What labs do you have done and how often?

I had RNY 2 years ago. I had labs done 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 2 years post op. 

I have a new pcp, so I took the following list of labs to ask to have him run:

• COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PROFILE (sodium, potassium, chloride, glucose, BUN, creatinine, calcium, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin,alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase) (Nc,K,C1,CO2,Glu,BUN,Cr,Ca,TP,Alb,Tbili,AP,AST,ALT)
• LIPID PROFILE (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, chol/HDL ratio) (Fasting specimen) , Tchol,Trig,HDL,Calc,,LDL)
• ALT (SPGT)
• GGT (Checks liver, renal and pancreatic function)
• LDH PHOSPHORUS – INORGANIC
• URIC Acid
• CBC (HEMOGRAM/PLT/DIFF)
• B-12 & FOLATE - and HOMOCYSTEINE
• IRON, TIBC, % SAT AND FERRITIN
• VITAMIN A & D (25-hydroxy)
• THYROID PANEL (T3U, T4, FTI, TSH)
• SERUM INTACT PTH PARATHYROID
• THIAMINE (B1)
• COPPER
• ZINC
• MAGNESIUM
• RBC
• HBA1C
• DEXA SCAN (bone density once a year)

 Which surgery did you have? How long ago and which labs do you have pulled?

Curious.  Does your Duke doc ask for these labs?  They asked for mine at 3 months. and said none needed at 6 months and I don't go bac****il 1 year.  I get  my PCP to run.. but Duke said they didn't need copies.   Wonder whats up with that?  Its like, thank you, move on!

Hillary at Duke asked me to forward my results to them so I didn't have to pay or bill my insurance twice within such a short amount of time.

I know.. Thats what I thought but I asked Hiliary if she needed them.. she said no. 

I have Hemochromatosis, so I probably get labs more often than the average patient. I don't always send Duke copies of my labs. I do have my PCP run them for me because the lab they use is part of my network.

BTW if all of your numbers looked good at 3 months, you should be good to have them run at 12 months. 

My PCP also does my labs, but Dr. Demaria always wants a copy.  As a matter of fact, I just had them done last week.  Except for a vitamin D lever of 19, they were near perfect.  My A1c level has gone from an 11 to a 6 and colesterol levels were great as well.  I am scheduled for more labs in 3 months.

I guess I could send them all of my labs all of the time, but I get them done a little more often than the average person because of my hemochromatosis, so I usually only send him the ones that he would normally see. 

Congratulations on your good results... and remember to keep taking those supplements.

I'm only 7 months out but I've had labs run every time I've seen my surgeon.  My copay has just gone up and, since I've never had any problem with any of them, I'm going to ask to skip the next time.  Is that wrong?  $50 for each stick!  That blew my mind when I went last time especially when I've never had an issue.  But it would be my luck I would have problems the one time that I didn't get them drawn.

Hi Ginny,

If it were me I'd talk to the Dr to see what he suggests. If he thinks they are necessary, I had them even with the copay. Making sure that you are aware of deficiencies early is really important, because fixing a minor deficiency is much easier than fixing it after it's gone on for a while. 

Just my two cents...

Thanks Barbara.  I will talk to him next time about it.