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[toffeecushion]

I have been told to take 5 a day, but I am deficient.  I hate taking anything but know I have to to feel any better, the ankle pain is so bad that I am wondering whether to go back to the doctors.

[Penguin]

Hi Jenster. Know absolutely what you mean. Some days it is there all day some days not at all but very tired of it. Feel I'm ageing overnight. Also now low back pain, heaviness in bottom, feet sometimes cold and sometimes burning. It's never ending. And the anxiety well, if it wasn't for these pages I would be a total and utter wreck. Has your numbness/tingling improved any?

[Heron]

Good Morning ladies.
Currently experiencing knee pain for the first time ever. Periods tailing off - just 2 so far this year - so I'm presuming it's meno (age) related. I've seen a product called 'Flexiseq' advertised - has anyone tried this? I've tried using the search button, but nothing is coming up. Thanks

[Snowball]

I am in the later stages of peri meno and I mentioned to my doctor recently that some of my joints were aching and he suggested that I take Cod Liver Oil and Evening Primrose Oil and I duly bought a combined capsule of both those things from an online chemist.  The aching seemed to ease but someone mentioned to me that you can overdose on some Vitamins.  I looked up the NHS website and found this

http://www.nhs.uk/CONDITIONS/VITAMINS-MINERALS/Pages/Vitamin-A.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-D.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-minerals/Pages/Vitamin-E.aspx

Now I am not sure what to do for the best.  The information on the bottle says that there is 100% of the recommended daily amount of Vit A and D and 58% of RDA of Vit E in these capsules.  I have been trying to stick to a healthy diet as my weight is creeping upwards but now worry that eating my 5 a day plus these capsules will be too much. 

Any thoughts or advice ladies?

[dahliagirl]

I am no expert but from what you say, it would seem to be fine.

Vit A is the one most likely to be overdosed as it is stored in the liver.  This is more likely if you eat a lot of liver, especially pigs liver from intensively reared pigs.  If you are worried, you could get fish oil, rather than cod liver oil next time.

Vit D - the rda is about 5ug (200IU) which is what you usually find in multivits etc.  Supplements to raise blood levels are usually 10ug or 25ug (1000IU).  Some experts think that it should be even higher.  So no problems there.  If you get plenty of sunshine (at least 20mins/day on as much as you are willing to expose, without suncream) you make what you need in the summer, but not in the winter, and you will not make too much if your levels are already high.

Not sure about vit E, but if your supplement is less than the rda, not likely.

[Snowball]

Thanks for the reply dahliagirl.  I keep telling myself that the doctor wouldn't have recommended it if it was dangerous, but it just takes one negative comment to make me start questioning that.  Is there anything that is good to take, that doesn't cause bad side effects?  Chocolate?!!

[dahliagirl]

No, not chocolate either 

I cut down on the very dark chocolate after a kidney stone (high oxalic acid) only to discover that cocoa butter in milk and white was a no no for high cholesterol when mine was raised     Anyway, after I had given up worrying about either of those, I bought a (small) bar of swiss milk chocolate from the simply food shop of a well-known knicker supplier - after 2 squares, my throat was itching - it contains ground hazlenuts and set off my oral allergy 

I have gone off chocolate and stick to the gin now 

[Snowball]

 .  Gin as a cure for joint aches?!  Maybe it doesn't help the ache, you just don't care about it any more...

That's a shame about not being able to eat chocolate Cubagirl, though I am finding that it has a side effect of an ever bigger tummy

[LellyM]

Before finding this site I didn't realise joint pain was a symptom.  It does explain why my knees ankle and shoulders all hurt like hell.  Glucosamine seems to help the knees but even a steroid in didn't sort the shoulder.  Have given up on the achilles pain as nothing helps.

L

[peripenguin]

I have an ache in my neck most days, though when I was away on holiday it went away completely. I also get an ache in my hips from time to time which gets to the point where I feel like I can't walk any further. Oddly, it didn't flare up at all when I was away camping for a week and walked about 20-30 miles during the week but has flared up twice when I've only been walking for a mile at most. At it's worst I felt like I couldn't walk another step and was going to have to sit down right where I was but managed to push myself on.

[dahliagirl]

I found some of my aches went when I took a vit D3 supplement and they come back if I stop, especially the neck and hip ones.

It is interesting that yours went when you were on holiday - were you outdoors more?

Also, moving around and walking is way better than sitting.  Even sitting in bed with a pile of pillows is painful sometimes.

[peripenguin]

I'll have a look for a D3 supplement. We were outdoors and on the move all day when we were away whereas I am a couch potato at home much more.

[Hurdity]

You shouldn't be deficient in Vitamin D in the summer and especially if you've been outdoors and had the sun on your skin. It is stored in the liver so, your own stores should last you as long as your diet is good too. I can't see any harm in taking a low dose though. Perhpas it has more to do with moving about. I started to get joint aches when I was peri-menopausal and made a conscious effort to take more exercise and still do (at age 62). I also started HRT and together this helps to keep me more supple than I would otherwise be - although still have weird stiff ankles in the morning when I get out of bed!

Neck-ache - do you sit at a computer in a hunched position or something similar? Pillow/mattress problems?

Hurdity x

[peripenguin]

*Hurdity* yes, I think time spent at the computer is to blame for the neck ache. As for being outdoors, I spend as much time as I can outdoors when I'm not at work so I should have enough vitamin D. My diet is pretty appalling though, mainly due to lack of cash.

[Taz2]

You could ask to have your vitamin D level checked peripenguin. Most docs will do that nowadays as so many people are deficient. My GP advises that you need to have around fifteen minutes a day of full sun on your forearms and your face - face must be bare with no moisturiser or make up which then goes against the protecting yourself against skin cancer advice. This is the NHS advice http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Summerhealth/Pages/vitamin-D-sunlight.aspx.

I use a vitamin D spray which you just use under your tongue each morning. I feel far less achy than I did. My levels were just under the recommended amount last August but, then again, I love the winter and tend to squirrel myself away in the summer!

Taz x