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vitamin D for bowel cramps?

by Deborah
(Pennsylvania)

Hi Wray

I just ordered Natpro from you and keep reading all that I can from your site while waiting for my order.

My problem for 19 years has been an out-of-whack digestive system, brought on by an emotional shock. Since that night I have only had one 'well' day in 19 years.

They eventually thought it was my gall bladder and took it out - and then the real fun began.

My digestive problems got so bad that for the past six years I've basically become a hermit. The details are too long and too many to go into, but you've caught my attention with some things that you've written, as well as some questions on your questionnaire, so I just want to touch on a few things:

A few years ago I started having the strangest anxiety attacks whenever I was in a car (not close to a bathroom) which would then become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Then because of the consistency of those attacks, my mind naturally becomes anxious now even if I don't have a physical attack when I'm going out the door of my house - and because of the anxious mind, then I can also get the anxiety in the body. Vicious cycle.

I really have lost the desire to leave my house.

But I've even begun having those strange anxiety attacks when I'm home, with no plans to go out.

Along with that I've experienced regular (what I call) liver attacks in which I bloat up, my back tightens so much it feels it might break, the pain in the front is unbearable and I've wondered a few times if it might kill me.

This lasts for a few hours up to a couple of weeks.

No doctor has been able to figure anything out with any of this over all of these 19 years, and in all of the years of my researching - and all of the thousands of dollars I've spent on alternative remedies - nothing has helped.

I've read enough on your site to convince me to try - one more time! - to get a breakthrough.

But I want to make sure that I really understand something that you wrote to someone else:

Are you saying that bowel cramping and pain, etc. is caused by lack of vitamin D?

This starts for me approximately five minutes after getting up in the morning.

I assumed it was excess bile from the lack of a gall bladder, and have tried to eat some bread to absorb that, but I'm not sure if it does much.

I also assumed that the sudden weight gain in the past two years and complete inability to make it budge one inch was a delayed reaction from lack of a gall bladder, but I now realize I was naive in thinking I'm too young for peri-menopause (I'm almost 49).

I hope I've given you enough information (sorry if too much!) for you to be able to follow a trail here, for me.

If vitamin D is needed (after so many years, so many thousands of dollars and so many horse pills, nauseating tinctures and clueless doctors doing useless and painful tests, etc., I'm so very reluctant to try even one more thing) where would you recommend that one buy this, and what name brand is recommended?

Thank you very, very much for this site. Also - being irregular at this point of time in my periods, I plan to use the Natpro every day.

Based on the little that I've told you, do you have a recommended dosage for me?

Again - thank you so very much for this site and for your help.

Comments for vitamin D for bowel cramps?

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Jun 14, 2012
 It sounds as if you are having a really bad time
by: Karenina

Hi Deborah (Pennsylvania), I really feel for you! It may not help but I would like to share my experience with you which might help you perhaps. A year and a half ago I started getting pain and severe bloating as well as very high estrogen levels which brought on all kinds of problems with estrogen dominance, including cysts on my ovaries etc. I started taking a high dosage of 600mg of Natpro Progesterone cream a day for the last 6 months, taking 15,000 iu of Vitamin D3 NOW, and most importantly I took two a day of DR MERCOLA's Prebiotics and that stopped the pain in my tummy, the bloating went and it helped reduce my allergy symptoms. If I stop taking the prebiotics the pain returns again....I appreciate that it may not work for you but it did for me. It may be worth a try...just wanted to share it with you in the hope it may help you. You would need to be very patient...start off with one capsule a day and gradually up it to two a day, at first you will want to go to the loo a lot but after a few weeks it starts to settle down. Yes they are expensive but worth every penny. Please let me know how you get on and Wray will be able to help you too. She did wonders for me...always there to help and to listen. I wouldn't where I am without her. Take care. Karenina
Jun 14, 2012
 Wrong spelling!
by: Karenina

Hi again Deborah, I meant probiotics not prebiotics...sorry about the spelling mistake! Take care. Karenina
Jun 15, 2012
 vitamin D for bowel cramps?
by: Wray

