lab tests results

I finally got my lab work results. the nurse said my selenium was low.   Take an OTC vit. for that. What is selenium & where do we get it from? I mean in our bodies not at what store. lol. My vit. D was @ 24. the doc said he wants that at 40 or higher. They are calling in a script for me to take.  I was wondering about vitaladies powder vit D. I know many of you have taken it. Does our bodies use this form of vit better that the prescription pill form? And why?  I haven't picked up the script yet because I wanted to check out the power form info 1st.  she also said my white cell count was a tad low but nothing to worry about there. I have a cold. all else is good. you should of seen the doc's face when I gave him the list of tests I wanted run. He asked if my surgeon wanted all these. I said NO I'm being pro-active with my body & I want them done. He looked at the list (that I got from OH) then looked at me & said "well OK".  I've learned so much from this site & I want to thank everyone here.

Good for you that you had all the tests done!  You can't be "too careful" when it comes to your health after WL surgery...There just isn't enough data and stats on us all yet.  By being one that demands all these tests, we set newer and better standards to help not only ourselves, but all of us survive longer and live healthier lives after WLS. I truly believe that. The more info we put out there...the more aware others will become on taking supplementation seriously.   I take Vitalday's D3-50 once a day. I don't know anything about script D...Only that Dry D is the ideal D for us (absorption) and not the oil form.   My Vit D test was 42.30....While that number is probably ideal for what your doc is hoping for...and mine said that was a perfect number....My research shows that is still a bit on the low side...I am aiming for no less than 80 and no more than 100.  I already know that it's too low because my PTH tested highest number in the normal range (PTH =parathyroid hormone) When your parathroid glands are working that hard, it's because your calcium, Vit D or magnesium are outta balance....My doc ignored my magnesium deficiency...but I didn't. I am working on raising all my levels since most were low / normal.  So even with these tests, my doc still didn't read them "looking at the whole picture" or take them seriously.  I researched each test and found that the military standards of normals are far lower than most...and almost every one of my tests was low by modern standards...I knew I was going to have to stop depending on my doctor, but on myself for proper care.  Because it is very clear that I do care and my doc just doesn't have the time or patience to put as much care into my unique anatomy.  The only thing I know about selenium off the top of my head is that it's a trace element and in high doses is poisonous and saw a show once where some husband tried to poision his wife to death with it!  LOL  So careful!  You'll have to research that further!  (I'm being lazy today!) 

Anita, you are something else!  Your knowledge is impressive!  What is your vitamin/supplement regime? Wanda

