I am a 52-year-old male, but it feels like I am 70. For the past few months, I have suffered from unexplained fatigue with body and bone pain. I am a truck driver by profession, and I always blamed my driving for my body aches.
During my time on the road, I developed a very bad itch that got worse with driving in the heat. I didn’t have a rash, but the itching was unbearable. Also, I had constant heartburn, even though I am not a smoker. These problems made my life and work complicated.
With no time off and expired insurance coverage, I searched for my symptoms online.
I usually have my driving schedule pre-booked for weeks, so I knew I wouldn’t have the time to visit a doctor personally. My insurance card expired last year, so the only option left was to look up treatment online. While scrolling, a doctors’ platform called ‘Your Doctors Online’ caught my attention.
I downloaded the online doctor’s application, filled out the required details, and connected to a doctor. My conversation with the doctor was nothing different than what I would have experienced at a doctor’s office. The basic introduction was followed by a list of questions for detailed history and background. One by one, the doctor addressed all my concerns.
My unhealthy lifestyle was causing the cause of heartburn.
The doctor reassured me that she would help me with all my health-related problems. She started asking me details about my diet, and I was embarrassed to tell her that I lived on deli food. I had not cooked a single meal or had home-cooked food in the past three months.
The doctor immediately diagnosed me with a condition called GERD and told me that the only way to completely treat it was by changing my lifestyle and meals entirely. Avoiding oily and spicy food was the most difficult thing to do for me. Lifestyle changes and omeprazole 20mg daily before breakfast worked wonders for me.
I had no idea low Vitamin D was causing constant body and bone pain.
I continued telling the doctor about my symptoms. It all started with a mild body pain that I kept ignoring. With time, my energy levels went down, and driving became difficult for me. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even have enough strength to shift the gears. For the past few weeks, my entire body hurts, and it feels like bone pain.
‘Vitamin D Deficiency’ was my doctor’s prompt response. I can’t even remember the last time I took a multivitamin. To confirm the diagnosis, she advised me to get some blood tests done, further confirming that I was vitamin D deficient. The doctor then prescribed me ampules of Vitamin D that I had to drink with milk once a week, followed by oral tablets daily for four months. It had already been two months, and I feel much better now.
The online doctor even prescribed me medications for itching!
My last concern was regarding itching. It was annoying, but Dr. Shamsi prescribed me Tab Loratidine, which I quickly got from the pharmacy the next day.
I will turn 53 in a couple of weeks, and I feel like I am 40 again. All I can say is bravo to the masterminds behind this app and the fantastic online doctors helping and following up with non-compliant patients like me.
Vitamin D Deficiency FAQs Answered By Your Doctors Online Team:
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps promote bone health and growth. It happens when your body doesn’t have enough Vitamin D in it.
This can lead to rickets in children and bone pain due to osteomalacia in adults.
Vitamin D regulates calcium absorption, which helps build bones and keeps them strong and healthy. It also prevents loss of bone density due to osteoporosis.
Along with bones, it also helps in your teeth and muscles’ health.
Your skin can create Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. 20 mins of sunlight exposure 3-4 times a week produces sufficient Vitamin D.
You can also get it from food items, including:
. Cod liver oil
. Salmon
. Tuna
. Sardines
. Liver
. Fortified Milk
. Fortified Juice
. Fortified Yogurt
. Fortified Cereals
. Egg
. Swiss Cheese
. Red Meat
Dietary supplements for Vitamin D are also available over the counter.
Many research articles have shown correlations between muscle and bone pain with vitamin D deficiency. However, if you are experiencing body aches, please consult a physician to know the exact cause. Vitamin D toxicity can also lead to bone pain, so don’t start dietary supplements without consulting a physician.
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency depend on age. In children, it presents in the form of Rickets, leading to delays in growth and bone deformities. In adults, symptoms may include:
. Body aches
. Bone pain
. Fatigue
. Muscle weakness
. Depression
. Impaired wound healing
. Hair loss
Our physicians can order blood tests to check your vitamin D levels. For adults, 20 nanograms/milliliter to 50 ng/mL of 25-hydroxy vitamin D is considered normal.
