Vitamin D

[Sargonnas]

As I understand it, part of the problem is that scar tissue actually replaces healthy tunica tissue. Therefore if you remove the scar tissue you must replace it with something. The surgical procedure "incision and grafting" does this very thing.

Yes, exactly. This simple thought stroke me today while starting to read this forum and squeezing my brain about the scar tissue thing that I caused myself with those damn penis exercises. It really makes you wonder if this condition its reversible. That fact looks like a great obstacle to complete healing. Well, it seems you can regain functionality and cease pain at least. Who cares if you still have lumps, scar tissue or whatever if you can have good erections that doesnt hurt. I have 4 scar tissues, all in the sides of the penis. When its erected you can distinguish them from the veins, because in the flaccid state they look like veins. I think there may be more, but they are not obvious.

Anywayyyy... I am exposing my penis to infrared bulbs of 250 w 15 minutes 2 or 3 times per day, my testosterone its high (one of the few things its good in my tests) and taking vit D 10000 ius per day. Interesting effects on pain and penis feelings and appearence, but not really something positive. I will be updating this thread or the others about infrared.

[George999]

If you are taking 10,000IUs of Vitamin D3 a day, I hope you are watching your blood levels of Vitamin D.  Vitamin D blood levels over 100ng/ml can pose risks and over 200ng/ml is outright dangerous.  Those levels are easy to achieve.  My wife ended up with 160ng/ml taking 6,000IU per day.  Vitamin D is a pro-hormone and affects all of your endocrine system.  Large amounts are OK IF you are monitoring where your blood levels are at, but not OK to do blindly.  It should be treated just like DHEA or Testosterone.  - George

[Sargonnas]

If you are taking 10,000IUs of Vitamin D3 a day, I hope you are watching your blood levels of Vitamin D.  Vitamin D blood levels over 100ng/ml can pose risks and over 200ng/ml is outright dangerous.  Those levels are easy to achieve.  My wife ended up with 160ng/ml taking 6,000IU per day.  Vitamin D is a pro-hormone and affects all of your endocrine system.  Large amounts are OK IF you are monitoring where your blood levels are at, but not OK to do blindly.  It should be treated just like DHEA or Testosterone.  - George

Yeah my levels some months ago were 16 ng/ml. Normal defficiency in autoimmune persons. I am taking the 10.000 ius every three days though. I am also defficient in DHEA and free testosterone lol what a gift.

[goodluck]

For the pain and inflamation try Curcumin.  It is derived from the herb tumeric.  You can get it in capsuls from many companies like Life Extention or Natures Plus.

It is a very safe and effective anti-inflamatory.

I have also used Wobenzym N.  They are effective at reducing inflamaiton and are also very safe.  They are a bit expensive but good.  Take them on an empty stomach for the best effectiveness.

Sleep is very important for any kind of healing.  You need to make sure you get 7 or more hours per day.

Good Luck

[George999]

16ng/ml!  Thats EXTREMELY low.  If you are measuring your levels routinely which you seem to be, if I were in your position, I would be taking more Vitamin D than what you are.  My levels were actually higher than that when I first got them measured and I took 12,000IU DAILY for several years in order to get them up substantially.  I now am taking 5,000IU to keep myself at about 80ng/ml which I consider optimal in my situation.  I am also taking 100mg per day DHEA in order to maintain my DHEA blood levels at the high end of the range which I consider optimal.  But glad to hear that you are doing the Vitamin D correctly.  It just makes me a little worried when I see large doses go by with no mention of monitoring.  - George

[Hawk]

I just had my D levels checked and got results from the nurse by phone today.  I will go get my lab printout later today so I can scrutinize the results.

My initial levels were 21 ng/ml.  I was prescribed 50,000 units of D2 once a week and I took another 10,000 IU of D3 during the week in the form of a few 2000 IU doses.  As a point of interest I forgot my 50,000 IU pills a couple times so it took me about 15 weeks to get through a 12 week run of pills which I ended about April 15th.  Around the first of April I started laying in the sun 15-20 minutes, front and same time on my back 2 times a week.  I would do this at noon for max exposure.  Since converting UV to D3 is less efficient as we age I was not sure how much good that would do since I live in the NE where the sun was not very direct in April.  For the 2 weeks prior to getting my D levels rechecked I took no D (my idea to get a good stable, reserve level reading).  I have little reason to think that makes sense but it is what I did.  I did however continue to lay in the sun 2 times a week including just an hour before my test.

