Vitamin Testing

[Always-Hungry-Kate]

Please forgive this late reply on this topic, but I just joined the group a week ago and am still catching-up with all of the various topics, here.

As of today, I am still getting the results of a comprehensive vitamin/mineral blood test that I had done late last week.  As I kind of expected, my vitamin D level was lower than it should’ve been (causing my current condition of osteoporosis), but I just received results that claimed that both my B6 and carotene levels were quite high.  That did not make sense to me, since I do not take any multiple-vitamin supplements, nor am I eating boatloads of carrots, sweet potatoes, or the foods (meats, white potatoes) that would be heavy in B6 vitamins. 

Since I was only diagnosed with celiac disease two months ago, I am still struggling with the diet and I still feel quite off-balance sometimes.  Yes, in early November, I had a meeting with a dietitian who said that I am keeping a very good diet and I should continue with it.  

It just doesn’t make sense to me how this malabsorption issue would result in raised levels of vitamins and minerals.  It must be due to the fact that parts of my body are not regulating those vitamins/minerals as they should — due to my small intestine being somewhat dysfunctional. 

As of last week, when the results started coming in, I was given a prescription-strength vitamin D to take once a week.  That's it so far.  Other than that, I am just to continue with the gluten-free diet that I’ve been on for almost 2 months. 
 

The only improvement I’ve seen in the last two months has been the slight reduction in the horrific feelings of starvation I was feeling.  Also, the terrible anxiety I had seems to have lessened, but the fairly frequent nausea is still there, which I don’t understand either.  I was given a prescription for generic Zofran, but have not used it yet. I don’t want to start taking anything else being that I’m also on an injectable, anabolic osteoporosis drug right now.  I want to keep the meds to a minimum if I can.
 

[knitty kitty]

@Always-Hungry-Kate,

I referred to one of your previous posts in which you said you had been consuming drinks like Ensure and Boost.  These drinks certainly do contain added vitamins and minerals which could have contributed to your high levels of B 6 and carotene.  

Blood tests for vitamin levels are not accurate measurements of the amount of vitamins inside cells where they are utilized.  You can have "normal" blood levels, but still have a functional vitamin deficiency because there isn't a sufficient amount inside cells.  

Blood tests for vitamin levels reflect how much you've consumed and absorbed of a vitamin in the previous twenty-four to forty-eight hours.  

Vitamin and mineral supplements, and nutritional replacement drinks, power bars, protein bars, energy drinks, etc. should be discontinued eight to twelve weeks before undergoing testing for deficiencies. 

I hope you will post your test results as you get them here.  

The nausea and anxiety can be symptoms of Thiamine insufficiency.  Have you tried increasing your Thiamine dose?

[Always-Hungry-Kate]

Of the (so far) 17 separate results that came from the samples taken, only the D (too low) B6 (high), and Carotene (really high) were out of range.  The thiamine, folate, B1, iron, magnesium, selenium and calcium were all well in the normal range(s).  The thiamine even came out as higher-up in the normal range.  
There were even more results delivered on the other vitamins/minerals tested, but they were ones that are/were not as familiar to me as the ones I mentioned above.  I wanted to make sure that those key nutrients were within the normal range.  
I read that high carotene can make you nauseous (?).  I’m going easy on all of the foods that carry that.  Also trying to drink a lot of water to help wash some of that out of me, if that’s possible.  I’m still thinking that because my body is still out of whack, this is going to be something I’ll be struggling with for a little while longer until I’m healed (if I can fully heal). 

I’m happy to say that the raging starvation along with the anxiety I had the last 2 weeks is pretty much gone, now.  It’s only the irrational nausea that has been a daily occurrence that I’m managing with the generic Zofran.  (Now, I know why the doctor prescribed it; it’s way better, and lasts a lot longer than Pepto-Bismol or Mylanta.)