RDNMay 20

An observational study of 184 women who underwent breast cancer surgery, half of whom had vitamin D deficiency, found that those with vitamin D deficiency experienced more post-operative pain and self-administered more pain medication.

Summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260519224308.htm

Original paper: https://rapm.bmj.com/content/early/2026/05/04/rapm-2025-107495

#Science #Health #Medicine #Pain #VitaminD #BreastCancer

Scientists discover strange link between vitamin D and pain

Low vitamin D levels could be quietly making breast cancer surgery recovery far more painful. In a new study, patients deficient in vitamin D were three times more likely to experience moderate to severe pain after mastectomy surgery and ended up using significantly more opioid medication to cope. Researchers say vitamin D may help regulate how the body processes pain through its effects on inflammation and the immune system.

ScienceDaily
Show threadMissConstrueMay 20

@rdnielsen @rayckeith

Anecdotal: I have a number of things that cause long term, irreversible, chronic pain. Unfortunately, I live in a puritan culture that considers pain management to be coddling and unnecessary. My doctor of 30 years retired, and I’ve been unable to find any doctor who will write small dose opiates. (5mg hydrocodone 1x daily)

A physical therapist suggested adding D3 to my regime, and it has helped make things more bearable except during a flare, so that’s nice.

Show threadThird FoundationMay 20
@MissConstrue @rdnielsen today is the first time I've read about vitamin d3 reducing chronic pain.
Show threadMissConstrue

@rayckeith @rdnielsen

Yeah, it was like finding out there’s a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen that triggers an opioid like response in your brain, re serotonin release in descending pathways.

A fixed combination, typically 1000 mg of acetaminophen and 400 mg of ibuprofen, is the formula suggested as a non-opioid alternative.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39068515/

Is it as efficacious as small dose opioids? anecdotally I’d say it’s close, but I worry about long term use re liver.

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May 20 at 7:46pmWeb
Show threadTamaraPNWMay 20
@MissConstrue thanks for calling this out. I also live with chronic pain from MS and three kinds of arthritis but I swear Advil is damn near a miracle drug when deployed intelligently.