Hi Deborah What a story, what a journey. It doesn't surprise me your gut problems started after an emotional shock. The gut is often referred to as the second brain, there are as many, if not more neurotransmitters in the gut than the brain. Just one example, 90% of the tryptophan we eat is converted by the gut into serotonin, the remaining 10% is used by the brain. We have so many common phrases too, 'it's a gut feeling', 'gutsy', a 'stomach in knots'. Why the gut and not the brain? We do have 'brain dead' and taking out the gallbladder is a brain dead thing to do, it baffles me. It's as if a company not doing well, instead of looking at their systems (ie organs etc), blames their warehouse or storage facility (ie gallbladder) and tears it down! The gallbladder stores bile in readiness for fat in a meal. In response to a message from the gut, it constricts, releasing bile to digest the fat. Having no gallbladder means you now have less bile than previously, making fat digestion difficult. I take it you have been checked for all the normal things such as a bacterial infection, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, fructose malabsorption etc? Anxiety has so many causes, it's finding which one, or maybe there's a combo. It sounds as if you have agoraphobia now, I had that mildly, having to psyche myself up to go out of the house. Luckily progesterone put paid to that. Again it doesn't surprise me you had anxiety in a car when far from a bathroom. And now, have you noticed a pattern in the attacks, ie after eating, drinking, hearing something which concerns you, at ovulation or just prior to bleeding, anything which could start one? Or do they occur after a long period of not eating? And the 'liver' attacks, is there a pattern to those? Oestrogen causes bloating and cramping, it causes water retention and constricts smooth muscle. This lines both the gut and the uterus. In the gut it causes peristalsis, in the uterus contractions. It seems possible that your uterus is involved too. Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle. You say your anxiety attacks began occurring a few years ago. Peri-menopause starts 5 to 10 years before Menopause, the average age of this is 51. So you are almost at menopause. My symptoms began when I was about 40, the worst years being those prior to menopause. They would have become worse if I hadn't found progesterone in time. It not only relaxes, but calms too, it's a potent anxiolytic. So too is it's metabolite allopregnanolone. Continued below.
Jun 15, 2012
 vitamin D for bowel cramps? Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Deborah Progesterone also helps the gut, these papers might seem obscure, but give you an idea, see here, here and here. It appears vitamin D is needed too, see here, here and here. In fact it's needed by every cell to function normally. Weight gain is another oestrogen problem, it stimulates cells to proliferate, not least fat cells. As these also secrete oestrogen, a vicious cycle starts. Progesterone suppresses excess oestrogen, plus inhibiting mitosis. During peri-menopause progesterone levels are dropping, but oestrogen and testosterone do not. Oestrogen stimulates subcutaneous fat, whereas testosterone stimulates visceral fat, see here and here. Both also cause Insulin Resistance, a lack of vitamin D also causes it. I have found low amounts of progesterone only make matters worse, there's more about this on our Progesterone Misconceptions page. I normally suggest 100-200mg/day, but it is dependant on symptoms, the worse they are the more is needed. Symptoms are the best guide, please increase the amount if they become worse. I would suggest you try 200mg/day, it's pointless trying less with your problems. It is best to use it daily if the cycle is erratic, it becomes impossible to follow them. There's no harm done. Ironically women are not cautioned about using a progestin only Contraceptive or HRT daily! Continued below.
Jun 15, 2012
 vitamin D for bowel cramps? Part 3
by: Wray

Hi Deborah Please have a vitamin D test done, it could be yours is very low. For more info on vitamin D levels, test kits etc see the Vitamin D Council, GrassrootsHealth, Birmingham Hospital and Vitamin D Links websites. Blood levels should be 70-100ng/ml or 175-250nmol/L and not the 30ng/ml or 75nmol/L most labs and doctors regard as adequate. The minimum daily dose should be 5000iu's per day, although the latest research indicates it should be 10,000iu's per day, see here. The first link above, the VDC have an excellent vitamin D, it comes with all the co-factors needed. You might be interested in reading Candace Pert's book 'Molecules of Emotion', it makes fascinating reading. The link to her site is here. Another thing you could look into is EFT, it's a remarkable healing therapy. Finally if you feel your liver needs help, consider taking taurine (needed for bile production), vitamin D, calcium D-glucarate, probiotics and milk thistle, and avoid all starchy carbs and oestrogen in any form. Take care Wray
Jun 15, 2012
 Thanks!
by: Deborah

Wow Karenina

Thank you so much for taking the time to write and share the information!

I have tried probiotics several times before, for several months at a time, with seemingly zero results.

But it may be that one missing ingredient was the progesterone?

Anymore it seems that I react terribly to any supplements; I'm not sure if I was even digesting and absorbing any all of these years, but now they seem to be the cause of those liver attacks I talk about.

But your information is very helpful, because there may be a time that I can go back to some supplements without any repercussions - and it's a good reminder to me that pro AND prebiotics are so good for us.

