I have taken 5 vitamin-D 1000iu each and still am exausted. I can't seem to get up and get going. I promised the 3 younger kids I'd take them pumpkin picking after school, I hope they really don't expect me to do to much. I do feel awful that I don't feel up to the task.But what can you do.
My hubby finally went to the Dr. cuz he was feeling depressed and completely bereft of energy. After some blood tests turns out his Vitamin D was ridiculously low. But get this: his script is for 2x/wk for 50,000 iu!! He is now SIGNIFICANTLY better so there is undoubtably something to this. If you suspect a deficiency you should maybe ask for a blood test. It could be that you need far more of this stuff than you think. When my husband and I looked at the dosage, we actually worried that our doctor was a quack. We did some research on line though and turns out you sometimes have to do mondo-dosage for a period to get the levels in your body back to where they need to be. He will have to take some kind of supplement for this from here on out, but probably not at that level.
I feel for you on the pumpkin thing though. Having less energy wouldn't bother me so much if was just me. It just really stinks when you can't be the kind of parent you want to be. That's when I start to feel bad.
Just do what you can and be kind to yourself. But do know there really IS something to the vitamin D thing and you may want to look into it further.
Good Luck!
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What does Vitamin D have to do with energy?
I have noticed that taking at least 2000iu a day does for the part increase my energy. My daughter was feeling depressed last year and her doctor told her to take it and it would make her feel bette. Of course,being a teenager, she didn't, so I did. I noticed a huge difference. However when I'm having a huge flare up like I am right know it doesn't work as well. My sister tried it(she does not have an autoimmune disease) and she did not notice the difference. I have struggled for years with extremely low energy. Its one thing to hurt all the time, but to not have the energy to even move to work out the stiffness and make myself feel better just makes it that much worse.
Are you taking folic acid for your thinning hair? Maybe you are tried because of folic acid defenciency from the Methotrexate. The thinning hair is almost always caused from the folic acid defenciency. Since Folic acid is a B vitamin and all B vitamins work best as a team, do you also take a B complex vitamin or good multi vitamin? Have you been checked for anemia? There is at least two types of anemia that are common in RA. Both are treated different. Neither has anything to do with Vitamin D. Vitamin D defencency does increase your chances of getting RA from what I read on Web MD. Mostly we think of Vitamin D (sunshine) and Calcium absorbtion, not energy. B vitamins are more known for energy. Injectable being best and sumblingual being second best form of B vitamins. I find I need lots of rest. Maybe what your looking for can't be found in a vitamin and rest is what you need.
currently I'm off the meth but not taking folic acid,my dr said that there was no study showing that folic acid improves the problem with the hair falling out,so he opted to not put me on it. That and I take so much on a daily basis including a multi vitamin. I feel that I do get enough rest. I'm a stay at home mom with all my kids in school and make my own scheduel, so if I need a break I take one. But I at my age (34) i don't feel that I should be sludging through life barely being able to do anything and needing a nap everytime i go down stairs to switch laundry. I have blood work done constantly and anemia has never shown up. The first signs of the disease I had was the constant tiredness and anemia was the only thing that I was tested for. The vitamin D seems to work the best out of everything, the only other thing that has given me enough energy is prednisone and I'm not taking that on daily basis ever. Maybe I'll talk to him about taking a vitamin B supliment. Maybe it will help.
sorry for the spelling, not so hot at it
That is so weird. I am taking Methotrexate. My paper work from my drug store says folic acid supplementation reduces most side effects includding hair loss. Also from the John's Hopkins site http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/arthritis-info/rheumatoid-arthritis/rheum_treat.html
"Side Effects:
Fortunately the most serious complications of methotrexate therapy: hepatic cirrhosis, interstitial pneumonitis, and severe myelosuppression are quite rare, especially with proper monitoring. Stomatitis and oral ulcers, mild alopecia and hair thinning, and GI upset may occur and are related to folic acid antagonism. These side effects can be improved with folic acid supplementation. Folic acid given at a dose of 1mg daily does not diminish the efficacy of methotrexate and is routinely given with methotrexate to decrease these side effects. Some patients complain of headache, fatigue, and feeling "wiped out" (also called methotrexate "fog"). These side effects can often be overcome by increasing folic acid or using an activated form of folic acid known as folinic acid (leukovorin®) given as a 5mg dose 12 hours and sometimes 24 hours after methotrexate is given.
Some patients complain of GI upset (nausea or diarrhea) with oral methotrexate. This may be lessened when methotrexate is taken at night. In most cases this is completely eliminated when methotrexate is given by subcutaneous administration."
Thank you so much for sending me that, I think that I will print this page and take it to my dr. You have been very helpful; up until now I have had no one to talk to but my doctor and he just doesn't seem to be overly helpful. In the area that I live in there are a limited amount of rheumys and they are in the same group so you can switch if dissatisfied.I'm not saying that he hasn't helped at all, but there is no empathy just a strange bed side manner that you would expect for the cheshire cat(grin and all) and a shrug if I ask if something will help. But to have someone who knows to talk to me is great. Thank you very much.