Patch MD - 3 months post OP tests

Then why be upset when we told you to ask for your labs so you can see them for yourself?

We are not saying your doctor is deliberately misleading you.

I worked for a group of great doctors. One day I got a request to submit an authorization for a patient to have an injectable drug. No reason was given, so I looked at the chart. The patient was allergic to the ordered drug.

Another doctor was reviewing bone scan results with a patient, telling her the scan looked good. She whipped out her results, which did not look good. The doctor was looking at the wrong results and did not realize it.

Stuff happens; it's foolish to put blind trust in anything.

You also have to remember there are lurkers. People will often say things, not just for the person they reply to, but for all the people who will come look later.

Sure you are fine leaving these things in your medical team's hands and don't want the responsibility yourself. That is your choice. But many members here don't wish to see what happened to them happen to others so they will 'warn' you that your choice might not be in your best interest.

You wonder why they insist? It is not just for you, but for others who, in the absence of this insistence, might think that leaving themselves in ignorance of their blood work is just fine.

I am 3 months out. I got my blood work. You bet your bippy I have a hard copy and will be tracking with google spreadsheets. I only wish I had my blood work from pre surgery to have a better idea of where my iron sat 'naturally'.

Definitely get copies of your lab results on paper for your medical file. I tell all my clients to keep copies, as well as surgical reports. You often have to request them, however as your medical record, you have the right to them.

Your medical charts with the test result are available online (if you're in the US) Most of these online medical charting software provide a "trending" tab with any blood work.

The first few tests might not give you much info but over time it's a great help! Here's a screen shot of mine... I just used my lipid panel since it had more than one date.

#don'tjudge

I'm in Ontario however, since a number of people suggested quite strongly that I look at my results personally...I did...Not much to go on since as mentioned on my very first post this is my 3 month post op. I was able to compare my 3 month results with my pre-op tests and am again excited ****il someone finds something bad to say lol) As my health team said originally, my results are GREAT! I'm assuming they used that specific ward because my levels are actually better (higher within normal range) now then they were pre-op.

Sounds like so far you're moving in the right direction!

When I went if for my first meet and great with my surgeon, I asked him "Assuming we go with the RNY, how long will I survive without vitamins after the zombie apocalypses?" He was a little thrown! He said I was the first one to ever ask that! Then he said that I would go a year or two, and if I was eating enough nutrient dense foods my body might still be able to get enough to avoid malnutrition issues.

I was like "Do the sublingual vitamins have to be processed a certain way? Or can I eat a great source (like squirrel livers), and just kinda hold it in my mouth, under my tongue, after I've chewed it really well?" I think he was frightened. What can I say? I am just a curious girl.

LMAO...that's awesome. If we are ever in a zombie apocalypse I will make sure I find you...you've obviously done your research.

I am half farm girl :) We only had girls in our family (Dad used to say that when they finally let me buy a horse, he was thrilled there would be another guy around... then I had the colt castrated.)

My mom was a phys ed teacher/ tom-boy, so we grew up camping, hiking, fishing and hunting. As we got older, most of us gave that up, but I really love knowing where my food comes from so I still fish and hunt (just hunt deer) and I was farming a tiny 8 acre lot before I separated from my husband. When I was raising chickens, I had something sneaking in to eat them, so I even learned how to build a snare trap! Now I can build my own snares and everything! :)

I'm still kinda pathetic - I cry when I kill a deer, and I sometimes cry when I butcher a favorite hen (after they get to a certain age they stop laying). One up side is you are SO FREAKING CAREFUL not to waist a bit of what the animal gave up!

Dad was a shop teacher so my sisters and I can all do small engine repair, basic electrical wiring, wood-working, soldering, stuff like that :)

FWIW, and not to beat a dead horse, I read thru a lot of this article yesterday and decided I'm basically done with the patches. I've been using since about 3 months post op (May 26 is 1 year), and lately have just felt tired and run down, and am currently sick. My levels for my 30 day and 6 month were fine, but honestly I'm curious to get the results and see if I can track a trend of decline on anything

I switched back to my bariatric advantage chewables, b50 complex capsule and chewable calciums. I'll have more labs drawn here in the next month and a half or so for my 1 year follow up, letting me see an even broader picture.

Not saying its the vitamins, but I've had a whispering suspicion in the back of my mind.