1st Annual post-surgery physical

Thanks everyone for your help.  This may sound stupid, but by Dry Vitamin D, you simply mean not liquid, right?

And what is D3? 

Vitamin D, which is actually a misnomer but that's neither here nor there, is actually a name that refers to a collection of compounds that typically fat to absorb properly.  Dry forms of the compound mean that they do not require fat to absorb properly -- which is the kind we need to absorb properly since we malabsorb the fat needed for standard D.

In looking at the numbers, there are several versions of D -- typically D2 and D3 in supplementation.  D2 in an oil-based capsule (remember how I said we typically needed a fat to make D absorb properly?) at the dose of 50,000 iu is the typical script for extremely low D levels.  However, this does not work particularly well for regular people as it takes the body 3x as much D2 to create the active form of D -- D3 -- so it's fairly inefficient in the long-run.  Additionally, as we malabsorb the oil needed to truly absorb the D2, we don't get much absorption there, either.

Dry D3 is a water-miscible, or water-soluble formulation of the active form of D that we can absorb more readily.  The body doesn't have to convert it to an active form because it's already there, and since it doesn't require the fat, we'er golden there as well.


Make sense?

Yes!  Thank you so much for explaining this.  Why don't our doctors know more about our nutritional needs?  It's so frustrating.

Anyway, I will ask to see my numbers when I go for my B-12 shot on Monday.  Perhaps she was planning to discuss them w/ me in person then but I'll be sure she does.

I'm thankful I finally made that appointment and I can get this all under control before it gets worse. 

You're seeing your primary for this?  They don't have a background in this -- that's why it's up to US to be responsible for our own health.  Again, I reiterate that 1000 iu won't do anything for you.  If you are under 30 for your D, you'll probably need more like 50,000 iu at a minimum of 1x a week -- if not more like 50,000 iu a day for a month and then redraw to see where you are.

Do your doc a favor --  print this out and give it to them.  Do yourself a favor and print yourself a copy and read it as well.

Yep, I'm under my PCP's care now.  My surgeon doesn't have after-care (found this out AFTER surgery).  He has a dietician who is sorely out of date (she still prescripes Viactiv chews and Flintstones for example).  So, it's me and PCP.  I'll print out the ASBS info.  Thanks!

Oh, and I'm 42 so I'm sure I need more D3 than a 30 y/o 'normal' person.