So much disagreement about Vit. D.
VitaLady says we need our D to be 80-120. docs.google.com/Doc Yet I see sooo many people who seem happy with their D in the 50s.
Who has studies to share?
If you are happy with your D in the 50s what are you basing that on?
My D has also been in the 50s and I am not going to be happy until I hit 100. If I could get Dr.Stewarts injection to ADD to the Dry D I take I sure would but I would never think that an injection would substitute for taking Dry D. You would have to show me levels over 100 that stayed UP for the entire period between injections for me to be a believer.
And I also do not believe that sun is the answer. I got a TON of Alabama sun (bad bad bad) before my last labs and my D actually went DOWN while I maintained the same Dry D supplementation.
Discuss.
~Becky
Who has studies to share?
If you are happy with your D in the 50s what are you basing that on?
My D has also been in the 50s and I am not going to be happy until I hit 100. If I could get Dr.Stewarts injection to ADD to the Dry D I take I sure would but I would never think that an injection would substitute for taking Dry D. You would have to show me levels over 100 that stayed UP for the entire period between injections for me to be a believer.
And I also do not believe that sun is the answer. I got a TON of Alabama sun (bad bad bad) before my last labs and my D actually went DOWN while I maintained the same Dry D supplementation.
Discuss.
~Becky
I agree Becky.
I live in Florida and I'm outside every day. My D before surgery was in the low 30s.
I think people are complacement about certain things and vitamins is one of them. If they are not hurting, feeling miserable or are able to do things, they don't worry about their levels.
Plus, so many doctors still believe that certain levels are just fine, and because many people still believe their surgeons or doctors word is gospel that's how they end up being low in many things not just D.
Oh, and i don't use sunblock. I know, my bad.
I live in Florida and I'm outside every day. My D before surgery was in the low 30s.
I think people are complacement about certain things and vitamins is one of them. If they are not hurting, feeling miserable or are able to do things, they don't worry about their levels.
Plus, so many doctors still believe that certain levels are just fine, and because many people still believe their surgeons or doctors word is gospel that's how they end up being low in many things not just D.
Oh, and i don't use sunblock. I know, my bad.
Sure, a D of 80-120 would be wonderful. So would owning a Corvette. Or having a rockin' new set of boobies and a flat stomach. For a lot of us though, it ain't gonna happen. Although it's optimal to have a D of 80-120, for many, it's much more complex than that. One factor is that the ability to absorb D is inherited. My mom also has D issues. Also, the threshold where D and PTH cross is an individual thing, so it is my understanding that if you have a PTH in the normal ranges, if your D is in the 50's, then that might be as good as it gets for you. For example, I know lots of folks who have D's in the 30's with a perfectly acceptable PTH. I have only been able to get my D up to a 31, but my PTH is 157. Obviously, I'm going to have to get my D a lot higher than that to bring my PTH down, but it doesn't seem to get up, no matter what I do - infusions, sublingual, oral, sun. Granted, my parathyroid gland is probably permanently enlarged, so my PTH will always be elevated because of that, but I sure would like to see it drop a bit.
Am I saying that I'm happy with a D of 31? Hell no. I'll tell ya, though, I'd give anything to have a D in the 50's as long as my PTH was normal. So your dissatisfaction with your D would have my turning cartwheels, based on mine. I don't think I'd beat my head against the wall if I didn't approach 80-120.
Am I saying that I'm happy with a D of 31? Hell no. I'll tell ya, though, I'd give anything to have a D in the 50's as long as my PTH was normal. So your dissatisfaction with your D would have my turning cartwheels, based on mine. I don't think I'd beat my head against the wall if I didn't approach 80-120.
Julie R - Ludington, Michigan
Duodenal Switch 08/09/06 - Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Grand Rapids, Michigan
HW: 282 - 5'4"
SW: 268
GW: 135
CW: 125
Duodenal Switch 08/09/06 - Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Grand Rapids, Michigan
HW: 282 - 5'4"
SW: 268
GW: 135
CW: 125
I hear you Julie, but you have tried to get your D up by a variety of means. I'm talking about people who have a D in the 30s-50s who haven't tried to get it up past that because they think that it is fine at that level.
