Deficiencies - Vitamin K and Bruising?

Hello DSers!

I had my first post-op bloodwork on August 29th at around six weeks. I've been perfectly compliant on all vitamins and supplements including timing and doses. I had just started being able to add some vegetables in.

I came back low on vitamins A, B1, and K. Plus protein. I'm now taking extra A and Thiamine. I've upped my protein goals to 90g since I still can't eat a lot.

My concern is the vitamin K. The last week or so it seems that everything I do causes bruises and pain. Pic below of what my thighs look like two days after my 33 pound dog sat in my lap for a half hour. Today I got the copy of my bloodwork that includes the results of the analysis for K. I'm at 55 out of a range of 130-1,500. All the nurse said when they called was to eat more leafy greens, which I am now. She also said you couldn't supplement K, though the vitamin I'm taking now is an ADEK.

Dr. Google seems to think this bruising issue could be a low K thing. My question is whether any of you have dealt with this, and if so, what your experience is with it? My next appointment is October 10th for another draw. I'm going to be eating extra spinach and greens until then but would love to hear your opinions.

Thanks!

I started to get a lot of bruising when I started to take baby aspirin daily.

Oh, interesting. Did it resolve for you?

No I just live with the bruises. I do use arnica cream and pills which helps them to fade quickly.

Thanks for sharing! I'll have to see how this works out. And Google Arnica.

I had vitamin K deficiency after about 5 years. I think it's pretty normal, and I also had some mild easy bruising at times but never associated it with the K issue. I take a vit K pill now every day, in addition to the ADEK pill. Your nurse seems like she was absent certain days in nursing school.

Hey there,

Thanks for your feedback! I'm glad to know there are K supplements. Maybe my practice just doesn't sell them separately and writes them off. Also glad you're getting what you need!

I think my dietician missed a day, too. I called yesterday and asked if I should be eating some fat with my vegetables to boost absorption. She said no since it might upset my bowels due to the malabsorption. Fascinating!

I am hoping I misunderstood the exchange about baby aspirin, but just in case; Do not go on baby aspirin (unless indicated by a Dr) as it is a blood thinner and will exacerbate the clotting problem caused by K deficiency.

Do try a k supplement. It is a fat soluble vitamin so it will be difficult to metabolize, but a supplement will help.

I have taken k supplements for many years to deal with this. Low K count can be super dangerous so it's not good to just 'live with it'.

Hi Stacy,

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!

I won't be taking aspirin. The only thing I take now and again is Tylenol. I'll talk to my clinic when I see them in a few weeks. When I called the dietician and nurse the other day for a follow up, they reiterated that there isn't a K supplement. I really do think they just don't sell one and write it off. Are you willing to share which supplement you take for K?

Literally I was told to eat more leafy greens to boost the numbers but not to eat fat with them for absorption. It's...interesting. This was my first round of blood work that included the fat soluble vitamins, so I don't have a baseline for before surgery. I won't leave it! Just trying to find a healthy mix between following my clinic guidelines and getting my levels up. Appreciate you!

I have taken a number of different supplements over the years. Solgar, Nature Made and NOW are all good standard brands. There are others, I don't think the brand matters much. My long time Internist agreed with the poster above who said the fancy brands are just expensive, not better. If I can get it at Costco I do ; )

It isn't even clear to me that the water misible fat solubles are much better than the standard versions. They may be, but there isn't much data out there and mostly it involves patients taking pancreatic enzymes along with the supplements, to facilitate processing the ADEKs.

The rest is heresay, marketing claims and individual experiences which don't amount to a hill of beans scientifically.

As you observed, the blood panels are the final baseline. If they are good, you are good, if not, time to adjust. And if you don't feel well? Get checked. Your body will tell you when something is wrong.

The zinc deficency was caught because my hair was coming out by the gobbets and I just didn't believe it was hormones and peri-menopause...

Good luck, you are going to do great!