No energy and needing new goal totals.

[Mandy]

PLEASE DO NOT LISTEN TO YOUR DR ON YOUR VITAMIN NEEDS. IT IS UP TO YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR LABS AND ADJUST YOUR SUPPLEMENTS & DOSAGE APPROPRIATELY.

The Bariatric Advantage Multi doesn't give you enough of anything so you need take all of those elements (A, D, E & K) separately and in the dry form:

• Your K is low so you need to buy Biotech Dry K1 and take 1-2 a day
• Your D is 22 and it should be up around 100 so you are woefully low and that is probably making you feel like garbage. Buy Biotech D3 Dry 50,000 IU and I would 2 a day or 100,000 IU (I take 200,000 IU daily but I would thing 100,000 is a good start for you).
• Being low on D is also why your PTH is getting high (this will cause calcium issues if it gets too high). Get the D up and your PTH will go down.
• Your Iron is also low which is also going to make you feel weak. You aren't anemic yet but you are going to be if you don't get the iron up. You need to get a full iron panel run as well, not just iron. I don't take Iron because my iron levels are fine so somebody who uses iron can help you with what to take.
• Your Albumin and Total Protein are in range but towards the bottom so it wouldn't hurt if you could get those up a little. It isn't bad where your are but you don't want to drop out of range so if you can get the numbers up a tad it will give you a cushion.

What are the amounts you would suggested for A? I know she specifically was fine but I'm looking to change things up since I'm on bariatric vitamin multi adek.

 

[Will2014]

What are the amounts you would suggested for A? I know she specifically was fine but I'm looking to change things up since I'm on bariatric vitamin multi adek.

Everyone is different in their absorption, so you need to let your labs be your guide over a timeline. But a good general rule is a 25,000 dry capsule daily. My A runs to the low sure, so I take a 2nd dose every few days. Also remember there are 2 kinds of K, K1 and K2. K2 is critical for regulating calcium for bone/teeth health and to avoid excessive calcium buil up in your vasculature. K1 is for regulating clotting. Best of luck Mandy!

 

[Larra]

@Mandy those aDEK's are prett useless. They sound perfect because they contain all the fat soluble vitamins that we need, but they contain so little of each that there is no way they can compensate for our malabsorption of these vitamins. You really need to get the separate dry D, A, and K, and then follow your labs. Vitamin E deficiency is uncommon (I used to say never happens but apparently it can happen occasionally) but the other three are vital.

And of course also a good multi (doesn't have to be a "bariatric" multi, just get the Costco stuff), and your calcium citrate, and zinc. And some people need copper, some don't, again follow your labs. I use the bariatric advantage calcium because I have so much trouble with large pills, but if you're not like me, you can buy that at Costco as well and save some money. Just be sure to take 2 at a time, because the correct dose is 500 mg and the pills only contain 250 mg each.

 

[Susan in Tennessee]

@Mandy those aDEK's are prett useless. They sound perfect because they contain all the fat soluble vitamins that we need, but they contain so little of each that there is no way they can compensate for our malabsorption of these vitamins. You really need to get the separate dry D, A, and K, and then follow your labs. Vitamin E deficiency is uncommon (I used to say never happens but apparently it can happen occasionally) but the other three are vital.

And of course also a good multi (doesn't have to be a "bariatric" multi, just get the Costco stuff), and your calcium citrate, and zinc. And some people need copper, some don't, again follow your labs. I use the bariatric advantage calcium because I have so much trouble with large pills, but if you're not like me, you can buy that at Costco as well and save some money. Just be sure to take 2 at a time, because the correct dose is 500 mg and the pills only contain 250 mg each.

Larra, are the 250 mg calcium pills you speak of chewables in the flavors?

 

[Larra]

@Susan in Tennessee there are many calcium citrate products out there. I use a combination of the Bariatric Advantage lozenges, which are 500 mg each and come in several flavors (I like the chocolate and cherry flavors) that you can either chew or suck on until they dissolve, along with the chewies which are not pills). The chewies have different flavors, some are 250 mg and some are 500 mg, and they do contain small amounts of sugar alcohols, so if you are sensitive to sugar alcohols you would want to avoid these. I like the lemon and raspberry flavors best, and as I recall they are each 250 mg. There are also chocolate, caramel, strawberry and I think chocolate/peanut butter available. The strawberry and caramel are ok, I found the chocolate/peanut butter disappointing, but of course this is all a matter of personal taste.
I use these products because I choke on the large calcium citrate pills. It is more expensive to use them, and of course I have to order them over the Internet because they aren't available in stores, but for me it's a necessity. I used to get everything from Vitalady, but her selection just isn't what it used to be, so now I order directly from the manufacturer.