MSNik
04-29-2008, 03:57 PM
hi there everyone (and Bearygood!) Some of you know that I was really upset to find out a year ago that my triglycerides were thru the roof, and wondered if it was my Rebif causing it. IT WASNT. Im still on Rebif, and have been having my Tri's checked every 3 months...they kept going up and up.
In January, I had gyn surgery- and at that time, went off the b/c pill. Interesting, as 4 weeks later, my Triglyercides were down about 40 points....but heres the amazing part. Exactly 3 months later- Im down to having triglycerides of only 97, which is actually in the normal range, and over 200 points lower than last time! It had to be the birth control which elevated it so much...
I also had my Vitamin D levels checked...they were high, at 140. Whats anyone's thoughts on this? My tech said it COULD be from tanning..that it elevates the levels. (I only tan 5 minutes, 3 times a week, but I was in Mexico 2 weeks before the blood was drawn) OR it could be from the Vitamin D3 that I take regularly...does anyone know if 140 is something to be concerned enough about to lower my D3 intake? Im taking about 3000 mgs a day.
Nikki
In January, I had gyn surgery- and at that time, went off the b/c pill. Interesting, as 4 weeks later, my Triglyercides were down about 40 points....but heres the amazing part. Exactly 3 months later- Im down to having triglycerides of only 97, which is actually in the normal range, and over 200 points lower than last time! It had to be the birth control which elevated it so much...
I also had my Vitamin D levels checked...they were high, at 140. Whats anyone's thoughts on this? My tech said it COULD be from tanning..that it elevates the levels. (I only tan 5 minutes, 3 times a week, but I was in Mexico 2 weeks before the blood was drawn) OR it could be from the Vitamin D3 that I take regularly...does anyone know if 140 is something to be concerned enough about to lower my D3 intake? Im taking about 3000 mgs a day.
Nikki
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Nenu
04-29-2008, 04:02 PM
Awesome news Nikki! As for Vitamin D levels, I'm not sure myself if there's any problem with them being too high... it was my understanding that the body just removes what isn't needed itself as far as vitamins go. If memory serves me correctly, I take 2000mg daily, but each person is different of course :)
MSNik
04-29-2008, 05:03 PM
Nope. According to the lab report, 140 is considered HIGH and the notes say that it should be between 35-55. So, this isnt a vitamin that your body will get rid of naturally...
I do think that being in the sun and having tanned recently, prior to the test might have elevated it though. Im not overly worried...but input would be good.
Thanks!
Nikki
I do think that being in the sun and having tanned recently, prior to the test might have elevated it though. Im not overly worried...but input would be good.
Thanks!
Nikki
Bearygood
04-29-2008, 10:34 PM
That's great, Nikki. From the research we both did, this makes perfect sense.
As for the D3, if you spent a lot of time in the sun, it's very possible. I've read consistently and posted here that if you're treating with D3, to reduce in the summer months or if you live in a sunny climate year round. There was a 1,000 IU reduction recommended. However, each of us is different and it's possible that you weren't low to begin with. I would reduce to 2,000 until you get blood work taken again.
Excess vitamin D is not expelled naturally. It can build up in the body and cause toxicity to the liver. This is why my endocrinologist tested both my D levels and liver function. I have to check my labs but even taking 3,000 IUs for months, I was well within normal range (and my liver function was fine).
Just beware in general -- too much of any vitamin is not necessarily non-problematic. It really depends what it is and you really have to research what you're taking.
As for the D3, if you spent a lot of time in the sun, it's very possible. I've read consistently and posted here that if you're treating with D3, to reduce in the summer months or if you live in a sunny climate year round. There was a 1,000 IU reduction recommended. However, each of us is different and it's possible that you weren't low to begin with. I would reduce to 2,000 until you get blood work taken again.
Excess vitamin D is not expelled naturally. It can build up in the body and cause toxicity to the liver. This is why my endocrinologist tested both my D levels and liver function. I have to check my labs but even taking 3,000 IUs for months, I was well within normal range (and my liver function was fine).
