Labs

So I go see my doc(who is not my surgeon) today who tells me she was thinking about me! She had just been telling someone how great I did with my WLS.... How cool!  I didn't even think she had a clue who I was!  LOL  And again as always, she asks me what labs I want....I knew it! So I handed her the labs from Tiger Angie and she ran them all!  She was so glad I had my own tests for her! (I was too) That was a lot of tubes of blood!  SHEESH!   Anyway two of the tests were for zinc...Here's a suggestion if anyone is having a zinc test...you need to stop your vitamins for three days.  So I have to go back friday and do a urine and blood test for zinc.  Just thought if anyone didn't know this they should...especially if they are like me and hate blood tests and doctor visits!  :)   Actually I enjoyed my visit today. They made me feel like a movie star or something!  So I'll have my results friday.  Since I have not been for labs in a few years (I know...I'm bad)  I am really nervous and anxious too. Fasting was not as hard as I thought either...I fasted for 18 hours!  When I was done...I went to a burger place (fresh lean hambuger) Not fast food...and gobbled 3/4 of it down on a half a roll! 4 potato wedges. I couldn't resist...I was starvin' Marvin...Then I drank almost all of my 64 oz of water on the two hour traffic jam home!  What a day! Glad it's over...can barely wait til friday for results. Anyone experience this?  My temp was 97.1 degrees!  That's why I always feel cold to the touch! I average this since surgery. Weird. Anita

Im glad you went, and will be anxious to hear what your labs bring on Friday! Im not sure about the body temp thingy... did the Dr say thats normal?? Have a super day and talk soon, Pigs eye 

Pig's eye!  LOL You silly thang!  (It's a St. Paul, MN thing) I wonder if others are having a low temp too.  Doc says it's fine. It just seems weird...I wonder if when I am 99 if I have a high grade fever? LOL I have no idea...I haven't been really sick in a long time. Actually I remember getting to 101 and I was hallucinating...NO WONDER!   Love, Betsy Ross (hehehee) It's a Virginia thing

Anita, I agree that's a lot of blood........but important so we just do it.....I need to find a PCP here in La. to get a physical and get labs drawn......I am due now but this aweful insurance we have now only pays good at the annual physical or I have to pay the unbelieveably high deductable first.....so I'll be about 4 months late. Let us know what you find out.  Oh my temp is always 97.something too now.

That sucks about insurance!  I hate all of that. Glad my hubby spent 23 years in the military! Where you might have to pay...I have LONG waits for appointments...and sometimes I sit on the phone for hours trying to make an appointment (on hold)  Have to get up at 6 am and be the first to call! I HATE it! Oh well...I can't complain too much...I don't have to pay high premiums or deductables.  At least I 've had the same doc for 5 years! Used to just get who ever had free time. It used to really be awful.  I stilI have to educate my doc...but she's so great otherwise! :) She really saved my life when she introduced me to and got the ball rolling on WLS. I wonder if others experience a low temp like that?  Do you feel really sick when you are running 99 degrees?  Just curious...My doc said that most people are averaging higher (warmer) temps closer to 99. So we are getting cooler and others are getting hotter!  My husband and I fight over the temp in the car...It's ridiculous! I finally broke down and keep a sweater and a blanket handy. He always freezes me out.  He wins...He's bigger than me now! :) Anita

My daily temp is 96.7    I feel sick at 98.6   My docs called me a liar until I was actually in the hospital for a bit and they averaged my temps,,,,,it is hard to convince someone that you are experiencing a "fever" equivalent to 101 when the thermomoter reads 98.6     interesting thing for me is that even at 360 pounds I was cold....never was one of those big gals that sweated alot....Now I freeze to death ALL THE TIME and I hate hate hate it....I am sitting at my desk riht now....wearing thermal underwear top & bottom , a sweater & slacks & socks & shoes and hate a heater under my desk going full balst and my hands are cold...I even have gloves with no fingers but it makes it hard to type.....keep in mind I am still 198 pounds which is skinny by no measurement  so I get looked at like im crazy all the time Diana

Isn't that something?  WOW!  I thought I was weird. My temp was always lower than 98.6 too About 98 even...But after surgery it's been at 97.1 average! (hubby calls me a reptilian) I never sweat either...I do if I'm really working hard...but it's usually just my face if much at all. I don't even use underarm stuff...I just don't perspire; never did at 315lbs either!  I mean a little bit if it was really hot, but not like normal people.  And like you, I am always frozen. Even in the summer! I keep the thermostat at 79-80 and my husband walks in and it goes to 77 although he'd prefer 72...I'd freeze! The heat used to really bother me though when I was heavy. I couldn't deal with the heat at all, maybe because I didn't sweat. Now I love it! I wouldn't say the hotter the better, but I certainly can deal with it much better.  In the summer I wear slippers in the grocery store because my feet turn purple and my toes cramp up with flip flops on!  I am not kidding! I keep slippers in the car just in case I ran out with socks and real shoes to go into a store. I don't even care!  LOL  But when i start wearing rollers in my hair too...someone just shoot me!  Anita

Whoo hoo!!!  I'm so glad you went and got some labs done!!! :-) BTW... I always stop vitamins for 3 days before blood work... have always heard it's the thing to do to get  more accurate results...  Oh!  I noticed recently that there's an important test missing on the list:   Vitamin B1.  And that one can be a biggie:

After Gastric Bypass Surgery, Important to Check Vitamin B1 Deficiency

St. Paul, Minn. – A deficiency in vitamin B1 can be a serious complication following a popular surgery to treat obesity, according to a case study published in the December 27, 2005 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology. If untreated, vitamin B1 deficiency can lead to Wernicke encephalopathy, a severe neurological condition.

In the study, a 35-year-old woman developed many difficulties after gastric bypass (bariatric) surgery for obesity. Difficulties included nausea, anorexia, fatigue, hearing loss, forgetfulness, and ataxia, or an inability to coordinate muscle movements. By the 12th week following surgery, she had lost 40 pounds and had difficulty walking and concentrating.

“This case highlights the variability of Wernicke encephalopathy where the classic trio of eye movement abnormalities, confusion, and ataxia are seen in less than 20 percent of patients,” said Heidi Schwarz, MD, who wrote a related commentary. “It is unusual because the patient also had hearing loss.”

An MRI scan showed abnormal signals in various parts of the woman’s brain, indicating a deficiency in vitamin B1. Also known as thiamine, vitamin B1 is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and normal functioning of the nervous system. When her intravenous dose of vitamin B1 was increased to 100 mg every eight hours, her eye muscles gradually returned to normal and her confusion decreased.

Eleven days after her dose of vitamin B1 was increased, a follow-up MRI scan showed the abnormal signals had decreased. The scan also indicated spots in the premotor and motor regions due to hemorrhaging, which is another sign of Wernicke encephalopathy.

“The neurological complications following gastric bypass surgery are diverse,” said co-author Raul N. Mandler, MD, a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and neurologist at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. “Vitamin B1 deficiency and Wernicke encephalopathy should be carefully considered in surgically treated obese patients.”

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 19,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, autism and multiple sclerosis.

Hi Angie, I heard about the B1 thing. I'll probably ask on friday if she'll run that test too since I have to have the Zinc re-done anyway.   I am sooooo grateful for your posting that list. I looked everywhere on my own and just couldn't find what I was looking for.  I'm leaving a copy in my car glove box so I never forget it.  I almost walked out the door without it!  I would have kicked myself!   It feels weird not taking my vitamins after being religious about it the last month!  ;)  Big hugs to you...It's a huge weight off my shoulders now that I have the right tests!  Anita

Back at ya!