Labs....

How often do we need to get our labs done?  I had them done when I went for my 1 year visit, but am alittle curious when I should be getting them done again.  I have no clue even when I'm supposed to go back for another visit, I'm thinking it's just yearly now, when would mean yearly labs?  Seems alittle far off to me.  Anyone know how often we should be getting our labs done after we hit 1 year?  Thanks!!

Hi there -  I am 7 years out and I have my labs done yearly at my physical.  The only time I have had them done more often was when I was anemic.  After my year, I had them done in the next 6 months and then 6 months after and then yearly after that.  Congratulations on your year!!!

yearly seems to be what most people do unless they have a problem. good luck, jacki

I have my done every six months.  We'll be totally asymptomatic if any of our summplements are off, until it's too late to get them easily under control.  It's better to be safe than sorry. You should also set a spreadsheet to track your progress. Michele

Every 6 months for me.  Of course, I have more malabsorption than you, since I had the DS, but my surgeon's bloodwork protocol is the same for all WLS (RNY, VSG, DS, even Band!): every 6 months.  I think that especially if you have RNY or DS where there is a malabsorptive component to the surgery, you have to keep on top of any nutritional deficiencies.  Yearly is not enough, in my opinion. Of course, you would ask this question when I had blood drawn this morning...  Ugh!  I just had my last 6-month done last month (a little late) and was low in potassium - and they forgot to do my cholesterol!! - so I had to do extra supplementation for 2 weeks, then try to supplement through dietary means and have my blood drawn AGAIN today!  12 vials of blood those vampires took from me!  Feh! Sorry - had to vent...

It all depens on your insurance company. My labs were done every 3 months for the first year, then every 6 months thereafter.  I'd say that one year apart might be far apart too.

If it's a totally complete set (about 12 tubes, 5 pages), at least every 6. Our doc did every 3 months for the first 2 yrs, then 6, but then went back to 3 months.

Say your vit D is out of whack and you adjust. Did it work? Was it enough? Too much? Wrong kind? Gotta know that way sooner than a year. A year can be the difference beteween healthy bones and osteoporosis.