Hi there drhii,
Your .02 wasn't wrong as vitamin d deficiency can mimic a myriad of syndromes and/or diseases. Also, I don't think you should be 'slammed' at all for revealing that a 50,000 IU dose of vitamin d was given for a prescribed period of time at the beginning of that woman's protocol in order to restore her levels to within normal range as that's exactly what's needed for some individuals. My own MD routinely prescribes that very amount to be taken once a day x 3 days maximum at the very FIRST signs & symptoms of cold or flu as vitamin d is instrumental in the efficiacy of the immune system.
(NOTE: it MUST be D3, NOT D2 which is synthetic - D3 is exactly the same as what the body produces in response to sun exposure)
Furthermore, he also takes himself AND prescribes for my hubby and myself, 5000 IU of D3 per day.
It should be noted that one should have the proper test done BEFORE supplementing with vitamin D3 - 25(OH)D is the ONLY test which will accurately reveal one's levels.
BTW, a great place to go for info and guidelines for vitamin d use is compiled and regularly updated from research around the world by John Cannell, MD at the website of The Vitamin D Council at...
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org.
I hope you'll check it out, a wealth of important info to be had there!
Also, I have something I consider absolutely crucial to add re the person with fibro (and CFS, candida, lupus and a myriad of other afflictions, whatever)...
I too have been battling FMS/CFS since 1999 and have researched and self-treated (as have SO many due to conventional medical establishment disbelief, ridicule and/or outright abandonment) and while I've done ok for myself, I only ever could get to about 75% better. This had always bothered me because that meant I am still
somewhat restricted in life but I want to be ALL the way better...VERY frustrating to say the least. Anyhoo, my current doc, new to me last year (the one spoken of above re the vitamin d), told me it's almost certain due to my adrenal glands being kaput and told me to read the book
'Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome' by
James Wilson, PhD (www.adrenalfatigue.org)....WOW! Was THAT revealing! I saw my entire life within the pages of that book!!! Sadly, Dr Wilson reveals that as little as 80 yrs ago, adrenal fatigue was a commonly seen and treated syndrome with natural adrenal glandulars, dietary and lifestyle changes and herbs, but, ever since BIG PHARMA pretty much took over the medical establishment incl
the funding of medical schools so as to ensure their drug-oriented ype of medicine was taught and practised, it hasn't been taught in medical schools for a great while now and so only the extremes of adrenal dysfunction are recognized (Cushings and Addisons) by conventional medicine today! Unfortunately, there are a great many MORE folk who fall in between those extremes and limp through life being told they are crazy and/or hypochondriacs or just plain lazy and its CRIMINAL!!!!!!!
So now I am in the process of having my adrenals thoroughly evaluated via blood, urine AND most importantly, 28 days of salivary testing which is looking at the levels of not only the adrenal hormones, but also all my sex hormones and melatonin too (our hormones all work synergistically with one another so if one is out of whack and left to go untreated, eventually, most of the rest will follow suit). I'd even mentioned to the rheumatologist who dx me in 2004 about this being a dysruption somewhere in the HPA axis (hypothalmus-pituitary-adrenals which pretty much control everything else) and he just looked at me like I had 2 heads! With the help of this forward-thinking and open-minded doc I have now, I may have been right if my adrenals really are what's been at the root cause of all my pain, fatigue (and everthing else that goes along with FMS/CFS) all these years!
Aw well, chalk it up to experience I guess and try my best not to let the anger at the narrow-minded stupidity that
allowed me to continue to suffer needlessly, get the better 'cause the only one doing so REALLY hurts, is myself, eh?!LOL:-)
Peace,
Mare
S. Ontario, Canada