Blood test, new meds

Well, I went to see my PCP today because I wanted some bloodwork done to see what could explain my fatigue the last few weeks. Could be iron deficiency, b12 deficiency, who knows. Hopefully the blood work will be normal, but if it's not, I can work on what needs fixing. I had a CBC, plus a lipid panel, b12, ferritin, iron, thyroid etc. They took 5 vials of blood from me. I had been taking a sublingual B12 daily for a couple months, but this month I had been lax on it - having one every few days or once a week vs. daily. I didn't even realize I had not been doing that until today. Duh. So I am starting to take that again. I'm also upping my protein intake each day. My surgeon's goals for me are 70-100 a day. My personal goal is 100-120 each day right now. I know I'm not absorbing all protein grams so every protein counts! Better to have too much than not enough. I'm starting to drink protein mixes again. I've sampled about 20 different brands/flavors and have found a handful that I like right now. I know they are more effective than protein bars, which I also eat regularly as well. I tried the Odessey bar and the Oh Boy or something like that bar this past week. They are so high in calories. High in protein too and taste great!! (like snickers or payday bars) but extremely high in calories compared to other protein bars. So I tried eating them in spurts, not at one time. They should have the results of my blood work by tomorrow or Monday. I'll keep you posted. I am just so tired!! I'm tired of being tired! I had been so full of energy since surgery, but the last 2-3 weeks have been tough on me. I'm drained. Also, I had been taking Zoloft for about a couple years for anxiety/panic attacks and such. Well, I'm wondering how effective it is now post-op. My emotions have been all over the map this month. I know it's due to weight loss and hormones and such, but still. So they gave me samples of this other drug. Forgot the name of it - starts with an "E". But I'll see how I like it and if I think it's working I'll go back in for more samples or a prescription. I'm like give me samples, baby!! Trisha -89 lbs

definitely let us know how things turn out! i was going to post almost exactly the same thing until i read your post and realized that you're having an almost identical problem. i had been feeling fabulous but the past couple of weeks i've been dragging, even though i've been doing everything i'm supposed to. i even had a b-12 shot at the surgeon's office last week. it's really baffled me, i take bariatric advantage multi-vitamins, iron, sublingual b12, biotin, vitamin c, and liquid calcium citrate w/magnesium daily. i average 70g protein a day, 700 calories (working towards my surgeon's goal of 800), 64oz water, and i do the bowflex 3x a wk, and taekwondo 2x/wk. exercise used to invigorate me, but lately i just feel like crashing afterward. my hair is falling out worse now too! i'm also going to increase my protein intake, i found a calculator online (http://www.healthcalculators.org/calculators/protein.asp) and it says i should be getting around 83g/day. hopefully that will work! if it weren't for all the bs you have to go through on base just to get bloodwork, i'd ask for a full panel myself. i'm just going to see if the protein helps, and if not, then i'll try to get an appointment. good luck w/the new meds, is it effexor maybe? michelle -73 lbs.

Hi, I am with you girls. I am also going thru the ulcer thing and the pouch is so cranky! I am tired and just want to sleep...it even seems to be an effort to drag myself to work anymore! That is so unlike me. I am ok in the blood work department but reading your post has reminded me that I have been pretty lax on my vitamins too. Thanks for the reminder. Keep us posted on how things are going for you. You too Michelle! Roxi

I had blood drawn Tuesday and today I got my results back. My thyroid levels are not good and my B-12 is low. I had normal thyroid levels before surgery and now my T4 level is below normal. I'm wondering if that's why I'm tired all the time. I've been tired since I had this surgery. I have an appointment next Tuesday with my PCP so hopefully she can figure out what's going on. Was the antidepressant sample Effexor? I took that for a few months pre-surgery for anxiety/panic attacks. Worked really well for the attacks but I had absolutely no sex drive so I opted to discontinue the Effexor. Good luck on the Effexor, if that's what you were given, and I'll keep a watch for your post to see how your blood test was. Missy