Who Knew?!

About a year or so ago (http://livingwithfh.blogspot.com/2015/01/what-to-eat.html), I started on this vegan (except some wild fish) diet, due to severe, painful and itchy welts all over my body and stomach discomfort. The symptoms don't disappear 100% if I am on such a diet, but they are definitely subdued. 

Since then, I have seen a lot of doctors, allergists, GI docs, skin doctors, here and back in Romania to try to really diagnose this correctly. Nothing so far. 

This winter, I finally went to a dermatologist here (the one I saw was in Romania and she had no time, because of my short stay, to run any tests) for some other concern, but I did run my welts and stomach issue troubles by him. The welts come and go and they are not something on my body at all times, but I have pictures of them on my phone, just for this kind of appointments. So, this guy looked at the pictures very intrigued. I told him what I have done so far (antihistamines - they don't work, vegan diet - works a little but the welts do come back), and he ordered every test known to man: all the blood tests you can think of, a breath test, to make sure H-pilori is not back, a complete stool test (for parasites), you name it. 

Everything, and I mean everything came back "clean". He was puzzled. 

He, then, as an afterthought, ordered a vitamin D level (blood test, again). I started laughing because my vitamin D has always been very low and I had stopped taking the supplements when my regular doctor told me to stop all medicine except what I need to take "for my life" (cholesterol and heart pills), because my welts and stomach problems could be from medicine. 

So, he checked and my level is what he called "dangerously low": it is 11, and the normal LOW is 30 (up to 100 for a high). So, he put me on a massive dose of vitamin D. I told him I am not taking the 50 000 IU / week dose, as that dries my skin and mouth too much and gives me other symptoms I don't want, so he said: "OK, fine, take 7 000 IU/ day, and that'll absorb better anyway". So, now, I am taking that, as dubious as I was the first time he told me this will cure my welts and stomach issues. He encouraged me to "look this up and check him". And that, I did. Vitamin D has apparently been seen to alleviate and even cure symptoms related to chronic urticaria, which is the diagnosis he eventually gave me.

What I didn't realize is how important vitamin D is not only for our skin, immune system and bones, but also for our heart health and vascular health, too. There are  tons of studies and articles from reputed health institutions that speak about this. I also found this article (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161618.php) that explains the way statins affect your body's absorption of vitamin D from the sun. Basically, people on statins get no vitamin D from the sun, as the meds block the process of the cholesterol actually turning sun rays into vitamin D. These people, it is suggested, need to be on a vitamin D regimen.

I had no clue about this, and none of my doctors have ever mentioned the connection, although I have always had low vitamin D levels and I have been on statins for the past 17 years of my life.

Of course, it's just one article and as for the urticaria, it's just one doctor to prescribe me this treatment. We don't know, yet, if it will work, but I will report back either way. He also told me that I'll have to be on this regimen for 6 month to a year to actually turn my vitamin D levels completely around. So, we wait and see, for now.

I have also found studies that mention that the level of calcium in your blood will increase while on high doses of vitamin D (not good), as well as studies that mention that our blood vessels have vitamin D receptors in them which will contribute to keeping the walls of the vessels flexible and blocking the accumulation of the plaque. 

Just like with everything: research, read, and do ask your doctors, and eventually make the decision you think best for you, with the information you have on hand at the time.