Low Vitamin D....

so I got a call rom my Ob and my vitamin D is "very" low. They didn't give me an exact number but said I needed to start a supplement. They said this explains by fatigue, what do you guys think? Also what if any vitamin D supplemets are you all taking? Just wondering TIA.

I take Citracal Calcium Citrate Petites. They are still big but not nearly as big as the regular Calcium pills...

I have battled low D for awhile. My doc put me on prescription 50,000 IUI's of D2 once a week and it didn't help much. Turns out that it is oil based and some of us after wls don't absorb it well. So, at the recommendation of a friend here I am taking 50,000 IUI's of dry D3 from Vitalady.com as D3 doesn't come in prescription strength in the US. I just started it so not sure how it is going yet. The most important thing is you caught it and can start working on it. Hopefully Andrea will chime in, but I know it should be taken with Calcium as well. Good luck. Shari

My D is currently 18.5 which is less than half of the lowest value it should be. I started on vitalady.com's tender D3-50 which is 12,500 the RDA of D. I don't know how much you can take while pregnant though but I am nursing and was told it was ok by my doctor.

I HIGHLY recommend drinking 2 packets of Swiss Miss Diet Hot Cocoa a day. I did for years and never had a problem with my D before until I stopped drinking them regularly. Each packet has 25 calories but 30% of your calcium and 25% of your D. I started them back up when I found out how low my D was. I won't get tested again for another few months so I don't know how much it will all work.

ADEK vites are the ones that will have most docs running around in circles... add pregnancy to the mix, and many will flat give up.

With this said, you MUST get this number up, and it is absolutely critical while you are pregnant given that the body is supplying the calcium to baby and is stripping you of your bones to do it.

I'm not going to tell you to go balls-to-the-wall on Vite D like I would a non-incubating chickadee, but know that any script you get from your doc will be in a form that we can't utilize well.  I'd look at the script, then take the same dosage, but from vitalady.com.  If your doc gives you a script for 50,000 iu 1x per day, then take her D3-50 1x per day.  It's equatable, but in a form that we will absorb and utilize more readily.

Hi Andrea -

Vit question here.  I had quite a number of Venofer iron infusions in the last 2yrs?    I've always been iron deficient pre-op, but during my real weight loss phase, it really dropped.  Anyways the band is funny - I'm more restricted in the morning and evening so I have to eat and take the bulk of my supplements between 10 & 4pm - with fluctuations in the capacity to eat during this time.  I can't start taking supplements until around 9:30AM by then I'm ready to eat (2slices of Kraft or Kraft like American cheese, 1 teaspoon or 2 of peanut butter, 8oz of apple juice  - every single day and I love it!)

Okay so because I can't take my iron on an empty stomach I usually don't take it at all (I do take a pre-natal multi and had my last infusion in May?).  My theory is if I can't take it with the C and actually absorb it, then I might as well skip it.  I know it sounds stupid - is it?  Should I take my carbonyl Iron w. my Vit C even if it is inbetween supplements and food? Will I still get some benefit?

Best,
Leila

Take your iron with food if it helps to get it down.  Try to avoid pairing it with over 300mg of calcium (30%DV) or with whole grains if at all possible.  There's also a heme iron out there -- proferrin -- and you can take it with up to 600mg (60% DV) of calcium and no need for C.

See that is the problem - I have a vit D deficiency and have been taking  calcium w. D-3? and then a seperate D-2? - D's might be reversed.  The peanut butter and chesse IS the solution that I finally found to be able to hold the supplements down (I chew them). This carbonyl sits much better in my stomach then any other iron I've tried.  I will read up on the heme.

Hmmm I'm going to figure this out during my vacation next month as I'l have lots of time to be at home and try.  I've been crazy looking through my many health books.  I want to be a real health nut.

Thanks Andrea!  Have a wonderful weekend.!!!

I have struggled with my vitamin D level for the the last couple of years too.  My doctor prescribed the the 50,000 iu pills and that did seem to help me. I took the pills and made more of an effort to get more sun.   It just fluctuates for me.  Sometimes is really low and other times it is normal.  I have my first OB workup on 8/19, so it will be interesting to hear what she advises.

 

 
Prior to pregnancy I took 50,000 iu of DRY vitaman D --  as others mentioned dry is the form we need, not oil based. 

My D levels dipped during pregnancy and they upped me to 100,00 IU a day (dry). 

My baby was born perfect!! 

Take care of yourself and keep your levels up!

Cindy