. Never knew I needed to.
Posted 10/16/2012 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
I've never heard of a reaction to vitamin D3.  But, you could have a reaction to what was in the "gummy" part.  I just take the pills...they are gelcaps that I use. 

 

Sherrine

Posted 10/16/2012 2:57 PM (GMT 0)
"Gummy" anything upsets my IBS so maybe it's a stomach issue? I was just diagnosed with low Vitamin D and I take 2,000 daily (my level was 13). As a side note, my future MIL who is a nurse recommended I take a D3 supplement with K2 as this will help with absorption. I got the NOW supplement from amazon with D3 and K2 1,000 iu. It was 120 pills for 6 dollars so it was pretty reasonable. Definitely get your levels checked in three months or so to see where you stand since this is a non water soluable vitamin. Good luck and feel better!
Posted 11/6/2012 3:20 PM (GMT 0)
I want to preface this by saying that this is my experience and is in no way attempting to imply anything about your experience. :-)

I am really sensitive to medications too. I've had some pretty intense reactions to some seemingly innocuous medications. Because of that, I have developed what I call a medication "defcon 5" reaction. As soon as I take a new medication, I start to feel "weird." It may be nausea, tingling, dizziness, etc. I take allergy shots, and every time I take one, I feel like I can't breathe. I finally figured out that these were all symptoms of anxiety I was feeling in anticipation of possible having a true medication reaction. I have learned to talk myself down from the figurative ledge, and now, barring a serious reaction, I will give the medication a few tries to see if I really am sensitive to it.

Again, I in no way mean to say that what you experienced is anxiety or in your head (fibromites HATE to be told that, and justifiably so). This is just what happens to ME. I'm just throwing it out there in case it helps someone.

You very well could be experiencing a reaction to something in the gummies. I wonder if trying it in another form might be helpful?
Posted 11/6/2012 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi CharmCityLady,

I googled gummy vitamins and some can contain sugar and food coloring and preservatives. A certain kind even advertizes gluten free.
Posted 11/7/2012 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
My D levels were at 8 last year. I was placed on 100,000 IU of perscription strength a week. Mine is now normal level.
Posted 11/7/2012 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
I must do this because of my lupus. UV light makes me itch and hurt.
Posted 11/8/2012 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
There is probably something in there your body doesn't like, and its probably preservatives or binding agents. Don't beat yourself up over it. Your body is telling you the gummies aren't good for you. I take the Nature Made or Natures Bounty that are liqui-caps. I don't have a problem with those and my body overreacts to stuff too.
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