Vitamin A Deficiency After Gastric Bypass - Blindness

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20060615/hl_hsn/gastricbypassmayboostblindnessrisk So, folks... be sure that when you get your lab work done at the doctor's office insist ...no, demand... that your Vitamin A level be checked! This is today's public service announcement!

Thanks, I never would have thought of that. I don't even know the symptoms of Vit A. deficiency. Lois

You are most welcome! As you know... I'm pretty vocal on the vitamins . Rich actually had very low Vit A on one of his labs in his first year. Thank goodness our doctor did check that as part of her testing. He had to add an extra supplement to his daily vitamins. I know someone on the May 2005 surgery forum who had a B1 deficiency. The doctors thought she had a stroke. She also had drop foot (neurological issues) and anorexia issues (not her own eating but her body not accepting nutrients). Also, someone on the main board (Kathie from HI) got down to 87 lbs, had two heart attacks and a stroke - yup, B1 deficiency. Strangely the cure... 1 extra vitamin a day. It was as simple as that. Sad, actually. Have a nice day and a great weekend. Kathy

Thanks Kathy! I'll have to ask about that. My last blood panel showed that my vitamin D levels were low. Hopefully, wth the added supplements, it will be heading back up in the right direction. Julie

I was taking 2 multi vits in the a.m. and one Hair, Nails and Skin vit. in the p.m. When I went for a 5 mo check up last week the nut. said stop one of the multivits. For no reason other than seeing how many I was taking. I was and still am concerned that I WAS doing just fine and might NOT anymore, since I stopped the one multi vit. I could understand if she thought I was getting too much of something. I neglected to ask why, beyond her remark of "one of each is enough". Maybe I ought to email the head nut. and ask her. Thanks again, Lois

I'm of the theory... why mess with a good thing. If your labs are good, why reduce things. For example, my B12 is over 1100. That is above the top end for normal but a high B12 doesn't hurt anything. Excess washes out. My PCP's attitude is "high is good". She'd rather it be high then try to reduce it and risk it falling nearer to the lower end of things. I know that certain vitamins can be taken in toxic doses but with the way we absorb vitamins... I would doubt that 2 multivitamins is risking being high in anything. FYI, hubby and I both take 2 multis a day in addition to other sundry things. We both take iron, extra C with the iron, B100, B12 sublingual, and our multiple doses of calcium citrate. Rich takes an extra Vit A due to his labs. I take a separate selenium due to my labs. Kathy

Lois, I take two prenatal vit a day (one in am and one in pm) as well as three hair, skin and nails (one with each prenatal vit and one with lunch) every day. My levels have almost always been fine (except the iron in the beginning which is why I switched to prenatal's). I would definately ask. With the level we absorb things I think it is very important to take two multi's every day...at different times (at least two hours apart). JMO... Tammy

I forget about our malabsorption. It doesn't seem like many of my calories go on through . I wish a doctor would say something like, "You only absorp 60% of what your former digestive system did". Then it might be a little easier to gauge how much to take. Then, of course, I would probably fail to take into account individual differences. We all seem to vary widely in what we need. I started with the two multi vits (one with iron, one without due to post menopause) and added the Hair, etc. when I started to lose mine. I did feel a little dizzy two days after the doctor visit, but I upped my water and protein. This a.m. I added the extra multi. vit back. Won't have blood work done until October so I won't know for sure how things are going until then. I do have a DEXA scan every 3 months which gives excellent feedback on the Calcium. Best of all is the I feel TERRIFIC! Thanks for the advice, both of you! Lois (preparing for visit from Pop--have cleaned myself silly)

Kathy, Also, make sure it is a dry A (powder in a capsule) as opposed to an oil based. We can't absorb the oil based one. It usually comes as Vitamins A&D together. I haven't read the article, and maybe it mentions that, but just cause I know that bit of information, I WANTED TO TELL IT!!! There isn't a lot I know about vitamins, it seems I'm always asking questions, but thanks to Michelle, vitalady, she has educated me on Vit A!! love donna

Hey, Donna! Yup, if we take Vitamin A, D or E... it really needs to be in dry form! Also, fish oil (Omega 3)... the best for us is Coromega which is an emulsified fish oil so it isn't in an oily base. It is an orange or orange/chocolate paste. Not hideous tasting either. LOL! Thanks! Kathy