A warning to take your vitamins

A friend of mine went to get her labs done cos she was three years overdue but felt great!   What she found was a mess...   read on and heed the warning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Post Date: 3/5/08 10:11 am

I thought, that because I have done so well with my weight loss and have kept my weight stabilized (minor problems here and there) that I was fine and doing well.

I thought that since after my weight loss of 150 lbs stopped (two years ago) that because I felt healthy and look great that I didn't need to see a doctor for blood work...and I didn't need to take all the vitamins that made me constipated or made me nauseas... I thought I was eating what I needed...Heck, if I can gain weight, I must be absorbing my vitamins with all those calories, right????

::::::WRONG::::WRONG:::::WRONG:::::

Oh yes, I absorb calories alright...I eat healthy alright...and I also malabsorb my vitamins and minerals. Maybe we are not all as sensitive as I am...but why risk it??? I am not looking forward to what is yet ahead of me to remedy this mess I caused myself...I don't feel sorry for myself. I'm pissed though. How could someone so diligent and commited make such a stupid mistake? Well I did and I'm going to pay for it.  I don't want to scare anyone just because I am a little scared. But if you are not taking care of the health part of your WLS...I want you to start now to be a worried enough to get your labs and make sure you are doing well.  It takes a while to get to this point...so don't wait.

New tests yesterday show that not only am I anemic...but I am deficient in Vitamins A, and Magnesium...and close to Vitamins E and D deficient too. I am slowly losing all my bodies stored supplies of nutrients. I am good on protein, calcium and my cholesterol and fat and heart is fantastic. 

My blood is starving for oxygen and they are competing with me for every breath I take. And the thing is...I feel FINE!!!!  Now that is scary! I have been carrying around my blood tests in my handbag in case something happens they might find them and help me if I can't tell them what's going on. Right now I am on a toxic dose of the grossest bloody tasting  iron pills!  It keeps repeating on me like a mouth full of blood. It's disgusting and making quite queazy.  Pepermint gum helps...kind of.

I am 4 years post op!  FOUR YEARS!!! It took that long to get to this point. I beg anyone who also thinks they are invincible and that their body still works the same as before surgery to know that it doesn't! It will catch up to you if you are not keeping an eye on these things by getting labs and taking the darned supplements. Just take them! If your body doesn't need them, they will flush out and don't stop unless your doctor says it's okay. 

Please take care of yourselves...Stay healthy my friends!

Watch me get this beat! 
Anita

Wow, really makes you think.........Thanks for sharing that, I'm speechless..... Kelly

Thanks for sharing!  SOOOOOOO important!   Hope your friend gets healthy and doesn't have serious side effects from lack of nutrients for so long!  Healing Hugs to her!

Through Linda, I've gotten to know Anita a little, too - and guys, this is some serious stuff she is up against. Every surgeon tells us that taking supplements is vital to our long-term success after WLS and they tell us that for our health, but we all know it's up to each of us individually 100% to do it. We have to reframe our thinking a little if getting supplements in is an issue for any one of us. We need to remember that it's easier to shove something in our pie hole that tastes a heckuvalot better, but a supplement is more vital to our health and well-being, so we HAVE to put that in no matter what. We had/are having WLS to save our lives! Thanks to people like Anita who are will to share their stories so that we all can have a fighting chance to do better.

Thanks for posting this.  It may help some of those who "forget" their vitamins all the time.  I"m 5 years post and have only missed 1 day in 5 years..that was when I was sick with the flu.  Otherwise I take my handful every day diligently.  I figure it takes 30 seconds...it's a routine now...and a small price to pay for my health.  I may have re-gained some weight due to slacking off...but I don't slack off here.  I understand we malabsorb, and that's why too I research and make sure what I'm taking does gets absorbed! It's easy to think every thing is ok when you feel good. 

Thanks for a great post!!  Since I still have my tummy, I don't have the a malabsportion problems; however, I have been taking my vitamins religiously!  I take a chewable multi-vitamin (adult chewable, not childrens), I take a liquid calcium/Vit D (capsule form), I take probiotics (like the stuff you find in yogurt), & a high quality Omega 3.  There is just one thing I'm going to add and that is more Vit D they have really been stressing that we need more than we are getting especially for those of us in the northern colder winter aka less sunshine states, where we are not getting outside enough to get natural D from the sunshine. Kathleen

Oh my gosh what an eye opener......Thank you so much Linda ann for sharing this.  It really makes you stop and think and i will admitt I am bad at my vites I may miss a dose here and there and that's not cool.. Thank to you and this message I can honestly say I will not miss another one.....THANK YOU  and I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! Marsha

Awwwww your too sweet!  Do it.. its so simple and a small thing to remember.  I have a little bowl on my counter with them in it. I see them everytime Im in the kitchen and it remind me. If they werent where I could see them I wouldnt think to do it. Its a learning process.. we just dont want to learn the hard way right?!!

Hugs !!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Thanks for posting this.  I take my vits religiously every day.  I have mine onthe counter, but because I take vits 3 times a day, per the nut who said certain vits absorb better if not taken with others (the calcium not with the multi, etc), I've also put reminders on my computer at home and at work to pop up a reminder to take my vits.  Now it just has become routine and I remember before the reminder pops up. I hope she can get her levels up to normal and doesn't have any long lasting effects. Debi

and here I have been thinking about skipping my check ups.. guess not!!!! I do take my vitamins everyday before coming to work. I have them in a basket on my end table to remind me. It works!!! I will keep this in mind, as I have forgot a few times. But not many.!!!!!!!