Lab Help

I was wondering if I could get some of the lab experts to take a peek at my labs and let me know what you would recommend. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sql0fwigpeuihz9/Lab%20Results.xls

Thank you!

You want to get your zinc up, as low zinc will affect your skin - if not now it will eventually.  I had low zinc and had to take mine away from other vites (2 hours apart) and I increased mine to 2 x 100mg of zinc picolinate (it's the most absorbable form of zinc).  I was previously doing 2x50mg chelated zinc bundled with calcium, etc as per the Vitalady starter DS pack.

Don't worry too much about high B12 as that doesn't go toxic, but just cut back a bit, like 5 days a week instead of 7 (if that's what you're doing now). 

I pulled out the numbers that were high and hopefully some of the others can give you some pointers.

 

		Pre-Op	6 Months
	Range	22/05/13	19/11/13
Complete Metabolic Panel
BUN/Creatinine Ratio	8. - 20	14	21	H
ALT (SGPT)	0 - 32	10	35	H
Vit. B1, Whole Blood	66.5 - 200.0	185.5	241.2	H
Vit. E (Alpha Tocopherol)	4.6 - 17.8	9.8	20.7	H
Phosphorus, Serum	2.5 - 4.5	3.3	4.6	H
Vitamin A, Serum	18 - 77	42	120	H
Magnesium, Serum	1.6 - 2.6		2.8	H
Zinc, Whole Blood	440 - 860	452	96	L

 

MajorMom is correct. The Zinc that they drew normal range is 56 - 134.

Most everything looks really good, better than pre-op. I think you can back off the vitamin A to maybe once a week, the B12 to every other day. I think the zinc was taken differently this time from last and there's probably another range that's more appropriate. My lab's range for zinc is 60 - 130.

I'm looking for ferritin, and B6. Looks like your iron is going in the wrong direction and feritin would help to know if you've used up your iron stores too. B6 can run too high and you might need to cut back on B-complex.

Protein, albumin and prealbumin look really nice.

Good job!

--gina

 

I follow Vitalady's regimen, so would you recommend only taking the Vit A one day a week, or just one pill a week? That was everything in my labs so I'm assuming they did not test for ferritin or B6. Should I request that, or just up my iron supplementation until I have them redone?

Vitamin A is one that likes to hang too high once you get up an over the top of the range, for some people, you could try going to one pill a day but if it's still running high next labs, cut back to one a week or even stop A all together at that point. 

The B vitamins are strange for me. I had to stop the B-complex but continue to have to take separate B9 (folic acid) and B1 (thiamine). I still take the folic acid in sublingual and I buy a B1 capsule from VitaminShoppe. I do take a B-complex once a month now but my labs indicate now I can handle it.

I also reduced my vitamin E to once capsule a day rather than the 2 on vitalady's list and I've been able to go with 1 capsule multivitamin a day but I use her capsule called Vita-Min and I feel like I'm getting most of it rather than being unsure with a bulky tablet. I'm 6 years out and my absorption may be a little better than someone new, but not much.

Stay the course on the Tender iron and if your iron labs stay a little saggy you might think about adding a Preferrin tablet once a day.

You have done a great job and I think you're a prime example of how beautiful a new-op's labs can look following Vitalady's plan. The first year can be like a rollercoaster with labs but yours look really good. The tweaking we're doing now with your supplements is normal-- not a bad thing at all. We all do it to match our needs with our supplements by going by our labs. Actually, I'm quite proud of you.

--gina

I think most DSers dont supplement with E anymore, and I have never heard of any deficiencies. I assume you are taking E.

Vitalady recommends a B suuplement. When I followed her regime, my Bs were too high. I no longer take any Bs, except B12 sublingual.

The other posters gave some good information. I am amazed at your A level.

Yes, I do take Vit E. 800 IU a day. I follow the Vitalady regimen. I don't necessarily buy them all from her, but use her supplement recommendations. So I take B12, B9 (Folic Acid), and a B-Complex.

I dropped the B-complex that she recommends. B is not a vitamin that is malabsorbed with this surgery. I found my multi had enough folic acid as well, and didnt need to supplement further.

I think more and more docs are recommending B12 to their patients. A lot of my friends take it. Since its not toxic at high amounts, I dont worry about it too much. If anything, I could save a few bucks and supplement less. But, go****s the only sublingual I take! I love the sublinguals!