B12 supplements

I recently had my annual bloodwork done (4 years post-op).  I just heard back from my doc that I need to start taking 1000mcg of B12.  So....what do you guys take.  Recommendations?  I haven't been to the store yet (just found out today) so I thought I would see what you guys are taking before I go look for myself.  

They didn't mention anything about my iron or Vitamin D, which was all low while I was pregnant.  I was hoping it would come back to normal after the baby came.  I hated taking the Iron pills.    

Hi Teeney,

I take the Target brand sublingual grape flavored vit B12's.  I took them daily for six months and my blood work came back high in vit B12, so I only do it a few times a week now.....

Love Ya Dub!

oh and you too teeney!

Uh-huh...sure...everyone loves Dub...forgets mommy.  LOL!

I buy my B12 sublinguals at Walmart.  It's 2500mcg and I take them 2 times per week based on my labs.  They also have a smaller dose, but can't remember the number. 

Make sure you get a copy of your labs so you know your own numbers. You can use the spreadsheet from my blog to keep track of your numbers.  Normally doctors don't bother noticing anything unless it's out of range.  Did they tell you what your levels were of B12?  Our goal is to have that number hover around the 1000 mark.  Anything below 400 and we start to see permenant nerve damage. 

Also, you want your Vitamin D up over 80 to start realizing the health benefits of good D levels (lower cancer risks, etc.).  The low level on the range is 30... but the body doesn't even start storing Vitamin D until we can maintain a level of about 50ng/ml. 

Good luck
Pam

Hurley never sends me the results, just the letter afterwards that tells me if there were any deficiencies.  My PCP, where I get my bloodwork done, is REALLY good about follow-up with my bloodwork and will send me a letter and the results.  

My B12 was 338.  They didn't say that vitamin D was low this time around, but I know it was last year in October when I had my 1st bloodwork done after I got pregnant.  Hopefully, I'll get the full results from my PCP this week.  

Nobody ever automatically sends me the results either.  I have to ask for them to be mailed or faxed to me.  Then I go over every test myself - and if I don't understand something I use the website http://www.labtestsonline.org/ to help me figure out what they mean.   And because I track all my results in the spreadsheet I can see if there are any downward trends in numbers from one lab draw to the next.  For instance my ferritin is within normal range right now at 23, but in the past 2 months it's dropped 16 points from 39 down to 23 -- so definitely cause for concern when I see what it's doing, but nobody would care about it since its still within "normal".  If I were to let it go until my 2- year labs, would it drop at the same rate and then I'd be in deep doo-doo?

For B12 - 338 is scary.  I'd skip the 1000mcg and go straight to the 2500mcg - every day.  And get retested in a month.  B12 is definitely not anything to mess with since it can cause permenant damage that can't be reversed.  Are you also taking a B-Complex?  If not, start that too.  I get my B-50 capsules from GNC.   The ASMBS says we need to be taking a B-complex as one of our base-supplements.

When I have my 3 month labs done, I'm sending my spreadsheet to you to look over! 
Jan

I've been meaning to get back with you and say THANKS for all the great info you provide.  I'm waiting on my bloodwork from my PCP (they called last week and said it was being mailed).  I should get it today.  They did tell me that my Vit. D is still low (admittedly, I was not very diligent about taking my Vit. D while I was preggo, which is when it went low).  So, I started B12 and Vit. D again, last week.  Thanks again!  

Pam You have so much good knowledge to share. You deserve the WLS patient of knowleged award
Thank You!