Gina - Vitamin Talk

I got the rest of my "modified" labs back today in preparation for my Dr's appt next week.  I had her run some that were forgotten with the surgeon's labs.

My D was 77.  Ok - that's mid-range, BUT last time (Oct) it was 156... It dropped THAT much?  What else should I be looking at that could affect my D?

I take my D religiously.  Now, after I had the high D last time and the NUT called and yelled at me, I cut back to 1 50K pill a week (which really is MORE than I was taking before but...)  Then I started getting sick, so I changed it back to a 5K a day, then back to a 5K every other day just in the past 2 weeks.   

I'm going to start back on 5K a day, but was wondering why the drastic drop even though I've continued to supplement.  I figured it would go down some, but geez, not over half!

I'm not Gina, but I'm here, so......

Let's see. You got your D into the highest range used today, 150's. Someone told you it was toxic. So, you cut out 6/7 of it. I couldn't catch if you were taking it daily or just 5k per day (35k per week).

Your score was cut in half. I daresay, it's on the way down to where it was when you started.

So, you are now taking 5k per day. In my eye, that's about 1/4 of what you need to maintain a level of around 80. So, I think you'll continue to drop from your 77, not stay there.

You feel "sick" when taking adequate amounts? Sick how? 5000 is a minimal dose for anyone, so I tend to think the "sick" is from something else all together, coinciding with changing your D.

If you were getting some sort of D overload, your level would be around 700, and it'd be loss of appetite you'd get first.

None of that quite fits the scenario.

Water soluble D3 cannot go toxic in the "liver harming" way that D2 could in anyone who could absorb it.

If you are having "sick", it's something else.

I didn't explain well....

Now... there could have been an error in my labs when it came back in the 150's last time, because the time before it was 68.  Then 157, then 77.  So, I wonder it if was supposed to be 57?  I did have it at 129 in May of '09 and didn't change anything with my supplementation...

Anyway, yes, I was taking 5K a day (and the NUT called and YELLED at me for supplementing on my OWN without ANYONE telling me to, let's just say, quite a discussion happened after that.  Basically told her that if I had to wait for someone to call me I'd be dead by now and blew her off - she knew it too)...

So anyway, when I saw the 157 I'm like "yea!"... I wanted to maintain it there, not increase it anymore, so I thought I could do that by reducing some of my amounts.  Guess not... OR last time WAS a lab error..

When I say "sick" I mean I got bad colds this year - I hadn't been sick since my RNY - so for 2 years of supplementing D daily, then cutting back, I got sick.  I've read quite a few reports and studies about how D can keep you well... and quite frankly I do believe them.  When I started messing with my doses, I went and got REAL sick a few times. 

So - I'll be upping my D.  I like to take it every day - its just easier for me to remember (even though I use daily pill boxes).  Looks like I've got some work to do, and if I see a 1** in the future I will have it retested. 

Thanks for your reply and sorry for the confusion. 

And so, thru furrowed brow, stroking chin, "And do you have any OTHER deviants behaviors? Brushing your teeth without explicit permission from licensed medical professionals? Washing your hair when YOU think it needs vs the sound advice of licensed professionals?"

Well, YAY, you for taking your health in your own hands. I really believe people are more vested in their own futures with labs in hand. Back in the days when I had my babies, the mothers were not encouraged to participate in any way. They'd have preferred it if the could cut off the screaming end from the baby end and just do their professional medical thing, never mind sentiments (the biggest thing *I* ever did!) or pain (see former statement!)

I'm not saying we toss all medicals out with the trash, but for heaven's sake, "fat" doesn't mean stupid or lacking in character. We KNOW when we don't feel right, even if we cannot always accurately diagnose the reason. We KNOW when we feel dehydrated a bit when we had more iced tea than water yesterday.

So, again, BRAVO you!

Jody,

In my opinion, your NUT is a nut!!!!!!!

Listen to Vitalady. You may be taking your Vitamin D religiously. However, you are not taking enough Vitamin D daily.

My 2 cents worth. I am not a NUT but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Jody, I wish mine WERE 77...last time I was at 35 and told it wwas FINE by my nut. I told her no it wasn't, and proceeded to double my daily dose to start with. Was taking one of the 50K per day, now taking 100K per day. If this gets me where I need to be, I'll maintain it.

Liz

I'd like to get around 100 and stay there.   I'll be taking more than 5K a day now and need to place an order!

I fired my surgeon and his office because of this, and will be going to a new Dr next week that I was referred to.  Hopefully he'll be a little more knowledgeable or at least be willing to learn.

I don't have a malabsorption surgery, but I have been taking 10,000 units of D3 /day since I was pre-op and my level at my 6 month labs, was 89. I think this is a relatively good level (please correct me, if I am wrong) and have continued to take the same dose. The bariatric internist didn't bat an eye, when I showed her the vitamins that I was taking. I think to maintain a high level, the dose needs to be consistent and to vary it, will cause the level to change. Even though , you have continued to supplement, you changed your daily dose by one-half, when you started taking 5,000 every other day, instead of taking 5,000 everyday. This would cause the level to drop.

If I am wrong, please let me know.

Wise, wise.

Even our VSG, AGB, and the old, old staplings take 20-25k. But that starter is based on being deficient to start.

I'm so glad you are taking this stance.

Our vitamins are more than "just a mark on the report card". It is your HEALTH on the line!

Thanks, Vitalady!! That means alot coming from you. My bariatric program (Kaiser Fremont) recommends a minimum of 4,000 units of vitamin D/day. When I was pre-op, I raised my vitamin D accordingly, and when I started reading OH and your recommendations, I increased the vitamin D to 10,000 units/day. So far, so good. See what it is, in August, when I have my one year labs done.