http://www.ei-resource.org/ 2658-342 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-nutritional-supplements/nutrients-a%11f/vitamin-d-(cholecalciferol,-ergocalciferol)/ i have suffered from fibromyalgia and severe pain for 4 years and have had little help from prescription and non-prescription painkillers. they often help for a while but the effects fade and i need ever increasing dosages....which i don't feel comfortable with. after reading that vitamin D deficiency is common and can result in widespread pain i thought trying supplements was worth a shot. i was really surprised how well they worked. after a week of taking 3000 iu per day the severity of my pain was noticeably less and i was more mobile. the improvements have continued and i have now been taking the vitamin D supplements for 2 months. i am not taking any painkillers regularly anymore, just on the odd occassion where the pain flares up. i have also noticed that my low mood has improved somewhat and i feel much brighter and more motivated. the vitamin D supplements are very cheap and i haven't noticed a single sideeffect. if you suffer from fibromyalgia or general pain please give vitamin D a try. ]]> Sun, 17 May 2009 21:50:38 +0000 2658-330 http://www.ei-resource.org/treatment-%11-nutritional-supplements/nutrients-a%11f/vitamin-d-(cholecalciferol,-ergocalciferol)/ As someone who has suffered from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for many years I have tried bright light therapy with various light boxes, a lot of anti-depressant medications, and even more nutrients and herbs in an effort to maintain my mood in winter. Bright light therapy was mildly effective but the best treatment I had found was simply waking with the sun and getting outside in the sun's rays as often as possible. That was until I discovered high dose vitamin D. This year I tried taking vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) concentrate in doses of 25,000+ iu per week. My response to this treatment was rapid and substantial. It may be hard for other SAD sufferers who are deep in despair to believe, but after only a few hours of the first dose I felt in my mind like it was summer. My mood improved hugely, everything seemed brighter, and I found myself enjoying things again. The only downside for me was that I found I was overly stimulated at night which made it difficult to sleep. However, this happens with any stimulating substance I take due to adrenal fatigue so may not be a problem for others. If it is just try adjusting the dose downwards. I went through my doctor to get the vitamin D3 concentrate as it is not widely available. It is a good idea to work with a healthcare professional when using such high doses anyway despite vitamin D's apparent lack of toxicity. ]]> Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:38:46 +0000