Hello Everyone,

I am a bit new to this site and I am glad I found it. It has answered so many questions I have had and also has given me some relief from nervousness for my upcoming surgery. Well to begin, I am a 38 year old female and am scheduled for surgery this coming Tuesday Feb 22, 2011 for the Vertical Sleeve. I have been overweight since the day I came into this world. I have struggled throughout my life of gaining and loosing weight, tried many many medications and programs and in the end it all came back plus some. I was diagnosed in 2004 with Type 2 Diabetes. I had my Pre-op History and Physical yesterday and everything went well other than I am waiting for some of the blood work to still come back (they told me it could take up to 2 days.) She told me my Vitamin D level was very low so I need start taking those (very expensive to boot). Anyways nice to meet all of you, and I am very excited plus a bit nervous but ready to change my life for the better

Congrats on your decision. If you have a great doctor, follow his advice, and stick around here you will do absolutely great.

costco and Sam's usually have Vitamin D gel capsules very inexpensive.

Did she give you a script for the VitD? They usually prescribe 4 tabs to be taken once a week. You can boost you vit d in other ways too:

Over the past few years, research has shown that getting enough Vitamin D can reduce the risk of several medical conditions, including osteoporosis, gum disease, diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and YES, even certain cancers.

Now, Vitamin D appears to be associated with a lower risk of death, according to a meta-analysis of 18 previously published studies in the September 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Here are three things you can do to ensure you’re getting enough.

1. Incorporate vitamin D-rich food

• Wild salmon 3 oz = 420 IU
• Atlantic mackerel 3 oz = 320 IU
• Sardines 1 can = 250 IU
• Shrimp 3 oz = 150 IU
• Skim and 1% low-fat milk 1 cup = 100 IU
• Shittake mushrooms 4 items = 260 IU
• Fortified yogurts like Dannon Light & Fit 1 cup = 80 IU
• Fortified cereals:Multigrain Cheerios 1 cup = 40 IU; Post Bran Flakes 1 cup = 40 IU; Kashi Vive 1¼ cup = 80 IU

2. Supplement daily with vitamin D

Because food sources are limited, it’s a good idea to consider supplements. As always, check with your personal physician before taking anything new.

Take a Multivitamin which provides at least the Daily Value, 400 IU.

For women taking extra Calcium, buy a brand that also provides vitamin D — optimally, D3 (cholcalciferol), the most potent form.

Two good brands are:

*Citracal Plus D and Minerals

*Caltrate 600-D Plus Minerals.

For men who would like to take additional vitamin D, look for a supplement that provides 400-1000 IUs of D3, also called cholcalciferol.

*NOTE: Men should not take supplemental calcium (some research suggests excessive calcium may increase the risk for prostate concerns).

3. Enjoy “a little” safe sun – 15 minutes on your hands, a few times each week.

Our bodies produce their own vitamin D through exposure to the sunlight — and fortunately, all you need is about 15 minutes on your hands, a few times each week.

That’s good news, considering that too much sun can damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. Remember to ALWAYS apply sunscreen year-round (even during the winter months).

Welcome and congratulations on your surgery date. Wishing you the best and keep us updated.

Thanks for all the great information. They prescribed me the Vitamin D 50000 UI. I ended up going to costco as you suggested and saving some money there. The doctor is having me take 1 capsule everyday for 2 weeks and then 1 capsule a week for 4 weeks. Gosh she is really loading me up on it so my Vit.D blood level must had been more lower than I thought it was. Anyways, I will keep you all updated on my surgery but I am feeling really confident. My surgeon is Dr. Eibes of Des Moines and he has a great reputation. Everything has been really easy and has just fell into place the way it should. The great thing is that he is really good and so is his staff. They are on the ball with everything. I highly reccommend them if anyone lives here in Iowa. Thanks all