Just beware in general -- too much of any vitamin is not necessarily non-problematic. It really depends what it is and you really have to research what you're taking.
taosdaphne
04-29-2008, 11:01 PM
I'm on 50,000IU once a week--my D didn't show up at ALL on last bloodwork--something like a one. GP and MS guy not happy. So I'm on this huge dose, and I feel better. More energy,not as much hair falling out, and a dewy glow to nmy skin (wink!) Seriously, my skin is way better, even my legs, and out here in the land of perpetual sun that says something.
My partner was away this week and I did emotional eating--ice cream and a cinammon bun. Oh well--it ws only 1.5 days, and I REALLY wantd the ice cream--haven't had any in months. Sooooo good! Made up for it with salmon (wild caught) and avocado tonight. The sweetie comes home tomorrow. yay!
And great news on triglycerides--is there another BC med out there that doesn't have the same effect?
My partner was away this week and I did emotional eating--ice cream and a cinammon bun. Oh well--it ws only 1.5 days, and I REALLY wantd the ice cream--haven't had any in months. Sooooo good! Made up for it with salmon (wild caught) and avocado tonight. The sweetie comes home tomorrow. yay!
And great news on triglycerides--is there another BC med out there that doesn't have the same effect?
Nenu
04-29-2008, 11:18 PM
50,000? Wow that is a lot.
Bearygood
04-29-2008, 11:34 PM
50,000 is a clinical dose, prescribed by doctors. It should NEVER be taken without the advice of medical professional. This megadose is taken once a week and according to my endocrinologist, they have found that for some reason, this does not have the same adverse effect as taking large amounts over time, where it can accumulate.
kimpossible67
04-30-2008, 06:19 AM
Don't quote me on this, but I recall in nutrition class, vitamins D E A K are fat soluble and vitamins like C are water soluble. I THINK this means that the d e a k vitamins, hang on to the fat cells and are NOT flushed through the body. I THIINK this means a toxicity might build up? I don't recall alot of things but for some peculiar reason, that sticks in my head, lol.
mary63
04-30-2008, 08:12 AM
Hi there- yes i read that b/c pills can elevate cholesterol. Sadly no GP has ever mentioned this or seem to know about it ( or care)... I had my cholesterol levels tested and they were quite high. Started taking spreads with plant sterols and they definitely worked- levels dropped from 5.5 to a normal 4.1- stopped taking the spread when i started tingling in nov- was tested recently and levels have gone up again- i better get on the spread again! I had read somewhere that we need a certain amount of good cholesterol for nerve function so in my terror of the tingling i thought maybe my cholesterol was too low!! who knows...
Have also read that vit D can help MS- what do you folks think? i'll try anything to feel better- don't even care what the condition is- just want the symptoms to go away....! bye:)
Have also read that vit D can help MS- what do you folks think? i'll try anything to feel better- don't even care what the condition is- just want the symptoms to go away....! bye:)
MSNik
04-30-2008, 08:52 AM
Wow you guys make me feel guilty for not checking in last night, especially since this was my thread! You all provided some really great info, thank you for all the responses..
Bearygood- YEEHAW. Had a feeling...appears we were right. Im thrilled to no end that this happened...my overall Cholesterol is FINE, always has been; I eat right, exercise right, and other than smoking, take really good care of myself- so this was driving me nuts. I really truly believe it was the b/c. Thank you for telling me about lowering the VitaminD intake in the summer months. Its common sense, really, but I didnt think of it. It makes sense. I will start lowering it by 1000 mgs until the next round of blood work just to see. Im also not really tannning the way I was- that was the pre-vacation thing- so Ill be curious to see if the levels stay as high when Im only in the sun on weekends with the kids. (and using sunscreen, which from what my doc said blocks absorbtion of vitamin D).
