Eleven Years - Confused

Hello all,

It's good to see many of the same people here for so long. I haven't been on this site in a long time.

I don't feel good. I am tired a lot of the time, and just have that blah no energy feel. When I say I am confused, I just don't know if this is DS-related, if I have something wrong, or is it just simple aging?

I haven't had my labs done in quite some time, due to the fact that I have been unemployed and uninsured. I recently acquired insurance coverage and will be getting a full physical soon.

In the meanwhile, I am trying to stick with a DS-related diet. High protein, low carb. Drink more water.

Do any of you have recommendations on supplements? I have been taking my vitamins and medications as prescribed. There are so many contraindications between supplements and medications, I am just wondering if there are any contraindications with relation to being a DS patient.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Lisa

Hi Lisa - without knowing anything except what you put in this post, I'm not even going to begin to guess what it could be. You absolutely need to have a full set of DS labs run (you don't say how long it's been since you've had labs done). You also don't say if you are pre- or post-menopausal so you could have iron issues.

You say you take your vitamins and medications, but I don't know what that means. When were they prescribed? Again, without labs, you have no idea whether it is related to your DS or something else.

When I was tired and had no energy, it turned out I was extremely anemic.

Hopefully you can get labs done ASAP.

Hi Janet,

Thank you for your response.

I am post-menopausal. My last round of complete bloodwork was probably a year and a half ago. At that time, I took the medications, vitamins and supplements recommended and continue to do so.

I'm guessing the answers will come once the labs are done and read.

This is a good thing - we are leaving on a cruise this weekend. I have never been on one, so this will be exciting. Now that I have insurance coverage, I am hoping the appointment for my physical will be confirmed and I will have a date for this exam in early to mid-February.

I guess as much as I can - do the DS lifestyle, right?

Go to vitalady,com and look at her DS list. Do your supplements stack up? If not start taking pretty close to what she recommends and tweak after you get your labs done.

Doing that as we speak, thanks!

It's probably something that will show up in the labs. My first through is anemia, but it could be something else, or a combination of deficiencies. Make sure you get a full set of labs, including all the important vitamin and mineral levels, keeping in mind that your new doc will probably know nothing about the DS and what labs to order so you will need to go into your appointment informed and ready to advocate for yourself.

Larra

Hi, yes I am going to my regular doctor. But the good thing is that in the past two years or so, they have a Bariatric Surgery Center there, also affiliated with my hospital (it's where I used to work, and where I'm going back to in about two weeks, they hired me - hooray).

I'm hoping I get some answers. If needed, I am sure they will refer me upstairs to Bariatrics. I just know I'm tired of being tired - really mostly just feeling...blah. I hate it.

Lisa

You really shouldn't need a bariatric doctor, as a matter of fact listening to their vitamin advice may be what your issue is. Can you share what your vitamin regimen looks like currently? Hopefully more than just multi, calcium, and a few iron pills??

Make sure they test your ferritin levels as part of the panel to determine if you're anemic or not.

Meds and vitamins. I have found most meds are not contraindicated with your vitamins. The few that are seem to be an issue with calcium. I think my thyroid medication is like that but I take it in the middle of the night for the food restrictions so not an issue for me. No issue with BP or any antibiotics I have been on. I'm 6 years out.

The only specific thing for DS'rs is that people react very differently to extended release meds. It can become less of an issue the further out you are but best to warn a doc so they can monitor that you are getting the required effect.

I hope they figure out why you are feeling blah and it is an easy fix.

6 years out.

Pete