I just read a lot  and have always been into vits and natural herbs and remedies. I'm one of those weird "Earth People" that doesn't go to the doctors unless I am bleeding or dying or in severe pain. I have not taken antibotics in some 20 years...or anything stronger than aspirin or my thyroid meds and prevacid. I didn't even take insulin for long when I had diabetes. I just changed my eating habits and then had the RNY surgery because my health just got worse as I got heavier. Vitalady is the one with the impressive knowledge...My daily vit regime is long and tedious and it's because I am so low on so many things because I just didn't think I had to work that hard at taking my vits for the last two years (once weight loss stopped)  I got my labs about three months ago and started researching all my numbers individually and tried to learn as much as I could about my specific deficiencies and low red blood counts.  I was anemic and magnesium deficient...Quite a nasty combo. I didn't realize how bad I actually felt til I started getting these vitamins religiously and within two weeks on vits and supps...I realized how sick I really was....I felt much better.   I went to Vitalady and told her what I wanted to try and she agreed that I had a good plan and gave me suggestions and helped me get my order with her.  I don't know how well the vitamin levels are yet  but my anemia is doing MUCH better...I'm hoping all my levels are going up in the high normal ranges and that I'm not over doing the vits....All I know is I definitely got my iron on the rise and my low blood counts back in normal ranges so I have kept as close to the same regime as I can...It's exhausting keeping up with it. But my routine is solely based on my specific needs and low vits...I reseached what iron to take and sure enough that is what Vitalady had!  I take her dry forms of D, A and E too...I could have just gone straight to her and skipped all the reading...but I'm one of those "i gotta know for myself" kinda people...so I continued researching and still do.   This is my crazy routine but again it's because of my specific deficiencies and low blood counts. Everything I take I take for a reason that I believe can help me in some way for the time being. I don't plan on taking all these vits forever...but plan to cut some back once I find where I can maintain healthy safe normal vitamin levels. Wake up:  Coffee and 31 g protein.  I always start this way NO MATTER WHAT in case for some reason I cannot get a good day of protein I always start with half the recommended amount of complete protein.  Just my personal thing! I only just started this about four months ago. I drink 32oz or more of water over the next two hours. Two hours later : 500mg elemental calcium citrate (UpCal D) with 1/3 capsule Vit D3-50 and 250mg magnesium. (opened capsules right on tongue and take all together) Two hours later: 325mg Vitalady's Tender Iron (carbonyl) (13 tablets)  and 500mg Vit C as ascorbic acid  ( all chewed together) Then I swallow a 2mg copper cap (Twinlabs), and 1 dry Vit A every other day (vitalady) I am low on Vit A and am only taking this until I get my levels back up and then will take less once I get it estabilished as it is toxic if taken regularly for long. Copper to aid in iron absorption as well as for my skin and because I take zinc and high doses of Vit C which interferes with copper absorption too!. Lunch: I will eat and after an hour I take 2x Adult Centrum chewables and B-complex chewable, Zinc lozenge (Wegman's brand) or a tablet from Vitalady, Mega Red (Omega-3's) which is a Krill and fish OIL so I am switching to Coromega when my other supply runs out, Co-Q10 (sublingual from Walmart) for brain, heart and cells,  Dry E cap every other day (Vitalady) , 1000mcg B-12 Dot (Trader Joe's) Two hours later: 500mg elemental calcium citrate (UpCal D) with 1/3 capsule Vit D3-50 and 250mg magnesium. (all together and let dissolve in mouth) Two hours later: 500mg elemental calcium citrate (UpCal D) with 1/3 capsule Vit D3-50 and 250mg magnesium. (all together and let dissolve in mouth) Sometimes I alternate with TwinLabs chewable wafers for a different flavor... Two hours later: 108 mg Chewable Iron as an amino-acid chelate (Nature's Plus), Chewable Ester C. Once a week I take a B-100 Capsule which I recently learned to swallow whole...because the taste of it is far worse than gagging on the capsule a few times before I get the darned thing down. I just can't stomach the chewable B complex every day...so I take this big dose once a week and spare myself a week of the chewables as an alternative.  So I am constantly popping stuff in my mouth which is quite frustrating. Some days I absolutely dread my vitamins and can barely stomach the taste...When it gets bad I take with 1/2 tsp coconut oil for flavor and for the thyroid...I also have alternative liquid Vitamins from GNC that I take when I absolutely cannot stomach the Centrum and B Complex. I hate it all...but I do it...everyday I do the best to follow this as close as possible...It doesn't always work out and I have to cram some things in tighter time frames....or some days I don't quite get in all the calcium or the second dosage of iron. It's insanity!

I would ask the pharmacy if the script D is in oil.  If it is, I would not pick it up.  We need dry Vit D.  I am trying to get my Vit A and Vit D levels up.   Was you ferritin level good?  That is another test that we have to watch.  I am trying to get mine to 100.

Rx D is D2, in oil. We cannot convert D2 to D3, the only form the body recognizes. converter is bypassed.

textbook treatment for low D is 50k per wk for x weeks, then ramp down and off.

vitamin deficiencies are not a disease you cute, but a condition we treat FOR LIFE. We never go off iron or calcium or D, we just tweak up or down and hope we are using the best form for our malabsorbing bodies.

we collect our own labs and compare to see if what we're doing works or doesn't.

ppl who take fe sulfate will get about the same results as those who take nothing, except the gastric distress that comes free with it.

Most prescription Ds are in oil.  You'd do better with a Dry D capsule. Selenium is a mineral.  I tested low for it at some point.  My multi-vitamin didn't have any selenium in it.  It helps build/support cartilage among other things.  Be sure your multi has the minerals in it like zinc, copper, selenium, etc.  If not, you might want to switch.

My doc put me on a separate selenium.  Eventually we switched multis and the new ones had it and then I tested slightly high on the selenium.  I've since stopped the separate supplement.  Apparently my multi has enough in it.

Good luck, K

My 3 and 6 month post surgery bloodwork showed a decrease in a lot of areas (along with iron deficiency anemia).  No one seemed to be bothered by this because I was still within the "normal" range. I wasn't too happy and in honesty, I felt pretty lethargic.  The last thing I wanted was to end up having to play catch-up down the road.  So!  I decided to take control and emailed Michelle (vitalady) and faxed my results to her.  She recommended her basic proximal plan (tweaked a little). It took a few weeks but I truthfully feel really good now.   My next bloodwork is due in 3 months and I'm looking forward to seeing the results.