Vitamin D and Me

I have a new relationship with Vitamin D, and it's so important that we will once again have another blog post about me (sorry honey). Actually, I am documenting my journey just in case my experience can help someone else. It's that important.

In March and April, I posted about my lack of energy here, and then about meeting my new doctor here. Things had gotten bad enough I had begun to investigate milder forms of Bi-Polar Disorder and other aspects of depression. Although I've written a little bit of my experience in the posts mentioned above, it warrants some more detail.

At the end of July I had my follow up doctor appointment to see how the massive doses of Vitamin D were working for me. Before my new number was revealed, we discussed how much better I've been feeling. About seven weeks after taking the Vitamin D, I literally woke up one morning and knew I was back. I have had energy to do things, and more importantly, the desire to do them. I have smiled and laughed more, felt the need for friends and contact with those outside of my home, and been overall more positive when I'm out in public. While watching my favorite dance show this summer, I began to spin around in my kitchen now and then and try out choreography that was popping into my head. I am awake and aware and ready to accomplish great things. Oh how I have missed this feeling.

The more we discussed the Vitamin D numbers, the more I learned. A normal range for Vitamin D is between 30 and 100. The range is wide because some people are just great at a number of 30, while others are feeling very low at numbers higher than that. This is the range they have found to be normal for many people. Numbers between 20 and 30 are considered to be Vitamin D deficient. Anything under a 20 is considered a severe deficiency. My number was an 18. Moreover, the research I've been reading has reported that by the time people experience the symptoms of severe deficiency, they have had it for quite a while. If you are interested in reading some of the literature I have found this article and this article very helpful.

My new Vitamin D number is 56. It is feeling like a great number for me. I am now going to reduce my dosage to a normal daily intake of Vitamin D as remaining at the high 50,000IUs is only productive for one to two months (after that, you can run into some other problems). I cannot believe the difference over the last 14 weeks. Unfortunately, one of the side effects of depression is weight gain (I would assume from the lack of energy or concern for one's diet, or anything else for that matter), and I have gained a lot of weight. My next hurdle will be to get back to a healthier weight and lifestyle, but I am so grateful to finally have some energy to do something about it that I remain positive.

I am concerned about the "simplicity" of my diagnosis. Not that health issue is ever simple, but considering I was very close to asking about antidepressant medication, and a simple blood test, combined with a very on-the-ball doctor, revealed that a vitamin was all I needed to treat my health issue, I use the word simple. I was prepared for a hard core mental health diagnosis and whatever meds may have been needed, and I was surprised and grateful that there was another answer. I wonder how often our concerns are overlooked or misdiagnosed by our doctors? I had to leave a beloved doctor to find a new one because I knew he wasn't hearing me, and I found the answer in a vitamin rather than a prescription medication. It's a little unsettling, but that's why we need to share our experiences. I have had my best medical and educational hurdles resolved because loving friends and family have shared their experiences.

Prior to the second week of June, 2011, I was not doing well. I didn't know how I got that way or why, but I knew something was wrong. I continued to forge ahead, but not in that locomotive way that gets things accomplished. It was more like trying to walk through sludge with heavy boots on. I did not want to talk to people; I had no energy for deep conversations with good friends, nor did I have energy to say hello to moms at school during drop off or pick up. I became a little reclusive, even from my church community feeling more and more like I didn't belong in my ward and/or that I was not valuable and needed there. I lost my drive and passion to do even the things that used to make me geeked-out giddy like performing or dancing. I did the things that the normal me would have done because I knew that the me I knew would have liked whatever activity, but I went through the motions without enjoying myself. My head knew this wasn't like me, but my heart didn't have the energy to do much about it. It took every tiny ounce of will I had not to drop out of everything I loved. When I think about the last couple of years, it makes me anxious. What if I hadn't switched doctors? How long would this have gone on? What have my kids and husband and friends been seeing all this time, especially my little girls? What kind of example have I been to them? And how many other people are walking around in those same shoes with little hope? This shouldn't have to happen when a simple blood test could possibly be the answer for someone.

Dear family and friends, please have your Vitamin D level checked. Please share my story with anyone you feel might benefit from it. If you are feeling similar to what I have felt, don't wait. If you are not feeling down or concerned, have your level checked anyway. Remember -- the symptoms don't show up until you've been deficient for a period of time. Catch it now before it goes unchecked for too long. Vitamin D could be your new best friend. It is certainly mine.