XPost from WLS Grad Forum - Please Read

Hey Gang - I wanted to xpost this because it is VERY VERY Important!!!   Post Date: 4/8/08 10:23 pm
VITAMINS - FOR LIFE!!! Does everyone hear this???? VITAMINS FOR LIFE!!!

I work in an Occupational Health Clinic but I have several patients who are WLSers (mostly RNY because that's what's available in our area). Anyway... I was doing a routine physical on one of these patients today - she's about 19 months post-op. She has been having some problems for a few months but has been afraid to see the surgeon because she hasn't taken ANY vitamins for about 9 months (and prior to that it wa**** and miss) and doesn't want to get lectured. She's been getting tingling and weakness in her hands and feet and she can't concentrate. She bursts into tears for no reason at all (which she did during the exam) and it seems to be getting worse.

So... as I'm doing her exam - she starts to get slurred speech and her neurological status starts to deteriorate quickly - can't remember where she is or what year it is. I call 911 and they whisk her off to the ER. I thought she was having a stroke!

The diagnosis - SEVERE MALNUTRITION AND B1 DEFICIENCY!

She will be hospitalized for quite a while to TRY to correct this problem, but I don't know if she will ever be the same.

THIS CAN BE AVOIDED IF YOU TAKE YOUR VITAMINS!!!!!

YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO THIS! You could have the most balanced diet on earth, but you still can't absorb the vits that you need from your food so supplementation is necessary for life - I don't care how good your 3, 6, or 12 month labs look...if you stop taking the vits - you WILL develop deficiencies and you may suffer potentially irreversible complications - including death.

OK - I'll grudgingly step down off my soap box now. But have I made my point????!!!

Bekah PLEASE FOLLOW YOUR SURGEON'S VITAMIN INSTRUCTIONS!  IT IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!!!  If you have questions, please see your surgeon or NUT for direction.  Thanks!!

WOW! I sure hope she gets better. I just had my nutritionist/dietician appointment today and got all the handouts. I'm taking them all very seriously. I hope we all do.

Thanks for the post.  I am really bad about taking meds and vitamins so I started my chewables two months ago and having my surgery later this month.  I knew I needed to make it a habit early on.  Since starting all of this I have also found out I am diabetic and have to take meds for that also.  Thank goodness it was just a matter of adding that to my new routine.  I think everyone needs to start that before surgery.  Just my opinion.

I tried to find this post on the other post but didn't find it.  I have a question about the labs. can you have normal labs and still be suffering from malnutrition? I have been going to the dr and having mri and eeg and cat scans and you name it and still having the arm and now leg feeling numb. I do not take any of my vitamins anymore.  crazy.eights

crazy eights.... as far as the labs vs the malnutrition issue, I wish I had a solid answer for you.  However, I would defer that question to Dr. Warnock for answer.  My first question would be 1.  Have you had a full battery of post-operative Bariatric labs run recently?  2.  Has Dr. Warnock had a chance to review the results?   3.  Has your PCP been in touch with Dr. Warnock? There is a lot of information that main stream PCP's are not up to date with in regards to Bariatric patients.  Could something be overlooked?  I would say YES but I am not a medical person, so it begs the question. As far as not taking your vitamins, if you are a RNY patient we absorb less than 1/2 (approximately) of the amount of vitamins we ingest.  This means we have to "over load" in order to get any comparable gain from the vitamins.  I am talking approximates here, so don't go quoting me please.  It is HIGHLY imperative that you get on a good vitamin protocol and stay on it.  It is extremely important for your long (and short) term health.  The things that can be affected by our not taking the vitamins is LONG and really hard to reverse.  I am not saying the issues cannot be reversed, it just takes a lot of medical support to do it. Please take the time to contact your surgeon for assistance.  The rewards of this type of surgery are great, but the other affects are not.  Please do not risk your health because of not taking your vitamins please!! Please let us know how you are doing!!!  Good Luck!