Thanks again so much for your time and help!
Jun 16, 2012
 A pleasure
by: Karenina

Hi Deborah,

I really wish I can help in some way with my personal experiences. You say you have tried many forms of probiotics and none of them worked for you. It was trial and error for me....I, too, had problems with supplements, most of them causing problems with my stomach and my allergies too. I react to any supplements or cream which contain artificial ingredients like m. sterate. I find I need to take good quality supplements and there are only two or three companies that are good for me...Dr Mercola, Pure Encapsulations, and Natpro Progesterone Cream. I did find that when my estrogen was very high nothing worked for me until I used a good amount of progesterone cream a day, rubbing some on my tummy as well. The Vitamin D was a god-send....mine was so low. It lifted my low moods and it helped together with the use of progesterone cream. Recently I started taking the Energy Boost and I no longer get so tired anymore. (Wray supplies it in powder form). Sorry I am getting carried away here. As Wray said the Milk Thistle is very good for the liver, I take it myself too. I still can't believe how much you have gone through all these years!
I am here anytime you want someone to talk to...Take care Karenina
Jun 17, 2012
 THANKS WRAY!!
by: Anonymous

Wow Wray

Thank you so much for all of your information - you never skimp! The papers were very interesting - as much as I could understand, anyhow.

I started to write you back the other day and got called away - so sorry I took so long.

I'll try to make it a short email:

Before I forget, I wanted to suggest to you that you start trying to reach out to the gall bladder-less community. : )

In the last several years as I began to suspect that my problems were the result of the surgery, I came across many many forums on the internet of people who had had gall bladder surgery and were all experiencing many of the things I've described, and more.

They were all at a loss, and some of these threads on the forums had started years before.

I think they all need to get on your site and read all that you have here. Gall bladder might be an excellent key word?

Okay: yes, I've been checked for pretty much everything. At this point I doubt I would want to submit to even one more test.

Too hard to get the hope up again.

There's no discernible pattern to anything that I eat or drink; I used to blame whatever food I'd had last before an attack, and eventually realized it had nothing to do with food.

That's when I began to vaguely suspect it was some strange hormonal dance going on in my system; one day I was in the depths of hopelessness and symptoms, and the next day - with the same foods - I had hope and joy and energy (but still symptoms).

Anything that I think about can cause the butterflies on steroids to dance in my insides - even thinking about doing the laundry (and I have nothing against doing laundry...just an example).

If I go too long without eating, it causes cramping and pain and I have to run to the bathroom. I've discovered now that that is the excess bile, so I always try to eat something as soon as I start to feel hungry.

A few days ago I received the Natpro (wow! fast shipping!) and after reading a few more of your pages, I started doing 300 mg. a day.

Tonight will be the third full day, so if I don't see any difference within a few more days, I might up the dosage as you suggested.

The problem is that tomorrow I get on a plane and am expected to be in 'vacation mode' for a week - traveling and going to places that might not be close to a bathroom.

Oh the terror.

hahaha I haven't been in vacation mode for many years, so I'm hoping that I got the Natpro just in time and that at least it will dramatically quell the strange anxiety.

Two last things:

I think you've convinced me that I need vitamin D. Is it okay to start dosing with that without a blood test?

And - I've been doing something called the Healing Codes (I believe they're similar to EFT) but I didn't really see any results in the first four months of doing them (although I absolutely believe that they work).

Thank you so very much again for your time and your patience and your care.
Jun 17, 2012
 THANKS WRAY!!
by: Wray

Hi Deborah Funny you should say that about the gallbladder, I have enough info on various pages to do a web page on it, so I'm now thinking seriously about it! Anxiety itself can really upset the gut, so can reactive hypoglycaemia, in fact I have a few more papers you could go through, one specifically mentions hypoglcaemia, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. You might glean more from them. I love your "the butterflies on steroids to dance in my insides", such a beautiful phrase! I'm not sure how you feel this, but I had permanent anxiety, a jitteriness which never left me. It didn't affect my tummy though, luckily! I'm not happy you are going to be in vacation mode, travelling is so stressful, even happy travelling. I'm not saying this to discourage you, but to warn you. This page here has nothing to do with gut problems, but heavy bleeding, and you'll see what the travel did. If you feel the anxiety increasing please increase the progesterone, using it hourly often helps this. And of course you can start the vitamin D, I like to know so that the amount can be adjusted. Also I could be wrong about the level too. I have a pdf of the Healing Codes on my computer, as I had looked into them too. The major difference is you actually physically tap on the various points used in EFT. The points are all on meridian lines and the idea is to stimulate these meridian points by tapping on them. The system is from the East and is over 5000 years old. It can be done on one's own, but best to start with a practitioner. Healing can take place within minutes, it depends so much on what needs to be resolved. Some phobias for instance can go in 5 mins, some problems are deeper seated and need a few sessions. Primarily because once one has gone, another pops up! A friend who's a practitioner has just told me you could try tapping on the outer edge of your hand, below the little finger. This might help for now. I've also asked if she can have a word with you too, although it might get in too late as you're off tomorrow. Have fun! Take care Wray
Jun 17, 2012
 EFT
by: Jules

Hello!
I have been reading your thread and really feel for you. I started using Natpro 15 years ago because of panic attacks and I have to say my response was pretty instantaneous. I had become afraid to leave the house in case I had a panic attack and that anxiety brought on more and more anxiety - tough to work with. I use the cream every day now, being post menopausal - and the quantity I use is defined entirely by my stress levels.

