Wisdom needed

Paul in Dallas is fantastic with this stuff. He's a brainiac.

Paul, post your answer here. I want the info also.

We want vit D (the D 25 hydroxy test) to be about 80-120, give or take. Your range is 32-100, as is the lab I use, but one across town is a broader range of 32-150. I get studies on vit D daily, so I could bury you alive, but..... I won't.

We have to take DRY vit D3. The rx version is D2, in oil. Double waste. That's why ppl report good results with the D3-50.

I can tell you that here, our lap bands, sleeves and RNy proximals all start on 25,000 dry D3 daily. Distals and BPD, BPD/DS start on 50,000/day. Labs every 3-4 months, for a few years til things start to form patterns.

I'm almost 15 now, and my insurance is kinda picky, so I do 6 months, but I adjust my ranges between "really good" and "fabulous". I have no room for just "fine". I was already "fine" and it got me osteoporosis.

Ferritin is your savings account. IRON is your checking account that has to be actively filled regularly. Of course, the ferritin needs to be more than 10. If you have any sort of crisis, like slicing an artery with a yam can lid (how do I know this?) or an accident, you'll burn thru your checking account and into savings mighty darned fast.

Hgb and Hct have more to do with the actual cells. You have iron and ferritin all day long, but if you lack cells, (I think of them as "cars" to haul the iron to the places it's needed), nothing can happen. B12 and folic have a lot to do with cell formation. So, really, we want all of them to be WELL within normal limits (WNL). Not just sorta almost ok. The ferrous forms are not well absorbed and the dosage is confusing.

B12 is low at 800, many reported studies on brain damage at 400. Yet lab ranges remain at 200-900-ish.

D3 comes in 400, 800, 1000, 2000, 5,000, 10,000 & 50,000 IU. B12 starts around 500mcg, and continues on up at 1000, 2500, 5000 & 10,000. And there are choices between cyanacobalamin (the cheapo but ok version) and methylcobalamin (the better form). So, when you say you're taking B12, which number, which form?

Let me know when you want to talk about:
A
E
K
B1, B6
calcium
zinc
copper

or more detail on iron. Some built iron, some built ferritin, then it oozes over into the other iron areas.

Heck!! You guys are scaring me,all I get from my doctor is your labs are fine,and do not lose more weight.
I am wishing for a daily vitamin regime,that I can package up for the day and not worry,simple and not to have to be worried about.
Am I wishing for too much??

Hey Sweet Linda,

I used to have a heck of a time with remembering my vitamins. Kept them in the kitchen cabinet where I might or might not see them every day. Then !!!  What do I do every day, twice a day, without fail?  BRUSH MY TEETH! So, now my pill box (do it once a week, one of those day's of the week box) is right next to my toothbrush and toothpaste. I NEVER leave the bedroom without brushing my teeth, so as soon as I finish brushing, down they go. Then, at night, same thing. 

I take the same vitamins twice a day; multi, b-12 and b complex.

As far as my calcium goes, I remember to take that this way:  after lunch and dinner, when I start drinking (30 minutes) again is when I take my calcium. That way the iron in the multi's doesn't interfere with the calcium. I take Vitalady's D-3-50 once a week to maintain my  D level.

Hope my little routine helps

Hey Miss. Susan!! I love your plan,I take everything except the Vita-lady's,I must find those,are they at the store or on-line only??
I do admit I miss my Calcuim more than I like,but with your regime,it sounds like there should be no problem.
By the way Susan,how is hubby doing??
    

Sweet Linda, you're so thoughtful to ask about Gary!  He regained some of his weight, and with his OCD NEEDED to go back to OA, but I couldn't force the issue. Just two weeks ago he went back, thankfully, and is back on track once again.

The D3's are made by Biotech. You might be able to find them somewhere other than Vitalady's site, but if you're doing what I do, make sure you get the 50,000 IU's. That's Rx strength.

You know, Bariatric Advantage is selling a "remake" of our wonderful Citracal Creamy Bites now. They're called Chew Bites now and only come in chocolate. They're like a little chocolate fix that I don't mind at all doing 3-4 times a day. Unlike the originals, they don't have 35 cals each and are lower in sugar(possibly asperatme, I haven't gotten my shipment in yet to look). Right now they are buy 3 get one free for $30 or so. A bit pricey, but if it's the only way I get all my calcium in, who cares?  Well, can't forget the 16-24  oz  of milk I drink each day!

You have to work up your system. Mine doesn't work for everyone, works very well for me.

I do 6+ protein drinks/day. Keeps me thin, makes all my labs all pretty.

I still do 4-5-6 small meals. 2 are more meal like, the rest more snack like.

I take pills with food, food with pills. So, if I want to eat, eat, eat, I can't have more food after I run out of pills. If I am in "lack of interest" mode and don't want to eat, I MUST eat, at least a few bites to go with the pills. Works both ways.

I do 7 gobs of pills per day, but one "gob" is thyroid (middle of the night) and one "gob" is strontium before bed(can't go with anything else). So 5 big gobs. 1 iron gob, 4 calcium & other gobs. 5 meals. See? Always have done it this way, since 1994. The number of gobs has changed with new info. We only took 1 iron gob, 2 calcium gobs in those days.

We "load" 90 days in ziplok baggies. That's 90 days EACH. We nearly fill up our plastic recycle that weekend! LOL We do that twice, then get fresh labs, and then load the next two 90 days to those.

Yes, it does take all day to basically load 180 days pills, and that includes our basics PLUS everything I read about. My poor husband takes EVERYTHING that I read that creates prostate health. LOL

Thanks for your info, as always, it's great.
On a personal note about the B-12, my MIL was diagnosed with early Alzheimer's and it turned out to be a SEVERE B-12 deficiency. I've been saying for years the family needed to have it checked, but hell, what do I know??? Well, more than her PCP, aparently! Her level was down to under 200, and they put her on monthly(yes, monthly) injections. The damage is irreversable and it's pathetic. She sees and feels spiders everywhere, can't remember to take a shower, wanders, all of the terrible symptoms of Alzheimer's, without the benefit of any medication helping.

At least it's scared the whole family into taking  thier vitamins. No help for her. So sad.


And a big thanks to you for carrying the Vit D-3-50....it's changed my levels in an amazing way!

Having lost a dad to Alzheimer's does not make me an expert, except maybe in the hurting heart end. Our doc gave him monthly B12. *I* gave him weekly. My doc would agree today, since he's read the studies that I'd read then.

I'd also be giving him vit D. Enough studies showing 5000 of D3 is safe for normies. But I would be holding my ground on his being tested for it. And today, you can buy the test even if no one will order it.

They recommended A and B12 for my dad, along with the rx, which might have helped, might have made him worse. I'll never know.

But you're on the right track with B12. There are so many links with vit D (it's today's wonder-vite), but it may be PREVENTION, not treatment. However, most ppl benefit by having beating hearts and less achy joints and bones.

Ok folks, not trying to be a smart ass here, but what are the Vitalady's credentials. Sure sounds like she knows what she's talking about and I hope that perception is correct as we can use some good solid information here, but I know all kinds of people that SOUND like they know what they're talking about and don't. This is important stuff.