Lurker.....need help.

Hey guys! I haven't been on here in WAY too long. I'm so glad to see everyone doing fairly well. Congrats to my WLS date twin Kathy on your wonderful progress. To everyone getting the plastics....I'm jealous.............just kidding. I'm happy for all of you. Now, my reason for coming out of lurking status. I have been HORRIBLE about keeping tabs on my bloodwork. To put it bluntly, I haven't really had them checked other than some bloodwork done before back surgery, or simple CBC's etc during small illnesses, etc (go easy on me......I promise to do better from now on ). Anyway, I've basically felt like complete CRAPOLA for several months now and finally went to my PCP and asked him to run some labs to try to determine the reason for my EXTREME (and I do emphasize EXTREME) fatigue, muscle weakness, skin rashes on my hands and face, 'tingling' sensation in my brain (explain that one now ), faint feeling, leg cramps with muscle twitches (think I waited for there to be enough symptoms before I decide to act ?). Anyway, turns out that my blood count is slightly low which isn't really anything new for me. My hemocrit was 35 which is actually pretty good for me except for the fact that it's almost that time of the month and doc says that it should be higher in the body's prep for my cycle (sorry fellows....TMI, I know). I've battled anemia before WLS and yes, I do take my B-12 shots every other week. The one that's thrown me is that they said that my zinc is very low. The nurse even said words like "very malnourished", and "major protien deficiency" and said that my PCP suggested increasing protein and beginning a zinc supplement. Any suggestions on a zinc supplement and have any of you guys had this problem? Heather 267/152/was 150, but who cares.....I weigh 152 !!!

Did you get a copy of your lab work? Do you know what your B12 level is? Did he check B1 (thiamine)? What is your protein level? What vitamins do you take and how much? Some of your symptoms sound neurological and that could be B12 or B1. Even though B12's normal range is something like 200 to 1100.... it needs to be 800 or greater. If yours isn't there... I'd take a B12 shot every week or add a sublingual in there. If you aren't taking a B50 complex in addition to your multis... I'd add one NOW. Laurie had lots of issues and it was a B1 deficiency. I take supplemental zinc only because the children's chewables I take do not have zinc in them. I added the zinc becuase I knew it wasn't in them. I did so when I tested low on selenium. I looked at what else children's vitamins didn't have so I now take Vitamin K, zinc and selenium since the multis lack these. Thanks for coming out of lurkdom. We'll help all we can! Kathy

I just called my doc's office and asked for a copy of the bloodwork. As soon as I get it, I'll let you know the exact test performed and the results. I know that I kinda joked at the whole 'tingling in the brain thing' in my post, but to be perfectly honest......it's terrifying me. I've even wondered if I'm having mini seizures or thought about tumors. I just had a cat scan in June during a trip to the ER for another issue (these tingles started before then) and it didn't show tumors or anything. You sure are a wealth of info Kathy! I think that we should grant you an honorary doctrine in nutrition and health! Thanks so much for your help. Heather

Heather, The brain tingles sound like neurological issues and can be related to vitamin levels. If you aren't taking a B complex (B50 or better yet B100), please start! Excess Bs are washed away so you will not be ODing. I'd love to go to school fo ra degree like that - not a doctorate though... Masters maybe. Just don't have funding for that right now. It'd be cool. Thanks! Kathy