10 Years Out - Question about AquaDEKs?
Hi everybody!
I have not posted here in FOREVER due to the fact that my life has pretty much rolled on from my surgery and I don't think about it all that much. I just passed my 10 year anniversary in April, and what a different life it has been during that ten years! I'm maintaining a 154 pound weight loss and I am pretty much stable. I have lots and lots of skin, especially on my upper arms and thighs and it's hard not to be self-conscious about it - but excess skin is not life-threatening and because I am 55 years old and in a stable marriage I've chosen not to have any type of skin removal or lifts done.
I have a little bit of an issue going on now, however - I am getting lots and lots of unexplained bruises, mostly on my arms and legs. We recently went on a cruise (something I NEVER would have done at 326 lbs!) and I had some bad bruises on my arms - I was afraid people were going to think my husband had been beating me (and nothing could be further from the truth!). I get my labs done a few times a year by the VA (for free) but I don't think they are checking for some of the specialized levels that DS patients need to have checked. I've never taken an ADEK supplement although I do take a dry D and my low D levels have come up to low normal now. I read that a lack of vitamin K can cause excessive bruising, so I bought a month's supply of AquaDEKS and starting take 2 a day yesterday. Now what do I do? What would you guys do? Any insight or advice would be very much appreciated!
Morganna in Indiana
Surgery weight: 326 lbs (at 5' 4" tall!)
Lowest weight since surgery: 117 lbs (way too thin for me)
Current weight: 172 lbs and holding steady give or take a couple pounds
The problem with ADEK's is that they contain all the right things for us but in such low amounts as to be virtually useless. If anything, we fool ourselves (or they fool us) because we think they are perfect for our needs, but they aren't.
The bruising could be from a low Vitamin K level. See if you can get your pcp to order this test for you. And in the meantime, start taking the dry K, just like you do with the dry D. It should make a big difference.
Also, while your D is now low normal (at least middle normal would be better) have you had your PTH checked?? If you aren't getting enough calcium, your body steals it from your bones by raising PTH (parathyroid hormone). So high PTH is bad. And with fairly low D levels, you might not be absorbing calcium well no matter how much calcium you are supplementing. But your serum calcium level will still be normal because your body regulates calcium levels tighty to protect your heart. That's why you need to have your PTH checked along with your calclium level.
Larra
Thanks Larra! I was going through my last set of labs (taken back in April) and they did check my calcium levels but no PTH. I have a new pcp now and I'm getting labs drawn and seeing her next month. I will definitely mention this to her, because I don't think she has a clue about DS patients.
I ordered the dry K and it will be here by Monday. I'll start taking it then. Thanks again!
Morganna in Indiana
