Another question on Vit D (deficiency of)

Hi To Anyone with experience with Vit. D. Deficiency:  I am just about 3 years post RNY and am really having a difficult time with my Vit. D. levels being kept up to a normal level.  I have been low now twice.
My doctor prescribed the 50,000 i.u.; of VIt. D in a gel pill form and I tried to explain that we (RNYers) do not or cannot absorb it that way-well I was told to take it anyway-- so I am and I also am taking Vit D3 along with calcium citrate in a liquid form as in a brand called Wellesse? I think. I  then take my daily multi-vitamin (whi*****ludes 1000 mcg's of Vit D3 in it with calcium also.
 My other question is this:  I see several brands of Vitamin D at the various stores.  They all say D3 and are in pill form.  Are any/all of these the same as say Dry Vit D?   I was told to get dry Vit. D.  I was wondering if these brands are the same thing as no one lists the word "dry" in their ingredients. I am sorely lacking in VItamin education here and am learning hopefully before I get some sort of major problems develop.  My doctor is a good guy and he will eventually listen to me when I tell him I can't absorb the other kind and I will be re-tested again in 3 mos. time (My PTH levels will be re-tested also)
  Thank you all for any of your help with educating me (and even my doctor).  Mary

Virtually all vitamin D3 will be in  gel-cap oil form & you are right about your prescription being in an oil form.

Honestly, most all of the DSers order our "dry", fat-soluble vitamins from vitalady b/c we know the quality is good and her prices are just as competitive as anyone elses.  I highly suggest you go with this route.  It's vitalady.com 

Do you take more than one calcium citrate dose/ day?  I think you should likely be taking at least two/day.  What really guides you is knowing your calcium level and your PTH level.  D is absolutely needed to help your body absorb calcium.  Less known is the fact that vitamin A & K also help you build bones.  Deficiency in these are not good.  FYI.

What are your lab vaues for calcium, PTH, D, and if you have them, A & K?

I would recommend at minimum, generally speaking from what you wrote without knowing your lab values, that you should probably take two separate calcium doses and at each dose, take one 50,000 IU of Vitamin D3 in a dry form.  You may be able to decrease the D3 to one/day - that should depend on your D level at your next lab testing (& where it is now should guide whether you do one or two pills)

Lisey: Can you believe that even after almost 3 years post op I am still learning?  I did know that I should be taking Vit D3 just didn't know what dry meant in terms of over the counter Vit D3 and if VIt Lady's/or any others are different thatn the OTC ones who advertise they are VIt D3 also.  I just had my lab work done so I don't have all of it back as yet to be able to tell what else is low or high.  I am going to an appt. at my bariatric center and I will have copies given to me then.  Thank you so much for all of your information.
 I will be checking into Vit a Lady's site for sure!!  Mary

If it says on the back that it is vitamin D3 as cholecalciferol and it is not a gel cap (liquid center), then it is what we call "dry."

You are deficient and malaborbing, so you need megadoses, and those are almost never found in stores. You can get a good form of this in 50,000 IU capsules from www.vitalady.com. Chances are she has other things you need but are not taking as well. How much magnesium are you taking with your calcium CITRATE? Yeah, I thought you needed more. She has a good price on that, too.

She has lots of cool stuff. You can get a better shipping price if you call in your order :-). (Not to mention faster service cuz you bypass the computer stuff.)

Thanks for explaining about the D3.  I have seen it as cholecalciferol say 1,000mcg's and wondered if that was ok to take.  Obviously, I am not absorbing the gel caps the dr. keeps giving me! Duh!!!So I will contact vitalady and get hopefully up to snuff on all my stiff and yes, probably that old magnesium as well. (No wonder my bones ache all the time!) Thanks for your help and teachings, too.  Mary

  I get my Vitamin D from my surgeon's office.  You're wasting your time taking the gel caps.

I'm not sure about the pills in your store.  I'd check with the pharmacist.

Until you find out for sure, you can order Dry Vitamin D from Vitalady.

http://www.vitalady.com/vitamins.htm

Thanks for your help.  I, too have to get an appt. with my surgeon's office for a check up and I will check with them as maybe they have them available there or have a source (Local) also.  In the meantime, I know that Vitalady is knowledgeable and reputable and I will be contacting her for what I should be on as soon as I know just exactly what/how low my levels are.  I should get the report at the end of this week.
Thanks so much for your help.  I appreciate it and the information on this site, too most of which is very helpful.  Mary

My surgeon recommends the Tender brand of Vitamin D for post ops. 

I agree with Lisey. You can get dry D at a regular store. any solid white tablet is "dry" form. the problem is you can't get 50,000IU tablets from the regular store like you can get from vitalady. She stocks dosages that she knows people who have had WLS surgery need.

Go to the siite WWW.vitalady.com and you will be totally confusedn about what to buy. You can send her a mail by using the contact us button and I think her email is [email protected],tell her your situation,and she willhelp you set up a program.

And that liquid in gel caps from the doc? Don't waste your money.

good luck,
Holly

Hi Holly: I have always wondered about the Vit. D3 that they sell in the stores, from brand names on down to generic.  I'll be honest and say I have used them but obviously THEY don't work too well either, I guess!! I don't know what my D levels are as yet -they had just called me to tell me I was low and to take that 50,000i.u.'s prescribed by my dr. I know that it is D2 in oil form and that I don't really abosorb any/all of it but at that point I didn't argue.
  I will be going back in 3 mos. and I intend to try and inform the doctor about what WLS patients most especially those RNY's can absorb and not absorb.  I think our own personal phsycicians need to be as informed as they can as well in order to better treat us with any problems!
  Thanks so much for your response.  I will be contacting Vitalady - I guess I should have known about her in the first place and perhaps my levels would be good!! Take care & thanks again Mary