Low Vit D causing leg cramps, easy bruising

Hello All,

My 2002 RNY was revised Dec, 2009 due to gastro-gastric fistulas caused by strong doses of NSAIDs.  Thankfully, the pouch had stretched enough to allow removal of the ulcerated stomach and rebuild of a small stomach pouch.  I'm now experiencing awful cramps in my calfs and toes and some musculoskeletal pain, likely due to very low levels of Vit D that showed up during recent bloodwork.   

Can anyone recommend Vit D supplements that are in liquid form and affordable?  Drisdol, prescribed by my prim physician, is not covered by my insurance and quite expensive.  

Thanks for your help!

 Hi there

I also suffer from leg cramps due probably in part,to significant vitamin d deficiency. I have been told to take D3 as our body digest and tolerates it better. There are a few site that sell this, including some sublingual forms and also the liquid,although I don't remember if the liquid form is D3 or D2. 
One site to check out is vitalady- She is a bariatric patient and can offer you suggestions as to the best choice-. I currently take 10,000 mg daily due to my d levels continuing to drop. The leg cramps can get extremely painful.
Hope this helps.
Wigglypoo

You don't want the rx form. It's D2, in oil.

Vit D is affordable, either way. The OTC D3 50,000 is .24 per pill. Cheap.

Pretty much everyone is def in D until they fix it.

HOWEVER, your leg/foot cramping is more likely due to low magnesium on board. It usually doesn't show up in blood work til your heart is about ready to stop. You can add magnesium citrate PILLS (not the bowel prep) safely and let your body tell you when you hit "enough".

I'm guessing you'll also need to up your calcium citrate, since the D/Mag/Cal family all runs together.

Thank you all... I gave up on the prim phys & contacted my surgeon's nutrionist (probably should've started there) who advised me to take the OTC, Vit D suspension from Bariatric Advantage. 

That problem is solved, but I'm still having a heck of a time finding a prim dr who is "wls aware".  My search is prompted by my revision experience -- Had my prim been "aware" I would not have taken those awful NSAIDs as the only alternative. 

The facility where I had both the orig & rev surgery is wonderful, but unfortunately almost 1 hr drive away.  Since RNY, I've used phys in the area who were known to my friends/family to handle med issues that came up.  But the revision experience has convinced me that post-wls people need a prim dr who understands the implications of wls, long term.   

I consider myself a wls success story, having lost over 150 lbs and a host of co-morbidities (diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure).  I have NEVER regretted or doubted my decision, not for one second.  The revision has not changed this, but I am becoming concerned that post-wls support, long-term is just not there; monthly support groups are great but tend to focus on short-term issues.  

Is anyone experiencing the same frustration?  How do long-timers deal with this?  Can someone recommend a prim care dr who fits the bill in the Miami area? 

It's hard finding a PCP *****ally* knows about any form of WLS. It's our responsibility to educate ourselves, AND our PCPs. Over the course of our lifetime, we're going to run into many medical professionals, and it's NEVER safe to assume they know more about our altered anatomy than we do/should.

What you need to find isn't a PCP who knows about WLS, but one that's willing to treat you, the patient, as an intelligent being and will LISTEN to what you tell him or her about your needs.

Not dogging YOU about not knowing about the NSAIDs, because your WL surgeon whould have told you. But this is just one example of why it's SO important that each of us stay up to date on new research, etc. about how WLS will continue to impact our lives FOREVER.

I agree w/you MsBatt, my health IS my responsibility -- I KNEW I should not take the NSAIDs, and told the orthopedic specialist that had been treating me for months.  But my neck pain was severe and incapacitating (I feared driving because i could not turn my neck all the way to each side), and he presented it as the only choice before surgery and prescribed a round of cortisone AND high doses of Advil.  At that time I felt "normal" in terms of my RNY, had never had ANY issues or problems, bloodwork results was perfect -- I did not THINK of myself as a wls patient, and I was desperate for releif.  Had I known I was risking a revision to remove 4 fistulas, I probably would have opted for neck surgery.  I did not have a PCP at the time to consult with, and I feel that his/her oversight and reassurance may have helped me make a better decision.  I haven't had much luck finding a PCP who is willing to listen either, as you say. 

A great many people have had wls and it continues to be on the rise as an effective treatment for obesity... I would like to see the med industry recognize this and establish some type of certification that ensures practitioners have adequate knowledge to treat post-op wls patients and their nutritional needs throughout their lives.  It just makes so much sense and seems to be a missing piece of the long-term success puzzle.

Yeah---and the so-called "Centers of Excellence" aren't even required to give their patients the post-op supplementation guidelines the ASMBS advises. Flintstones and Tums indeed!