My D levels shot from 21 ng/ml to 95 ng/ml according to the nurse.  I was shocked.  Based on my wife and sister's experience I expected to test at about 35 ng/ml.  My goal was 60 ng/ml.  

As a concerning side note I was also told my platelets were low (120,000) where normal is 150,000 to 160,000 so I got to figure out what this is about since low platelets can be a sign of serious issues.

[George999]

Hawk, I really wouldn't worry too much about the high Vitamin D level.  It is still well below the point of becoming a short term issue.  I will take a while to achieve a stable level in the 50-70 range.  But it is worth the effort.  As for the platelets, that can be an autoimmune issue or one of many other things.  When I was younger, I had ITP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiopathic_thrombocytopenic_purpura , a syndrome where the immune system attacks and destroys the platelets.  I think ITP is probably the most likely issue going on but the important thing at this point is to get a bone marrow check to make sure there is nothing more sinister going on.  Its no fun, but again, its worth the effort since it will allow you to know what you are facing and begin to deal with it.  You will be in my prayers.  As you know, all things work together for good for certain of us as that is the way that it was planned.  ITP is usually treated with steroids, but sometimes it mysteriously settles down on its own before getting that serious.  Just do the best you can when it comes to diet, exercise, and supplements and you will experience the benefits.  - George

[Hawk]

Thanks George.  I am pretty familiar with ITP, My grandson had it about 3 years back when he was only 5 yrs. old.  His dad fist noticed he left a bruise hand print on him when he just firmly held him still by the shoulder to talk to him.  He couldn't understand it and felt terrible. Later that day we started looking and he had bruises everywhere including one clear around his waist from the waist band of his pants.  We got into a doctor and his platelet count was bottomed out.  They put him straight in the Hosp. for about 3 days.  

My White and red cell count seems very close to what it has always been.  My mother died of Multiple Myeloma so blood marrow diseases were a first thought.  It is a little encouraging that my other CBC stats seem good.

I have a Dr. apt next week with a new doctor at another practice.  My GREAT Dr. of almost 30 yrs retired over Health care issues and another of his colleges went part-time to work with a medical device company.  The practice has been nothing but a revolving door of Doctors, PA's, and Clinical Nurses for the past year.  You never see the same person twice.

[james1947]

Hawk

As I know, the platelets normal level for Caucasian man should be between 150,000 to 500,000. Check it out with your doctor how you can increase the number.

James

[George999]

James,  When abnormal readings like this come up, the usual approach is NOT to try to fix them, but to:

1) Retest after an interval to validate the initial test.  That low reading could be caused by a passing issue which will correct itself.  OR the initial test could have been screwed up by the lab.  Those things happen.

2) If a retest finds no improvement, the next step is usually to take a look at that bone marrow and rule out bone marrow issues.  Everything else is more or less trivial compared to bone marrow issues.

Only when they diagnose the cause, do they attempt to treat the problem because only when they diagnose the cause do they know HOW to treat the problem.

[skunkworks]

Seen any benefits on the Peyronie's front from having high Vit D?

The quote modified by the moderator

[George999]

The major short term benefits from higher vitamin D levels are things like relief from depression and anxiety and that sort of thing.  Also relief from viral infections.  Most of the rest of the benefits are related to genetic changes and accrue over a long period of time.  Most of that benefit has to do with damage prevented rather than damage resolved.  Thus I would suspect that there would be very little direct benefit in terms of resolving Peyronie's, although it might well help to relieve inflammatory processes over time.  - George

[StraightAhead]

Hmm, maybe Tanning beds arent so bad after all then!

[funnyfarm]

just keep in mind in a tan bed you will not get the full spectrum of sunlight.

[james1947]

What about a morning or evening walk in the park?

James

[George999]

The HUGE problem with tanning beds is that they provide mostly HARMFUL UVA and very little BENEFICIAL UVB.  You CAN however, buy UVB lamps, but they are very expensive, around $300 a pop for good ones.  - George

[Amitr]

Has anyone tried puncturing the Vit D capsules and applying it on the shaft?

Wouldn't that be better?

[LWillisjr]

You can easily get vitamin D in liquid form. Puncturing the capsules is not necessary. There is still little evidence that apply vitamin D will do anything. It is absorbed into the skin surrounding the shaft and would likely need a different delivery mechanism to get all the way into the Tunica.

[skunkworks]

The HUGE problem with tanning beds is that they provide mostly HARMFUL UVA and very little BENEFICIAL UVB.  You CAN however, buy UVB lamps, but they are very expensive, around $300 a pop for good ones.  - George

Which ones would you consider good ones?