Please help I have some questions

The prescription Vitamin D is D2. Unfortunately, what you need is D3 which is available OTC. Unfortunately, most physicians don't know that. The very brief explanation is that the body has to convert the D2 to D3 and you lose a LOT of the vitamin content in the process.  

Many RNYers take 50,000 units of dry Vit D3 twice (or sometimes even three times) per week to keep the level up around 80 where it needs to be.

Lora

Oh wow thank you Lora! The vitamin d part was the one part of my regimen that I was a little curious about! I knew I had to get in the vitamin d but now thistles much more sense! This is why I love going on here, I learn something new everyday :-)  

my clinic says to get in at least 3,000 units of vitamin d daily so that would only be a little over 20,000 units a week.  You said most rnyers take 50,000 units twice or sometimes even three times a week... So that's like 100,000 -150,000 units a week... Is that right? That seems to be a big disparity between 21,000 and 150,000!

Most RNY folks need at least 10,000 IU D3 daily to maintain a level of at least 80.  I base that on the fact that I've talked with many, many post ops about their labs and vitamins.  I've known only three that could maintain a good level (at least 80) on 5,000 IU D3 a day.  I haven't known any that could do it on just 3,000 IU a day.

Now, many docs don't realize that research shows a vitamin D level of at least 80 is needed for optimal health.  but according to the Linus Pauling Institute, it is.

Many RNY folks need a lot more than 10,000 IU a day to keep their level good.  I have to take 50,000 IU three times a week to keep my level around 100.

Thank you SO much for this info!! I actually JUST ordered biotech dry d3 at 50,000 ui and I plan on taking three a week! Thank you so much! There's so much info to learn all at once! Thank you! 

Do you know what your vitamin D level is?  You'll want to adjust your dose based on your level.  You may end up only needing to take that 50,000 IU twice a week.

I just checked right now. I am just 2 weeks out so the only labs I have are the pre op labs from a month ago and my vit d levels were only at 15! Hence why a separate pcp prescribed me that vit d2! But I'm so glad you mentioned the d3! So I'm definitely switching to d3 and def taking 3 a week! 

My Vit D was 19 when I had my RNY.  I messed around trying to get it up for almost a year with small doses as recommended by my doctor. When I started taking the 50,000 3 times a week, it was up to 80+ within a few months.  Then it got too high, so I dropped back to twice a week (and every now and then I throw in a third one).  

I just had that particular lab re-checked, and it is 83... right where it should be. (It got up to 130-something and my PCP freaked out on me, LOL.) he still just shakes his head when I confirm my doses each time before we do yearly labs... But he admits that I have taught him a lot of valuable information that he uses with a couple of other patients that have had WLS.

The scary thing is that I don't think most people have any idea how many things can happen with low Vit D. My PCP checks it on all of his adult patients and says the vast majority are deficient to some degree.

Lora

Hi Lora, thank you so much wow! Yeah I was researching that a definiciency in vitamin D can slow down weight loss as well! I really appreciate your wisdom, it helps us newbies and keeps us from learning the hard way.  Thank you so much.  I live in Houston and I know most of us here are naturally vit d deficient bc it's so hot here so we spend a lot of time indoors. 

I understand the NO Appetite thing. I have a mind set that I eat wheather I feel like it or not..Got to keep up on those nutrients or you will get sick, literally sick..