Update on B12

Tomorrow I start B12 shots.  UGH.... I hope they help with me being so exhausted and fatigued  all the time. Dr. checked it a couple weeks ago and did the methylmalonic acid test and she said my B12 was 350 so now we start shots every 2 weeks and then once a month. Just a reminder to keep up the vitamins and have your labs checked. Very important. Rhonda

Rhonda, How is your iron level?  I know I was exhausted when anemic (in my case due to a bleeding issue). Good luck! Kathy

Has your doctor ordered an iron study, that includes iron saturation, TIBC, iron serum and ferritin (iron stores)? I had such a difficult time getting a diagnosis, because my Hemaglobin always stayed in normal level but the other iron tests showed the problem of low ferritin. I now get IV iron infusions whenever my ferritin drops below 50.  I remember being so exhausted all the time, I started getting dizzy too.  I finally asked to see a specialist.

Soooo, how were you addressing your B12 before now? And why do they think they can decrease the frequency? I want my B12 to be 1000+. But for me, even daily shots never quite reached 1000. I think 919 was as good as it got on daily shots (we do our own).

It is so very critical to keep these levels up because the brain and nerve dmage can be permanent.

You're lucky in that 350 while low, is not QUITE damaging. I know the levels may show 200-900 as the range, but there are newer studies indicating 800 is the new LOW.

The problems we WILL have are iron, calcium, vit D and B12, for sure. Some with A, B1, B6, zinc and some with protein. Unless, of course, we address them from day 1 and I realize there are many programs that do not address iron or D AT ALL, at this time.

I take 1000mcg of B12 daily, 2 prenatal vits and 1500 mg of calcium. Per my surgeons instructions. I am just listening to my dr. as far as when and how often I get shots. I didn't go to school to be a dr. Rhonda

I always look at it as what they don't know YET. Back in the 90's when I had my surgery, we were on the wrong kind of calcium (way not enough, only 1500) and didn't supplement the B12 AT ALL !

I was 6 yrs post op before I knew to change calcium and amounts and that I would even have to dress my B12 (it was 330 when I caught it). Even today, my surgeons are all over things like vites, A, D, iron, calcium, but still rather passive about B12.

So, while my doc had already done many thousand and had 30 yrs on the job when I had my surgery, the ASBS was a tiny baby, and nutrition wasn't yet a topic for them.

I KNOW! Amazing, huh? Still, they labbed us senseless, every 3 months sucking a gallon of blood, but it all worked out because my husband and I had some low levels, but we didn't sustain low enough to become ill. Whew.

EXCEPT for the osteoporosis. Wrong calcium, not enough, and "ok" for D is very NOT ok by today's standards.

My ferritin level was 12 last month.  I  thought the hemotologist would prescribe IV IRON as 12 is the lowest 'IN RANGE ACCEPTABLE LEVEL' with our lab company.  Because of all my other iron numbers (saturation, iron, H & H were all acceptable, he only prescribed a prescription iron.  Should I  push for one?  Send the levels to my PCP or my WLS  to see if THEY want me to have an IRON INFUSSION?

No other vitamin levels were off.  Most were closer to the mid-high region.  D & A were more than satisfactory as were all other levels.  Could this be why he doesn't thin an infussion is necessary? I'm confused. Thanks for the help!!! xoxo, Vanessa

I think I would run it by my surgeon. I still call mine whenever I feel the need. Sometimes, (I know mine doesn't,) our regular doctors don't know a lot about wls. Although my dr. does call my surgeon if she doesn't know the answer. Rhonda

They look at iron, ferritin and the CBC (hgb & hct). I wouldn't be in a hurry if your other levels are ok. Just your storage bin is empty.

I'm 13 yrs out, but at 5 yrs, we had our first ferritin done, and that, by accident. Mine was 800, Don's was 600. Oops. B ut as I said, first one ever done. So, we stopped taking iron for a few years and watched it drop about 100 pts/yr, but the other levels stayed fine (and that's by MY stds of "fine"). When it dropped low enough, we started taking iron again to try to stop the descent. Mine got as low as 106, Don's 65, when we finally got the formula right to put it back where we want it (appx 200). April labs are showing iron around 80-90, ferritin in both of us between 175 & 190 (I forget which of us has which).

Why it took 2 yrs is that we didn't realize we WERE taking 265mg of Tender Iron back in the 90's to get those high levels. We tried 100 150, 200 250. Now we take 300mg (different pill denominations after 1997) and that seems to do the trick. But Tender Iron is cheap, small, adjustable. We were up to 1000mg of the various rx types and levels were still dropping in the early 90's. Then we stumbled on this formula and that fixed it.

I suspect our ins would NOT pay for infusions, so perhaps my motivation is abnormally strong? I dunno. I hear they are around $2,000 EACH.