Vitamin D

[Eve.]

I'm on Dekristol 20,000, 2 a day over 10 days, for a vitamin D deficiency (level was 22). They are like little goldish see through ball like capsules.

Does anyone know how quick this absorbs (or does whatever it does) to be effective?

I have bile acid malabsorption which has been a lot worse since I had my gallbladder removed just over 2 months ago and am finding a lot of food hard to tolerate and having increase diarroeah, large amounts of water and quite urgent to the point of having had a few accidents. The meds I had before my op helped it a lot but have not helped much since.

I've been trying to space my meds out, taking the vit D and hydroxychloroquine first thing with a biscuit (hospital pharmacist said I shouldn't have the latter on an empty stomach) then having my bile acid meds with lunch and tea (2 x colesevelam each time) then then another hydroxychloroquine and vit D and pain meds before bed (other painkillers, menieres stuff etc... inbetween as needed) to try and stop the colesevelam preventing them from not being absorbed.

I've read that the bile acid malabsorption can hinder fat soluble vitamin absorption anyway and believe vitamin D is one, maybe where I got the deficiency from? I'm wondering if it might be having the same problem with the meds, especially with the malabsorption getting worse, and how best to try and get it absorbed and keep my levels up.

Any ideas welcome.

[tonyav]

Hope sqads around for you Jenna, he's your man imo.

[Sqad]

Lazygun is your man for this. 22 is very low and even with the dose of Dekristol that you are taking, it will may take many weeks before normal Vit D levels are obtained.

this is the best that I can do.

[Eve.]

Thanks both.

Might need to speak to my GP when this lot is done, see if I need a maintenance dose. Doesn't look like the calcium forte ones I was one before helped much.

Might need to fight my sun avoidance more, I hide from it usually, don't like it, the heat or the light, and usually wear a hat to keep it off my face and out of my eyes as it makes the rash on over my cheeks and the pityriasis versiculor thing on my forehead worse and also had rashes and got hyperpigmentation on my feet I think from the sun, I'm very fair skinned and burn easy too, can't win haha! I feel a food post coming on, maybe help target it that way.

Thank you both for answering.

[pastafreak]

There is a lot of information regarding vitamin D here -

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

[Eve.]

Thanks Pasta, that's really useful.

[daffy654]

I take a liquid Vitamin D, it is suspended in olive oil and I only need two drops per day, it can be added to food or drinks or just dropped onto the tongue. The brand is Nature's Answer. It is allegedly better absorbed in this form.

[pastafreak]

I take Vitamin D drops also...Healthy Origins

http://www.amazon.co....ops-000/dp/B006QSAK1O

I'm getting most supplements now as liquids or sub-lingual now,as the absorption is better...in fact-probably a lot better for malabsorption issues.

[Eve.]

Ooh better absorbing sounds great, thanks for that :) Will speak to my GP when I've finished the current course (doubt I could OD with low levels but just to be safe) and see if I need a maintenance dose and can supplement it with stuff like that.