Posted by delna on November 29, 2009, at 14:55:57
In reply to Re: Update. Multiple deficiencies. Wow!, posted by bleauberry on November 29, 2009, at 14:20:30
> A common underlying cause of low Vit D and iron is an ongoing chronic pathogenic infection. Lyme is just one of a dozen possibilities. This is a new area of discovery and not likely to be known by more than 20% of doctors. Whenever Vit D is really low, the red flag for an unsuspected chronic infection has to be respected. This is espcially highly significant when psychiatric symptoms are part of the clinical picture.
>
> In other words, it's not the low D or low iron causing the fatigue and psych symptoms...it is something else causing them to be low. Both the invader and the low levels are causing symptoms, not one or the other.
>
> Unfortunately there are no accurate ways to test for the various bacterial or parasite infections. Negative results are common, but those patients with negative results go on to improve markedly when treated as if they were infected, on a hunch or based on clinical symptoms. Actually, the diagnosis should be clinical, not lab. But sadly, most doctors...especially the infectious disease specialists...really suck at this stuff.
>
> Blind challenge tests with various antibiotics or herbs are the best way to rule in or rule out a suspect. If infected, you will feel like absolute crap after starting one as the Herxheimer reaction begins.
>
> It only takes a few minutes in the sun to get your daily Vit D, and if you consume dairy products then you get even more. If you take a vitamin, even more. Regardless, Vit D should not be low unless there is a cause. If you are completely housebound with zero sun exposure to skin and zero intake of any foods with Vit D then I could see your D being low. Other than that, it looks more serious.
>
> It should be no surprise that an estimated 30% of chronic psychiatrict symptoms are caused by unsuspected infections. Lyme is probably the most common well known name, but certainly not the only one.
thanks for that- it makes a lot of sense. I agree these levels shouldn't go so low and that the common link seems to be an infection. Especially since my ESR and WBC are both raised. As you said, finding out what is causing this is hard and my current doctors just want to raise the levels- not really investigate the cause. But I am going to seriously insist that this is looked into further. In fact I just had these tests randomly- no one doctor suggested them. They did mention them in passing...but that is all. I think the results are alarming all the doctors I am seeing.
Of course no one believed that it could be something physical because I have no other physical symptoms apart from the fatigue. With such low levels of Vit D, I should be in a lot of pain- but I am not. Because my psychiatric symptoms started more than 2 decades ago, no one though that this *extreme* exhaustion I am having could be anything but depression getting worse.
Right now I wish I had a doctor with the intellectual curiosity of Dr House!You're right, the Vitamin D makes no sense at all. Agreed, I am pretty housebound and I do avoid the sun like the plague...but I have loads of dairy and I basically live in a topical country so even if I *leave* the house I am exposed to the sun. Same with iron, I have a good diet and for the iron to go *that* low I would need to be starving.
So you suggest blind tests with anti-parasitics, antibiotics..?
Thanks for your input
Really appreciated
Love
D
poster:delna
thread:927276
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091127/msgs/927441.html