Thursday, April 5, 2018

D For Drama

I woke up Tuesday morning thinking, "This is it.  I need to go back to the doctor.  Something is wrong."  I had the flu over six weeks ago.  It hit me hard....vertigo, sinus infection and UTI added to the mix.  I seemed to get better and then worse.  And worse.  I was so weak and shaky and bloody tired.  I knew I had blamed it on being more stressed due to eye issues but this seemed off somehow.  Could the flu last so long?

The doctor first told me it could very well be left over symptoms from the flu.  It seemed to be lasting longer than normal in people and she mentioned my history........... BUT she thought some tests were in order to rule out anything else.  All my tests came back normal but one. But let me back up here............

Before going in to see the doctor we prayed that if anything was wrong, it would be revealed.  Let the doctor find it.  So when the doctor was telling me she wanted to do a B-12 and Vit. D test I told her I have taken those supplements daily for 11 years. My Vit-D level had been only 7 (50 is average) when I started taking it.   She still wanted to check them, but told me she needed a "reason" to test Vit-D or it would not be covered by Medicare.  Seriously?  We discussed my history and the reason cropped up, so it was a go.

The doctor called me at 5 pm that day to tell me that all my tests were normal but one.  The Vit-D test was off the charts.  Higher than she had ever seen in anyone.  Say what?  It is rare, but it appears I have Vit-D toxicity and several of the symptoms I have been having are listed as side effects of having too much Vit D.  Too much Vit-D creates too much calcium in the blood which creates a host of problems......  SO, I am off of Vit-D and drinking salt water, as that is one of the things that removes calcium from the blood.

Who would have thought.  I have done my own research, and cannot come up with a reasonable explanation for the toxic levels in my blood.  I was taking 2000 - 4,000 iu's a day which is the dose recommended by many doctors.  It stores in fat though, and evidently my body stored it well.  Too well.  The levels may take awhile to drop.  So I am resting, praying, drinking salt water, taking in more fluids and no Vit-D or calcium for now.

God answered my prayers.  The doctor found a problem that did not even connect with the flu.  I am so grateful she decided to test the levels.  She was sure they were low................turns out they were high!  She was stunned and told us she had never seen anyone with this high a level before.

I was talking to our son about this, trying to figure out the "why" of it, when he said..."Mom, it is kinda cute how you are trying to answer the why of this.  After all these years of having a body that is in no way "normal" you still believe your body does things normally."  Ha.....

I am sharing this today for two reasons.  One, our answered prayer.  God led the Dr. in the right direction and a problem was revealed. Thank you Jesus.  Two, to give you a heads up.  IF you take Vit-D supplements make sure the doctor tests you periodically so you do not end up with toxic levels in your system.  I don't want you to have your own D drama to share!

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