Vitamin D

[Guest guest]

This past spring, I started having severe muscle cramps everywhere (legs, feet,

hands, ribs, tongue, you name it) and my weekly bloodwork showed that my serum

calcium level was below normal, even though I was taking quite large calcium

supplements every day, drinking milk, etc. My oncologist suspected that I might

be Vitamin D deficient since my body clearly was not absorbing the calcium I was

taking, and sure enough, the special blood test revealed a Vitamin D deficiency.

My kidneys have been functioning very poorly since July 2009, when I had severe

pneumonia and had to be hospitalized in ICU for a week. It seems that when the

kidneys are failing, they are unable to metabolize Vitamin D absorbed through

the skin or in food or supplements. My nephrologist recommended a drug called

Rocaltrol (calcitriol), which is apparently Vitamin D in the form needed by the

body in order to absorb calcium. I take one capsule (0.25 mcg) per day, and

since I started taking it, I've had no problems with cramps and my serum calcium

level has been normal.

I don't know if this is relevant for CLLers who have no kidney problems, but I

wanted to mention this possible cause of Vitamin D deficiency as part of the

discussion. If your kidneys can't metabolize the vitamin, taking Vit. D

supplements and basking in the sun won't help. Kidney problems can sometimes be

very subtle.

Sybil Whitman, 55

Dx. Oct. 2003 (unclassified NHL, resembling CLL/SLL), CHOP x 8, R-CVP x 6, auto

SCT April 2006, allo BMT (unrelated donor) Dec. 2006, CR for 18 months, relapse

Oct. 2008, radiation to spine, Dec. 2008, maintenance chemo continuing (Revlimid

+ dex).