STANK Labs!

Your nut is going to kill you. Stop listening to your surgeon in regards to supplements. Almost all of them are illiterate when it comes to vites. Start listening to the vets here who know what they are talking about. You are in for a world of hurt if you don't. Start taking 100,000 units of dry d3 a day. YES, that is 2 a day. I understand the cost thing to a point. But you knew what you were in for...for the rest of your life. You can't acknowledgments on your vites. You just have to figure it out. Unless you want a slow death.

clpeltz-

I listen to them to a point, then alter my vites based on what I've learned as a DS and in my Dietetics classes. 

I'm using Voc-Rehab to become a Registered Dietitian, specializing in pre and post-op bariatric nutrition.  That specialty curriculum doesn't even exist yet, but my alma mater, where I got my first degree, is allowing me to take what I need to pass the national RD certification test, instead of doing a whole new degree.   The DS is my ticket off disability, because it has made it possible for me to take medications that actually *work* to control my lupus and fibromyalgia now when they didn't before.   Prednisone, which didin't work all that well, either, was my only treatment before the DS, and that helped to push my weight up past 400 as a pre-op.

Purchasing vites and protein ( I still do at least two shakes a day) was not a problem on my disability income until the economy took a turn.  Because I had a good-paying job prior to lupus and fibro knocking me out of the game, I don't get food stamps, energy assistance, or anything else most people using public assistance get.  Social Security (which I paid for by working since the age of 14), Medicare and high spend-down (out of pocket expenditure before they will pay) Medicaid are all that I qualify for.  

Please do not judge me.  I didn't ask for SLE and fibro, and I don't want to die from deficiencies.  Unfortunately, I'm penalized by a program that's supposed to help, for doing well in my work life prior to becoming disabled.

Not judging, just stating fact.  You DO need your vites and if you don't take them it WILL kill you.  I understand money problems and the stress that comes along with it....which I am sure doesn't help with your medical issues.  Take a look at your budget and find ways to come up with extra money by possibly getting rid of things (coffee trips, cable, cell phones, etc.).  We do that on a regular basis.  It is always a good practice to review your budget on a regular basis anyway.  It is always eye-opening for me to see where the money is going and how much of it is going there.  My skipping one Starbucks run a week, that comes up with $24.  Do that with a couple of things and we can come up with the money for something else that we need.  Good luck!

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what advice you give her. She is still going to do what she wants to do. It horrifies me that she MAY at some point be giving vitamin advice to other bariatric patients when she can't even see the writing on her own wall. She blocks and counters all advice, as she is determined to make everything the fault of the government and being held back due to race, etc.

She always knows best.

I limit my "extra" doses to what I have now, because my surgeon said that despite the malabsorbtion issues, it is still possible for DSer's to suffer from vitamin toxicity on the fat solubles.
I can't see that happening, but I'm taking the doc's word for it at this point, since we've been studying viatmin toxicity and deficiency in my nutrition classes, and toxicity doesn't sound like it would be a day at the beach! That ish can cripple and kill you just as surely as malnourishment and deficiencies can!

My program's basic regimen only calls for multis, calcium, B12 and Thiamine (B1). I do *not* follow my programs recommendations, because I *know* it's not enough!

I expect for my labs to be really screwed up this time, given the amount of emotional distress I was dealing with before I did the draw. I just buried my Mom April 23rd. She would have been 93 April 22nd. Extreme stress does affect the way your body respoonds to vitamins and nutrition. That's why that company that markets the multi called "Stresstabs" makes a killing on their product!

Your labs aren't screwed up because of stress they are screwed up because you are following bad advice and are undersupplementing.

Jazzy,  Zinc Picolonate is well absorbed. 
http://www.amazon.com/Zinc-Picolinate-50mg-50-Capsule/dp/B00 0POWIQ0

I take 150,000 IU  D daily.  Have read that sun really doesn't do much for us - and I live in Florida!

I changed from taking my dry vitamins during the day with food, to the middle of the night.  All my levels came up nicely.  My D was going down taking 150k daily.  I'm up at least once or twice during the night and that's when I take my extra calcium too.  You need more calicum to help bring up your D and with enough calcium and D coming up your PTH should come down. 

Maybe it's your dry D... most of us are using the D from Vitalady.  I order enough to qualify for the free shipping.  Proferrin ES and D generally help get the cost up to $300.