Daphne, you make me laugh. Dont overeat- you want to give your partner a good reason to come home and stay home! :D Teasing you, ya know. How was that cinnamin bun? I have dreams about them! You asked about b/c which doesnt affect cholesterol. I havent found one and had been on severeal different b/c pills...my answer- tubal ligation! Apparently, it worked, because this is the first time my numbers have been under 100 for Triglyercides in years! On a serious note, b/c do not affect overall cholesterol in many people, however, from what my gyn said, it can affect Triglyercide levels specifically. My overall numbers were fine, even with elevated Tri's. My LDL and HDL were perfect, my Tris were over 250 at their highest. (should be under 150).
Kim, good memory, you are absoutely right on which ones are fat soluable and which arent...and yes, that means that they do not flush out of your system and can cause toxicity. Thats why I shouted out here, I knew , too, that this wasnt something my body was flushing out....so thanks for posting that- its a good reminder to everyone.
And, Mary, Youve got some facts right here....but for the record, b/C pills should not elevate overall cholesterol, however they do tend to affect triglyerides specifically...which means, when you had your cholesterol checked, if your HDL and LDL were off, then its probably not the b/c pills...however, if your total cholesterol, including Triglycerides was off, its possible. Yes, Vitamin D is linked to MS...epidemiology states that people who grew up in colder climates, and further away from the equator (also of north European decent) are more likely to develope MS...statistically many of us in that catagory are defiecient in Vitamin D- so its been a well known thought that supplementing vitmain D is important. The usualy dose is anywhere from 1000-3000 mgs a day. BUT make sure its vitmain D 3 or Calcipherol, as its called...no other vitamin D is absorbed the same way into our bodies.
as for the plant sterols, yes they can help lower cholesterol, but in this case, a simple spread (unless you are eating it by the quart a day) isnt going to make much difference...Fish oil, about 3000 mgs a day, WILL help cholesterol levels when combined with a heart healthy diet and exercise. Plant sterols can also be purchased in pill form at the local health food/vitamin shoppe- and they will help when taken correctly as well. Talk to someone at your local health food store, or vitamin shoppe, they are a wealth of information. As for the tingling- Ive had it now for close to 18 months and cant get rid of it, Tumeric helps alittle, but nothing helps overall....you just learn to live with it for the most part.
Thanks everyone for your comments! Have a great day!
Nikki
Bearygood- YEEHAW. Had a feeling...appears we were right. Im thrilled to no end that this happened...my overall Cholesterol is FINE, always has been; I eat right, exercise right, and other than smoking, take really good care of myself- so this was driving me nuts. I really truly believe it was the b/c. Thank you for telling me about lowering the VitaminD intake in the summer months. Its common sense, really, but I didnt think of it. It makes sense. I will start lowering it by 1000 mgs until the next round of blood work just to see. Im also not really tannning the way I was- that was the pre-vacation thing- so Ill be curious to see if the levels stay as high when Im only in the sun on weekends with the kids. (and using sunscreen, which from what my doc said blocks absorbtion of vitamin D).
Daphne, you make me laugh. Dont overeat- you want to give your partner a good reason to come home and stay home! :D Teasing you, ya know. How was that cinnamin bun? I have dreams about them! You asked about b/c which doesnt affect cholesterol. I havent found one and had been on severeal different b/c pills...my answer- tubal ligation! Apparently, it worked, because this is the first time my numbers have been under 100 for Triglyercides in years! On a serious note, b/c do not affect overall cholesterol in many people, however, from what my gyn said, it can affect Triglyercide levels specifically. My overall numbers were fine, even with elevated Tri's. My LDL and HDL were perfect, my Tris were over 250 at their highest. (should be under 150).
Kim, good memory, you are absoutely right on which ones are fat soluable and which arent...and yes, that means that they do not flush out of your system and can cause toxicity. Thats why I shouted out here, I knew , too, that this wasnt something my body was flushing out....so thanks for posting that- its a good reminder to everyone.
