DIZZY? What could be the cause?

Ok..I feel like I am finally getting use to this Weight loss adventure and now and for a while I have been getting dizzy when I bend over or when I squat down. Is it the change in blood pressure? is it sugar? Yes I try my best to take my vitamins.. but most days I forget.. I try to take ATLEAST one flintstone a day.. and when I do my headache goes away.. I just can't stand that gritty feeling in my mouth. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? Thanks in advance. Cory

Not taking your vitamins is a CRITICAL mistake - you are setting yourself up for a host of medical conditions (heart problems, oseoporsis, dental issues to name a few) as well as possibly ending up in the hospital. You need to be 110% compliant EVERY day with your vits.... taking 'at least one flintstone' a day is NOT sufficient in the least. You are doing a huge diservice to yourself and *majorily* jeopardizing your health.  My suggestions - take your vitamins and make sure you are getting your fluids... your dizzyness could be caused by numerous deficiencies since you havent been compliant and/or dehydration. I would also call your surgeon fess up and see what they suggest.... you really should get bloodwork done because if you havent been compliant your iron could be critically low.

I second what Jennifer said.. missing your vitamins is not a good thing.  You are playing with your health there.  I would also suggest calling your doc.

I'm going to 3rd what Jennifer said.  It's just simply something that is not optional.  My surgeon  flat out told me (before I even had my surgery) that if I do not take my vitamins for the rest of my life, it would kill me.  And if for some reason, it didn't kill me, I would be critically ill.  FWIW, my surgeon's requirement is 4 multivitamins, along with a B-12 and calcium every single day.  I just had a lot of labwork  done last week (I had a ruptured vein and a lot of strange bruising) and all of my labs came back perfect (thank goodness!)  But even taking my vitamins every single day, I was STILL worried I could be lacking in something.  We just never know. I would definitely call your surgeon and have some tests done.  Make sure you take those vitamins!  Make sure you're getting enough fluids too. 

This could be any number of things.. It could be low blood sugar (hypoglycemia is not rare after WLS) It could be low blood pressure It could be a nutrient/vitamin deficiency. I wouldn't say sugar, simply because it's happening when you bend over.  When my sugar bottoms out, it's because I've eaten something I shouldn't have (i.e. high in simple sugars), or I've gone *way* too long without eating.  In this case, squatting doesn't bring it on.. breathing does.  It also doesn't just go away without some massive intervention on my part (i.e. eating something else with sugar in it.. strange vicious cycle). Are you *only* taking flintstones?  I'd be very concerned if this is all your doc told you to take in the first place.  RNY patients routinely need calcium, b-12, iron, and a full multi-vite.  If you saw the vites I took, I think you'd be shocked. And when you take the vitamin, your headache goes away?  How much fluid are you getting in?  How many carbs, how much protein?  What are your food sources (i.e. are you getting 100% of your protein from food, or from shakes?).  Headaches can come from any number of things as well. So yes, you need to call your surgeon and fess up about the lack of vitamins.  You need to have a full panel pulled to make sure it's not a vitamin or mineral deficiency.  And you need to have them investigate your blood pressure, just to be sure.

I agree with all of the above. When I had my wls I had the understanding that to maintain my health I would be on vitamins the rest of my life. I agreed to this and thus that is what I do. My Dr. also said if I got dizzy we may have to discuss going off my BP meds cause my BP may go to low. Please understand the importance of  vitamins. All kinds of illness can occur from vit. defficency. There is more to this than just loosing weight. Our goal is good health and I don't want you to get sick. Take Care Myrtis

i agree with everyone.   Taking ALL of your vitamins is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.    I even went out and got a pill box and fill it up with my vitamins and synthroid and throw it in my purse, this way I am reminded everything i look in my purse if i should forget.   I am down 64 lbs and now off my BP meds as i was also getting lightheaded as it was dropping to low. Please call your surgeon and let him know what you have been doing.   We all want what is best for you and we all know that the vitamins are a necessity of a healthy life for all of us.   Please take care of yourself as i am sure your family all depend on you. Pam

Hmmmmm..."Feeling dizzy and getting headaches" - or - tolerating that "gritty feeling in my mouth???" I think I'd prefer the latter. Take those vitamins girl! They are crutial! Feel better. Mare

Ok.. everybody.. I am glad I asked.. My surgeon didn't really INFASIZE (not sure how you spell that) exactley what you should and shouldn't do.. kind of disappointed in that.. I can't stomach the Optisource vitamins I got before surgery and when I went back for my first check up they said I could take 2 Flintstones a day. Like I said I get atleast ONE in most days. I will make this a priority from now on..This Dizzyness is kind of concerning me.. and I don't want to cause myself to "get sick" I am feeling like I am on top of cloud 9 with 50 pds gone.. I will call the doctor Monday and start trying to take those NASTY OPTISOURCE vitamins again.. Thank you for all your suggestions- I don't know what I would without this support group.. You all are a life line. Cory

When you call your doc, you might ask about other forms of meds.. like pills.  NatureMade has some liquid vitamins.. and while not all are good for us, some are.  They will dissolve easily in your pouch (I tested them in water). Target also sells adult gummy vitamins.  I'd imagine Wally world does too, but I refuse to walk into mine.  In any case, you could take those.. I'd compare the optisource values and the other chewables and see what you get. B-12 can be taken in sublingual form.. or the pills also digest readily in pouches.  I take pill form, and have for years. Viactive makes calcium chews.. and I think they make multivites now as well.  Those should taste a whole lot better. Keep in mind:  with calcium, calcium citrate is our friend; iron is best if it's carbonyl (really digests well, doesn't mess with tummies, doesn't cause constipation) and iron shouldn't be taken close together with calcium and best absorbed if taken with vit. c., vit.d needs to be in a dry form (remember those liquid vites?  Not good for d).