Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D
Don't Get Misdiagnosed

Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Deficiency very often haveCOMPLETELY IDENTICAL symptoms. Large numbers of people have been misdiagnosed with Fibromyalgia when they simply have Vitamin D Deficiency- don't be one of them.

If you have Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or any type of pain- no matter what the cause- you might ACTUALLY be suffering simply from Vitamin D Deficiency or a combination of any one of many REAL fixable problems that may be a Fibromyalgia Cause that your doctor is simply missing.

"There may be a pain syndrome associated with 
vitamin D depletion that appears as hyperesthesia
worsened by light, superficial pressure or 
even small increments of movement."
Can Vitamin D Deficiency Produce an Unusual Pain Syndrome?

Because the symptoms experienced are so similar, it is absolutely CRITICAL that you get your vitamin d level checked and corrected so that you are in the 'Optimal Range' as outlined on the Vitamin D Levelspage.

Enough people experience significant and even complete resolution of their Symptoms of Fibromyalgia that you just simply can't skip this step. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you get enough vitamin d already that you can't possibly be deficient- you might be SHOCKED to find out how low your vitamin d level is.

In fact, one study that tested the Vitamin D Levels of Fibromyalgia patients found the average level was a SEVERE DEFICIENCY of 15 ng/ml (51 nm/L). Unfortunately, they came to the conclusion that Fibromyalgia CAUSES vitamin d deficiency instead of thinking that Vitamin D deficiency causes symptoms of fibromyalgia!!

And since Vitamin D Deficiency in Children is another completely unrecognized problem, Vitamin D Deficiency could also be a BIG explanation for the increasing incidence of Fibromyalgia in Children!

The Pain Connection

The pain that is experienced from Vitamin D Deficiency is due to a condition called Osteomalacia. Osteomalacia is nearly identical to osteoporosis, except that it is painful. It is the main reason that Vitamin D and Pain are so related.

The pain that occurs in osteomalacia is significant because, like fibromyalgia, it occurs when pressure is applied to the skin. In fact one of the 'general' ways that you can determine if you have osteomalacia is to press your thumb down hard on the sternum (the bone in the center of your chest) and if this causes pain, then it is likely due to osteomalacia.

In osteomalacia, the pain is often described as 'bone pain' and can be felt all over the whole body- but all over muscle pain (myalgia) and 'connective tissue'(fibralgia) pain that can be experienced as Fibromyalgia Trigger Points, is also experienced by both those with osteomalacia and those with fibromyalgia. Other similarities are that both are:

• Unresponsive to pain medications
• Unresponsive to antidepressants
• Occur with disabling weakness and Vitamin D Deficiency Fatigue

Some 'experts' may cite very minor but specific differences in the types of pain experienced by those with osteomalacia and those with fibromyalgia. But And Fibromyalgia Studies show that experts and clinicians who are actually using vitamin d for people in pain know that these differences are of absolutely no consequence. When vitamin d reduces or eliminates pain in such a high number of people with 'Fibromyalgia', do you really CARE about the subtle differences in the pain that is being experienced?

The Fatigue Connection Between
Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D

The profound fatigue experienced by those with Fibromyalgia is identical to the fatigue reported by people in studies of Vitamin D Deficiency. It's just another strong connection between fibromyalgia and Vitamin D. 

"A strong correlation between low 25(OH)D levels
and higher rates and longer duration of 
generalized bone and/or muscle aches and pains 
(often diagnosed as fibromyalgia) was observed."
High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and 
generalized bone pain in Turkish immigrants in Germany

Fatigue is actually one of the first symptoms to be experienced with vitamin d deficiency and is very often one of the first symptoms to resolve when Vitamin D Deficiency Treatment is started. Any clinician who regularly works with patients who have vitamin d deficiency will attest to this increase in energy experienced by a very high percentage of people who previously experienced profound and sometimes disabling fatigue.

Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Myopathy

Myopathy is the experience of weakness in the muscles and is almost a universal finding when Diagnosing Fibromyalgia. It does not always indicate that something is wrong- most of us have experienced myopathy at one time or another from vigorous exercise that left us feeling sore and weak the next day.

But what is interesting about Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Deficiency is that the myopathies are nearly identical in fibromyalgia and Vitamin D. Both types of muscle weakness are:

• Generalized all over the body Of very long duration- months, years or decades
• Can lead to even severe disability
• Can occur in even the young or middle-aged
• Occurs more often in women

"Myopathy, due to chronic vitamin D deficiency, 
probably contributes to immobility and ill health 
in a significant number of patients in the 
northern United States. An awareness of this condition
may significantly improve mobility and quality of life."
Severe Myopathy Associated With
Vitamin D Deficiency in Western New York

Some studies of people with Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Myopathy so severe that they were disabled and in wheelchairs, like the study from the quote above, show that PROPER Vitamin D Deficiency Treatment completely resolved this disability and actually allowed severely disabled people to get out of their wheelchairs and walk again!! That is how important it is for anyone with generalized muscle weakness to have it distinguished between Fibromyalgia and Vitamin D Deficiency.

Depression and Mood Issues

Depression is another one of the most common complaints of those with Symptoms of Fibromyalgia and is often severe and disabling. While pain, fatigue and disability contribute to the experience of depression, vitamin d deficiency is likely one of the other causes of depression and mood problems.

"Vitamin D deficiency is common in fibromyalgia
and occurs more frequently in patients with
anxiety and depression."
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with anxiety and depression in fibromyalgia

If you know ANYTHING at all about vitamin d, it's that it can help relieve mood problems- including depression. The experience of Seasonal Affective Disorder during winter months in northern climates almost certainly has a large element of vitamin d deficiency. And study after study using large doses of vitamin d in those with severe illnesses discovered that one of the most common Side Effects of Vitamin D was an improved mood!

So, if you have symptoms of fibromyalgia, pain, fatigue, depression or really ANY chronic illness, you absolutely just must get your vitamin d level checked and increased to the research recommended 'Optimal' Vitamin D Levels. If your symptoms are, even in part, due to a vitamin deficiency- wouldn't you want to DO something about it...

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