I am an EFT therapist and I would like to urge you to use absolute basic tapping techniques to get through this holiday - and hopefully have fun! - and when you get back to investigate EFT further. If you do the basic "karate chop" and "collarbone tap" it is unobtrusive and very calming. The karate chop involves using two fingers of your one hand to tap the edge of your other hand where you would hit something if you were doing the classic cartoon karate chop. As you are doing this tapping say "even though I am feeling very anxious I deeply and completely love and accept myself" It is better if you can say it out loud but if you are in company say it in your head. Do this in preparation for your flight. For the collar bone tap just use the knuckles of your hand to tap on the place you would tie a tie where the two collar bones meet and tap and say " I am OK. This anxiety. I am OK." Use this when you feel the anxiety rising.

I realise that this may sound a bit whacky - but it really does bring one down from a high flying anxiety attack. But your current condition is clearly related to your experience 19 years ago, and this really needs to be cleared to make living a happy experience for you!

With regard to the progesterone and Vitamin D levels I totally agree with everything Wray has said! Using both can only make you feel better.

Wishing you a happy restful holiday, Jules
Jun 18, 2012
 EFT
by: Wray

Hi Jules Bless you for your input! I do hope Deborah does have an enjoyable trip, and sees your advice in time. Take care Wray
Jun 18, 2012
 THANK YOU
by: Deborah

Karenina, Wray and Jules

You are precious, precious women.

I bless you and thank you three so much for your giving!! It will come back to you, that's for sure.

I'm leaving for the airport soon but I wanted to make sure to write and thank you all.

Karenina, thanks for the info that some supplement (even good ones?) have artificial ingredients. I'll have to look more carefully when I go to get more probiotics. I'll stick with Dr. Mercola like you said.

Maybe now they'll work since I'm getting the progesterone.

Jules - thank you so much for the EFT techniques! I started doing them as soon as I read your post. I think it may have done something, so I'm going to keep it up.

And Wray - I think you're going to be able to help a LOT of gall bladderless people with this site!

The cream seems to take maybe a half hour or longer before I seem to feel something, but while in the car yesterday I could feel the normal physical anxiety feelings but they seemed far away.

Very hopeful!

I do get the jitteryness as if I've taken some speed or something, but it also gets into my stomach - but since I've started the Natpro, it doesn't ALWAYS seem to get to my stomach.

I feel that statement deserves an exclamation point right there!! : )

It's good to know I can just take some every hour if I need it. I've wished and prayed for so long that I could at least find something like that; something that I could take whenever I had the anxiety so that I could just get on with my life - so that I could begin to HAVE a life!

It wouldn't be the same as being healed, but if you're not feeling symptoms then who cares? I could wait a little longer for actual healing...

Thank you, ladies, so very much. I know I've always felt better when I can spend some time in the ocean (thalassotherapy), but in the last eight years it was extremely hard to actually get to the ocean or anywhere near it.

I think the Natpro and the EFT will help me get there, and between them and the healing that is in the water (not to mention all of the vitamin D I will be actively courting now) I'm expecting the beginning of a big turnaround.

Don't worry Wray - I ordered the sunscreen you recommended so I'm safe while getting my vitamin D! : )

Love,

Deborah
Jun 19, 2012
 THANK YOU
by: Wray

Hi Deborah Bless you for the kind words! Jules and Karenina are always so supportive of me, and others too. That's what it's all about, loving and helping others. As soon as I got your comment, I skyped Jules saying please give her some advice on the EFT, but she leaves for the airport soon! She responded immediately as usual. When you're back and more settled you might consider getting in touch with a practitioner, or Jules herself. I do tapping on myself, but know it's more effective if done with a qualified person, as they give guidance. I had another skype conversation with Jules today, who had just discovered a friend had been waking with panic attacks every morning as she was due to go on a plane, which thought terrified her. A one hour session of tapping and she has not had another, amazing stuff! And your jitteriness…..just like mine. I could never fathom it, but it's excess adrenaline causing it. Progesterone is a potent anxiolytic, so not only calms the mind, the adrenals too. The HPA axis over reacts to a situation. I have this funny little picture of the adrenals on bicycles, sitting on top of the kidneys peddling furiously and saying to each other, I wish this person would calm down, I'm getting exhausted! Progesterone does help, as it activates the GABA receptor sites, GABA is a calming neurotransmitter. There are other calming aminos too, taurine and glycine in particular. Tyrosine can help too, if it's lacking. But all this you can investigate further when back home. We are all here to help, having been on our own journeys, and come through to the other side. For now I wish you a peaceful, happy, anxiety free holiday! Take care and love to you too. Wray

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