Vit D level

Anyone have problems with low vit D levels.   Have you had side effects taking vit D?

My level was low at my 6 month check-up. I increased my level quite a bit for another 6 months and they were a smidgen high at my 1 yr appointment, so I cut back to midway between my first and highest doses. I'll get my level checked in 2months to see where I am.

I haven't any side effects from taking a dry form of D3. It might make me a little more gassy, but that could be almost anything really...LOL.

My sons joke around with me all the time about it. "Well, Mom...it IS called GAStric By-pass for a reason, right?" Gotta love 'em. 

Low D is pretty common with the general population of people, as well as wls patients.  With RNY and DS, you want to take dry (water soluble) D, which is hard to locate at your local stores.  You can get it at Amazon as well as Vitalady.com.  I take 50,000 iu per day to keep in check.  When my levels got down to 12 my first year, my doc wasn't aggressive enough, increasing me only 400 iu at a time, and I kept dropping.  It wasn't until I took 100,000 iu per day for a month before they started rising, so don't be afraid try the megadoses.

I had low D even prior to WLS.  I allowed the doc to prescribe me D - mistake - they give you D2 and we need D3.  I was on the way low end.  I'm now up to 79 and they want me to cut back (amazing!).  My favorite D3 is Enzymatic.  They taste great!  I was taking 1 twice a day with my calcium... boosted me up in 6 months.  Of course talk to your doc or NUT (although I tend to place very little value in much of what they say when it comes to nutrition - especially bariatric), but it worked for me.

I had no side effects from taking it but was waaaaay run down when I was low.

Why do they want you to cut back?  According to many sources, our vitamin D level should be at least 80.  I dunno why you'd cut back when your level is just now barely adequate.

Well, that's what I thought and I asked that.  He said it could get to toxicity levels.  And I said, But IS it?  No.  What does the ABS (or whatever) doc say about this?  Are they saying at least 80?  If they are, then I'm ditching what he says.  Where are yours - or at what level do you maintain?

The ASMBS doesn't say 80, no.  They say something like 30-80.  But the Linus Pauling Institute says at least 80 and says it doesn't get toxi****il it's something like 200 or higher.  Here's a link.  http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminD/  Last time I had labs done mine was 96.  I like it around 100.  I sure wouldn't cut back if it was 79.  That's no where close to toxic.

Hmmmm... good to know.  I'll research that asap.  Thanks Kelly.

You might wanna check out the Vitamin D Council, too.  Most docs know almost nothing about vitamin D.

I just had my PCP order labs and when I got the lab slip, noticed he'd ordered the wrong vitamin D test (we need the 25-hydroxy test, he ordered the 125-dihydroxy, even though last time he'd ordered labs for me he ordered the wrong one).  I supposed he doesn't know the difference.  Now I have to call him and get a new order.

ok - just checked - mine did the 25-hydroxy so I guess I'm cool there.

Thanks.