Vitamin A does it come dry?

I've been meaning to post this for sometime now, finally got around to it.
Last time I had lab work done my Vit. A was a bit low. I bought some Vit. A supplements, however  they are in gel form. From what I have ascertained so far we do not absorb supplements in gel/oil form. So is there a Vit. A in dry form? What dose is best?

Thanks!!!

My Vitamin A was also low.  I get mine from Vitalady.com.  It is 25,000 IU, "dry" in a small capsule.  I've used it for 2 years and my labs are normal now, but I have to take it daily to keep my numbers up.

 Thank you Penny, I will get some from Vitalady.
When your Vit A was low do you remember your night vision being impaired? I read that low Vit A causes poor night vision, and I can tell. Just curious if it affected anyone else that way.

I had terrible night vision and since I upped my A it hasn't been a problem.  I don't officially know if I had a deficiency because, in spite of my request, it wasn't drawn on my last pre op labs, taken about 7 months before my revision and by the time I had it drawn nearly a year after that I had been supplementing for a while.  My last labs showed it normal but at the lower end of normal.

Did you go 1 year without getting labs with a new surgery?  That is a really long time. Especially if you are changing supplements and you need to see if they are working.  I still get my labs done every 3 months and have since my surgery.  My level fluctuate so much, I could never go a year without getting them done - I would be in serious trouble.  I am constantly having to make adjustments on my supplements.

If your vitamin A is on the low end of normal, then you need to increase your dose.  I don't know if your range is the same as mine 38-98 but if it is, you want it closer to 60 or 70 and is even acceptable up to 80 but below 50 is not good.  Are you taking the Dry vitamin A from vitalady.com - 25,000 units daily?  I started on that dose and had to increase to 50,000 units. I needed that dose for 2 years until my level got too high and then just recently had to stop it because my level got to high, all of a sudden I started absorbing it.

I am a revision from a very malabsorptive surgery in 2002.  I had my labs done regularly by my surgeon and PCP but I trusted that they would test me for the right ones.  I didn't find out until later that I never  had my A level tested, among others.  In Dec, 2009 I finally found out what labs I needed and requested them from my PCP.  At that time I was very sick.  Again many were missing but at the time I didn't realize it and didn't have the strength to deal with it.
I had my revision in July, 2010 to reduce the malabsorption and started on the correct supplements.  I had been taking supplements before, just not all of the ones I needed.  I had the complete labs run finally in Jan. 2011 and at that time my A was about 50 and I had been supplementing with Vitamin A that I got from Vitalady, 25,000 units daily.  I tried to get another complete set done this summer but my surgeon and my PCP refused, saying it was unnecessary since I had them done 6 months earlier.  That is why I am getting a new PCP.  I will finally see her in a few weeks.  It took that long to get an appointment with her.  She was my PCP in the past and I know she is very good and won't have a problem running the labs I need.  She stopped taking my insurance for a while and then when she started taking it again she wasn't taking new patients.  I have tried for about 2 years to see her again so she is worth waiting for.

I am really glad that yuo are getting to see your new PCP soon.  I can't believe that being you were her patient in the past they considered you a new patient and wouldn't take you on as a patient until now, that seems odd to me.  You were her patient - she had a chart on you.

Anyway, for a surgeon and PCP to both deny labs for a newly revised patient at 1 year out saying you had them at 6 months - that is crazy.  During the first year, you should be getting them more often to see how the surgery has affected yoru levels and the surgeon should have known that.

I am so glad that I see my Endocrinologist regularly and she will run my labs for me every few months.

My revision was to reduce my malabsorption.  I had my common channel lengthened from 100cc to 200cc.  According to my surgeon that means I don't malabsorb any more.  Tell that to my scale because I am dropping weight like crazy.  From what I understand a 200cc common channel still has malabsorption.

I didn't have any night vision issues, but I did need to get stronger glasses.  I waited until my Vit A levels got to low normal and then went for eye exam and new glasses.

I also eat 1/2c pumpkin puree & other yellow/orange fruit/veggies daily - I really doubt it makes a difference because of the malabsorption from my RNY, but I figure they are good for me anyway.

My dietician told me I could up my Vit A just from my diet - but I don't believe it and still continue to take Vitalady Vit A and my labs are good so I will stay on it.

Yep, sure do.  I buy  mine from vitalady.  As far as what dose, I guess it depends on how low you are.  When mine was just slightly low, I started taking 25,000 IU three times a week and in six months my level was in the middle of the normal range.  So I'm still doing the 25,000 IU three times a week.