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I apologize for the delay summarizing the responses to my post and appreciate the suggestions and well wishes.  Fortunately, I have been able to quickly lower my vitamin A and betacarotene toxicity by taking Lipitor.  Even though it's normally prescribed for cholesterol, I started taking it since lowering Vit A and betacaratene is a side effect.  I am also contacting a liver specialist as suggested below to try to identify the underlying cause.  Thank you!

In response to the suggestions: I take B12 supplements, don't take any vitamin A or betacarotene supplements and avoid fish oil.  Which is why this is such a mystery.

1)     Are you on chemotherapy? Prednisone? Any other form of steroids?

When I went through chemo, my levels of vitamins and iron SKYROCKETED. My ferritin went from 15 to 600. The oncologist told me that certain drugs radically change the way the body absorbs nutrients, and that's why the iron dose I had previously been on for iron deficiency was now literally toxic to me.
 
2)     Instead of a vitamin A overdose, you may have a vitamin B12 deficiency.  
 
3)     Do you take any cod liver oil or other fish oils with Vitamin A?
 
4)     This comes for the www.nih.gov under Hypervitaminosis A

Prevention    Return to top To avoid hypervitaminosis A, avoid taking more than the recommended daily allowance of this vitamin. Recent emphasis on vitamin A and beta carotene as anti-cancer vitamins may contribute to chronic hypervitaminosis A, if people take more than is recommended.

Beta carotene is highest in yellow vegetables--We turned my granddaughter yellow with too many sweet potatoes when she was a baby.  Carrots & squash will also to the same thing.  

The Applied Nutrition book I picked up as a resources says the best food souces are live & other organ meats, egg yolks, green yellow & orange vegetabes & fruits, tomatoes, milk products & fatty fish--cod liver oil. (I would imagine the taking fish oils for essential fatty acids could also contribute to high levels as well...).

Accoridning to the NIH site, it looked like it might be a side effect of some medications.  Check w/ your pharmacist on any meds you are taking.  

You can also check www.pubmed.com for research to see what you can come up with.  

I was deficient in vitamin A when dx 27 years ago. My doctor told me that the liver stores vitamin A & deficiencies occur when liver stores are depleted.  I presume the opposite is true & serun levels would be high when liver stores are very high. If diet doesn't fix it, you might want to see a liver specialist.  
  
As a fat soluble vitamin, rather than a water soluble one, it will take the body longer to deplete its stores.
 
5)     Celiacshave a hard time with Vitamin A ..  same thing happened to me 15 years ago... extreme joint and muscle aches and pains, fatigue and very tired.  I never went to the Dr. because they didn't know how to acknowledge celiac so wasn't much sense in asking what was making me feel so bad....  I remember that we should not go over 15,000 iu  (or less depending how you feel) a day.  
 
6)     Assuming you were not consuming enormous amounts of Vit. A supplements, your doctor should be trying to find the underlying problem which is causing you to have the toxicity in the first place-examples of causes of toxic levels of Vit. A in a person not consuming vast amounts of the stuff include viral hepatitis,protein-energy malnutrition...these, and other issues may cause you to process the Vit. A incorrectly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels. Unless you were swallowing Vit. A supplements by the handful, your high levels are a symptom of something else, and the something else needs to be resolved before the levels will come down.
 
 

----- Original Message ----
From: Robin Debbie <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2009 10:34:08 PM
Subject: Vitamin A toxicity

Has anyone been diagnosed with Vitamin A toxicity?  After a month of debilitating fatigue and joint pain, I was diagnosis with extremely high levels of Vitamin A.   I've eliminate all cosmetics with vitamin A and now foods with vitamin A.  But, I still can't determine the cause. 

Any information or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.


      

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