Vitamin D and Lupus

Recent lab work was first time any doctor ever checked my Vitamin D hydroxy 25 level. I usually cope well with chronic pain/systemic lupus past 16 yrs.

However weakness, fatigue, chronic pain,etc increased significantly. Past 2 mos. became lethargic, sleepy, couldn't concentrate, etc Finally had a complete blood test.


Lab work showed: Vit-D 25 deficiency of 7.4 ng/ml.
All other labs good,including calcium 9.7; anti DS DNA 7.6

Is it true that a vit D deficiency can worsen existing symptoms of Lupus?

The Rx below is supposed to be a 'picker upper". I hope that I won't feel like a beached whale anymore,lol!


The doctor gave me an Rx for 50,000 IU capsules 2x week for 12 weeks then I return for follow up tests.

Your comments will be appreciated.

Will Vitamin D Help to Improve Lupus

by Dorothy
(norfolk)

I read your articles and never knew anything about this please help me My 18 year old daughter has lupus. She had it every since the age of 13 years old. she suffers from joint pain and fatique, after reading your article I want to ask her doctor can he check her vitamin d level, but the doctor always never take me serious because im always on the computer trying to find new things to help my daughter and they think that these things will never help.

Lupus and Vitamin D Deficiency

by Barbara R
(Winter Haven, FL)

I was diagnosed with Lupus 3 years ago and since then my Rheumatologist continues to run some new blood screenings every time I go into see him. It's like he is always looking for something new to be wrong with me!


The most recent results came back with Vitamin D Deficiency.

Question: (finally) is the Lupus the cause of the deficiency or, possibly, the deficiency the cause of the Lupus?

Or are neither related?

Vitamin D Deficiency with Lupus Symptoms

My doctor has been testing my D levels for the past year and they have ranged from 18-13, the latter being the most recent.(The lab's scale has a good range as 30-100) This week I started taking 20,000 IU of Vitamin D3 as well as the supplement "Alive" which has 500 IU of D2. I have been on a low dose (5mg qid) of Methadone for four year for pain.

Guess it would help to mention I've been diagnosed with SLE for 15 years and early had multiple problems with heart and kidneys now my main complaint is muscular and fatigue. I was already always tired, and get little done I set goals for but this year is different, I'm 41 and living in bed!

Even getting out of bed is a rarity and that's with two children who need mostly rides as they learned early to be very self-sufficient, however I even missed every school program last year!! My questions first question is coming along! I eat approx 500 calories of food daily (yogurt is all I want) and have very little intake of liquid.

Yes, I do know all of this is bad for me but I don't have the energy to go to the kitchen to do or get more. Anyway, I have gained 13 lbs this year! I am 5'5' and weigh 140 as of Fridays visit; at my first visit a year ago I weighed 127 on a bit more of a more rounded diet but still very little.

Question 1) is the Vitamin D deficiency causing me to gain weight since I consume so few calories even though physically I do very little?

2) How can you tell what is lupus muscular pain and what is Vitamin D? Is it a simple, try it and see? I've been sick for 15 years but I could tell most of this year that this felt 'different", but that's hard to explain when symptoms are the same. As well as the weight gain I can fall asleep mid-bite, mid-kiss, easily while texting. (And there are no complaints about my husband’s kissing!)

3) How long until I know if this is Vitamin D or just zebra sounding like a horse. You can't imagine what it would be like to have "me" back and to walk out of this prison that is my house, to function not just as a person but as a wife and mother! I'm trying not to get my hopes too high; it seems too great a dream to dream!


Also, 4) how much Vitamin D should I take with my levels? My doctor had no idea and said we'd just start & keep running blood test. Anything else you would like to inform me of, suggestions of books or sites, (I ordered "Vitamin D Prescription: The Healing Power of the Sun & How It Can Save Your Life" by Eric Madrid, though it hasn’t arrived yet.) I'd appreciate any and everything! Thank you so much for your time!!
Good day to you!

Sherry McBee