Can you access the injections?
I also would like to read any studies that folks have.
My D may never go above 60 either, but it won't be because I didn't try. I still have a lot of things to try. I'm working through my list.
My last labs: D 53 PTH 33. Good enough?? Or can I improve my D?
~Becky
Can you access the injections?
I also would like to read any studies that folks have.
My D may never go above 60 either, but it won't be because I didn't try. I still have a lot of things to try. I'm working through my list.
My last labs: D 53 PTH 33. Good enough?? Or can I improve my D?
~Becky
Like I said, I'd be jumping cartwheels with a D/PTH like that.....
I think I'm going to try to call Dr. Stewart's office tomorrow to get information about how I can access those injections up here...maybe my PCP can order through his compounder or whatever.
Studies:
This just happened to be the first thing that came up when I googled "optimal vitamin D levels." It's from Medscape, but it directly references some studies. Note that our levels are generally reported out as ng/ml
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589256_7
www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-deficiency/am-i-vitamin-d-deficient/
I think I'm going to try to call Dr. Stewart's office tomorrow to get information about how I can access those injections up here...maybe my PCP can order through his compounder or whatever.
Studies:
This just happened to be the first thing that came up when I googled "optimal vitamin D levels." It's from Medscape, but it directly references some studies. Note that our levels are generally reported out as ng/ml
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589256_7
www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-deficiency/am-i-vitamin-d-deficient/
Julie R - Ludington, Michigan
Duodenal Switch 08/09/06 - Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Grand Rapids, Michigan
HW: 282 - 5'4"
SW: 268
GW: 135
CW: 125
Duodenal Switch 08/09/06 - Dr. Paul Kemmeter, Grand Rapids, Michigan
HW: 282 - 5'4"
SW: 268
GW: 135
CW: 125
I am happy because my body feels happy. I was taking 3 of the vitalady 50,000 a day and it kept it around 35, with the shot I am in the 50's.
Now I have not tried to also supplement with pills, but they didn't seem to help me before, but yes I could try.
From everything I have read, ranges for all lab levels are guided by a persons weight, age, and other such factors. The lab I use has a range for D as being 35-100, I believe, not sure of the high but I remember the low.
I have checked my levels every 3 months because I was also unsure that the shot would work the whole time, it has I am due for another shot in November, which is when I will have all my labs run and see if the shot makes it the last 3 months or not.
Betty
Edited cuz I forgot to spell check
Now I have not tried to also supplement with pills, but they didn't seem to help me before, but yes I could try.
From everything I have read, ranges for all lab levels are guided by a persons weight, age, and other such factors. The lab I use has a range for D as being 35-100, I believe, not sure of the high but I remember the low.
I have checked my levels every 3 months because I was also unsure that the shot would work the whole time, it has I am due for another shot in November, which is when I will have all my labs run and see if the shot makes it the last 3 months or not.
Betty
Edited cuz I forgot to spell check
DS with Daryl Stewart 04/21/10 - SW 306lbs CW 140lbs
Plastic Surgery with Dr. Sauceda 11/06/12 - LBL, Thigh Lift, BL/BA, small Arm lift
I'm glad you are getting your labs! Good job. Some folks don't. Some folks don't take ANY vitamins post DS. I can't imagine but I know it to be true.
As for how your body "feels"? I don't think that is a very good indicator of how you are doing with vitamins and supplements post DS. You can get into severe deficiencies before you start to "feel" it. At least that is my understanding.
I tend to believe what VitaLady says and aim to meet HER lab levels and not the levels that have been set for "normal" people. I know that "normal" people do not take anywhere NEAR the amount of vitamins I take, especially the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K and don't need to.
Her ranges can be found here: docs.google.com/Doc
~Becky
As for how your body "feels"? I don't think that is a very good indicator of how you are doing with vitamins and supplements post DS. You can get into severe deficiencies before you start to "feel" it. At least that is my understanding.
I tend to believe what VitaLady says and aim to meet HER lab levels and not the levels that have been set for "normal" people. I know that "normal" people do not take anywhere NEAR the amount of vitamins I take, especially the fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K and don't need to.
Her ranges can be found here: docs.google.com/Doc
~Becky