And, Mary, Youve got some facts right here....but for the record, b/C pills should not elevate overall cholesterol, however they do tend to affect triglyerides specifically...which means, when you had your cholesterol checked, if your HDL and LDL were off, then its probably not the b/c pills...however, if your total cholesterol, including Triglycerides was off, its possible. Yes, Vitamin D is linked to MS...epidemiology states that people who grew up in colder climates, and further away from the equator (also of north European decent) are more likely to develope MS...statistically many of us in that catagory are defiecient in Vitamin D- so its been a well known thought that supplementing vitmain D is important. The usualy dose is anywhere from 1000-3000 mgs a day. BUT make sure its vitmain D 3 or Calcipherol, as its called...no other vitamin D is absorbed the same way into our bodies.
as for the plant sterols, yes they can help lower cholesterol, but in this case, a simple spread (unless you are eating it by the quart a day) isnt going to make much difference...Fish oil, about 3000 mgs a day, WILL help cholesterol levels when combined with a heart healthy diet and exercise. Plant sterols can also be purchased in pill form at the local health food/vitamin shoppe- and they will help when taken correctly as well. Talk to someone at your local health food store, or vitamin shoppe, they are a wealth of information. As for the tingling- Ive had it now for close to 18 months and cant get rid of it, Tumeric helps alittle, but nothing helps overall....you just learn to live with it for the most part.
Thanks everyone for your comments! Have a great day!
Nikki
Bearygood
04-30-2008, 10:34 AM
...D3, that is! ;)
There are many threads on this but here's a good one that talks about usefulness, dosage and toxicity.
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=544686&highlight=d3
There are many threads on this but here's a good one that talks about usefulness, dosage and toxicity.
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=544686&highlight=d3
MSNik
04-30-2008, 08:08 PM
Beary, that was a jump back in time, wasnt it! Thanks for reminding us to use the boards for more than communication, but also for research! That was good stuff.
Im excited that my Tri's came down so much...tongiht, too, I only took 2000 mgs of D3, instead of the 3000 I usually take. Ill slow it down to 2000 a night, and get retested in a few months. Im starting to feel like a pin cusion these days with all the bloodwork/needles..but I guess as long as its all good news its worth it!
Hugs
Nikki
Im excited that my Tri's came down so much...tongiht, too, I only took 2000 mgs of D3, instead of the 3000 I usually take. Ill slow it down to 2000 a night, and get retested in a few months. Im starting to feel like a pin cusion these days with all the bloodwork/needles..but I guess as long as its all good news its worth it!
Hugs
Nikki
mary63
05-01-2008, 04:56 AM
wow thanks Nikki...!! i am getting a wee tad addicted to this board- trying to fit work and other stuff around it- hehe.
Were you recommended vit D by anyone in particular or from your own investigations?
(by the way.. i take the minipill-think its a bit evil in relation to cholesterol- but i can't bring myself to come off it!!)
nitenite
Were you recommended vit D by anyone in particular or from your own investigations?
(by the way.. i take the minipill-think its a bit evil in relation to cholesterol- but i can't bring myself to come off it!!)
nitenite
MSNik
05-01-2008, 07:49 AM
HI the pini pill should be progesterin ONLY which again sugests that its NOT the b/c pill elevating your cholesterol...i would look into that further, talk to your Gyn about it. Something isnt right about this, and it might just be your overall cholesterol which is high..
Vitamin D3 was recommended to me by my MS Specialist...and he suggested I take 4000 mgs, I dropped it to 3000 mgs (because it is also in my calcium supplement and multi vitamin) and now Im dropping it to 2000 mgs just because its summer and my levels were so high.
Hope that helps.
Nikki
Vitamin D3 was recommended to me by my MS Specialist...and he suggested I take 4000 mgs, I dropped it to 3000 mgs (because it is also in my calcium supplement and multi vitamin) and now Im dropping it to 2000 mgs just because its summer and my levels were so high.
Hope that helps.
Nikki